Karrin Murphy

A former member of the Chicago Police Department's Special Investigations division, Karrin Murphy is a human female. She first appears in Storm Front.

Description
Karrin Murphy is the oldest child of Marion and Collin Murphy. She has at least two brothers and one sister, Lisa. She is short-statured, blonde and blue-eyed.

Collin Murphy was a senior detective in the Chicago PD and an investigator in the Black Cat Department, covering the same territory as the modern-day S.I. department. He committed suicide when Karrin was 11.

Her home is in the neighborhood of Bucktown in Chicago; a small house left to her by her grandmother.

Karrin Murphy is a nominal Catholic, as is her family. Her father's nickname for her was Karrie, and the only other person to call her that is Henry Rawlins, who Collin Murphy saved once from a demon with a shotgun loaded with rock salt.

After Harry Dresden died, she has become far more paranoid. Murphy is listed as executor on Dresden's bank lock box, and is entrusted with seeing to the care of his daughter.

She's one of the few people privy to Thomas Raith being his half-brother and Margaret Angelica being his daughter. She is also aware that he suspects the existence of a Black Council.

Early relationships
In Summer Knight, it comes out that when she was seventeen years old, she married Gregory Taggart, who Harry Dresden estimates to be about a decade older. Some time later Taggart left her. They tried to reconcile a few times, but it always ended in fighting.

Her ex-husband died, 43 years old, at night, after a long fight against cancer. He had not told her about his illness, and she was devastated when learning of his death by discovering his obituary in the Tribune newspaper. She regretted not having been able to say good-bye.

In Blood Rites, Murphy reveals that she had been married to Rich at some point, but were divorced. He felt she was ignoring him for her job; she thought he wanted her to stay at home so she wouldn't make him look bad at work and was using the excuse of wanting to have kids as a rationalization. Murphy flips when she finds out that Rich is engaged to marry her kid sister, Lisa Murphy. Rich is a police detective in New Orleans and is getting transferred to the Chicago FBI to be near Lisa and her family.

In Proven Guilty, Rich (now called Rick) is an FBI agent called in to assist the Homicide Department in the SplatterCon!!! case by Detective Greene and aids him in questioning Molly Carpenter. Murphy intercedes. She does not get along with her ex-husband.

Jared Kincaid
In Dead Beat, Karrin Murphy went on a sexually-loaded vacation to Hawaii with Jared Kincaid, making Harry Dresden quite jealous. Though Murphy appears only briefly in the book, Dresden's actions are prompted by his desire to protect her from blackmail.

In Small Favor, Murphy is very distraught over how badly wounded Kincaid is after engaging the Denarians at the Shedd Aquarium. Later, she says it hurt to see him that way, but she is not sure how involved she is. She thinks it's stupid to get hung up on him since he's not interested in getting serious. Dresden believes it's that Murphy's detachment from Kincaid that keeps her able to be close to him. At the end, Murphy has an odd look on her face as she watched Kincaid, wounded but looking rather paternal, crawl in next to the wounded Ivy, with his Glock.

Her relationship with Kincaid is disrupted by her burgeoning romantic feelings towards Dresden.

Harry Dresden
In Proven Guilty, Murphy admits to being attracted to Harry Dresden, but is unwilling to act on it. First, she doesn't want to ruin their friendship and working relationship. Second, she worries about their difference in lifespans: as a wizard, Dresden will live for centuries, and she wants someone who can grow old with her and raise a family.

In White Night, Dresden remarks to Lara Raith that Murphy doesn't want to get serious with him. Raith responds that he doesn't want to be casual with her - before remarking that his lack of relations is respectful, but sad.

In Small Favor, Murphy informs Dresden that she does not think Anastasia Luccio is right for him.

In Changes, Murphy mentions her plans to have mindless sex with the nearest reasonably healthy male, and Dresden offers his company. While he's waiting for her to arrive, he's shot through the chest.

In Cold Days, she accepts that Dresden hasn't died, but does not want to entrust the Swords Amoracchius and Fidelacchius, or Bob, to him. She is however unwilling to leave him alone.

In Skin Game, she admits as being in love with Dresden and being prepared to do crazy things because of it, such as challenging Nicodemus Archleone in his face and losing out, allowing her to lay the foundation of a potential future relationship with him.

