Jim says, "Small Favor. Because, y'know, Harry still owes two." No one's tried to kill Harry Dresden for almost an entire year, and his life finally seems to be calming down. For once, the future looks fairly bright. But the past casts one hell of a long shadow.
Someone is targeting the city's magic practitioners, the members of the supernatural underclass who don't possess enough power to become full-fledged wizards. Many have vanished. Others appear to be victims of suicide. But the murderer has left a calling card at one of the crime scenes--a message for Harry Dresden, referencing the book of Exodus and the killing of witches.
Harry Dresden's faced some pretty terrifying foes during his career. Giant scorpions. Oversexed vampires. Psychotic werewolves. It comes with the territory when you're the only professional wizard in the Chicago area phone book. But in all Harry's years of supernatural sleuthing, he's never faced anything like this: the spirit world's gone postal. All over Chicago, ghosts are causing trouble — and not just of the door-slamming, boo-shouting variety. These ghosts are tormented, violent, and deadly. Someone — or something — is purposely stirring them up to wreak unearthly havoc.
"Detective Harry Lyons is having lunch with his partner Connie Gulliver when a mad man begins shooting up the restaurant. Harry and Connie successfully bring down the shooter, but have a sinking feeling it's not over. A young single mom and her son are being threatened by a crazy cop. A homeless man has been told he will soon die. Harry also hears threats that everyone he loves will die. Somehow, all of these events are related. To find the connection is to solve the crime. Before Harry and Connie can make that connection, Harry's best friend is savagely killed in his own home. "
