By: Corey Lack
Ghost story, the thirteenth book of the Dresden Files, starts immediately after the book, Changes. This one, like with the last book, cannot be discussed without spoilers, so I’m gonna put a big SPOILER WARNING right here. If you haven’t read the previous book or this one and don’t want spoilers, then go and read them now. We’ll wait.
As for the rest of you, this book, like I mentioned earlier, takes place immediately after the previous book and right after Harry Dresden’s sudden and unexpected death. He is given a chance to return to the living world and find his killer. His first stop was an ectomancer, someone who communicated with the spirits and ghosts, that he knew in order to get some more physical assistance. Even dead, Harry still manages to find himself entangled in someone’s nefarious plots, this time being Corpsetaker, the deceased necromancer Harry fought back in Dead Beat. The ending had a twist almost as big as the previous one. Harry finds out that, first, Uriel, as in the archangel, has taken an interest in him. Secondly, Harry finds out that Kincaid, the half-demon assassin, was the one who killed him…after being asked by Harry himself. That’s right. Harry knew Mab would use the Mantle of the Winter Knight to turn Harry into her personal monster, so, in order to prevent that, Harry had Kincaid kill him once his daughter was safe.
The book is another phenomenal read as it’s a different one from the previous books in a few ways. First, there’s the fact that this time Harry is investigating his personal murder rather than seeing it from the outside. Also, there is a big change for Harry at the end as he finds himself brought back to life through the combined efforts of Mab and the Spirit of Demonreach. The change isn’t his being alive again, but instead finding that he didn’t escape his sworn duty to her. That said, he showed his now trademark stubbornness by refusing to change who he is. Harry agreed to do his duty to her, but he would do it in his own way, showing that, at least for now, he was still the lovable, hard-headed wizard/private detective we’ve come to know and love.
