Turn Coat

Turn Coat is the 11th book in The Dresden Files, Jim Butcher's continuing series about wizard detective Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden.

Plot summary

Nearly a year and a half after the events in Small Favor, Dresden's nemesis, Warden Morgan, shows up and asks for protection from the other Wardens, which are hunting him for the murder of Senior Council Member Aleron LaFortier. Morgan remembers going to sleep two days ago, waking up in Edinburgh today, and standing over LaFortier’s corpse with the murder weapon in hand. Dresden and Morgan agree that someone may be eliminating wizards who have hindered their schemes. When asked about pursuit, Morgan reveals he was given a favor by the Summer Queen which he exchanged to muddle the tracking spells of the Council. The faerie spell masking Morgan from the Wardens will expire in about 48 hours.

While obtaining supplies, Dresden spots a naagloshii, a 'skinwalker' following him using his Sight. The psychic trauma of seeing incapacitates Dresden, who crashes his car. After Dresden recovers, he enlists the Alphas to help investigate the naagloshii, which ambushes them, killing one of the Alphas and putting another in ICU. The remaining Alphas are shocked, and demand to be given more information in the future if they are to help.

While investigating a lead at the Zero nightclub, Harry learns from Justine that Morgan is being hunted by supporters via a Craigslist ad, before being interrupted by Madeline Raith, who tries and fails to seduce Harry, and threatens Justine's life. Thomas incapcitates his cousin and holds her down for Justine, who tortures Madeline with her touch leaving her wounded and burned. Outside the club, captain of the Wardens Anastasia Luccio appears and interrogates Dresden about consorting with the vampires, and tells him about LaFortier’s murder. She was worried that Morgan escaped to kill Dresden - thinking that Dresden was LaFortier's true murderer. She knows Morgan didn't do it, because she has known him for over a hundred years, him having been her apprentice.

While Dresden is at the night club, Molly arrives at the apartment for her potions lesson, becoming legally enangled and agreeing to help care for Morgan. They move Morgan to a magically-warded storage unit in an upscale neighborhood with frequent police patrols. Dresden goes to council headquarters in Edinburgh, where he informs the Merlin that he wants to find the killer, who quietly accepts his help. Once Dresden is back in Chicago he enlists the help of Murphy to accompany him to the storage unit. The hideout is attacked by Binder, a mercenary named for his use of bound demons. After a large attack and outnumbered, Dresden draws a circle around Murphy and himself for protection from the demons. While occupying Binder, Molly and Morgan, veiled, draw out a circle around the demons defeating them and turning into Ecto-Plasm. In the confusion, Thomas disappears. Now cornered, Binder begins to run away as Murphy runs him down tackles him and arrests him for questioning. Dresden takes the others through a Nevernever shortcut and they head back to the safety of his apartment.

Dresden invites Luccio to accompany him on a visit to Lara Raith and accuse her of complicity. Before Lara can retaliate, the mansion is attacked by the Naagloshii who trashes the mansion and exterminates Raith's entire security team. Facing Dresden and Lara, it demands Morgan in exchange for Thomas' safe return. Realizing he needs far more strength to combat the skinwalker, Dresden decides to perform a Sanctum Invocation to the mysterious island of power in Lake Michigan (site of the finale in Small Favor). The Sanctum Invocation involves summoning and fighting the spirit, genius loci, of the island. After besting the spirit, Dresden conducts the ritual and names the spirit "Demonreach".

Despite this, Dresden, aware that he can't fight each fight one at a time, calls the Council, House Raith, and the Naagloshii, convincing each that Morgan is on the island or that the island is where they will meet to discuss further strategy. On the island, Lara Raith and the representatives of the senior council (Ebenezer McCoy, Listens-to-Wind, and Ancient Mai) are displeased to see each other. Before Dresden can explain the complex chain of cats-paws, they are attacked by Madeline Raith, Binder, and Binder’s demons. The murderer is on the island, but is working with someone else on a second front on the island. Dresden uses his connection to Demonreach and the island to direct the Wardens and vampires in combat. Dresden and the Alphas are ambushed by Madeline and Binder, but are supported by Lara, who kills Madeline. Dresden defeats Binder, who gives him Madeline's cell phone. In exchange, Dresden lets Binder go free. While fighting the Naagloshii, Thomas is thrown into the cabin with Molly and Morgan. Tortured by the Skinwalker beyond his energy reserves, Thomas is starving. Molly activates a crystalline force field to prevent Thomas from eating them. Dresden puts up a fight that keeps even the Naagloshii on the defensive but eventually collapses from exhaustion. Listens-to-Wind then arrives and drives off the Naagloshii.

Lara collects Thomas, promises to take care of him, and leaves. Since the White Council didn’t actually see the murderer, it is still politically expedient to charge Morgan for the crime. Dispirited and out of options, Morgan surrenders.