Career
Whenever something inexplicable happens that the Chicago Police Department must handle, they send it over to Special Investigations. Conveniently, this is also where they tend to transfer out-of-favor officers. Murphy, however, took the assignment so seriously that she hired a wizard as a consultant, much to her coworkers' consternation. She uses Harry Dresden as a walking supernatural library.

In Proven Guilty, Karrin Murphy is demoted to the rank of Detective Sergeant, after leaving the scene of the crime for 24 hours while she was on duty. (She was in the nevernever, kicking ass with Dresden, and didn't realize that time runs differently there.) She is now partnered with Henry Rawlins, who knew Murphy's father.

In Changes, she loses her job with the CPD altogether, thanks in large part to Rudolph.

In Ghost Story, after Dresden's death, she leads the Chicago Alliance against various supernatural threats.

Abilities
In Blood Rites, Murphy works out with the other cops in her department at Dough Joe's Gym. She takes down brawny double-attackers in a blink.

In Turn Coat, she is also a competition shooter. Harry Dresden saw her double-tap (like a pro-killer) two supernatural perps in the head in one smooth move in a "single pulsing hammer of sound".

Weapons

 * FN P-90 — 5.7x28mm bullpup pattern, personal defense weapon, with a top loading 50 round clear plastic  and a suppressor. Murphy names the weapon "George".
 * A pair of Japanese swords over the mantle.
 * SIG Sauer semiautomatic pistol.
 * .22 competitive shooting pistols.
 * AT4 rocket launcher.
 * Kriss Vector submachine gun.

Sight
Harry Dresden first Sees her in Grave Peril, when attempting to cure Micky Malone.

He Sees her as she enters the room:

"The door burst open. Murphy came through it, her eyes living flames of azure blue, her hair a golden coronet around her. She held a blazing sword in her hand and she shone so bright and beautiful and terrifying in her anger that it was hard to see. The Sight, I realized, dimly. I was seeing her for who she was."

- Dresden

Dresden Sees her again in Blood Rites, and she appears as an angel, her eyes were "azure flame", she bore a fiery shaft in her hands. Her robes had become smudged with filth, blood, and smoke. She bled from several wounds and moved like she was in terrible pain.

Dresden gazes on Murphy for the third time in Proven Guilty at Mercy Hospital. She appears similar to the previous instance, clearer than normal with her eyes flashing. She wears a "quasi angelic tunic of white, stained in places with the blood and mud of battle". A short sword with a blade made of bright, white light hangs beneath her arm in place of her sidearm.

Fidelacchius
In Small Favor, under the Denarian Deirdre's attack, she partially drew the sword Fidelacchius from its scabbard on Harry Dresden's shoulder. Brilliant white light shone from it, scaring Deirdre off. Dresden stated he believed that to be a job offer, Murphy countering she already has one. Later she asks Dresden more about it but still declined, as she has already sworn an oath to protect Chicago.

In Changes, Dresden entrusts her with Fidelacchius for the mission to save Maggie. She joins Dresden's team to Chichén Itzá. When she wields Fidelacchius, an Angel speaks through her.

In Ghost Story, Murphy acts as custodian to both Fidelacchius and Amoracchius and fiercely defends them against Felicia of the White Court.

In Cold Days, Murphy refuses to return the Swords to Dresden while he's the Winter Knight.

Restoration of Faith
In "Restoration of Faith", Murphy finds Harry Dresden and Nicholas Christian in Faith Astor's company at the end of the bridge where they have fought the troll Gogoth. Mainly on the child's testimony, she lets Dresden and Christian go free rather than arresting them for the kid's kidnapping.

Storm Front
In Storm Front, Murphy calls Harry Dresden in on the case after Jennifer Stanton is found murdered in bed with Tommy Tomm, both of their hearts having exploded out of their chests.

Fool Moon
In Fool Moon, Murphy struggles to deal with the fact that Harry Dresden lied to her the previous spring. She is under investigation by Internal Affairs but needs his help for an investigation into a possible serial killer.

