Karen Murphy, kind of a jerk

[outpatient8]

So I'm re reading the series and on Fool Moon now. I don't know why I didn't notice this on my first run and I don't know if it's just me but Murph is kind of a dick.

Anyone else feel that way?

[Otlan]

She's a Chicago Cop, stuck in a Job where they basically send they're unwanted Officers. Don't you think you'd be kind of a dick too XD ?

[JumpyDragon]

It took me a while to appreciate Karrin. I totally get her being gruff with the whole being a woman in a man's world and her relationship with Harry is still fairly new in FM, but I agree. She was a dick at first. I didn't start liking her until Summer Knight.

[Dina]

Yes, at first she is. Took me a while warm to her. That said, it is fair to consider that we see things from Harry POV, a luxury Murphy does not have. I mean, we know Harry is doing his best to help and when he does not tell her things he has a valid reason (we may even disagree with his decision, but we understand there are logical reasons). Murphy does not know all that, she does not know Harry's intentions, loyalties and priorities. I see some of their relationship as quite alike to the classical Batman-Superman relationship in the comics. Batman is wary of Superman power and he took time to begin respecting Batman.

[JumpyDragon]

Well, I guess being "tiny, yet fierce" has its cons as well as it perks

[outpatient8]

Fair points all.
I didn't take into consideration that, as readers, we get the whole story. Where Murph is only given half the story.

[Otlan]

Fair points all.
I didn't take into consideration that, as readers, we get the whole story. Where Murph is only given half the story.

It dose make quite a considrible difference when viewed in that light. In all, Harry has been fighting most of his life to try and keep Murph out of harm's way, which inadvertly put her in more danger. I beleive the say goes, "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions."

[PilgrimDan]

A lot could have been avoided if Harry had the sense not to protect Murphy against her will, and in denial of her agency as an adult and a cop. Also, explaining “It’s a wizard thing, I can’t talk about it and they will kill me if I do. And then they will kill you.” would have gone a long way to establishing a greater degree of trust, if not improving Murph’s temper.

I can imagine the dialogue going something like this:
Murphy: “I’m a cop, Dresden, I can protect myself.”
Harry: “Not against this. They will blind side you. You won’t see them coming.”
And then Murphy would have enough knowledge to decide for herself. It’s made fairly clear in the series that it’s Harry’s gynocentrism that gets on her wick, and justly so.

[b4utoo]

I thought she was pretty cool with all the "follow" "follow" lol but when Harry was going through it about the loss of his "sometimes apprentice" and she just hits him...yeah total dick move...like really a piece of paper links Harry to the death! Give me a break.

[morriswalters]

Considering that she was written to be an antagonist in Fool Moon what did you expect? It's only in book 3 that Jim decides to make her a protagonist.

[davidrcoop]

In the early books when she keeps saying “People I’m sworn to protect”, my mind spits out the ‘P’s in a combo of Yosemite Sam grumbling and Sylvester the Cat saying Suffering Succotash. 

My internal voice is unconsciously mocking early Karrin - so I agree with you.