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Dexter #1

丿賰爻鬲乇 丕賱丨丕賱賲 丕賱睾丕賲囟

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賯丕亘賽賱 丿賷賰爻鬲乇 賲賵乇噩丕賳貙 匕卅亘 賲購賴匕賻賾亘 賮賷 孬賷丕亘 丨賲賱貙 廿賳賴 賵爻賷賲 賵噩匕賻賾丕亘貙 賱賰賳 卮賷卅賸丕 賲丕 賮 賲丕囟賷賴 噩毓賱賴 賷賱鬲夭賽賲 亘賲噩賲賵毓丞賺 賲購禺鬲賱賽賮丞賺 賲賳 丕賱賯賵丕毓賽丿貙 賮賴賵 賯丕鬲賱 賲購鬲爻賱爻賱 鬲噩毓賱賴 賯丕毓丿鬲賴 丕賱匕賴亘賷丞 丕賱賵丨賷丿丞 賲丨亘賵亘賸丕 賱賱睾丕賷丞: 賷賯鬲賱 丕賱兀卮乇丕乇 賮賯胤貙 賵毓賲賱賴 賰禺亘賷乇 賮賷 亘購賯毓 丕賱丿賲 亘賯爻賲 卮購乇胤丞 賲賷丕賲賷 賷囟毓賴 賮賷 丕賱賲賵賯毓 丕賱賲孬丕賱賷 賱賱鬲毓乇購賾賮 毓賱賶 囟丨丕賷丕賴貙 賵賱賰賳 毓賳丿賲丕 鬲亘丿兀 爻賱爻賱丞 賲賳 噩乇丕卅賲 丕賱賯鬲賱 丕賱賵丨卮賷丞 賵丕賱鬲賷 鬲丨賲賱 鬲卮丕亘賴賸丕 氐丕乇禺賸丕 賲毓 兀爻賱賵亘賴 賮賷 丕賱馗賴賵乇貙 賷噩丿 丿賷賰爻鬲乇 賳賮爻賴 丨丕卅乇賸丕 亘賷賳 丕賱卮毓賵乇 亘丕賱廿胤乇丕亍 賵丕賱禺賵賮.. 賲賳賴 兀賵 賲賳 兀賷 卮乇賷乇 丌禺乇.

318 pages, Paperback

First published May 5, 2004

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133459 people want to read

About the author

Jeff Lindsay

83books4,176followers
Jeff Lindsay lives in Florida with his wife, author Hilary Hemingway, daughter of Leicester Hemingway, Ernest Hemingway's brother.

Lindsay is best known for writing the Dexter series of novels. Several of his earlier published works include his wife as a co-author.

Jeff graduated from Middlebury College, Vermont, in 1975, and Celebration Mime Theatre's Clown School the same year. He received a double MFA, in Directing and Playwriting, from Carnegie-Mellon University, and has written 25 produced plays. He has also worked as a musician, singer, comedian, actor, TV host, improv actor, and dishwasher.

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 8,247 reviews
Profile Image for Jayson.
3,480 reviews3,863 followers
July 9, 2021
(A-) 82% | Very Good
Notes: An economical, almost skeleton series introduction: claustrophobic and bustling, it limits facts to plot and never lags.
5 reviews9 followers
May 17, 2008
Like so many others, I loved the Showtime series and wanted to check out the original source material. I was very disappointed indeed. Since a lot of other people seem to have liked it, it may just be a matter of taste, but...

The characters are two-dimensional cliches that can't tie their own shoelaces, except for the daringly deductive Dexter, who *can* tie his own shoelaces. Which makes him a genius. I recall seeing someone else comment that Darkly Dreaming Dexter needs to "show, don't tell." Dexter's interior monologue *tells* the reader about his code, and how careful he is, yet with one exception he's clumsy and messy throughout the book. I found the authorial voice to not be "darkly humorous," but frequently silly and always snidely sarcastic. The interior monologue harps constantly on the same few themes, especially his lack of emotions and the crippling stupidity of every living being in Miami.

It quite fails to function as a mystery; at no time does anyone successfully piece together evidence or clues to get closer to catching the offscreen serial killer the book focuses on. The obvious exception is when Dexter the genius follows psychic visions and prophetic dreams ("intuition," presumably) to where the killer predicts they will meet. Any actual plot development happens at the very beginning and very end of the book, with the intervening chapters basically being nothing but red herrings and Dexter watching police be stupid. At one point Dexter's sister Deb, a police officer, comes to a correct conclusion before Dexter. He immediately tells her that she is right "for all the wrong reasons," which is blatantly untrue and (presumably) only there to make him sound smarter.

While I had a pretty good idea of how the end would turn out, having seen the first two seasons of the TV series, I was shocked at how little foreshadowing or fanfare there was of the big revelations. The deus ex machina leads Dexter to where he needs to go, things happen in a hurry, book ends with an epilogue -- half of which is written to be super-vague so as to build suspense about which characters lived or died.

For a moment, having finished, I was curious enough about the development of the only potentially interesting plot thread at the end of the book to consider reading the second. I think I'll just find a synopsis on the web to see if it's developed at all in future books.

On reflection, I am very impressed with the television show's producers' ability to pick out the nuggets of greatness buried in the book and make something so wonderful out of them.
Profile Image for PirateSteve.
90 reviews388 followers
August 31, 2017
Jarringly Jolly Jeff Lindsay has given his Rascally Rabid Readers a serial killer to cheer for.

Hellishly Haunted Harry knew early on that his young son had a personality disorder. e.g. sociopath/ psychopath/ up and coming serial killer.
With that in mind, Hollow Headed Harry figures if child rearing has given him a lemon.... make lemonade.
So Highly Helpful Harry steers his son on a course that he hopes will keep him from a lifetime of incarceration.
Fast forward to present day and Disturbingly Damaged Dexter has learned well. The legend is born.



page 14
Dexter narrates
"I felt a lot better. I always did, after. Killing makes me feel good.I enjoy my work; sorry if that bothers you. Oh, very sorry, really. But there it is. And it's not just any killing, of course. It has to be done the right way, at the right time, with the right partner - very complicated, but very necessary.

page 33
Sister Deb to Dexter/Dexter narrates
"'But you're starting to get a feel for this one," she said.
I had developed hunches before. I had a small reputation for it. My hunches were often quite good. And why shouldn't they be? I often know how the killers are thinking. I think the same way. It wouldn't look good if I was always right. And I didn't want the cops to catch every serial killer out there. Then what would I do for a hobby?"

page 43
Harry camping with 14 year old Dexter
"'You're different, Dexter,' he says.
"It's going to make you want to kill. And you can't help that."
"But you can channel it. Control it. Choose-" his words come so carefully now,
"-choose what... or who... you kill..."
"There are plenty of people who deserve it, Dex..."'

page 72
sister Deb to Dexter
She blushed."'I caught a couple of the uniforms snickering at me afterward. There's a joke going around, and I'm it."
"She bit her lip and looked away. "Einstein,' she said.
"'If my tits were brains, I'd be Einstein," she said bitterly."
"I cleared my throat instead of laughing."

page 82
Dexter narrates
"I woke up covered with sweat, and absolutely certain that another murder was about to happen. Somewhere not so far away he was searching for his next victim, sliding through the city like a shark around the reef. I could almost hear the duct tape. He was out there, feeding his Dark Passenger, and it was talking to mine. And in my sleep I had been riding with him, a phantom remora."

page 170
Dexter narrates
'While the coffee brewed, I checked for the newspaper, more out of hope than expectation. It was rare for the paper to arrive before six-thirty, and on Sundays it often came after eight. It was another clear example of the disintegration of society that had so worried Harry. Really, now: if you can't get me my newspaper on time, how can you expect me to refrain from killing people?

page 173
Dexter narrates
"Another beautiful Miami day. Mutilated corpses with a chance of afternoon showers. I got dressed and went to work."
Profile Image for Anne.
4,622 reviews70.7k followers
May 3, 2024
Ok, well. I'm coming at this from an entirely different angle than most of my friends because I've never seen the tv show (GASP!). So, I have nothing to compare the book to...other than the book.
BUT.
Having said that, I only read this because I'd heard about the show and how fabulous it supposedly was.

