by Jim Butcher
First published 2026
Harry Dresden stands in a Chicago without electricity, watching his city struggle to recover from near destruction. The professional wizard helped save Chicago from being razed, but victory came at a terrible price. Friends died in the battle. The grief weighs on him as he works to help survivors rebuild their lives. New threats emerge from the darkness. Ghouls hunt civilians in the damaged streets. Harry's brother lies dying, and Harry cannot find a way to save him. The Winter Queen of the Fae has formed an alliance with the White Court vampires. To seal this dangerous pact, Harry finds himself betrothed to Lara Raith, a vampire whose beauty masks lethal intentions. Harry has weathered many storms over the years, but this test pushes him beyond his limits. Chicago needs its wizard defender more than ever. The question becomes whether enough of Harry Dresden remains after loss and sorrow to answer that call. The city's fate hangs in the balance as Harry confronts enemies both external and internal during the most difficult year of his life.
Genres: fantasy, contemporary, action, urban-fantasy
Vibes: dark, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Chicago
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
463 pages · Hardcover · Ace
Content warnings: death, violence