She catches Dresden snooping around the Alphas hideout when he was supposed to getting her some information on werewolves and is being grilled by Internal Affairs when he finally gets around to delivering that information. She later arrests him because she thinks he lied to her after she found the circle drawing on Kim Delaney, torn apart by the loup-garou.

Although Dresden escapes, Murphy catches up with him again during the loup-garou fight at SI headquarters. After shooting the wolf with some silver bullets she had made, she re-arrests Dresden. During her next encounter with the loup-garou, she is saved by Ron Carmichael. Murphy reappears to help Dresden in the battle at John Marcone's estate, although she still doesn't trust him. During the final battle with the loup-garou, Dresden and Murphy find themselves in a stand-off, ending up saving each other from Agent Denton and the loup-garou respectively.

Grave Peril
In Grave Peril, Murphy summons Dresden to the house of the sick Micky Malone; Malone is a victim of The Nightmare, and Dresden Sees Murphy for the first time. Following this encounter, she un-impounds the Blue Beetle and puts the word out about the missing Lydia.

The Nightmare convinces Murphy that it is Dresden and attacks her in her office; Dresden intervenes and puts her into a dreamless sleep in order to prevent any further attacks.

When she eventually wakes up, Murphy and Dresden visit Leonid Kravos' funeral with Dresden and explains how weak she felt as a victim of the Nightmare. Dresden explains that she shouldn't blame herself and later she turns up at his apartment with Michael Carpenter to comfort him about the loss of Susan Rodriguez.

Summer Knight
In Summer Knight, we are introduced to Karrin Murphy's home for the first time when Harry Dresden goes to visit her to ask for help with the case: find out who killed Ronald Reuel. Murphy is in bad shape, emotionally, from the events of Grave Peril. She provides him some basic information, but later he needs her help again and they meet at a Wrigleyville Wal-Mart. Murphy is the only one he can trust and he tells Murphy everything, about his past with Justin DuMorne and Elaine Mallory, about supernatural forces and politics, about The War he started with the Red Court and what they did to Susan Rodriguez, and about the Faeries and the Faerie Courts and Reuel's murder. And, about the White Council threatening to sell him out to the Reds.

After their discussion, they are attacked by a Mind Fog] and some supernatural hitters including Grum, the Tigress and a Chlorofiend. Murphy initially freezes, but ends up saving Dresden from the chlorofiend with a chainsaw. They retreat to the Alphas' house and Murphy is taken to the hospital after re-iterates to Dresden that she is the one that "put on the boots and kicked some monster ass".

Death Masks
In Death Masks, Murphy hires Harry Dresden to investigate a corpse who apparently died of every disease known to man. As she introduces Dresden to Waldo Butters, she also informs them that some high level brass (including several mob hitters and some bigwig from Europe) are in town and that Homicide have handed some work off to SI.

Murphy confronts Dresden at his apartment about the death of Francisca Garcia. She has been thrown off the case because Homicide (and Rudolph) got wind that the murder weapon matches the same cuts made on the diseased corpse.

When Dresden calls to inform her of the Denarians' plot, she tells him that there are detectives almost at his house on the way to arrest him. Later, Dresden has her call in a bomb threat at O'Hare International Airport.

Murphy catches up with Dresden again after he is shot on top of the train and takes him to Butters' examination table to get patched up. When he thinks that he is being autopsied, she re-assures him that they are just removing the bullet. Apparently, John Marcone called her to arrange Dresden's rescue.

Blood Rites
In Blood Rites, Murphy is instructing some members of Chicago PD in martial arts at Dough Joe's Gym, when Harry Dresden turns up. The two of them begin their own training routine, using staves, and Dresden asks her for help with his Black Court 'problem'. Murphy says that she would prefer it to clash with her family re-union as she dreads the event. Dresden gives her Mouse to look after for the day before he leaves to get some more help.

Murphy is in a foul mood when Dresden turns up to collect the dog. Her mother called to inform her about her sister's engagement. Before he leaves to continue searching for the Black Court hideout, Dresden informs her of the other member of their soon-to-be team, Jared Kincaid.

She investigates Arturo Genosa for Dresden and provides him some information and later they go to IHOP to meet Kincaid and discuss the plan of attack against Mavra. After Kincaid antagonizes her, the two come to a respectful difference of opinion.