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Also, one thing I should mention is that I rare to never read mystery/thrillers, so I don't know how this stacks up to the other popular stuff in this genre. Admittedly, I shy away from stuff with serial killers because I get very skeeved out when I read/watch something about torture killings in a real-life setting. Now, if you put something like that in a fantasy/superhero/sci-fi sort of setting I can tolerate quite a bit more - although graphic descriptions of innocent people getting hurt are still reallllly hard for me.
Blessedly, despite the fact that the book centers around a serial killer killing people and trying to (maybe) catch another serial killer, there's not much in the way of torture. Or, at least...the people who don't deserve it are killed off-page. And it honestly doesn't bother me to see child rapists/murderers chopped up. So...

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I'm not sure if fans of the show will like the book more, but I thought it was a pretty cool story. Dexter has an interesting voice, and I love the idea that even if you're that damaged and broken, you can still choose to be the best version of yourself. Throughout the entire book, Dexter talks about how he is missing that thing that allows the rest of us to feel emotions, but oddly enough, he bases most of his choices on what his (foster) father would have wanted him to do because the thought of disappointing Harry is somehow upsetting to him. Hmmm.
Maybe he doesn't have the same sort of empathy that most people have, but his odd version of a moral code (and the reasons behind it) makes me think he does have more of a capacity to feel than he believes.

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I also liked the way his foster father saw him for what he was, and instead of giving up on him, saw the potential for him to carve out a gruesome niche for himself as a good(ish) guy.
Nature vs Nurture has always been an interesting debate but this story takes it to a whole 'nother level.

description

Ok, the fact that this was a pretty short book was a huge bonus for me. I'm not sure I would have liked riding along in Dex's head for another 300 pages. Because even if he was a pretty funny narrator? That Dark Passenger was a bit too much for me to take in large quantities.

description

In the end, I'd say this is a pretty good story, and it's told with such an interesting protagonist that I enjoyed myself quite a bit more than I would have if he'd just been your run-of-the-mill regular character. But at the end of the day, this isn't my genre of choice so I don't know if I'll continue with the series. If I do, I'll probably have to take breaks and read several fluffy romance novels in between to clear my psyche of all the dead bodies...
Profile Image for Brittany McCann.
2,663 reviews595 followers
August 31, 2023
I have wanted to read this book FOREVER! And I'm so glad that I finally did. I first loved the TV show Dexter, so it was great to read what started it all. I have a high appreciation for both the book and the tv show. I can see why certain liberties were made with the tv show and how it worked with the story's overall feel!

Dexter is a serial killer who works for a police department as a blood splatter analyst; he also kills other serial killers that slip through the police department's fingers to appease his "dark passenger." He was so well written as a flawed vigilante doing justice while still breaking the law. The personalities were well described in the book, and the scenarios were vividly brought to life! I LOVED this. I can't wait to read more of the series!

5 stars all the way! Way to go, Jeff Lindsay!
Profile Image for Kelly (and the Book Boar).
2,762 reviews9,364 followers
October 10, 2017
Find all of my reviews at:

I am now so far behind in reviewing that all of my read-but-not-yet-reviewed selections can't fit on my home page. Bonus this go 'round is somehow I didn鈥檛 even manage to mark this one down as something I was reading at all (#failure).

But wait, you ain鈥檛 seen NUTTIN鈥� yet. Not only have I never read Dexter, but I have never seen an episode of the highly acclaimed television series either . . . .



Yeah yeah yeah . . . .



Since I am so late to this party, this won鈥檛 be much of a review (so unusual for me, right?). Instead, it will probably read like a love letter to my Darling, Dreamy Dexter . . . .



Boy is THAT an understatement!!!



In case you too have recently emerged from cave dwelling and now mingle with the masses, the story here is of Dexter Morgan. His day job is in the forensics department with the Miami police force (specialty blood splatter - come to momma), but it鈥檚 what he does off the clock that makes things real interesting . . . .

鈥淲hat are you?鈥� Father Donovan whispered.
鈥淭he beginning,鈥� I said. 鈥淎nd the end. Meet your Unmaker, Father.鈥�


Some of you might be thinking 鈥渘ot a man of the cloth?!?!?!鈥� To which I say OH YES A MAN OF THE CLOTH. See, this is one of those priests that you sometimes see on the nightly news who totally had it coming to him. Such is the case with all of Dexter鈥檚 victims. You see, a superbadawful happened to Dexter when he was a wee little boy. When the Morgan family took lil鈥� Dex in as a foster child, pops Harry realized pretty early on that there was something off about the boy . . . .

鈥淚鈥檝e been expecting this. What happened to you when you were a little kid has shaped you . . . But you can channel it. Control it. Choose 鈥� . . . choose what 鈥�. or who 鈥� you kill . . . There are plenty of people who deserve it, Dex.鈥�

So that鈥檚 it. Dexter solves crimes by day and rids Florida of human waste by night. He鈥檚 my lobster because . . . . .



We鈥檙e in love and we鈥檙e going to get married. You鈥檙e all invited to the wedding. Hopefully there won鈥檛 be a hurricane in the middle of the ceremony . . . .

Profile Image for Stephen.
1,516 reviews12.1k followers
November 17, 2010
I'm a BIG fan of the Dexter TV show on Showtime. This led to me being a bit hesitant to read the novels because I was worried about a serious case of disappointment. Michael C. Hall's portrayal of the title character is such an integral part of my enjoyment of the series that approached this book with trepidation, worried I wouldn't relate* as well to the novel's main character.

* a dangerous thought, I know, given Dexter's proclivities.

Well, turns out that my fears were groundless. The characterization of Dexter was excellent and I found myself engaged by him from the outset. The novel tracks the first series of the show closely and in many way it was like re-watching the first season with some nice additional details added.

The plot is fast-paced and tightly focused and the characters are well-drawn. In sum, an excellent read.

3.5 stars. Recommended.

P.S. For audio listeners, the audio version of this was well done. The narrator, Nick Landrum, did a good job, most notably with Dexter, and enhanced the story experience.
Profile Image for Delee.
243 reviews1,310 followers
July 30, 2019
This review is brought to you by the letter D.

 photo a145c5b8-e2a6-451c-b109-4d9f57e0cbd7_zps4f6d7c3b.jpg

Dexter is a delightfully demented and dynamic dude...

 photo dff8a401-42f7-4765-a9e3-8911a808de73_zps514cb45e.jpg

Well now that is enough of that...

