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Wednesday 30 September 2009

DARKLY DREAMING DEXTER


Dexter Morgan isn't exactly the kind of man you'd bring home to your mum. At heart he is the perfect gentlemen: he has a shy girlfriend and seems to lead a quiet, normal life bordering on the mundane. Despite the fact that he can't stand the sight of blood, he works as a blood-spatter analyst for the Miami police. But Dexter also has a secret hobby: he is an accomplished serial killer. So far, he's killed 36 people and has never been caught because he knows exactly how to hide the evidence. And whilst that may lead some people to assume he's not such a nice guy, he tempers his insatiable hunger for brutality by only killing the bad guys. However, Dexter's well-organised life is suddenly disrupted when a second, much more visible serial killer appears in Miami. Intrigued that the other killer favours a style similar to his own, Dexter soon realises that the mysterious new arrival is not simply invading his turf but offering him a direct invitation to 'come out and play'...

This is the first book in Jeff Lindsay's popular Dexter series. I'm a huge fan of the TV show, I absolutely love it, so my curiosity about the books finally got the better of me. And I'm very glad that it did.
Dexter Morgan is a forensic specialist for the Miami Police Department. He's also a serial killer who kills bad people. As long as his chosen victim satisfies the Code of Harry, he's free to play. He also can't stand people who hurt children, and so finds himself playing with quite a few of those. Harry - his foster father - taught him to never kill an innocent. Dexter's very much driven by his Dark Passenger and is very methodical about the way he kills someone, as well as the trophy he takes.
However, when the neatly chopped up bodies of hookers start showing up on the streets of Miami, Dexter can't help but take notice. The killer seems to be as devoted to his art as Dexter is to his, and also appears to be 'speaking' to him via the killings. So much that Dexter starts to wonder if he might actually be the Tamiami Butcher himself.
I loved this book! Dexter doesn't hide or pretend he doesn't know what he is - he's a monster with no true emotions. Even if he does a great job at hiding it and is able to charm his co-workers, he never fools himself. I also enjoyed comparing it to the TV show and like both the similarities and the many differences. Both versions of Dexter are fantastic.
Darkly Dreaming Dexter is a chilling, in-depth glimpse into the mind of a serial killer with a difference. With everything that he is and does, he still comes across more sympathetic than most of the other characters in the book, which I found amazing. His wit and dry humour also made me laugh out loud, he comes up with some awesome one liners.
I found the path to finding out who the killer was to be intriguing, interesting, and it kept me glued to every page. The self-doubt he suffers along the way drew me in so much that at one stage, I even wondered if it was him. And like I said before, I watch the show. Lol.
I know I'm going to love this series!
Darkly Dreaming Dexter, September 2009, ISBN 0752883186, Orion Fiction Paperback

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