After Dresden finds her at the Murphy family reunion, they learn that Murphy's sister's fiance is none other than Richard Boughton, her ex-husband. After some arguing, Kincaid calls and lets them know he is in position for the raid.

Dresden introduces Murphy to Ebenezar McCoy and she then drives his truck to the Vampire lair. She struggles with the notion of killing Thralls, but eventually suits up with Dresden and Kincaid.

During the raid, Dresden Sees Murphy again, noting that she carries more wounds than previously. She disarms a booby-trap, resulting in an interesting exchange with Kincaid, and assists in the rescue of the hostages. She assists Kincaid in getting Dresden out of the burning building and patches him up in McCoy's car.

As they recover in Dresden's apartment, they discuss the ongoing situation with the movie studio as well as the family issues relating to each other. Murphy gives Dresden a ride on her bike to the Raith estate, where she meets Lara Raith. After the race to the Deeps, Lord Raith captures Murphy and takes them both into the caves.

Although Raith traumatizes Murphy emotionally, she eventually breaks free of his enchantment and fights back against the henchmen. Raith knocks her unconscious, but Dresden gets her out of the Deeps following Raith's semi-deposal.

Dead Beat
In Dead Beat, Murphy goes to Hawaii with Jared Kincaid and is away through most of the events. She asks Harry Dresden to water her plants and gives him the key to her house. Mavra uses a photograph of Murphy killing a Renfield taken during the raid on her lair, as Blackmail against Dresden. Later, Murphy calls Dresden's answering service to let him know she made it safely to Hawaii. During the voice message, she is interrupted by Kincaid, making Dresden jealous.

Dresden threatens Mavra into agreeing to no longer target Murphy (and others) in order to get to him. Murphy visits Dresden when she returns and, seeing what terrible shape he's in, she doesn't tear into him about the wreckage of her house.

"Something Borrowed"


In "Something Borrowed", Murphy is involved in the search for Georgia Borden on the day of the latter's marriage to Billy Borden, and the ensuing attempt to wake her before the marriage can take place.

Proven Guilty
In Proven Guilty, Murphy assists Harry Dresden after his car accident and after he tells her about the execution of a Warlock, she expresses significant concern about it taking place in her city.

She later rescues him from a lengthy questioning at the scene of a murder. Murphy steps in when her FBI agent ex-husband, Rick, threatens to arrest Dresden for his gun if he doesn't leave the case.

Murphy joins Dresden, Charity Carpenter, and Thomas Raith to rescue Molly Carpenter from Arctis Tor. She loses her position as head of Special Investigations for not showing up, having lost a day during that rescue attempt in the Nevernever. She is demoted to Detective Sergeant and partnered with Henry Rawlins. Dresden and Murphy agree that it is likely Rudolph meddled in her demotion.

White Night
In White Night, Murphy calls Harry Dresden in on a murder case. Although she is no longer in charge of SI, she says she'll pay him herself. The victim was a practitioner whose death appears to be a suicide. Dresden finds evidence that only a Wizard could find and believes it's murder. At the crime scene, she attacks Molly who is sneaking up on her behind a veil and threatens to arrest her for trespassing.

Murphy and Dresden collaborate on the case and the connected cases that lead to the uncovering of a power struggle within the three Houses of the White Court. During their investigation, she drives Dresden to the meeting of the Ordo Lebes and asks him about the status of the war. After they interview the Ordo, Murphy's car is blown up by an unknown assailant. She later tells Dresden that she teaches a children's martial arts class and a rape-defense course every spring and fall because "once you have reached a point in your knowledge, the only way to improve is to teach others".

After Little Chicago backfires, Dresden has Molly Carpenter bring Murphy to his apartment. He explains what he saw during the tracking spell and who Cowl is. They then meet up at the new Velvet Room, where John Marcone has to intervene to stop Murphy and Hendricks from shooting each other. After they leave the building and Molly sneaks up on them again, Murphy watches as Dresden grills and scares her before announcing that they will have words about his over-reaction.

After she calls in the police to protect Elaine Mallory in hospital, she has to rescue Dresden from a stand-off with a hospital security guard over Mouse's presence. They talk, and Murphy helps Dresden see how his anger had been causing him to over-react a lot lately.