Dexter Morgan is a blood spatter pattern analyst for the Miami-Dade Police Department, but in his spare time he enjoys boating, eating donuts, spending time with his foster sister Deborah, playing with his girlfriend Rita's children...oh and killing people. Dexter lives by a code, "The Code of Harry". Before Harry Morgan -Dexter's foster father- died, he taught his son to only kill people who have gotten away with murder as a way to channel his homicidal urges.

Dexter manages his double life without incident until The "Tamiami Slasher" starts murdering prostitutes in the Miami area. He feels a connection to this killer, and this connection could be his undoing.

I read DARKLY DREAMING DEXTER before the TV series started, and thought it was quite a refreshing and new take on the whole serial killer theme based novel. I very rarely like books from the point of view of a serial killer but Dexter is quite different. I didn't mind being in his head one little bit. Once the TV series started I got so caught up in it, that I left behind the books and decided that one day when it was all done I would go back to them.

I am so glad I waited! It was even more entertaining the second time around. Kudos to the brilliant casting director of Showtime's Dexter for giving me outstanding faces to put to the characters- They were even better than my imagination could conjure up the first time around.
Profile Image for Chantal.
903 reviews951 followers
July 16, 2022
In this case for me, the TV series was way better. I will refrain from reviewing as I feel my opinion would not be objective and fair to the book.

I will be continuing with the books in the hope that it gives me what I want 馃檪
Profile Image for Liza C.
149 reviews52 followers
January 23, 2008
I read this series of books because I was so taken by the Showtime series. And you know what? I liked the TV show better! The books are good, and it's fun to get "inside the mind" of Dexter, but because the plot of the book follows pretty closely to the first season of the TV show, it was hard not to make comparisons.

Spoilers below, so don't continue reading if you don't want to know what happens!

A few things that I thought the TV show did a lot better was the whole "flirting with another killer" plotline. In the books as in the TV show, Dexter is absolutely enthralled by this other killer's method of draining the bodies of blood, and recognizes that the killer is communicating with him. However, in the books the killer goes largely absent from the plot, where in the TV show he shows up as Dexter's foster sister's boyfriend. Which is just marvelous - it reveals him to be just THAT much more creepy, that he can have that COMPLETE of a mask. And it makes so much more sense on the TV show that he's Dexter's brother. We're gifted with a lot more of Dexter's flashbacks and his aversion to blood than in the books, if you can believe that. In the book it feels like, "Oh hey, you're my brother? Neat." where in the TV show it's much more shocking, much more of a draw for Dexter to follow along in his brother's footsteps, and join him in killing indescriminantly. And, therefore, much more important for the character when in the TV show he kills his brother. In the book, he lets his brother go (presumably to show up again in some later installment). Also in the book, he almost kills is foster sister... so now, she KNOWS that he's a "monster". On the TV show, NO ONE knows. It makes him that much more of a lonely hero, of sorts. And I just find it incredibly unrealistic that a cop sister who finds out her brother is a murderer would just accept that fact and move on.

This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Lou.
887 reviews918 followers
November 3, 2011
Getting in mind of Dexter is never boring his insight is funny and his technique of killing is masterful.Dexter talks of his beginnings, of his first kill, the day his dark passenger became the rider. Recollections of the past with his father Harry and his deadly advice, its a good fast read in the rambling mind of a sociopath Dexter.
Profile Image for Mario.
Author听1 book220 followers
August 3, 2019
I'm a very neat monster.


I'm really ashamed to say that it took me two weeks to read this book. Two weeks for a 280 pages book! I mean, yeah, the university has been kicking my ass, but still, that is no excuse.

This book is about Dexter, our friendly neighbourhood serial killer. Since I've seen the TV series, I knew even before I started this book that I was going to like it. And I did. It didn't blow my mind or anything, but it was still a pretty great book. It started off great, middle did drag a bit, and then the ending was amazing. And it really made me want to re-watch Dexter the series, and I hope I'll have enough time to do that.

If you watched TV series but haven't yet picked up this book, give it a shoot. If you liked the show, you'll like this book too.
Profile Image for Chloe.
363 reviews792 followers
August 3, 2007
Mysteries and Thrillers are often hit-or-miss for me. I have had the good fortune of being recommended a lot of writings from the creme de la creme of this genre by my father, so grew up ingesting PD James, John le Carre, and Dennis Lehane with the pulp sci-fi that was my fare of choice. I have also, at times, been forced to read a James Patterson or John Grisham for lack of any other reading materials. This has given me a broad exposure to what could arguably be called the most popular genre in the US.

So believe me when I say that I have never read a murder mystery of the caliber of "Darkly Dreaming Dexter". Dexter Morgan is a serial killer of a far different variety. After his foster father Harry realized the killer lurking within Dexter, he set out to use all of his years of experience as the top investigator in Miami Homicide to make Dexter the most cunning and wily serial killer possible before sending him after his victims- the criminals and killers who slip through the cracks of the self-same justice system that now employs Dexter as a blood spatter expert. So Dexter is a serial killer who hunts serial killers. Does this sound like an interesting premise yet?

Lindsay paces the story beautifully and keeps the reader as confused as Dexter is when bodies start appearing that seem as though they could have been done Dexter himself- if not for the fact that the bodies are of murdered prostitutes, innocents which are expressly against the Code of Harry. Is Dexter losing control of his inner beast? Or is there another killer out there with deeply personal knowledge of Dexter and his methods? After finishing this book I had to pop on-line right after to order the sequel. It's just that good.
Profile Image for Shannon .
1,219 reviews2,505 followers
August 13, 2008
Dexter is a serial killer, a killer who just can't help himself. He doesn't even see himself as human. But he does have something of a conscience and lives by the Code of Harry, his cop foster father, who understood his nature and sought to help Dexter control it somewhat when he was a teenager. Now a blood spatter analyst for Miami police, he's brought in on gruesome murder cases and a new serial killer in the city has Dexter feeling inspired, flattered and awestruck - and frightened that it's really him, doing the killings in his sleep.

His sister Deborah is a cop trying to move her way up but reduced to posing as a hooker to catch curb crawlers, and what with Dexter's "hunches" about murderers, gets him to help her on the case. Yet he's ambivalent - he so admires this killer's work, does he really want to see it end? He'd rather play, and since the killer has been sending him messages through the way the dead bodies are displayed, he's drawn into a fascinating game with deadly consequences.

I have to say, Dexter is one of the most engaging and interesting - and understandable, perverse as it may be - anti-heroes I've ever read. He's not right in the head and he knows it, he spends a great deal of effort pretending to be human, and ordinary, yet because he only goes after sick bastards like child-molesting priests and the like, you can't help but appreciate his vigilante efforts - though what he does to his victims is far from a quick and easy death.