Dresden attends Morgan's trial, held in the underground of Scotland. He testifies that the Nevernever gateway into Chicago was staked out by his dog, Mouse, and a private detective who photographed everyone entering and leaving. Since Mouse is a Foo dog, Ancient Mai and others on the Council accept Mouse as a reliable, incorruptible witness. The photo shows a very highly-placed clerk named Peabody coming through the gateway. Dresdeen reveals that Peabody has also been influencing virtually everyone on the Council by use of magically poisoned ink. At this, Peabody smashes a jar, releasing a Mistfiend spirit mixed with mordite. The spiritm, drawn to the light that many wizards summon by reaction, kills everyone it touches. In the panic, Peabody escapes using safe words he implanted in minds of the recently-recruited wardens, rendering them mute and paralyzed. Dresden pursues Peabody as the Merlin contains the Mistfiend.

Attempting to escape, Peabody opens a Way into the Nevernever. Overpowering Dresden, Peabody is about to kill him when Morgan arrives and kills Peabody with Luccio's gun, but the strain reopens Morgan's wounds fatally. Morgan then explains that it was Anastasia Luccio who actually killed LaFortier, under the influence of Peabody, and Morgan acted to protect her. Morgan then passes away.

In the aftermath, Gregori Cristos fills LaFortier’s Senior Council seat. The Merlin had rigged the election to appease Cristos and his faction and prevent a Council schism. Since Cristos is probably a member of the Black Council, they managed to place one of their own on the Senior Council despite everyone’s efforts to the contrary. During a respite, Luccio approaches Dresden, and reveals that her romantic feelings for Dresden were most likely manufactured by Peabody’s subtle influences, and ends the relationship. Murphy runs the numbers on Madeline’s cell phone. There are repeated calls to restaurants in Algiers and Egypt - probable locations of Black Council activity.

Dresden and Ebenezar speak after the Council meeting. Ebenezar is slowing drumming up support, quietly, from those who believe in the Black Council. They have to be silent since the Merlin denies the existence of such a group and proposing such a thing could be considered treason. They accept this and then decide to call themselves the "Grey Council".

Dresden contacts Lara and asks to see Thomas, who explains that the Naagloshii had tortured him, and forced him to fatally feed on several women. After repeated fatal feedings, he now views everyone as food, and comments that his sister is proud of him.

Plot points introduced

• The White Council: LaFortier is replaced by Gregori Cristos. The Council's official position is that there is no Black Council.

• The Black Council: A wizard known as Peabody is discovered to be the traitor within the White Council. He is killed by Morgan during his escape from Edinburgh. Dresden is aware that an unknown second person was working with Peabody. Ebenezar McCoy suspects that newly-instated Senior Council member, Gregori Cristos, is working for The Black Council. Binder gives Harry a cell phone that Madeline Raith used to contact the Black Council. Murphy finds several calls to restaurants in Algiers and Egypt. Since it is unlikely Madeline called for transcontinental food delivery, these are probable Black Council locations.

• The Grey Council: Ebenezar's name for their counter-Black Council group. If discovered, the Merlin would either accuse them of being the "Black Council" or an illegal rival. Regardless, Ebenezar and Dresden would be executed on charges of sedition. The other Grey Council members are unknown.

• Soulfire: The angelic counterpart to hellfire, used extensively in this book. Dresden can boost his regular spells with soulfire to supercharge them. Dresden uses it sparingly, because his life force is the fuel. He could kill himself by pouring too much Soulfire into a spell. Introduced in Small Favor, Soulfire changes the nature of a spell by acting as a kind of 'mystical rebar.'

• Sanctum Invocation: A ritual spell that Dresden used to claim the uncharted island in Lake Michigan. The process involved summoning the island's spirit. Then, Dresden fought the spirit using the four classical elements. In his own words, "I punched it in the nose. Now we're friends." In the ritual, he named the spirit "Demonreach." The two-way connection allows Dresden to know what happens on the island and influence the insects, animals, trees, etc. The Gatekeeper warns Dresden not to draw upon the island's leyline power, because he does not have the skill to control it yet. This point is also implied by Listens-to-Wind, who tells Dresden, "You don't get in trouble by halves, do you, son?"

• Captain Luccio: Dresden's relationship with Luccio ended after Peabody's influence over her was lifted. She figured out that Thomas is Dresden's half-brother, but she promised to keep the secret.

• Alphas: Will Borden, leader of the Alphas, has made it clear to Dresden that, in light of Kirby's death, he will have to tell them everything from now on if he wants their cooperation in supernatural matters. They refuse to work in the dark any longer.

• Dresden's Mysterious Past: A few tidbits about Dresden's mother's relationship with the White Council.