When Dresden and Ramirez go to challenge Madrigal Raith and Vittorio Malvora to a duel at the White Court conclave in the Deeps, Murphy is part of Dresden's team that is waiting in the Nevernever to be let in for the anticipated big battle.

After the battle, Dresden reaches into Murphy's bag to get his .44 when he sees the "boxy little machine gun" that she used in the Deeps. Murphy says its a P90 and that the magazine has clear plastic so you can always see how many rounds you have left. She got it in a box of Belgium chocolates from Jared Kincaid the year before.

As they discuss the fallout from the battle, Murphy remarks that they never found out who blew up her car. When she asks how he bribed Marcone, Dresden tells her about the Unseelie Accords and how Marcone becoming a Freeholding Lord is a big deal - if not a perfect solution, as it gives him access to more power.

Small Favor
In Small Favor, Murphy calls Harry Dresden to the site of a burned down apartment building belonging to John Marcone. She asks him to investigate the fire off the books. After Dresden sets up a spell to confuse the Gruffs tracking him, Murphy calls to find out what is happening due to the increased number of 'sightings'. They decide to meet at McAnally's Pub to discuss.

When Dresden is running late to the meeting, he telephones her a beer, through Mac. Murphy decides not to choke him to death once he does eventually show up, as he orders another couple of Mac's beers. Murphy learns that it is the Order of the Blackened Denarius who is back in town and responsible for kidnapping Marcone. She tries to strongarm Dresden into getting the police involved, but they agree that Dresden will decide when CPD should intervene, unless Murphy thinks that too many lives are in danger. They are interrupted by "Tiny", the gruff who challenges Dresden. Before things get out of hand, Murphy challenges Tiny, much to the surprise of everyone else in the bar. Faced with mortal authority and her steel-jacketed rounds, Tiny retreats to find Dresden at a later opportunity.

Murphy goes with Dresden to the Carpenter home, but on the way she notices they are being tailed. Molly Carpenter, who is in the car with them, attracts the attention of their pursuers, which causes them to attack. Two gunman exit the vehicle, and Murphy is shot. Molly provides her first aid and a veil and they all eventually get back into Murphy's car. She presses Dresden not to leave the scene as weapons were involved, but he wins the argument against going to jail. She also thinks carefully before painfully agreeing not to go to hospital. It is only a muscle wound in her arm, so Murphy pushes her way into being a part of the Warden's meeting with the Denarians at the Shedd Aquarium. She is blindsided a little by the attendance of Jared Kincaid, but resolves to remain a part of the meeting.

When the meeting goes wrong, Murphy provides Dresden with CPR after he is half-drowned. He prevents her from grabbing a coin that drops from the dead body of a Denarian, after which she agrees that they should round up any remaining coins. Murphy accompanies the wounded Kincaid to medical treatment (which has the bonus advantage of fining the location of one of Marcone's medical retainers. Once they are reunited with the group at the Carpenter house, Murphy learns that Dresden has been dealing with his own Fallen Angel, and of the fallout from Lash sacrificing herself. Having been through some trauma herself, she provides him with some advice. Dresden tries to persuade her to stay with Kincaid, but she insists on assisting in the rescue of The Archive, Ivy.

She and Thomas pull Harry Dresden out of the water after his battle with the Denarians on the island. When Deirdre attacks Dresden as he gets into the boat, she pulls her P-90 on the Denarian and it is knocked out of her hands. Dresden offers her Fidelacchius and when she partially draws it, it lights up blinding Deirdre, who retreats under the water, allowing them to escape. Dresden says he thinks that reaction is a sign of a job offer and she replies that she already has a job. Later, Murphy talks with Dresden more about the Sword. He says there is no martyrdom required with being a Knight, but she still refuses. She also tells Dresden that she doesn't think that Anastasia Luccio is right for him; he responds by commenting on her reaction to seeing Kincaid with Ivy.

"Last Call"
In "Last Call", she assists Harry Dresden during his investigation into the spell cast on McAnally's beer.