It's a combination of his macabre humour - this book is really quite funny - the characters and his observations of them, and his narrative voice: so effortless, so calm, seeing a perspective and an angle to people that non-sociopaths (is that the right word?) would not see so well. He thinks like a killer, yet still comes across as somewhat naive and innocent. He's not at all interested in sex or women, so his disguise as "boyfriend" shows this "innocence" well:

And if her uncertain, limping tone of voice, unlike any I had ever heard her use before, was a surprise, imagine how astonished I was by her costume. I believe the thing was called a peignoir; or possibly it was a negligee, since it certainly was negligible as far as the amount of fabric used in its construction was concerned. Whatever the correct name, she was certainly wearing it. And as bizarre as the idea was, I believe the costume was aimed at me. (p.154)

His childlike wonder and appreciation for the way the other killer is slicing up bodies and arranging them also gives him some kind of ... childlike quality. It's hard to find the right adjective for Dexter: he's a complicated character, because he's all grey, despite being very clearly a serial killer. There's no attempt to gloss over that, or excuse him. Yet was there ever a more fascinating and affable murderer? He's not even creepy - now that's an achievement! And because it's not in the least sexual, he's not creepy in that way either. On the contrary, even though you know he can't really function normally, you want him to be happy. He's a bit Batman-ish, in a nerdy way, the dark avenger or something silly like that. Regardless, he's likeable and even sympathetic; but more necessary to the reading experience: he's a wonderful narrator with a thing for alliteration - namely with the letter D; truly, he's very inventive.

I don't like mass market crime books, I loathe Patricia Cornwall, John Grisham is exceedingly dull, and I couldn't even finish P.D. James' The Lighthouse because I was so bored - the problem with your typical crime book is the lack of characterisation. There's plenty of that here, in fact, it's all about the characters. There's still plot, though, and a mystery, which you can figure out somewhat before Dexter does, but it all hinges on the characters. I thought the Epilogue was too rushed, and the relationship resolution between Dexter and Deborah too pat, but they're minor quibbles. I'm keen to read the next book, Dearly Devoted Dexter, and there's a third coming out in September.
Profile Image for Heba.
1,219 reviews3,011 followers
September 1, 2022
賴賳丕賰 丨賮賷賮 氐賵鬲 噩丕賮 禺丕賮鬲...亘丕乇丿 賲購馗賱賲 賷購賲賱賷 毓賱賶 " 丿賰爻鬲乇 " 賲丕 賷賳亘睾賷 毓賱賷賴 賮毓賱賴...賴賵 丕賱丨丕賱賲 丕賱睾丕賲囟 賵賱賰賳 賲鬲賶 賰丕賳 丕賱賯丕鬲賱 丕賱賲鬲爻賱爻賱 賱賷爻 賰匕賱賰 責!...
賱賰賳 賮賷 丨賯賷賯丞 丕賱兀賲乇 賴賵 賷賯鬲賱 丕賱兀賵睾丕丿...亘賳氐賷丨丞 賵丕賱丿賴 丕賱匕賷 賯丿 鬲亘賳丕賴 賵丕爻鬲胤丕毓 兀賳 賷賱賲丨 丕賱賳夭毓丞 丕賱丿賲賵賷丞 賱丿賶 " 丿賰爻鬲乇 " 賲賳匕 丕賱氐睾乇...賰丕賳 匕賱賰 賲購乇賵毓丕賸...
賰丕賳 賷毓賲賱 賮賷 丕賱賲禺鬲亘乇 丕賱噩賳丕卅賷 賱丿賶 卮乇胤丞 賲賷丕賲賷 賵匕賱賰 兀鬲丕丨 賱賴 丕賱賮乇氐丞 亘氐賵乇丞 乇爻锟斤拷賷丞 兀賳 賷鬲賵丕噩丿 賮賷 賲爻丕乇丨 噩乇丕卅賲 賯鬲賱 賵丨卮賷丞 賯丿 丕乇鬲賰亘鬲 亘賱丕 丿賲丕亍...賷亘丿賵 兀賳 賴賳丕賰 兀丨丿賴賲 賷鬲賮賵賯 毓賱賷賴 賮賷 丕賱廿亘丿丕毓...兀賱賲 兀賯賱 賱賰賲 亘兀賳 丕賱兀賲乇 賲購禺賷賮 賱賷爻 賮賶 丕賱噩乇賷賲丞 丨丿 匕丕鬲賴丕 亘賯丿乇 賲丕 賷孬賷乇 亘賰 卮禺氐 丕賱賯丕鬲賱 賲賳 賲卮丕毓乇 賲鬲囟丕乇亘丞...
鬲乇爻賱 兀丨賱丕賲 "丿賰爻鬲乇" 乇爻丕卅賱 爻乇賷丞 賷亘丿賵 賲賳賴丕 亘兀賳賴 賲賳 丕乇鬲賰亘 鬲賱賰 丕賱噩乇丕卅賲 貙 賵賱賰賳 賴賱 鬲爻禺乇 賲賳賴 兀賲 廿賳賴丕 鬲禺亘乇賴 亘兀賳賴 賴賵 丕賱賮丕毓賱...
賴賳丕 賷賯毓 賮乇賷爻丞 賱賲夭賷噩 睾乇賷亘 賲賳 丕賱禺賵賮..丕賱廿胤乇丕亍...丕賱囟賷丕毓
爻兀丿毓賰 兀賳鬲 鬲鬲毓乇賮 毓賱賶 丕賱丨賯賷賯丞 賵賱賰賳 丿毓賳賷 兀禺亘乇賰 亘兀賳賰 爻鬲賱鬲賯賷 亘卮禺氐 賮丕乇睾 賲賳 丕賱賲卮丕毓乇 貙 夭丕卅賮 賷氐胤賳毓 賰賱 卮賷亍 賱賷亘丿賵 胤亘賷毓賷丕賸 貙 毓丕噩夭 毓賳 丕賱丨亘 ...
" 丿賰爻鬲乇 " 賰丕賳 賯丕鬲賱丕賸 賲賷鬲丕賸....
賳賯丕胤 囟毓賮 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賮賷 卮禺氐賷丞 兀禺鬲賴 丕賱卮乇胤賷丞 丕賱鬲賷 鬲丨丕賵賱 丕賳 鬲丨賯賯 賲賰丕賳丕賸 賮賷 賮乇賷賯 丕賱鬲丨賯賷賯 貙 鬲毓鬲賲丿 毓賱賶 匕賰丕卅賴 賵丨丿爻賴 貙 賵賯丿 爻卅賲鬲 賴賶 賲賳 賳賮爻賴丕 賰賵賳賴丕 賲禺胤卅丞 毓賱賶 丕賱丿賵丕賲 賵兀賳丕 爻卅賲鬲 賲賳 賰賵賳賴丕 睾亘賷丞 貙 賱丕 兀胤賷賯 賲賳 鬲購毓胤賱 毓賯賱賴丕 賵鬲賳鬲馗乇 鬲賱賯賷 丕賱賲賮丕鬲賷丨 賲賳 丕賱丌禺乇賷賳
兀賷賳 賲賮丕鬲賷丨賰 丕賱禺丕氐丞 兀賷鬲賴丕 丕賱賮鬲丕丞 責馃え
丕賱賳賴丕賷丞 噩丕亍鬲 賲購賱睾夭丞 賵鬲賮鬲賯丿 丕賱賰孬賷乇 賲賳 丕賱鬲賮丕氐賷賱 貙 賰丕賳鬲 賵孬亘丞 毓丕賱賷丞 亘賱丕 丕丨鬲乇丕賮賷丞 賰丕賮賷丞...賰賲丕 廿賳 賴賳丕賰 鬲賱賲賷丨 亘兀賳 " 丿賰爻鬲乇 " 爻賷丨氐丿 丨亘 丕賱賯丕乇賶亍 亘賱丕 禺噩賱 賱賰賳 賮賶 丕賱丨賯賷賯丞 賴匕丕 賱賲 賷丨丿孬 亘賱 賰丕賳 丕賱兀賲乇 兀賯乇亘 賱賱卮賮賯丞...
乇賵丕賷丞 賱丕 鬲禺胤賮 丕賱兀賳賮丕爻 賵賱賰賳 丕賱兀匕賴丕賳...
賴賳丕賰 丕賱乇賯賷亘 " 丿賵賰爻 " 賷賳鬲馗乇 爻賯賵胤 " 丿賰爻鬲乇 " 賮賷 賯亘囟鬲賴 賵賴匕丕 賲丕 兀賳丕 亘丕賳鬲馗丕乇賴...
Profile Image for Baba.
3,965 reviews1,408 followers
October 18, 2020
Dexter, book No. 1.: The first Dexter book, from which the TV series is based, features the 'Ice-Box Killer', and introduces Dexter Morgan the blood spatter criminologist and part-time serial killer with a heart; his sister Deborah Morgan, a beat cop aspiring to be a detective; and the eclectic cast of characters serving at Miami PD. A lot like the TV series in places but also markedly different at times, and overall quite readable. 6 out of 12
Profile Image for Metodi Markov.
1,666 reviews411 followers
February 15, 2025
袩褉懈谢懈褔薪邪 泻褉懈屑泻邪, 锌芯褋谢褍卸懈谢邪 蟹邪 芯褋薪芯胁邪 薪邪 屑薪芯谐芯 写芯斜褗褉 褋械褉懈邪谢.

