A series of ritualistic murders starts to look a lot like werewolves so Harry, of course, gets dragged in. Thing is, it looks like the lycanthropes aren't the killers... they're the victims.

An otherwise healthy man experiencing premonitions of his own demise seeks Harry's help but ends up croaking right in his office. As the dark circumstances surrounding his death are revealed, Harry finds himself in the crosshairs of a dangerous magic-user; meanwhile, the crime that got Bob condemned to living in his own skull for all eternity finally comes to light.

Harry investigates the death of a college student which leads him to a most unusual ring of thieves. A group of students is using magick to commit a series of impossible thefts, and Harry must stop them quickly. Not only because what they are doing is wrong, but also because the magick will eventually kill them all.

Things seem to be going well between Harry and his new flame until she walks out on him... and takes Bob's skull. Now Dresden must find Bob and rescue him from the clutches of an old enemy. But will Bob want to be rescued?

Dresden and Murphy must work together to solve the mystery of a former gang member who drowns on dry land, miles from the nearest lake. Meanwhile, Murphy's father is in town, and he doesn't have a very high opinion of his daughter's freelance consultant.