Dearly Devoted Dexter

Dexter, Book 2

By: Jeff Lindsay

Narrated by: Jeff Lindsay

He’s a charming monster....
A macabre hero....
A serial killer who only kills bad people....

Dexter Morgan has been under considerable pressure. It’s just not easy being an ethical serial killer - especially while trying to avoid the unshakable suspicions of the dangerous Sergeant Doakes (who believes Dexter is a homicidal maniac... which, of course, he is). In an attempt to throw Doakes off his trail, Dexter has had to slip deep into his foolproof disguise. While not working as a blood-spatter analyst for the Miami Police Department, he now spends nearly all his time with his cheerful girlfriend, Rita, and her two children, sipping light beer and slowly becoming the world’s first serial couch potato. But how long can Dexter play Kick the Can instead of Slice the Slasher? How long before his Dark Passenger forces him to drop the charade and let his inner monster run free?

In trying times, opportunity knocks. A particularly nasty psychopath is cutting a trail through Miami - a man whose twisted technique leaves even Dexter speechless. As Dexter’s dark appetite is revived, his sister, Deborah (a newly minted, tough-as-nails Miami detective) is drawn headlong into the case. It quickly becomes clear that it will take a monster to catch a monster - but it isn’t until his archnemesis is abducted that Dex can finally throw himself into the search for a new plaything. Unless, of course, his plaything finds him first....

With the incredible wit and freshness that drew widespread acclaim to Darkly Dreaming Dexter, Jeff Lindsay now takes Dexter Morgan to a new level of macabre appeal and gives us one of the most original, colorful narrators in years.

©2005 Jeff Lindsay (P)2012 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

" Dearly Devoted Dexter is fascinating, entertaining, and brilliant. Let Jeff Lindsay introduce you to the serial killer next door - Dexter (and his Dark Passenger) are the freshest, most terrifying creations you are ever likely to meet... and live to tell about.” ( New York Times best selling author Robert Crais)

“A macabre tour de force... so snappy and smart.” ( The New York Times)

Another great Dexter story!

I'm really enjoying going through and listening to all of the books in the Dexter series. Having discovered the TV series first, I was a big fan, and this is like rediscovering it all over again, because these are all different stories than the TV show. Fans of Dexter, I recommend you read (or listen to it) the book series that it was based off of!

This wasn't bad at all.

What did you like best about this story?

I like the fact that it deviates from the show. It feels new.

What about Jeff Lindsay’s performance did you like?

There's a lot of people that don't like Lindsay's narration, but I'm not one of them. He's no Michael C. Hall, but who is? Right?

Great sequel

This book was absolutely dark and captivating, much like our favorite serial killer, Dexter himself.

Excellent mystery... even though graphic murders

Once again, I am amazed that I would like such a book, but after finishing Darkly Dreaming Dexter I had to listen to #2. How is it possible to make a deviant serial killer likeable? Amazingly, Jeff Lindsay has done that, and woven an intriguing mystery, along with the continued understanding and advancement of the main characters... so both story lines drew me in and now have me hooked. Also, Jeff is a great narrator!. I will definitely be listening to # 3 very soon.

Great Book!

Loved it! Can't wait to get the next one. well worth the listen! couldn't stop.

Love Dexter

As always, the books are better than the show. What a great character and super good story.

Unfilmable horrors!

Unlike the other reviewers, I like the author's narration -- its "fakeness" is exactly what makes it work for me, because Dexter himself is nothing if not a fake in life.

The plotting of volume 2 is better than that of 1. But listeners should be warned that the major culprit of this installment (what the TV show creators call the "Big Bad") is so horribly vile, his crimes so absolutely repulsive, that he gives the evil doctor in the Human Centipede a run for his money. I almost retched when I heard the crimes described.

I can't imagine this kind of horror being filmed, and I am grateful to the TV show creators for not attempting it. Beyond the understandable squeamishness, there's another reason for deviating from Lindsay's storyline, which is that the TV Dexter is actually fully human, so the evils done by the perps don't have to be exaggerated to justify Dexter's actions. Lindsay's Dexter insists so much on not feeling emotions or belonging to the human race that he has to make the Big Bad that much worse. This makes for a much less interesting character than the one portrayed on the TV show.

Fabulous!

I love that Jeff Lindsay narrates his own books, puts more passion into the reading. And of course the story is ever delightful with Dexter.

Dexter's character & personality take shape...

If you could sum up Dearly Devoted Dexter in three words, what would they be?

Intricate
Suspenseful
Budding

What was one of the most memorable moments of Dearly Devoted Dexter?

Dexters description of the first 'body' found on the table and his curiosity of why.

What does Jeff Lindsay bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Emotion... You feel like you're inside his head while he was writing the book.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes. But who has 8 hrs to just sit and listen?

Any additional comments?

Jeff Lindsay's narration is excellent and really brings the book to life. I originally had the narration by Nick Landrum which was just awful. There are still two books in the series narrated by Nick Landrum and not Jeff Lindsay and they are barely enjoyable b/c of the narrator, despite the good writing and great story. I hope Nick does not narrate another Dexter book, or for that matter, any book I'm interested in listening to.

excellent

Jeff Lindsay is an amazing author and performer, he really brings Dexter to life. I wish the show was as dark and awesome as the book.