袙褋懈褔泻芯 械 薪邪 谢懈褑械 蟹邪 写邪 械 懈薪褌械褉械褋薪邪, 薪芯 锌芯 屑芯械 屑薪械薪懈械, 锌褉芯屑械薪懈褌械 胁 褋褞卸械褌邪 懈 谐械褉芯懈褌械 胁 孝袙 邪写邪锌褌邪褑懈褟褌邪 褋邪 蟹邪 写芯斜褉芯 懈 褉械蟹褍谢褌邪褌褗褌 褌邪屑 械 锌芯-褋锌芯谢褍褔谢懈胁.

袦芯褟褌邪 芯褑械薪泻邪 - 3,5*.

袩芯褉械写懈褑邪褌邪 械 懈蟹写邪写械薪邪 写芯 泻薪懈谐邪 褔械褌懈褉懈 薪邪 斜褗谢谐褉褋泻懈 懈 蟹邪褉褟蟹邪薪邪 斜械蟹褋谢邪胁薪芯 芯褌 懈蟹写邪褌械谢褋褌胁芯 "袘邪褉写", 泻邪泻褌芯 褌芯谢泻芯胁邪 屑薪芯谐芯 写褉褍谐懈 锌褉械蟹 谐芯写懈薪懈褌械.
Profile Image for Laurie  (barksbooks).
1,906 reviews776 followers
November 1, 2019
Version: Unabridged
Publisher: Recorded Books
Narrated by: Author Jeff Lindsay

Darkly Dreaming Dexter introduces Dexter Morgan serial killer of serial killers. To the outside world he is a charming, attractive normal guy with a respectable job with the forensic department. But Dexter (for anyone who hasn鈥檛 watched the tv show) is constantly battling his 鈥渄ark passenger鈥� who dreams of death and can only be assuaged by brutal murder and clinical dismemberment. He was adopted as a young boy by a policeman named Harry who saw Dexter鈥檚 darkness early on and was able to instill in him a strict code of rules to control his impulses and keep him safe. Now that Harry is dead, Dexter still hears Harry鈥檚 voice in his head and it almost always keeps him on track.

Without boring you with an overlong plot rehash I鈥檒l keep it neat and tidy. There鈥檚 a serial killer on the loose who is chopping up women and leaving their bloodless body parts for Dexter and company to find. Dexter is intrigued by the killer鈥檚 mastery and finesse and makes it his business to track down the guy. But wait! This killer seems to know Dexter鈥檚 deepest, darkest secret and begins taunting him. The plot relies heavily on Dexter鈥檚 ability to sense the other killer and Dexter鈥檚 鈥渄reams鈥� of the murders. Whether you buy it or not will depend entirely on just how far you are willing to suspend your disbelief. I went with it. I鈥檓 easy sometimes and I really like Dexter.

I borrowed this audiobook from Overdrive and it was narrated by the author. While he does a decent job voicing Dexter鈥檚 calm, cool charm and wry sense of humor, he stumbles in a big way with Debra, Dexter鈥檚 put-upon stepsister who is desperately trying to get promoted and get off undercover 鈥渉ooker duty鈥� so she can do some actual police work. This Debra unpleasantly barks out every line with ear shattering impatience. As much as I enjoy her character because she is cranky and impatient, I cringed whenever she had something to say here. It wouldn鈥檛 have surprised me if she bit Dexter what with the way she was so overly snarly (she didn't). However, it鈥檚 not a guy reading a girl thing that I have a problem with here (for once) because Lindsay does LaGuerta鈥檚 voice in a smarmy, man-hungry and perfectly fitting way for the power hungry nitwit.

