Book Review - Darkly Dreaming Dexter

Book Review

Darkly Dreaming Dexter

Jeff Lindsay

What could be better than a fast-paced crime novel narrated by a serial killer?  Not much, unless that serial killer isn’t even the one committing the crimes.

Adopted and raised by a well-respected cop, Dexter Morgan knows the ins and outs of the police department and has been carefully groomed to commit the perfect crime and to not get caught.  As a blood-spatter analyst for the same police force, Dexter continues to watch and learn as mistakes are made by other killers, and he has become the self-proclaimed “perfect monster.”  But there’s a catch:  Dexter isn’t what you might expect from a serial killer.  He only kills other monsters; those who prey on the innocent and who escape the justice system through technicalities and legal missteps.  He is, effectively, the final judge, jury and executioner. 

Now his sister, Deborah, is on the force and pushing against the good-old boys to be taken seriously and earn a position as detective, and it’s up to Dexter to help her.  But as Deborah struggles to solve the latest serial killer’s crimes, Dexter realizes that the brilliance of this same killer speaks to him on levels he neither understands, nor wishes to admit; and it becomes increasingly more difficult for Dexter to keep his extracurricular activities a secret.

With a completely enjoyable and thoroughly charming narrator, Darkly Dreaming Dexter is fast-paced and downright witty in places.  More than once I caught myself laughing out loud at Dexter’s dry humor, and almost wishing I could crawl inside the book to get to know him better.

Fans of a good crime novel will likely enjoy this book; and fans of the Showtime series Dexter will both enjoy it and find many similarities between this book and the first season of the TV show.

Darkly Dreaming Dexter is the first in a series of six Dexter Morgan books by Jeff Lindsay, all of which are available through the library.  Don’t have time to read?  Skip to the Showtime series on DVD, all of which are also available at the library.

For more information about the author or this enjoyable series of books, visit the Random House website dedicated to these books by following this link.

~ Catherine H. Armstrong