Jim Butcher is an American author famed for his series of contemporary fantasy novels, The Dresden Files. The Missouri native wrote his first book when he was 19 years old and several more in the years that followed but none of them saw the daylight. That didn’t make Butcher give up writing, instead, he started attending a writing class where he began writing the Dresden Files books. When he submitted the manuscript for the first book of the series to agents and editors, he didn’t get any positive feedback. Jim was determined to get his works out so he began attending literary gatherings.
Through that, he met a lot of people in the business and eventually got Ricia Mainhardt, a popular literary agent, interested in representing his work. Since he published the first book of the series, Dresden Files has thus far spewed a total of 17 major books, numerous short stories, and has become a franchise with a TV series of the same title and a licensed game called The Dresden Files Roleplaying Game. In all, Jim plans to release a total of 23 or 24 books in the series and would round it up with what he has described as a “big apocalyptic trilogy”. The books come in first-person narratives as they are written from the perspective of its main character, Harry Dresden.
What The Dresden Files Books Are About and The Order In Which They Were Published
The Dresden Files books are Jim Butcher’s first published series and it follows the story of a wizard and private investigator named Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden. Dresden tells the story himself as he travels around modern-day Chicago to investigate supernatural disturbances and crimes that are beyond the understanding of a regular investigator. The books are often categorized under contemporary, urban fantasy, and detective fiction.
Apart from short stories, the major books of the series that have been published so far are 17 in number, and below is the order in which they were published.
Storm Front (Book 1)
- Publication Date: April 1, 2000
- Publisher: Roc Books
- Print Length: 372 Pages
The first book of the series wasted no time in introducing readers to the main character and what he is all about. The Chicago police department has a case that transcends mortal understanding and was left with no option than to bring in the wizard investigator to catch whatever that’s responsible for the double murder committed with black magic. Storm Front was nominated for the 2001 Compton Crook Award.
Fool Moon (Book 2)
- Publication Date: January 1, 2001
- Publisher: Roc Books
- Print Length: 432 Pages
Fool Moon had things slow for the private investigator as there was simply no job for him. His livelihood is at stake and things deteriorated to the point he couldn’t guarantee his next meal. Just as he was about to hit rock bottom, a murder happens that requires his supernatural expertise to solve. With that, Harry Dresden set out to catch the being responsible for a brutally mutilated corpse. This book tells you that there are multiple ways to become a werewolf and there is no way you wouldn’t enjoy the writer’s exploration of the supernatural.
Grave Peril (Book 3)
- Publication Date: September 1, 2001
- Publisher: Roc Books
- Print Length: 378 Pages
Being the only professional wizard/investigator in town, Harry Dresden has had to contend with all sorts of petrifying creatures, from lustful vampires to deranged werewolves, behemoth scorpions, and creatures of that sort. But Gravel Peril had the wizard contending with something he has never experienced. As though the barricade between the dead and the living have been yanked off, ghosts were all over Chicago tormenting people and if anyone has a chance to end the menace, it’s Harry.
Summer Knight (Book 4)
- Publication Date: September 3, 2002
- Publisher: Roc Books
- Print Length: 371 Pages
Summer Knight follows the professional wizard as he struggled to put his life together. Nothing seems to be working for him and things didn’t get any better when the Winter Queen of Faerie made him an offer for an improved quality of life; only if he finds the killer of the Summer Knight and exonerates her from the crime. Harry Dresden was reluctant to embrace the offer but he was left with no option when he learns that the fate of the world is tied to the case.
Death Masks (Book 5)
- Publication Date: August 5, 2003
- Publisher: Roc Books
- Print Length: 464 Pages
The fifth of the Dresden Files books; Death Masks saw the only practicing professional wizard striving to stay alive as it has been resolved that his death is the only thing that would bring an end to the battle between wizards and vampires. Amid his life at risk, Harry Dresden must as well help the Chicago police department find who is responsible for a headless and handless body, and deal with his ex-lover Susan, who continues to struggle with her appetite for blood.
Blood Rites (Book 6)
- Publication Date: August 3, 2004
- Publisher: Roc Books
- Print Length: 372 Pages
Blood Rites, the sixth book of the series, continues to follow the adventure of Harry Dresden as he solves supernatural crimes. This time he had to work undercover on the set of an adult film where all the women around the film producer are dying in dramatic ways. The wizard took the case as a favor to his impassioned vampire acquaintance named Thomas but would somehow trace the root of the problem to his amorous vampire family where an enormous secret that would forever change his life awaits discovery.
Dead Beat (Book 7)
- Publication Date: May 2, 2006
- Publisher: Roc Books
- Print Length: 528 Pages
Previous books of this series had already established that Harry Dresden works with the Chicago police department to help them solve unworldly crimes. Dead Beat tells the story of Harry and his friend Karrin Murphy who heads the special investigations department of the Chicago police. It happens that a vampire named Mavra is out to destroy Karrin’s career with a piece of shady evidence against him. Mavra wants the Word of Kemmler in exchange for the evidence and Harry who stepped in to help his friend finds himself racing against time to stop a Halloween that would have the dead walk amongst the living.
Proven Guilty (Book 8)
- Publication Date: February 6, 2007
- Publisher: Roc Books
- Print Length: 576 Pages
Proven Guilty is the eighth book of the Dresden Files books and it follows the unhealthy relationship between Harry Dresden and the White Council of Wizards bent on teaching the private investigator one of two lessons about his undisciplined ways as a wizard. When Harry emerged as a Warden tasked to look into the use of black magic in the Windy City, the narrative shifts to investigating the paranormal assault of the daughter of an old friend. While at that, Harry would soon uncover that malevolent beings have been roaming Chicago feeding off people’s fears.