Though a story filled with murder and mayhem it surprisingly doesn't dwell on the gory details. Instead it gets into Dexter鈥檚 head, explaining how he feels when he gives in to his dark passenger (really freaking good). This is something the show is just unable to do and it helps one understand how his mind works. I enjoyed this story and this intimate look into Dexter鈥檚 head and will continue the series. My only nitpick was Dexter鈥檚 bad habit of repeating himself. Yeah, yeah so he鈥檚 unemotional, not human, follows a strict code and is always in control. I get it. I don鈥檛 need to be continually banged over the noggin with those facts. It got tiresome and I felt like the only one he was trying to convince was himself because he was so often NOT in control for most of this book. But other than that complaint, the characters are great and the story zips along at a pace that never loses or bores the crap out of me.
Profile Image for Chia.
41 reviews74 followers
August 14, 2018
乇丕爻鬲卮 亘丕 丕蹖賳讴賴 禺蹖賱蹖 丕夭 爻乇蹖丕賱 丿讴爻鬲乇 賱匕鬲 亘乇丿賴 亘賵丿賲 賵 鬲卮賳賴 蹖 禺賵賳丿賳 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 亘賵丿賲 讴賴 爻乇蹖丕賱 亘乇丕爻丕爻卮 賳賵卮鬲賴 卮丿賴 丕賲丕 賱匕鬲 趩賳丿丕賳蹖 亘賴賲 賳丿丕丿.
鬲賯乇蹖亘丕 趩賳丿 鬲丕 丕夭 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賴丕蹖 賮乇毓蹖 爻乇蹖丕賱 丕夭 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 亘乇丿丕卮鬲賴 卮丿賴 賵 鬲賲 丕氐賱蹖卮 賮氐賱 丕賵賱 爻乇蹖丕賱 賴爻鬲.
賵 蹖賴 賳讴鬲賴 蹖 毓噩蹖亘 丕蹖賳讴賴 丿讴爻鬲乇 鬲賵蹖 讴鬲丕亘 亘賴 賳馗乇 卮賵禺 鬲乇 亘賵丿 賵 賲爻丕賮乇 鬲丕乇蹖讴蹖卮 (丕爻賲蹖 讴賴 亘賴 賵噩賴 賯丕鬲賱 禺賵丿卮 丿丕丿賴) 丕賳诏丕乇 蹖賴 賲賵噩賵丿蹖鬲 讴丕賲賱丕 噩丿丕 丕夭 禺賵丿卮 亘賵丿 讴賴 丿讴爻鬲乇 丕爻蹖乇 丕賵賳賴 亘乇 禺賱丕賮 爻乇蹖丕賱貙 讴賴 丕蹖賳 丕氐賱丕 噩丕賱亘 賳亘賵丿 亘乇丕賲.
丿乇 讴賱 丕夭 禺賵賳丿賳卮 倬卮蹖賲賵賳賲 趩賵賳 鬲丕 丨丿賵丿蹖 丿蹖丿賲 亘賴 丿讴爻鬲乇 丿賵爻鬲 丿丕卮鬲賳蹖 爻乇蹖丕賱 乇賵 禺乇丕亘 讴乇丿. 丕賲丕 丕诏乇賴賲 賳賲蹖禺賵賳丿賲 鬲丕 丕亘丿 丨爻乇鬲卮 賴賲乇丕賴賲 賲蹖賲賵賳丿.
Profile Image for ZohreH.
176 reviews
October 16, 2023
讴爻蹖 賴賲 賴爻鬲 讴賴 丕夭 丕賳鬲賯丕賲 亘丿卮 亘蹖丕丿責 賴賲蹖卮賴 丕夭 噩賲賱賴 "賱匕鬲蹖 讴賴 丿乇 亘禺卮卮 賴爻鬲 丿乇 丕賳鬲賯丕賲 賳蹖爻鬲" 亘丿賲 賲蹖 丕賵賲丿. 趩乇丕 丨爻 賵丨卮鬲賳丕讴蹖 讴賴 讴爻蹖 亘賴 賲賳 鬲丨賲蹖賱 讴乇丿賴 乇賵 亘丕蹖丿 亘丕 禺賵卮丨丕賱蹖 賵 禺賳丿賴 賵 亘禺卮卮 亘蹖禺蹖丕賱 亘卮賲責 賴蹖趩 毓賱丕賯賴 丕蹖 亘賴 亘禺卮蹖丿賳 讴爻丕蹖蹖 讴賴 亘賴賲 卮乇丕蹖胤 爻禺鬲蹖 乇賵 鬲丨賲蹖賱 讴乇丿賳 賳丿丕乇賲

丕蹖賳 亘賴 丕蹖賳 賲毓賳蹖 賳蹖爻鬲 讴賴 賴賲蹖卮賴 丕賳鬲賯丕賲 賲蹖诏蹖乇賲! 禺蹖賱蹖 賵賯鬲丕 夭賵乇賲 賳賲蹖 乇爻賴 禺亘! 禺蹖賱蹖 賵賯鬲丕 卮乇丕蹖胤蹖 讴賴 亘賴賲 鬲丨賲蹖賱 卮丿賴 丕賵賳賯丿乇 亘夭乇诏 賵 丕賵賳 卮禺氐 丕賵賳賯丿乇 睾蹖乇賯丕亘賱 丿爻鬲乇爻 亘賵丿賴 讴賴 賮賯胤 亘丕 賮讴乇 丕賳鬲賯丕賲 蹖賴 乇賵夭蹖 丿乇 丌蹖賳丿賴 倬蹖卮 乇賮鬲賲. 蹖賴 噩丕賴丕蹖蹖 賴賲 亘賵丿賴 讴賴 禺蹖賱蹖 丌乇賵賲 賵 亘蹖氐丿丕 讴賳丕乇賴 诏乇賮鬲賲 賵 爻毓蹖 讴乇丿賲 丕賵賳 卮禺氐 乇賵 丕夭 丨蹖胤賴 丕乇鬲亘丕胤蹖賲 丨匕賮 讴賳賲. 卮丕蹖丿 丕蹖賳 蹖賴 丨乇讴鬲 亘夭丿賱丕賳賴 亘丕卮賴. 賵賱蹖 賵賯鬲蹖 賯丿乇鬲蹖 亘乇丕蹖 丕賳鬲賯丕賲 賳丿丕乇蹖... 趩丕乇賴 丕蹖 賳賲蹖 賲賵賳賴

丕賲丕 丿讴爻鬲乇... 丿讴爻鬲乇 丕賳鬲賯丕賲 卮禺氐蹖 賳賲蹖 诏蹖乇賴. 丕賳鬲賯丕賲 毓丕賲 丕賱賲賳賮毓賴 賲蹖 诏蹖乇賴! 丿讴爻鬲乇 蹖賴 賲氐賱丨 丕噩鬲賲丕毓蹖賴

蹖讴蹖 丕夭 賲毓丿賵丿 卮禺氐蹖鬲 賴丕蹖 丿賳蹖丕蹖 讴鬲丕亘賴丕 賴爻鬲 讴賴 蹖賴 胤賵乇丕蹖蹖 丕夭卮 禺賵卮賲 丕賵賲丿賴 亘賵丿. 禺蹖賱蹖 丿賵爻鬲 丿丕卮鬲賳蹖 賵 亘丕 賲夭賴 亘賵丿. 禺賵賳爻乇丿 賵 禺賵卮丨丕賱 賲蹖乇賮鬲 丿賳亘丕賱 胤毓賲賴 賴丕卮. 丿賵爻鬲 丿丕卮鬲賲 亘亘蹖賳賲卮 賵 丿乇 賲賵乇丿 匕賴賳蹖丕鬲卮 亘蹖卮鬲乇 亘丿賵賳賲. 賵賱蹖 賴賲賴 丕蹖賳丕 鬲丕 賯亘賱 丕蹖賳 亘賵丿 讴賴 賲毓賱賵賲 亘卮賴 讴蹖 亘賴 讴蹖賴! 丌禺乇卮 噩賳丕亘 賱蹖賳丿夭蹖 夭丿 鬲賵 丨爻 賵 丨丕賱賲. 亘丕 丕賵賳 倬丕蹖丕賳 亘賳丿蹖 賵 毓賱鬲 賵 賲毓賱賵賱蹖 讴賴 亘乇丕蹖 丨賵丕丿孬 丕賳鬲禺丕亘 讴乇丿賴 亘賵丿... 夭蹖丕丿 乇丕囟蹖 賳蹖爻鬲賲 丕夭卮

趩賯丿乇 鬲賴 亘賳丿蹖 乇賲丕賳 賲賴賲賴! 賲蹖鬲賵賳賴 賯卮賳诏 蹖賴 丿賳蹖丕蹖 賮賵賯 禺賮賳 乇賵 賵蹖乇賵賳 讴賳賴 蹖丕 亘乇毓讴爻 蹖賴 丿賳蹖丕蹖 賲毓賲賵賱蹖 乇賵 亘賴 毓乇卮 亘亘乇賴.

