This is book three in the Dresden Files about Harry Dresden, a working wizard in downtown Chicago. I’ve read and enjoyed the first two books in the series but felt this one was missing something. Although readable, i didnt find it as compulsive as the first two. The storyline though well written, did at times suffer from too many endless confrontations, Dresden lurching from one tight spot to the next. By the time I got to the big finale, I just wanted the book to finish. I was as tired as Dresden. Good without being brilliant. ( )

It was pretty good, but I got tired of Harry being so low, yet magically mustering up the strength & magic to get the job done. It got repetitive & a little too predictable. Still, not a bad read, but I don't think I'm going to start the fourth book of the series immediately. I need a break. ( )

Harry Dresden, wizard for hire is back in another adventure This time the city is being terrorized by ghosts. Not the kind that jump up and shout boo, the kind that are tormented and violent and can actually harm people. He gets a tip that one will appear in the hospital and try to kill the children on the maternity ward. He enlists the help of his friend Michael Carpenter (a carpenter by trade but a Knight of the Cross by calling dedicated to battling evil). They manage to defeat the ghost, but discover her body is wound with a piece of barbed wire meaning she was tormented into her actions. It looks like someone is somehow controlling the ghosts,someone pretty powerful.

Making life more complicated as usual, is Harry's fae godmother Leanansidhe. She is here to collect on a long ago promise made by Harry to serve her. Harry manages to lie his way out of things which is never a good idea with fae. Along the way vampires get involved as well as Michael's pregnant wife Charity and Harry's journalist girlfriend Susan. Unfortunately not everyone makes it out of the ensuing battle in the same state as they entered it and it will have greater consequences for Harry in future instalments.

This was great fun, it went a mile a minute with plenty of twists and turns without getting too complicated. I really like Harry and Michael was a good addition to the main characters. I also hope to see more from Tomas and Justine. This is such a fun series, highly recommended to all urban fantasy and mystery fans looking for something a little different. ( )

Excellent. Page-turning, as usual - compelling as all get-out. I'm not sure this is the best in the series thus far, but one could make the argument that he keeps getting better. ( )

Fleshless fiends run afoul of Harry, and we are introduced to an intriguing cohort in Michael Carpenter, a paladin of the highest sort who happens to have a pretty darn spiffy sword complete with italicized name and mayhap an original nail from the Crucifixion (the BIG one), glowing all purty with Mr. Carpenter's divine faith and cutting a swath through the baddies.

What delights me thus far about Mr. Butcher is his inventive machinations providing all manner of terribly awful things with which to assail Mr. Dresden, none of which come off as overly familiar or beat-into-the-ground as many of this burgeoning genre have already succumbed ( )