Turn Coat
In Turn Coat, Murphy helps and comforts Harry Dresden after he is first attacked by the Naagloshii as she has a guy who lets her know when certain vehicles (including Dresden's Blue Beetle) are impounded. She then helps him look over the White Council file against Donald Morgan. She questions why Aleron LaFortier did not throw his death curse against Morgan and why there was no evidence of magic used at the crime scene. She suggests that Dresden follow the money.

After they are trapped by Binder, and Morgan subsequently traps him, Murphy easily chases him down and apprehends him. Although she doesn't charge him, she does negate his summoning powers effectively whilst in custody. Together, she and Dresden manage to subtly take a sample of Binder's hair and track him to his employer.

When they find out that the Wardens are on their way to collect Morgan, Dresden flies into a panic. Murphy manages to calm him down and explain that the bureaucracy of organizations such as the Council means that they have more time than he thinks. Once they come up with a plan to deal with the Wardens and the traitor, Murphy recognizes her own limits and stays off the island. She hires Vincent Graver to take photos of the Way into Chicago as Dresden is worried about his phone being bugged and traces some phone numbers off Madeline Raith's phone to a couple of restaurants in Algeria and Egypt.

"Love Hurts"
In Love Hurts, Murphy and Harry Dresden investigate a series of double suicides and link it to the Illinois State Fair in Springfield. They attend the fair under the cover of a date and discuss Dresden's recent break up with Anastasia Luccio. When they discover they are being followed, they chase their tailer into a "Tunnel of Terror" ride. As he does not come out, they decide they must go in. They discover that the Baroness Leblanc of the Red Court has been experimenting with forcing people to fall in love in order find a way to weaken the White Court. Together Murphy and Dresden defeat the vampire.

Changes
In Changes, when Murphy learned that Maggie Dresden has been taken by the Red Court, she's determined to help Harry Dresden find and rescue her and does what she can from her end. She warns Dresden when Rudolph and the Feds are about to arrest him and search his apartment. Murphy vouched for Dresden with FBI Agent Barry Tilly, whom she knows from martial arts. She and Dresden exchanged information at McAnally's Pub and agreed that someone other than his superiors is using Rudolph as an agent and decided to track who that is. Dresden asked her to take care of Maggie, find her a good home with Forthill's help. She fought the Reds who attacked the FBI headquarters and got Tilly and Rudolph out safely. Dresden entrusts her with Fidelacchius for the mission to save Maggie. She goes with Dresden and his team to Chichén Itzá. When she wields Fidelacchius, an Angel speaks through her and she cuts the Red King's spell. Murphy charged through hundreds of Jaguar Warriors and kills one of the Lords of Outer Night. Dresden handed Maggie to her on the steps of the Temple of Kukulkan. Later she met Dresden on the Water Beetle. Murphy lost her job and she's no longer a cop. They make a date for later that evening.

Aftermath
In Aftermath, William Borden approaches her for help with his wife's kidnapping. Calling in a few favors and with a good amount of detective work, they trace her to a warehouse on Lake Michigan's shoreline, and rescue her.

Ghost Story
In Ghost Story, she has a buzz cut and has become far more accustomed to dealing with the supernatural, and is leading the Chicago Alliance, a gathering of the Alphas, the Paranet, and Molly, backed by Marcone and the White Court. Murphy told Harry Dresden's ghost the facts of his murder case and discuss possible suspects. Dresden told her about Fitz and when he won't give him up to her, she ends the conversation and walks away. She never mentioned Kincaid which leads Dresden to thinks Murphy can't face that he might be his possible murderer. She brings a team—Butters, Will, Andi Macklin and Marci—to the Big Hoods hideout to rescue Mortimer Lindquist and questions a Big Hood, Joshua. Uriel shows Dresden that she's on her feet and that she got all the other out and medical care as needed.

Cold Days
In Cold Days, Murphy joins Harry Dresden, Thomas Raith, and Molly Carpenter in the planning and execution of the attack on the Outsiders and their minions managing the destructive spell on Demonreach. While the battle is dying out, she shoots Maeve, killing her and causing her Mantle to transfer on Molly.

Skin Game
In Skin Game, Murphy joins Harry Dresden in the expedition to Hades' Vault. In a quiet moment at her house, she forces him to have a hard look at himself. Though he does not tell her much about what he knows about it, she agrees to watch his back.