White Night (Book 9)
- Publication Date: April 3, 2007
- Publisher: Roc Books
- Print Length: 407 Pages
White Night kept up with the Harry Dresden tale, this time, the wizard has to investigate who is behind the deaths of people like him as multiple magic practitioners have been murdered, seemingly committed suicide, or simply vanished. His investigations lead him to his half-brother named Thomas who just can’t be the serial killer he is looking for. To exonerate his brother, the wizard would risk being responsible for more death, including that of Thomas.
Small Favor (Book 10)
- Publication Date: April 1, 2008
- Publisher: Roc Books
- Print Length: 432 Pages
Small Favor is the tenth of the Dresden Files books and as the name implies, it’s a story about how the little and seemingly innocent favor required of us could get us into unimaginable troubles. The private investigator cum wizard seemed to be in a season of rest when the monarch of the Sidhe Winter Court came calling for a favor which saw the wizard entangled in a situation that questions what he is loyal to and indeed his entire existence.
Turn Coat (Book 11)
- Publication Date: April 7, 2009
- Publisher: Roc Books
- Print Length: 432 Pages
The eleventh book in the Dresden Files series, Turn Coat was nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award for Fantasy; this was in 2009. The intriguing story of Harry Dresden continues when Warden Morgan who had relentlessly persecuted Harry found himself in need of the private investigator. Morgan is one of the Wardens of the Wizards of the White Council and has been accused of treason by the council with a deadly punishment hanging around his neck. He needs Harry to clear his name and while the private investigator isn’t enthused about helping someone who wanted him dead, he knew Morgan isn’t capable of what he is being accused of and is left with little option but to hunt the traitor among the Wizards of White Council.
Changes (Book 12)
- Publication Date: April 6, 2010
- Publisher: Roc Books
- Print Length: 448 Pages
Changes was nominated for Goodreads Choice Award in 2010 under the Paranormal Fantasy category. The events of this book revolve around Harry Dresden’s former lover, Susan Rodriguez who had been battling an appetite for blood since she was attacked by some enemies of Harry. When the Duchess of the Red Court, Arianna Ortega, uncovers a secret that personified what Susan and Harry had, there was no stopping her from using it against the wizard cum private investigator. And Harry might just embrace his dark power to stop Ortega and keep his child safe.
Ghost Story (Book 13)
- Publication Date: July 26, 2011
- Publisher: Roc Books
- Print Length: 496 Pages
Like the previous book, Ghost Story received a Goodreads Choice Award nomination for Paranormal Fantasy in 2011. The book was also nominated for the Goodreads Author award in the same year and it continues to follow the wizard detective who had been murdered. Harry Dresden finds himself in the other world and must reach out to save his loved ones in the land of the living. How would he accomplish that when he’s without a body and has no magic to assist him? With several dark spirits gunning for him for revenge, Dresden doesn’t only have to save his loved ones, he must save his soul as well.
Cold Days (Book 14)
- Publication Date: November 27, 2012
- Publisher: Roc Books
- Print Length: 528 Pages
The fourteenth of the Dresden Files books, Cold Days won the Goodreads Choice Award for Paranormal Fantasy in 2013. This book saw the professional wizard and detective become a professional killer following a pact he made with the Queen of Air and Darkness. As Harry was tasked to kill an immortal, he discovers that Demonreach is in grave danger and that death isn’t the worst thing that could happen to him. He had just been restored to life and it’s yet again on him to stop a major calamity.
Skin Game (Book 15)
- Publication Date: May 27, 2014
- Publisher: Roc Books
- Print Length: 464 Pages
Being the Winter Knight to the Queen of Air and Darkness has seen Harry Dresden aid those he had haunted and Mab would take it to a whole new level in Skin Game when she decides to pay a debt with the skills of the detective wizard. Harry Dresden found himself helping one of his worst enemies, Nicodemus Archleone, and his team of supernatural villains to steal the Holy Grail.
Harry knows there’s more to that; Nicodemus wouldn’t want anyone else but him to survive the mission and Dresden must always watch his back if he wants to live. Skin Game received the Hugo Award nomination for Best Novel in 2015 and also the Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Fantasy the previous year.
Peace Talks (Book 16)
- Publication Date: July 14, 2020
- Publisher: Ace
- Print Length: 352 Pages
With so much hostility among the worlds of the supernatural, they decide to have Peace Talks and negotiate the way forward. With that, the professional wizard and private investigator became a part of the security team of the White Council tasked to ensure a peaceful negotiation but Dresden would yet again be caught up in so many dramas that were left unresolved; thus it fell on the next book to trash it out.
Battle Ground (Book 17)
- Publication Date: September 29, 2020
- Publisher: Ace
- Print Length: 432 Pages
Picking up where Peace Talks left off, Battle Ground saw Harry Dresden face an adversary mightier than anything he has ever faced. The Last Titan and her army are coming for Chicago and the city stands no chance unless Harry pulls off the impossible. He would have to kill a Titan and attempting this would have a far-reaching consequence on his life, the city, and indeed the entire world of the living. Battle Ground is the seventeenth work in the Dresden File books, the latest as of this writing, and it was nominated for Goodreads Choice Award under the Fantasy category in 2020.
Reading Order for All The Dresden Files Books
The works listed above are the major books of the Dresden Files series and you should read them in the order they are listed; which is exactly the order in which the author published them. Apart from the 17 main books that have been published thus far, the series has multiple short stories with events that fall between the major Dresden Files books. These short stories are found in the two anthologies listed below:
- Side Jobs (2010)
- Brief Cases (2018)
