Proven Guilty: Book Eight of the Dresden Files (The Dresden Files #08)

Elevated "into the front rank of urban fantasy heroes" (SF Site), professional wizard Harry Dresden is pledged to fight crime, banish evil, and outwit the masters of dark arts in the shadowy corners of Chicago.

Harry, the only wizard in the Chicago phone book, is drafted to look into rumors of black magic in the Windy City. And if that wasn't enough, he must help the daughter of an old friend, whose boyfriend was the only one in a room where an old man was attacked. He insists he didn't do it. And what looks like a supernatural assault straight out of a horror film turns out to be — well, something quite close to that, as Harry discovers that malevolent entities that feed on fear are loose in Chicago.

"Harry Dresden, Chicago's only consulting wizard, takes on phobophages, creatures that feed on fear who attack a horror film convention, in the diverting eighth installment of Butcher's increasingly complicated Dresden Files series (Dead Beat, etc.). Harry finds that fighting monsters is only the prelude to maneuvers amid the warring wizards of the White Council and the vampire Red Court. Less and less V.I. Warshawski with witchcraft, Harry aims his deductive powers at political intrigues rather than crime solving. The body count from the magical melees, however, would do any hard-boiled gumshoe proud. Butcher's believable, likable set of characters go for the jocular much more than the jugular. Deeper fears do run through the book, and Harry, taking on an apprentice, has to face up to the consequences of his all-too-human failings." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

"Butcher is in fine form here, and with the Sci Fi channel in the process of turning the first Dresden Files novel, Storm Front (2000), into a TV movie, expect the series' audience to grow." Booklist

"Think Buffy the Vampire Slayer starring Philip Marlowe....A fast and furious adventure, with winking nods to Bugs Bunny and John Carpenter. (Grade: B+)" Entertainment Weekly

"The latest addition to Butcher's modern fantasy crime series maintains the high standards of previous entries while introducing new surprises and revisiting a host of memorable supporting characters....Highly recommended." Library Journal

"Take Sam Spade and give him a deadly Faerie Godmother, then add Harry Potter and put him on the wrong side of town while you're at it. All you'll get is a pale shadow of Harry Dresden." Green Man Review

"A great series — fast-paced, vividly realized with a hero/narrator who's excellent company." Cinescape

"What would you get if you crossed Spencer with Merlin? Probably you would come up with someone very like Harry Dresden, wizard, tough guy and star of [The Dresden Files]." The Washington Times

A martial arts enthusiast, Jim Butcher turned to writing as a career because anything else probably would have driven him insane. He lives in Independence, Missouri, with his wife, son, and a ferocious guard dog. Visit his website at jim-butcher.com.