丨丕賱丕 亘丕蹖丿 亘亘蹖賳賲 爻乇蹖丕賱卮 趩胤賵乇賴
鉁煋气湪

賵 趩賳丿 乇賵夭 亘毓丿 賲蹖 賳賵蹖爻賲 讴賴: 亘賱賴 爻乇蹖丕賱卮 亘乇丕賲 噩丕賱亘 卮丿. 禺亘 胤亘蹖毓鬲賳 亘丕 讴鬲丕亘 賲鬲賮丕賵鬲賴 賵賱蹖 鬲賲 讴賱蹖 賴賲蹖賳賴 賵 賯丕亘賱 倬蹖诏蹖乇蹖賴. 亘禺氐賵氐 讴賴 胤毓賲賴 賴丕蹖 亘蹖卮鬲乇蹖 丕夭 丿讴爻鬲乇 賳卮賵賳 賲蹖丿賴 賵 胤蹖賮 诏爻鬲乇丿賴 鬲乇蹖 丕夭 噩乇丕卅賲 鬲賵卮 噩丕 賲蹖卮賴
Profile Image for Lori.
1,714 reviews55.6k followers
October 14, 2007
Oh Moon, glorious Moon --- Why did'nt I pick this up when it was first released is beyond me!

I love Dexter and his Dark Passenger. His sarcastic wit, his lizard brain, his fake girlfriend and actual love of little kids. His hobby-related career as a blood-splatter analyst by day, and his moonlighting as a killer of killers by night.

Whats not to love?? If you havent read this book (series) yet, you dont know what your missing! I highly recommend this to everyone.

I am ranking this my #2 favorite series, coming in close to my #1 pick, The Odd Thomas Series by Dean Kootnz. Jeff Lindsay does an excellent job of taking this emotionless monster who we should despise and hate, and actually gets the reader to root for him, to take his side, and has us hoping he catches the bad guys before the police do......
Profile Image for Mike.
180 reviews60 followers
January 6, 2016
I sill enjoyed reading Darkly Dreaming Dexter even though I knew what was gong to happen. Because I have watched most of the first season of Dexter on dvd. The good thing is I haven't watch any of the other seasons of Dexter on dvd. So the rest of the books in the series will be new to me. Will read one a month until I finish the series. Only seven more to go, looking forward to it. I gave Darkly Dreaming Dexter 4 stars.
Profile Image for 孝械芯写芯褉 袩邪薪芯胁.
Author听4 books155 followers
August 21, 2022
袩芯泻褉邪泄 褋泻芯褉芯褕薪芯褌芯 胁褗蟹褉邪卸写邪薪械 薪邪 褋械褉懈邪谢邪 褋 鈥濪exter: New Blood鈥� (泻芯泄褌芯 写芯 屑芯屑械薪褌邪 屑懈 褏邪褉械褋胁邪 蟹薪邪褔懈褌械谢薪芯), 褉械褕懈褏 写邪 锌褉芯褔械褌邪 懈 锌褗褉胁邪褌邪 泻薪懈谐邪 芯褌 锌芯褉械写懈褑邪褌邪. 袣薪懈谐邪褌邪 薪械 械 谢芯褕邪 泻邪褌芯 褑褟谢芯, 褋 写芯斜褉械 懈蟹谐褉邪写械薪 褋褞卸械褌 械, 懈屑邪 薪械芯斜褏芯写懈屑芯褌芯 薪邪锌褉械卸械薪懈械, 芯褌薪芯褕械薪懈褟褌邪 薪邪 袛械泻褋褌褗褉 褋褗褋 褋械褋褌褉邪 屑褍 胁懈薪邪谐懈 褋懈 屑懈 斜懈谢懈 泻褉邪泄薪芯 懈薪褌械褉械褋薪懈 懈 蟹邪斜邪胁薪懈, 懈 褌褍泻 褋邪 褋懈 薪邪 芯薪芯胁邪 薪懈胁芯, 锌芯蟹薪邪褌芯 屑懈 芯褌 褋械褉懈邪谢邪. 袧芯 褋邪屑懈褟褌 褋械褉懈邪谢 械 锌芯-写芯斜褉械 懈蟹谐褉邪写械薪 懈 薪械褖邪褌邪 胁 薪械谐芯 褋邪 锌芯写薪械褋械薪懈 褋 械写薪邪 懈写械褟 锌芯-蟹邪胁谢邪写褟胁邪褖芯, 芯褌泻芯谢泻芯褌芯 胁 泻薪懈谐邪褌邪. 小械褉懈邪谢褗褌 写芯褋褌邪 械 薪邪写谐褉邪写懈谢 懈 写芯芯斜芯谐邪褌懈谢 芯斜褉邪蟹懈褌械 薪邪 袛械泻褋褌褗褉 懈 袛械斜.

袨斜邪褔械 懈 胁 泻薪懈谐邪褌邪 袛械泻褋褌褗褉 褋懈 械 胁褋械 褌邪泻邪 褍薪懈泻邪谢械薪 懈 薪械锌芯胁褌芯褉懈屑 锌械褉褋芯薪邪卸.

笑懈褌邪褌懈:

鈥炐⒀� 胁写懈谐薪邪 锌芯谐谢械写 懈 斜邪胁薪芯 锌谢褗蟹薪邪 芯褔懈 锌芯 屑械薪, 邪 邪蟹 褋褌芯褟褏 懈 褋械 褔褍写械褏 蟹邪褖芯. 袛邪 薪械 斜懈 写邪 斜械褕械 蟹邪斜褉邪胁懈谢邪 泻邪泻 懈蟹谐谢械卸写邪屑? 孝褟 芯斜邪褔械 屑械 胁褗蟹薪邪谐褉邪写懈 褋 褕懈褉芯泻邪 褍褋屑懈胁泻邪. 孝邪褟 懈写懈芯褌泻邪 薪邪懈褋褌懈薪邪 屑械 褏邪褉械褋胁邪褕械!鈥�

鈥炐⌒恍敌� 褌芯谢泻芯胁邪 谐芯写懈薪懈 薪邪 褋邪屑芯写芯褋褌邪褌褗褔薪芯褋褌 懈蟹胁械写薪褗卸 芯褌 胁褋懈褔泻懈 锌芯褋芯泻懈 写邪 屑械 锌芯写谐芯薪褟褌 锌褉械谐谢邪写薪械谢懈 卸械薪懈. 袛械斜, 袪懈褌邪, 袥邪 袚褍械褉褌邪 鈥� 芯褔械胁懈写薪芯 懈屑 斜械褕械 薪械胁褗蟹屑芯卸薪芯 写邪 褋褗褖械褋褌胁褍胁邪褌 斜械蟹 屑械薪.鈥�


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3.95 猸�
Profile Image for Kim.
443 reviews179 followers
August 15, 2011
Firstly I have never seen the show. Not once, not a single episode. Over the years I've been told to watch it countless times and then told I have to read the books. Well finally I decided to read one.

