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Series · urban fantasy
The Dresden Files
The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher has 21 known books (21 published). It is best read in publication order, starting with Storm Front (2000). Out Law is the latest book with a fully recorded publication date.
- Books
- 21 known books (18 novels + 1 novella + 2 companions)
- Published
- 21
- First published
- 2000
- Status
- ongoing
- Shelved under
- Fantasy
Start here: Storm Front (2000)
— then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The date order of published books and any announced future entries — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
Storm Front
Storm Front is the opening novel of Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in April 2000 at 347 pages. It's the series' starting point, followed by Fool Moon in a series that runs to 21 books. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Storm Front - Book 2:
Fool Moon
Fool Moon is the second novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in January 2001 at 355 pages. It follows Storm Front and precedes Grave Peril in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Fool Moon - Book 3:
Grave Peril
Grave Peril is the third novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in September 2001 at 432 pages. It follows Fool Moon and precedes Summer Knight in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Grave Peril - Book 4:
Summer Knight
Summer Knight is the fourth novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in September 2002 at 416 pages. It follows Grave Peril and precedes Death Masks in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Summer Knight - Book 5:
Death Masks
Death Masks is the fifth novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in January 2003 at 416 pages. It follows Summer Knight and precedes Blood Rites in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Death Masks - Book 6:
Blood Rites
Blood Rites is the sixth novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in August 2004 at 394 pages. It follows Death Masks and precedes Dead Beat in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Blood Rites - Book 7:
Dead Beat
Dead Beat is the seventh novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in May 2005 at 480 pages. It follows Blood Rites and precedes Proven Guilty in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Dead Beat - Book 8:
Proven Guilty
Proven Guilty is the eighth novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in May 2006 at 547 pages. It follows Dead Beat and precedes White Night in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Proven Guilty - Book 9:
White Night
White Night is the ninth novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in April 2007 at 455 pages. It follows Proven Guilty and precedes Small Favor in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of White Night - Book 10:
Small Favor
Small Favor is the tenth novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in April 2008 at 423 pages. It follows White Night and precedes Turn Coat in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Small Favor - Book 11:
Turn Coat
Turn Coat is the eleventh novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in April 2009 at 533 pages. It follows Small Favor and precedes Changes in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Turn Coat - Book 12:
Changes
Changes is the twelfth novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in April 2010 at 445 pages. It follows Turn Coat and precedes Side Jobs in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Changes - Book 13:
Side Jobs
Side Jobs is a companion volume in Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series, published in October 2010 at 401 pages. It's positioned between Changes and Ghost Story in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Side Jobs - Book 14:
Ghost Story
Ghost Story is the thirteenth novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in July 2011 at 481 pages. It follows Side Jobs and precedes Cold Days in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Ghost Story - Book 15:
Cold Days
Cold Days is the fourteenth novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in January 2012 at 578 pages. It follows Ghost Story and precedes Skin Game in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Cold Days - Book 16:
Skin Game
Skin Game is the fifteenth novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in May 2014 at 234 pages. It follows Cold Days and precedes Brief Cases in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Skin Game - Book 17:
Brief Cases
Brief Cases is a companion volume in Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series, published in June 2018 at 443 pages. It's positioned between Skin Game and Peace Talks in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Brief Cases - Book 18:
Peace Talks
Peace Talks is the sixteenth novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in July 2020 at 416 pages. It follows Brief Cases and precedes Battle Ground in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Peace Talks - Book 19:
Battle Ground
Battle Ground is the seventeenth novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in September 2020 at 432 pages. It follows Peace Talks and precedes Twelve Months in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Battle Ground - Book 20:
Twelve Months
Twelve Months is the eighteenth novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in January 2026 at 481 pages. It follows Battle Ground and precedes Out Law in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Twelve Months - Book 21:
Out Law
Out Law is a novella in Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series, published by Podium Publishing in May 2026 at 208 pages. The catalogue's curatorial note places it during the events of Twelve Months (book 18); it follows Twelve Months as the series' most recent entry. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Out Law
Our shelf-tested path for first-time readers.
