White Night also has Elaine! I dug how she had different magical foci than Harry. Shows that it doesn't have to be rod and staff all the time. And they start the Paranet! That's one of my favorite world-building elements. Speaking of "world-building," man, I would love to play the Dresden Files RPG some time; too bad none of my roleplaying compatriots have read any of the novels.
Dead Beat is probably my own favorite though. Just so damn much fun. Which reminds me, Dead Beat by and large does not have Murphy in it, so I think that maybe
is not quite as compelling an argument for her automatic inclusion as Harry's partner in Skin Game as it might otherwise be.