Chicago, Illinois - Present Day

Women are dying in Chicago and, until Sergeant Murphy asks wizard and White Council Warden Harry Dresden to take a look at a crime scene, no one realizes that their deaths are not the suicides they appear to be. Happy to be a part of an investigation that doesn't involve the ongoing war between the White Council and the Red Court vampires, Harry enthusiastically jumps in to help. Then he finds out the chief suspect is his brother, Thomas. Even worse, Harry's ex, Elaine, is in town investigating the same crime and has Thomas in her sights. Oh, and the war Harry is trying to avoid for a little while, lands smack dab in the middle of the case. A wizard's work is never done...

It's sometimes hard to keep things fresh with the ninth book of a series, but Jim Butcher's Dresden Files just gets better and better. Fans of the series know that, when it comes to women, Harry Dresden is the ultimate white knight, sometimes to his detriment. WHITE NIGHT is all about Harry getting smarter and more strategic in his planning. Instead of running willy-nilly into trouble with only a vague hope that he has enough power to save the day, Harry has grown up. What he hasn't lost, though, is the sarcastic wit that annoys his enemies to no end and keeps readers coming back for more.

Returning to spice up this captivating romp are many friends and enemies from Harry's past. Already mentioned are Thomas, Murphy, and Elaine. Added to the friends side of the equation are Molly, Harry's apprentice, and Ramirez, another White Council Warden. I won't give away who the villains are in the tale, but suffice it to say they are very memorable. Last but not least, but certainly in a category all of their own, are Mouse and Mister, who manage to convey an entire conversation through a simple look or sound.

I thoroughly enjoyed WHITE NIGHT and the fact that Harry managed to make it through without being half crippled as has happened in several of the previous books in the series. That's not to say there aren't the requisite action sequences we've come to expect from Jim Butcher. There are plenty of those to enjoy, along with the snarky humor and hints of romance that earn WHITE NIGHT an RRT Perfect 10.

Kathy Samuels