- Book 1:
Storm Front
Storm Front is the opening novel of Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in April 2000 at 347 pages. It's the series' starting point, followed by Fool Moon in a series that runs to 21 books. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Storm Front - Book 2:
Fool Moon
Fool Moon is the second novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in January 2001 at 355 pages. It follows Storm Front and precedes Grave Peril in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Fool Moon - Book 3:
Grave Peril
Grave Peril is the third novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in September 2001 at 432 pages. It follows Fool Moon and precedes Summer Knight in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Grave Peril - Book 4:
Summer Knight
Summer Knight is the fourth novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in September 2002 at 416 pages. It follows Grave Peril and precedes Death Masks in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Summer Knight - Book 5:
Death Masks
Death Masks is the fifth novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in January 2003 at 416 pages. It follows Summer Knight and precedes Blood Rites in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Death Masks - Book 6:
Blood Rites
Blood Rites is the sixth novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in August 2004 at 394 pages. It follows Death Masks and precedes Dead Beat in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Blood Rites - Book 7:
Dead Beat
Dead Beat is the seventh novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in May 2005 at 480 pages. It follows Blood Rites and precedes Proven Guilty in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Dead Beat - Book 8:
Proven Guilty
Proven Guilty is the eighth novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in May 2006 at 547 pages. It follows Dead Beat and precedes White Night in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Proven Guilty - Book 9:
White Night
White Night is the ninth novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in April 2007 at 455 pages. It follows Proven Guilty and precedes Small Favor in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of White Night - Book 10:
Small Favor
Small Favor is the tenth novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in April 2008 at 423 pages. It follows White Night and precedes Turn Coat in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Small Favor - Book 11:
Turn Coat
Turn Coat is the eleventh novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in April 2009 at 533 pages. It follows Small Favor and precedes Changes in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Turn Coat - Book 12:
Changes
Changes is the twelfth novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in April 2010 at 445 pages. It follows Turn Coat and precedes Side Jobs in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Changes - Book 13:
Side Jobs
Side Jobs is a companion volume in Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series, published in October 2010 at 401 pages. It's positioned between Changes and Ghost Story in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Side Jobs - Book 14:
Ghost Story
Ghost Story is the thirteenth novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in July 2011 at 481 pages. It follows Side Jobs and precedes Cold Days in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Ghost Story - Book 15:
Cold Days
Cold Days is the fourteenth novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in January 2012 at 578 pages. It follows Ghost Story and precedes Skin Game in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Cold Days - Book 16:
Skin Game
Skin Game is the fifteenth novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in May 2014 at 234 pages. It follows Cold Days and precedes Brief Cases in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Skin Game - Book 17:
Brief Cases
Brief Cases is a companion volume in Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series, published in June 2018 at 443 pages. It's positioned between Skin Game and Peace Talks in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Brief Cases - Book 18:
Peace Talks
Peace Talks is the sixteenth novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in July 2020 at 416 pages. It follows Brief Cases and precedes Battle Ground in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Peace Talks - Book 19:
Battle Ground
Battle Ground is the seventeenth novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in September 2020 at 432 pages. It follows Peace Talks and precedes Twelve Months in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Battle Ground - Book 20:
Twelve Months
Twelve Months is the eighteenth novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, published in January 2026 at 481 pages. It follows Battle Ground and precedes Out Law in the reading order. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Twelve Months - Book 21:
Out Law
Out Law is a novella in Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series, published by Podium Publishing in May 2026 at 208 pages. The catalogue's curatorial note places it during the events of Twelve Months (book 18); it follows Twelve Months as the series' most recent entry. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Out Law
Key facts about The Dresden Files series
Our list has 21 books in The Dresden Files series. Since all 21 are out now, you can read the whole list today. 18 are novels, while the rest are 2 companion books and a novella.
Start with Storm Front, since it opens the publication order in 2000. Fool Moon is book 2, from 2001. Grave Peril is book 3, from 2001.
Summer Knight is book 4, from 2002. Death Masks is book 5, from 2003. Blood Rites is book 6, from 2004.
Dead Beat is book 7, from 2005, while Proven Guilty is book 8, from 2006. White Night is book 9, from 2007.
Small Favor is book 10, from 2008, while Turn Coat is book 11, from 2009. Changes is book 12, from 2010. Since the list above shows all 21, you can find the rest there.
We also give a recommended order, while noting it is our own advice. It is not publisher canon.
Out Law is the latest book with a full release date, out on 5 May 2026. The catalogue marks it as ongoing, yet no next book has a date so far.
The books came out between 2000 and 2026, while their length runs from 208 to 578 pages. That is a run of 26 years.
Jim Butcher has 31 books on our list. Additionally, they write Codex Alera and The Cinder Spires. We shelve the books under urban fantasy.
About The Dresden Files
Harry Dresden is the only wizard in the Chicago phone book — 'Lost items found. Paranormal investigations. Reasonable rates. No love potions.' Jim Butcher's long-running series crosses hard-boiled detective fiction with full-throated fantasy: Harry consults for the Chicago PD's Special Investigations unit on cases involving the things the city refuses to believe in, from werewolves and vampire courts to faerie queens with contracts written in centuries.
What starts as case-of-the-week noir (Storm Front, 2000) compounds into one of urban fantasy's great long games. Every favour Harry owes, every enemy he humiliates and every law of magic he bends returns with interest; by mid-series the books chain into an escalating war involving the White Council of wizards, three vampire courts, fallen angels carrying thirty pieces of silver, and the Winter and Summer fae. Butcher's trademark is the slow-burn payoff — throwaway characters from early books become pivotal a decade later — wrapped around a narrator whose wisecracks barely cover an expanding capacity for sacrifice.
Eighteen novels are published, from Storm Front to Twelve Months (2026), alongside the novella Out Law (2026) and the short-story collections Side Jobs and Brief Cases. Butcher has said the series will run past twenty case books before ending in an apocalyptic trilogy.
Frequently asked questions
How many Dresden Files books are there?
21 books total: 18 novels, from Storm Front (2000) to Twelve Months (January 2026), plus the novella Out Law (May 2026) and two short-story collections, Side Jobs (2010) and Brief Cases (2018).
What order should I read The Dresden Files in?
Publication order, beginning with Storm Front. Slot Side Jobs after Changes and Brief Cases after Skin Game. Out Law is set during the events of Twelve Months, so read it right after that book. The books escalate continuously, and later volumes spoil earlier ones.
Is the Dresden Files series finished?
No. Jim Butcher has long said the plan is roughly 20-plus case novels followed by a concluding 'Big Apocalyptic Trilogy'. Twelve Months (2026) is book 18; the next full case novel has no announced title or date.
Do I have to read the short stories?
No — the novels stand alone. But Side Jobs and Brief Cases fill gaps between books (including the direct aftermath of Changes) and are worth reading in their publication slots if you're invested.
Can I start the Dresden Files anywhere other than book one?
Some readers start at Summer Knight or Dead Beat, where the series hits its stride, but the payoff of the long arcs comes from watching debts and choices accumulate from Storm Front onward. Starting at book one is recommended.
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