The Dresden Files 02
[unabridged audiobook with text]
Fool Moon is a 2001 contemporary fantasy novel by author Jim Butcher. It is the second novel in The Dresden Files, which follows the character of Harry Dresden, present-day Chicago's only professional wizard.
Plot
It's early October, about six months after the events in Storm Front. Kim Delaney is paying for Dresden's steak dinner at McAnally's tavern. Dresden had helped Kim control and use her magical talents. She asks Dresden how to create a set of three magical circles, which could be used to contain powerful entities. Dresden withholds the information, because such circles are generally used to contain demigods and archangels. Dresden feels certain that those high level magic rituals will get her into trouble with the White Council. And, Kim is not experienced enough to control it.
Police Lt. Karrin Murphy enters McAnally's and asks Dresden to consult on a homicide. She's still angry that Dresden didn’t give her the names of wizards that could have committed the triple homicide (in Storm Front). Murphy was the officer responsible for bringing in the Beckitts and they are now in jail. Marcone spread the rumor that Dresden was on contract to assassinate the ThirdEye dealers. With Marcone involved, Murphy’s been under investigation by Internal Affairs. Now, her job is on the line unless she can crack a series of full moon murders. The most recent murder is particularly bad. Marcone's man was gutted and shredded in a pool of blood. The only clue is a wolfish paw print. Dresden follows a lead that takes him into a confrontation with a gang of teenage werewolves and their pack leader, Tera West.
Surviving that meeting, Dresden writes a brief guide to werewolves for Murphy. Bob had provided him with intel on all four kinds of wolven theriomorphs: hexenwolves, werewolves, lycanthropes, and loup-garous. At the police station, he gets a tip from FBI Agent Harris that the Streetwolves biker gang might know something about the murder. It’s a set up. The Streetwolves and their packleader Parker are lycanthropes. They do not change shape, but become bestial in their minds. Dresden escapes unscathed, but now the Streetwolves want him dead.
Marcone shows up in Dresden’s office. He offers to hire Dresden as his security adviser. Marcone is aware that the wolf creatures want to kill him, so he needs protection. Dresden refuses. He doesn't want to deal with a mobster. On his way out the door, Marcone says that these killings are connected to Harley MacFinn and his Northwest Passage Project. Dresden is sorely tempted to kill Marcone and "make the world a better place."
Before Dresden can check on Harley MacFinn, Lt. Murphy arrests him. Kim Delaney’s shredded body is found in MacFinn's apartment next to a summoning circle. When Murphy was at McAnally’s, she had pocketed Kim’s summoning circle drawing. Here is yet another dead woman linked to Dresden-—it’s like Linda Randall all over again (Storm Front). Murphy knows that Dresden is probably innocent, but she is angry that he kept her out of the loop. To express her displeasure at Dresden’s withholding information, Murphy severely beats him, handcuffs him, and has Carmichael lock him in a police car. Tera West sneaks in and frees Dresden. Tera tells Dresden that he must draw the containment circle around her fiancé Harley MacFinn before the moon rises, or innocent people will die. MacFinn is a loup-garou.
Dresden is shot during his escape from police custody. Bleeding and in agony, Dresden runs until he passes out. He awakes, safe and bandaged. He and Tera are miles from Chicago and moonrise is coming. Desperate, he calls Susan and bums a ride. Susan is less than thrilled to see him with a naked were-woman. Dresden promises her a great story. He tells her about the murders, Marcone, and the Northwest Passage Project. Unable to resist an exclusive story, Susan drives them back to Chicago...
