Storm Front Book Summary and Study Guide

He gets called by Lt. Karin Murphy when a couple, Tommy Tomm and Jennifer Stanton, is found murdered in a hotel room. The victim's hearts were ripped out during intercourse and it was clear that magic was used. Harry is repulsed by the remnants of dark magic left in the room and crime scene is so bloody that he throws up. After accessing the crime scene and receiving strict instructions by Murphy Harry rushes out as he is late for an appointment. On his way he is forced in to a car and meets Johnny Marcone, head of a Mafia group. Tommy Tomm was Marcone's body guard and he offers Harry a lot of money to stay away from the case but Harry declines angrily. Harry meets Marcone's eyes and sees in to his soul. Soul gazing is a two way process therefore Marcone also gets a look at Harry's soul. Harry is a bit scared as Marcone's mind is dark but controlled place. Finally Marcone drops Harry at his office building and leaves with a threat. Harry's next appointment is women named Monica, who wants to find her husband, Victor Sells, who was dabbling in harmless magic but had started acting strange before disappearing completely. She pays Harry a huge amount in advance. Harry uses the advance to pay his rents and goes out to eat at his favourite bar where is approached by good-looking journalist, Susan who tries to get some information related to the murders for her magazine, Arcane. When Harry refuses she asks him out on a date and Harry agrees to out with her. Harry then leaves to check out the property owned by Monica's husband near Lake Michigan. When he does not find any one he summons and traps a faerie, Toot-toot. The Toot-toot agrees to give him some information if Harry promises to get some pizza delivered to them. When Harry agrees Toot-toot tells him that Victor Sells was meet some people in the house and organizing orgies. Harry lets Toot-toot leave and is approached by Warden Morgan, who accuses him of the murders and threatens to call the White Council and file a complaint against him. Harry then leaves for his apartment where he prepares an escape potion with the help of a spirit named, Bob that resides in an old human skull. Bob also forces Harry to make a love potion when he finds Harry has a date with Susan. Harry then visits a vampire, Bianca, owner of the Velvet Room where Jennifer worked. Bianca tries to attack him as she also believes he murdered Jennifer. Harry finally manages to convince her somewhat that he was not involved in the murders. He gets a number of Jennifer's colleague Linda. When initially Harry tries to contact Linda she ignores him but he finally manages to track her down but she refuses to give him any information and drives away with her new employer, the Beckitts. When he gets back to his apartment he is attacked and gets a concussion. Harry gets a call from Linda who wants to meet him to give him information about the murders. Though he is hurt he spends the whole night figure out the way someone could use magic to rip his victim's heart out. He goes to Murphy at the station and stumbles upon a man who was high on a new strict drug, called Three Eye. The drug was claimed to give the user a third sight, a different look of the world around them. Harry gets concerned when the addict can see a shadow following him. Harry then tells Murphy that killer would need a lot of energy to complete the spell. He then faints because of the concussion and is helped by Murphy. Harry wakes up when Susan comes to his apartment for the date. As Harry is getting ready someone rings the bell and Harry runs out naked to prevent Susan from meeting Linda only to find a strange creature on his doorstep. The creature attacks him but after a lot of struggle Harry finally manages to get to safety with Susan. Afterwards he is approached by Morgan who tells him that he has officially filed a complaint against him. Then Murphy calls him to tell him about another murder. When Harry reaches the crime scene he realizes Linda is the new victim. When Murphy finds his card by the body she asks him about. When Harry refuses to tell her anything as the information would make him their only suspect. Murphy gets mad and threatens to issue a warrant against him. He is attacked again and this time the attacker gets away with some of his hair. Harry gets mad and follows the attacker to a club owned by Johnny Marcone. Johnny Marcone tells him he did not ask his employee to get hair samples from Harry. Harry realizes someone else paid the man to attack him. He goes back to Linda's apartment and catches a photographer who worked for Linda and from whom he finds out that Linda and Jennifer were working for Victor Sells. Victor was getting sponsored by Beckitts, their daughter was killed during a crossfire between Marcone's men and another gang. They wanted to destroy Marcone by running him out of business by using Victor's drug, Three Eye. He visits Monica and finds out Victor had gotten abusive and her sister, Jennifer, had been working with Victor. Victor harvested energy produced during the storm and intercourse and used it to produce the drug and kill anyone who threatened him. He killed Jennifer when she threatened to go to the authorities if he did not stop abusing her sister. Monica tells him that Victor will use the raging storm outside to kill him soon. Harry goes to their Lake Michigan house and reaches in time to prevent Victor from casting a spell that would kill him. After an intense magical and physical fight Harry manages to defeat Victor and is saved by Morgan, who realizes he had wrongly accused Harry of the murders. Harry is hospitalized due to a bullet wound.Murphy pays him for the help but friendship between them is gone.

Best part of story, including ending: I enjoyed reading from Harry's point of view. Jim Butcher has laid a very good foundation of characters and their world in this book.

Best scene in story: I particularly enjoyed a scene where Harry and Susan are trapped during their date. Susan mistakenly drank love potion instead of an escape potion. She comes on to Harry strongly, while he tries to keep her at arms length and come up with an escape plan.

Opinion about the main character: Harry has a great sense of humor and his self-deprecation during stressful situation is amusing.

Harry Dresden, the only wizard you'll find in the yellow pages in Chicago, is asked to help the police solve brutal double-homicide that was done with dark magic.Harry finds himself knee-deep in a deadly web of magic,mobsters, murder as he desperately tries to solve the crime which he soons become a suspect in!Butcher has introduces us to a memorable hero who is no master wizard or hard-boiled detective but a everyman who uses his quick wits and magic to solve a chilling crime.This novel was brilliant combination of hard-boiled detective genre and fantasy with all of the trimmings:murder,dark magic, mafia, and plenty of mayhem!

A very impressive debut by the Author!Think of Harry Dresden as a male Anita Blake!

The review of this Book prepared by Rodney Powell