The Dresden Files/Grave Peril

Book #3 in The Dresden Files.

In all his years of supernatural sleuthing, Harry Dresden has never faced anything like this: the spirit world's gone postal. These ghosts are tormented, violent, and deadly. Someone-or something-is purposely stirring them up to wreak unearthly havoc. But why? If Harry doesn't figure it out soon, he could wind up a ghost himself.

Tropes associated with Grave Peril:
"Harry: Hands off the Fist of God."
 * Battle in the Center of the Mind: Harry versus . Unusual in that the hero gets his butt kicked the first time seeing as he was  . In the rematch, however, Harry turns into a fanged and clawed monster and
 * Chekhov's Gunman: Pretty much everyone at Bianca's party. Particularly the pair of Black Cloaks with the athame, who later reappear in Dead Beat as.
 * Contrived Coincidence: A superpower for the Knights of the Cross. In this book, for instance, Harry and Michael need to go rescue Charity, but Harry does not want to leave Michael's kids alone. Michael simply opens the front door to show Father Forthill, just about to knock, standing on the steps because his car just happened to break down. He looks between them and says, "You need a babysitter again, don't you?"
 * CPR: Clean, Pretty, Reliable: Susan.
 * False Reassurance: Harry assures a vampire that, despite his choice of costume for the party, Michael is not actually a Knight Templar. She then grabs his arm and is burned by his faith.

"Harry: Holy shit. Hellhounds.
 * Flatline Plotline:.
 * Gosh Dang It to Heck: Given a humorous jab:

Michael: Harry, you know I hate it when you swear.

Harry: You're right, sorry. Holy shit. Heckhounds."

"Bob: (Scoffs). Harry, that's irrational. Harry: (Snaps at him). That doesn't make it any less true. Bob: (Meek). Okay. We now have left Reason and Sanity Junction. Next stop, Looneyville."
 * Guilt Complex: lampshaded:


 * Heroic BSOD: After the events of this book, Harry has a total meltdown due to the loss of, to the point where he looks like a crazy hermit and has not done paying detective work in months.
 * Innocuously Important Episode: Although this is the third book in the series, it has serious implications reaching all the way out until Changes.
 * It Was a Gift: Bianca gives gifts at her party. Many are Chekhov's Guns.
 * Never Sleep Again: The Nightmare, who kills by entering his victims' dreams.
 * Non-Human Undead: Harry encounters an extremely strong ghost he calls the Nightmare, and suspects it's one of these.
 * Poison and Cure Gambit: Harry manages to play with this by
 * Rape as Drama: It is deeply implied that
 * Revenge by Proxy
 * Story Arc: This book kicked off that would blaze along merrily in the background for quite some time and set in motion most of the plots of the following books.
 * Unstoppable Rage: when