• Dresden's Mysterious Future: McCoy calls Dresden a suitable replacement "for that particular mantle" speaking of Demonreach and an unknown occupation. Rashid, the Gatekeeper, also mentions that Dresden's time to confront the Council has not yet come. At the start of the novel, Dr. Butters asks Dresden if he is still having headaches. Additionally, it is mentioned in a previous novel that Dresden may in fact have power over Outsiders, which while not mentioned for some time, is interesting in light of his experience with Demonreach.

• The Knights of the Cross: Dresden's continued possession of two of the swords is mentioned.

• The War: Currently enjoying a lull due to the White Court's cease-fire.

List of characters

Returning characters

• Harry Dresden: The protagonist and a professional wizard—he's in the book.
• Sergeant Karrin Murphy: Detective Sgt. and former head of Special Investigations.
• Mister: Dresden's 30+ pound house cat.
• Mouse: Dresden's Tibetan Temple dog. We discover a bit more about the dog's character at the trial. Ancient Mai accepts Mouse's testimony as well if not better than that of a human wizard. She obviously considers Mouse's intelligence and integrity to be unquestionable. This is corroborated by several other wizards who have knowledge of Foo dogs.
• Bob: An intelligent air spirit who resides inside a skull in Dresden's sub-basement laboratory.
• Warden Donald Morgan: A fugitive; a former warden for the White Council.
• Molly Carpenter: Michael and Charity's eldest child; Harry's apprentice.
• Thomas Raith: A White Court vampire, Harry's half-brother, and the disowned child of the White King.
• Waldo Butters: A Chicago medical examiner and Dresden's physician.
• Anatasia Luccio: Captain of the Wardens, was Harry's sometime lover, but the relationship ended at the close of the book.
• Joseph Listens-to-Wind: Injun Joe is seen at his full power able to do amazing feats of magic, while fighting the Skinwalker, whom he calls "old Ghost." He is one of the Council's most skilled healers. He has many regrets about not intervening in the fate of the native tribes, when the Americas were attacked by Europeans.

New characters

• Skinwalker: Naagloshii, a native American spirit of immense power and ability to change form. Dresden irreverently calls it Shagnasty. This creature has survived a millennia and is semi-divine in nature. It eats magical creatures, including wizards, to increase its own power.
• Vincent Graver: A private detective and former vice officer from Joliet, who resigned after being assigned to the SIU as punishment for trying to prosecute a Chicago city council member. Dresden is impressed with his integrity, and subcontracts detective work to him. By the end of the book, Graver and Molly have a date.
• Binder: Ernest Armand Tinwhistle, a Cockney mercenary who specializes in summoning a large number of creatures from the Nevernever. Dresden deems him cunning and perceptive, although not overly smart, though he is shown to be quite competent at his trade.
• Chandler: A British Warden who guards the Nevernever portal to the White Council's headquarters in Edinburgh. Chandler has an Oxford accent, wears a well-tailored suit and carries a silver-headed cane instead of a staff or rod. Dresden jokingly calls him "Steed", comparing his fashion sense to that of the character in The Avengers
• Demonreach: The ancient spirit, genius loci, of the uncharted island in Lake Michigan. Dresden bonded with the spirit during the Sanctum Invocation, Whenever Dresden is physically present on the island, he shares the Demonreach's supernatural knowledge of the island. Deamonreach appears as a 12-foot-tall (3.7 m) cloaked and robed figure with no visible features but glowing green eyes. It has a limp from a "the glacier that carved out Lake Michigan" ^[1] The island holds an unknown grudge against the Gatekeeper resulting in the Gatekeeper's unwillingness to step onto the island.
• Madeline Raith: A White Court vampire and cousin of Thomas and Lara. She betrayed the White Court to the Black Council in much the same way as Vitto Malvora did in White Night. She creates a money trail from Morgan to one of Lara's holding companies, in order to implicate the White Court in LaFortier's death. She hires Binder to find Morgan before anyone else does, so that Morgan can be blamed for her future activities. She is killed by Lara Raith.

Continuity Errors

-In Chapter 28 Harry and Anastasia are offered a ride in Lara Raith's 1939 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith. The Silver Wraith was a post WW2 car made from 1946 to 1959 based on the pre-WW2 Wraith model.

However there was a 1938-1939 Rolls-Royce Wraith that was cut off by the outbreak of World War II, The Silver Wraith, launched in 1946, was an evolution of the pre-war Wraith.

-In chapter 29 it says Harry has a copper summoning circle in his lab but in a previous book he had replaced the copper one with a silver one.

Turn Coat in other media

• Turn Coat has also been recorded as an audio book, narrated by James Marsters.
• This book is available as an e-book in both epub and kindle formats.
• Turn Coat debuted at number one on the New York Times Best Seller list for hardcover fiction.^[2]

References

External links

• The first five chapters of the book are found on the author's official website.