The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher: Storm Front Fool Moon Grave Peril Summer Knight Death Masks Blood Rites Dead Beat Proven Guilty White Night Small Favor Turn Coat

Of course Harry being Harry, he can't do anything but help. It seems something is very wrong within the White Council and Morgan, the man least likely to be a Turn Coat has been accused of a crime, with evidence that just can't be refuted. So, Harry patches up Morgan, calls his apprentice, Molly, to watch over him, and sets out to find out what is going on.

As usual it's intrigue, double crosses, politics, tension, misdirection, and plenty of hurt, accusations, and pain to go around. There's also some really, really funny scenes too. Mouse has always been one of my favorite fictional dogs and Butcher finally gives him some scope to exercise his special powers in this book. Mouse is a dog, he doesn't talk, but he's expressive and intelligent – more so than some of the humans in his environment – and he's not just Harry's companion; he also fights against evil in his own way.

The problem with the Dresden series is also its strength. It's very close to reality. Good doesn't always triumph, in fact sometimes victory is just getting to keep its finger in the dike a bit longer. Even more realistic is that some of the evil is not as black as you wish it was. If evil didn't so often seem like good, it wouldn't win as often, and Butcher manages to convey the difficulty of being a good guy trying to do his best in a world of grey. Harry does what he has to do to protect those he cares for and sometimes he blunders into areas other fear to trespass, but he's always at core someone to trust to do the right thing.

An excellent addition to the series and one that takes the story straight to the heart.