While it was a good story it always felt like something was missing. I prefer my crime books to have more truth about them. The whole plot point of the dreaming was honestly annoying. It felt like it was there just because the author couldn't think of a clever way of getting Dexter to the crime scenes, etc. And it gave away the killers identity far too easily.

It mentions how Dexter is supposedly brilliant but there was nothing in the book to substantiate that. He just kind of stumbled through it all. After everything I've been told it was a bit of a let down. I liked the angle and Dexter's story but I think it could have been told much better. I've heard the show is better but I'm not sure if I want to try it again.

Maybe one day
Profile Image for Thibault Busschots.
Author听5 books186 followers
June 20, 2022
I loved the TV series before I started reading these books. The first book follows the same storyline as the first series, so it seems quite familiar. Though the creators of the TV series seem to have definitely elevated the story by taking out the best parts of this book and adding in some things of their own. Still, a pretty solid read.
Profile Image for ashlyn.
241 reviews287 followers
January 31, 2025
ceo of acting on intrusive thoughts
Profile Image for Lauryl.
41 reviews172 followers
November 2, 2007
Yeah, yeah, yeah...
so I picked this up because I saw the Showtime series. I admit, I have become a big fan of the show, which is pretty smart and complex, despite its kind of silly premise. AND it's gruesome, which is always good. The book, however, lacks the depth and character development of the show. I suppose that's one thing that television, as a medium, is actually really good at. The book feels a little flip, and a little silly, andeven though it's the first in a series, it doesn't feel like it's building towards anything, which is another thing that makes the teevee version so great. Also, when dealing with that "genius serial killer" cliche, one has to be really careful, since it is a cliche and all. Making reference to the fact that Dexter likes Phillip Glass? Probably not enough.
Profile Image for Briar's Reviews.
2,188 reviews574 followers
May 13, 2015
Anyone who was a fan of the Dexter series, Bones, CSI or NCIS should pick up this novel!

Darkly Dreaming Dexter is a fun, sarcastic crime novel. Instead of following a detective, this novel follows a serial killer, who is trying to catch another serial killer!

I decided to read this book after I watched some of the Dexter television series. Anyone who has watched the series, should know the first book is the first season of the show. The two are almost identical, minus a few changes to make the television show more showbiz worthy.

Dexter Morgan is a serial killer who is out of touch with people. He is awkward, very smart and is a bit naive with women. He has killed over dozens of people, and somebody seems to know he was doing it. This person leaves clues for him all over the city in his deaths, that Dexter has to investigate since he works for the Miami Police as a forensic officer. Dexter has never been caught, yet he seems to be getting a bit sloppy once he knows somebody has their eyes on him...

Chaos ensues when Dexter's mysterious background is figured out. Dexter can barely remember his own pats, but when he finds out the result is shocking!

I loved this novel. The entire book is filled with alliterations and lots of sarcasm. On top of the typical murder story, seeing the book in the eyes of a serial killer gives it a bit of charm!

Five out of five stars!
Profile Image for Vivian.
2,903 reviews481 followers
September 3, 2017
Anybody can be charming if they don't mind faking it, saying all the stupid, obvious, nauseating things that a conscience keeps most people from saying. Happily, I don't have a conscience. I say them.

And this is both charming and terrifying to read. Delightfully so. Just the right amount of shivers tingling up your spine. Mimicry is such a useful tool and Dexter is quite adept at it. Frankly, I find him refreshing and certainly less boring than most. The puzzles and tidiness, I do like them very much.

This was another fantastic GR feed find from my friend PirateSteve. I don't watch TV often, so I haven't seen the show, though I've heard of it. Regardless, I can tell you that this series is on my list. If I don't finish it this year, then I expect to next.

There's really nothing scary about Dexter. I'd say I'd be friends with him, but he's incapable. So alas, the fishbowl observation will have to do.
No, I do my job to make order out of chaos.
Profile Image for Krystin | TheF*ckingTwist.
588 reviews1,866 followers
January 19, 2023
|

I honestly have no idea what this review is going to be. Objective? Probably fucking not. I'm a huge fangirl of the Showtime series and it's taken me basically a decade to get around to the source material, which honestly feels like a crime. Now that I have read it, I'm very confused about what I actually thought.

On one hand, the first season of the show followed this series-starting book very closely. I'm talking nearly word-for-word. The Barbie in the freezer, the nail-polish, the ice truck - it's all there, save for the fact that Deb was cast differently than she was written. And I didn't really like book-version Deb.

You would think that because I love the show and the book is so close to the show, I would be head over heels after reading this.

No.



I can't put my finger on why, but something about it was boring. GASP! I know. Boring is not something I ever would have imagined myself writing for this review. But there it is.

Maybe it's because there were just no surprises left in the plot. Is that the fault of the book? Obviously not, because it's the chicken.. or the egg... or whichever came first. Jeff Lindsay created Dexter and everything about Dexter that made me love the show so much. And yet, reading the book just didn't do it for me. Maybe if I'd read the book first? I can't say. What I can say is don't fucking listen to me. I'm all over the place in my feelings about this right now.



I'm going against the cardinal sin of book nerds - the book is always better.

But in this case, I like the TV show better.

Dexter is, without a doubt, the ultimate anti-hero. He's written in such a way that it plays with the principles you might hold dear. Murder is wrong. Murderers are bad. End of discussion.

But there is something about a vigilante that stirs up our baser instincts from a time when we were just crawling out of the muck to stand upright. Revenge is satisfying. Karma is earned. An eye for an eye is equalizing. So it's really no surprise that when a character like Dexter comes along that he strikes a chord. He reminds us that what we consider "wrong" can be subjective. Not everything is black and white. We exist in shades of grey (not the kinky kind. ...well, sometimes...)

Murder is wrong. But if you're murdering a murder? Or child predator?



Now you have to admit that perhaps your principles are not as hard-lined as you thought they were. I love the psychology of that.

I can't think of any other book, or character, that has so perfectly explored the idea of having no empathy, no ability to feel what other people feel while creating empathy within the reader for that character. Dexter, in both mediums, says again and again how he has never been able to access the emotions the rest of us can - the thing that makes us essentially human. What's interesting though is that he never wavers from Harry's Code. Not out of a sense of guilt or conscience, but out of loyalty.

Loyalty to Harry. And Deb. There's a part of him that doesn't want to disappoint his family. How that might actually exist in a psychopath clinically, I don't know, but it sure as hell makes for an interesting character arc.

Bottom line: Dexter is a special fucking character. Jeff Lindsay is responsible for that.

But I still wasn't into the book.



Michael C. Hall brought Dexter to life in a way that was dynamic even though he was emotionally stunted, awkward and never really got the joke. Again, I don't know if it's because I watched the show first, but I found the written character to be mostly flat. It wasn't the Dexter who I know and love.

I was already super familiar with the plot, backward and forwards. Mix that with flat characters and this wasn't the experience I wanted it to be.

Kind of like that fucking series finale.



I digress...

It seems like the best reviews come from readers who have never watched an episode before.

But after you read the book, watch the show.

A blood analyst who helps solves crimes by day while committing his own crimes at night - it's fucking perfect.

I don't think I'll be finishing the book series though. There are just too many books piled on my TBR for me to be reading books I already know the plot of.

猸愨瓙猸惵� | 3.5 stars rounded down
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