Ghost Story

Ghost Story is the thirteenth novel in the The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher. It is scheduled for release on July 26, 2011.

Release notes
During an interview at Mars-Con (January 14-16, 2011) Butcher stated that “you [the readers] could have a half-assed book in March or a full-assed book out in July, and personally I like full-assed books.”

Penguin released the first chapter of Ghost Story in March 2011.

Jim Butcher finished writing Ghost Story on April 4, 2011.

Blurb
Meet Harry Dresden, Chicago’s first (and only) Wizard PI. Turns out the ‘everyday’ world is full of strange and magical things - and most of them don’t play well with humans. That’s where Harry comes in. But he’s forgotten his own golden rule: magic - it can get a guy killed. Which didn’t help when he clashed with unknown assailants with his murder in mind. And though Harry’s continued existence is now in some doubt, this doesn’t mean he can rest in peace.

Trapped in a realm that’s not quite here, yet not quite anywhere else, Harry learns that three of his loved ones are in danger. Only by discovering his assailant’s identity can he save his friends, bring criminal elements to justice, and move on himself. It would just be easier if he knew who was at risk. And had a (working) crystal ball. And access to magic. Instead, he is unable to interact with the physical world - invisible to all but a select magical few. He’s also not the only silent presence roaming Chicago’s alleys. Hell, he put some there himself. Now, they’re looking for payback.

Plot
It is revealed that Harry is truly dead, and has been killed by certain forces for getting in their way. These forces weren't allowed to kill Harry, so the afterlife considers this cheating sending Dresden to Between, which Harry refers to as Purgatory, where he is told if he wishes to think of it as so, it is fine. Here, Carmichael, who has been age-regressed back to 30 which is when he had just started losing his hair, saves Dresden from a speeding “Southbound Train” and takes him to a “Precinct”. While Harry is looking around, he is told that he shouldn’t look for too long because Between is made of all the things that are, were, or could have been, and that the setting is a coping mechanism designed by his own mind; this may or may not mean that Carmichael really is Carmichael or not. He is also informed that there are other things out there, things that aren’t too nice. Inside the precinct he meets a guardian angel who forces shut his Sight to protect him when he attempts to lock onto something real. Once upstairs, in a department that looks like SI, Carmichael hands him off to someone named Jack, who fills Harry in and tells him that he must solve his own murder, as a ghost and without any real access to his powers or to his allies, otherwise three of his friends would be severely negatively impacted. One would be maimed, one changed, and one broken, no information on which ones though. If he fails he will be forever stuck on earth as a ghost. Captain Jack is than revealed to be Collin J. "Jack" Murphy, father to Karrin Murphy and the head of Black Cat Investigations Department at the CPD.

To get back to Earth, Dresden needs to write an addess on a piece of paper and he would be dropped off there. The address that he chooses is that of Mortimer Lindquist. There Harry encounters The late Captain Sir Stuart Winchester of the Colonial Marines. Who, after protecting Dresden from a wraith and giving him some gruff, leads him inside to see Morty, who has shaved his head. Morty refuses to help dresden, slamming a door that contains ghost dust mixed into the paint in his face. Almost immediately the house comes under attack from scores if not hundreds of wraiths. Sir Stuart and the houses other ghosts take up defensive positions. THe wraiths are controled by Lemurs(pronounced Lay-Moor not leemer). after stuart destroys 5 of the 6 lemurs, he ghost-speeds to destroy the last one. shortly afterwards, Sir Stuart, is attacked by the ghost version of a wizard whom, it turns out, has been riling the Lemurs to attack the house for the past few days. Harry stops the wizard-ghost's attack by punching him and then beating him while he was down. The wizard-ghost calls for help and a spirit shaped like a skull appears, "A skull with cold blue flames flickering in its empty eye sockets"(chapter 5). Dresden posits that it is Bob. Sir stuart scares the wizard-ghost away with an empty threat and an empty gun.

Right on the tail of the attack, a mortal with a shotgun kicks in Mortimer's door.

Most people will not be able to see Harry, hear him, and he won’t be able to affect physical objects.

Carmichael is working on a project that has to do with Rakshasa.

Characters
Further, Butcher has indicated in interview that Bob will likely have a significant role in the thirteenth book, after shuffling some details; given that Bob is a Spirit, this seems to tally.
 * Harry Dresden
 * Ron Carmichael
 * Captain Collin Jack Murphy
 * The late Captain Sir Stuart Winchester of the Colonial Marines
 * Mortimer Lindquist
 * William "Billy" Borden
 * Karrin Murphy
 * Daniel Carpenter
 * Molly Carpenter
 * Marcy
 * Father Anthony Forthill
 * Abby
 * Toto
 * Mister
 * Waldo Butters
 * "Bob"
 * "Evil Bob"
 * Leanansidhe
 * Felicia
 * Childs "Mr. Troubleshooter"
 * Ragged Lady
 * Fitz
 * Grey Ghost "Lady shade"
 * Nicholas Christian
 * Listen
 * Cantrev Lord Omogh
 * Corpsetaker
 * Boz
 * Thomas Raith
 * Justine
 * Demonreach
 * Mab
 * Uriel
 * Mouse
 * Margaret Angelica