Book Review: Fool Moon

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Fool Moon     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Jim Butcher
Class/Genre:   Fantasy   Mystery   Magic
Series: Dresden Files # 2
Roc, Feb 2001, $6.99, 342 pp.

The claw marks, footprint, and carnage look as if a werewolf is on the loose even though most Second City residents scoff at the notion of a shiftchanger. After working with wizard Harry Dresden on a previous case, Special Investigative Officer Karrin Murphy accepts that the supernatural is real. She believes a werewolf committed the killings. She turns to Harry as America's only wizard to come out of the closet to help her on the Chicago werewolf killings.

However, Internal Affairs and the local FBI want Murphy and Dresden kept out of the investigation. The honorable Harry would love to walk away and allow the humans to make a mess of things, but in good conscience knows an "I told you so," means nothing. Harry and Karrin track the werewolf to environmentalist Harley MacFinn, but just because he is one doesn't necessarily mean he is the killer. Perhaps his shapechanging girlfriend or a teen group receiving special tutoring on the finer points of lycanthropy 101 is the culprits. As a dark side of a bruised Harry surfaces, he struggles to survive a war not of his making.

Harry Dresden is a unique character in the urban fantasy sub-genre. Harry is a maverick whose mouth seems to get him in as much trouble as his actions. He is a smart know-it-all, but cannot stop himself from saving humanity in spite of mankind's ridicule. FOOL MOON is a fast-paced fascinating noir thriller that keeps readers interest so that the new fan will seek out the previous novel, STOP IN FRONT and the old reader will re-peruse their copy.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner