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Dearly Devoted Dexter (Dexter #2)

3.84 of 5 stars 3.84 · rating details · 20,207 ratings · 1,296 reviews

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He's a charming monster... A macabre hero... A serial killler 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 cou...more

Paperback, 292 pages

Published September 19th 2006 by Vintage Books (first published January 1st 2005)

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Oct 23, 2011 Lou rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: july-read, serial-killers, series, adapted-to-screen

Dexter the man who finds it hard to feel, in this story Dexter does not get down bloody and as dark as i have seen on the tv-series or read in Darkly Dreaming Dexter. He plays the role well as a caring brother and as a family man and loves kids but as he tries to keep up with the crowd his sociopath personality is dying to kill. To kill those who hurt children and the rest of the scum that live on the grid. He is a superhero of modern times a sort of Robin Hood that robs the evil from the street...more

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May 17, 2007 Michael rated it 2 of 5 stars

Dexter is an interesting character. However, Lindsay is not a particularly strong writer. These books would probably work better as pure character studies, because the thriller elements don't work. Everything wrapped up too quickly, and there were some big jumps (Deb and Kyle? I had to go back and look to make sure I hadn't missed a few chapters where they suddenly became attached). I may read the next book this summer just to see what happens with Dexter and Cody, but I hope the story is better...more

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Aug 10, 2011 Kate rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, age-adult, thriller, psychological

Dexter, America's favorite serial killer, is on the trail of another serial killer when one of his coworkers, Sargeant Doakes, decides to follow Dexter around, waiting for him to screw up. While Dexter pretends to be the perfect boyfriend, hanging out at Rita's and drinking beer and putting on a show for Doakes, he really wants to be hunting down the other half of a pedophile duo. Then a bizarre murder rocks the Miami homocide department, and Doakes especially. Doakes has some connections to the...more

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Jun 04, 2007 Trin rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror, american-lit

Oh, why do I do these things to myself? I knew from reading Darkly Dreaming Dexter last November that I really preferred the TV show to the books, but curiosity won out and I read the second novel anyway. Big mistake. While Dearly Devoted is actually in many ways a better book than Darkly Dreaming—it’s way less rushed, for one, and funnier—it is so deeply disturbing that I’m still feeling freaked out several days after finishing it. And not in a fun way. The show, yes, is also disturbing—but it...more

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Dec 14, 2010 Nicholas Beck rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In my opinion, this book was much better than the first novel. Although a lot of my opinion is based on the fact that I knew the entire plot of the first book before I even read one page.
The writing in this book is clever, intelligent, and funny. I know this doesn't seem like things which go with a book series about a serial killer. But, this novel was at times hilarious. Besides the comedic relief the author provides with this novel, there are parts in the book which are entirely bone-chilling...more

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Jul 02, 2008 notyourmonkey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2008-read, mystery, library

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Okay, dude, this not-killer takes the cake. I think this may be the most gruesome, horrifying torture I can think of. It's the taking of the eyelids and propping them in front of a mirror, in addition to reducing a human being to a torso, that really cranks it to eleven. There's something viscerally terrifying about not being able to close your eyes. (Explains a bit about A Clockwork Orange, too, eh?)

I was somewhat more frustrated by the mystery surrounding this killer (or not) than with the on...more Okay, dude, this not-killer takes the cake. I think this may be the most gruesome, horrifying torture I can think of. It's the taking of the eyelids and propping them in front of a mirror, in addition to reducing a human being to a torso, that really cranks it to eleven. There's something viscerally terrifying about not being able to close your eyes. (Explains a bit about A Clockwork Orange, too, eh?)

I was somewhat more frustrated by the mystery surrounding this killer (or not) than with the one in the first book, but I still thoroughly enjoyed this book. The backstory felt, I don't know. Skimpy. Dodgy. Which it was supposed to, but it lacked a little je ne sais quoi. Maybe the first one did, too, but the personal ties and broader narrative structure tying those killings to Dexter made it much easier to overlook. The hazard, I suppose, of a second book following a similar format to the first, but you can't have every killer be related to Dexter. The author stuck the landing but maybe didn't nail all the technical elements along the way. (No sit spin?)

Two things stuck out for me in this book, and my enjoyment of both probably says nothing good about my mental state. :D One, I love that the author really went through with mutilating Doakes, getting him out of Dexter's way, and having Dexter show no remorse and even glee over Doakes' rather grisly demise. It's part of the cleverness of these novels that you (me?) genuinely want Dexter to be free to go torture the child molesters. What make the whole thing marvelously distressing is that in many ways, Doakes is the flip-coin of Dexter, and in many ways, you can't help but sympathize with his impulses, just as much as you sympathize with Dexter. But Dexter does not sympathize, even as he understands, and so he is gleeful at Doakes's fate.

The second is my somewhat bizarre happiness that Cody likes to kill things and Astor likes to watch, so Dexter has kids, in his own special way. I like that Dexter is going to have someone(s) who get him, in a way I don't think he's ever had. It's hard to get that upswell of not-aloneness with Brian for Dexter, because he came out of nowhere, and because in many ways he wants to take away Dexter's agency by trying to force him to kill Deborah when he doesn't really want to (which apparently I have an issue with, but not that of the ice rink murders? okay, maybe I am creepier than I thought!). Cody and Astor aren't demanding anything of Dexter, just understanding. And that makes me feel good for Dexter.

In short, I guess I like how the author can provoke a genuine positive emotional reaction (yay! Dexter has small children to mentor!) even as that positivity is conflicted (he's going to mentor them in the proper way to kill people!)

Oh, vigilante justice taken to its quasi-logical conclusion. I bet Batman confuses the hell out of Dexter. (less)

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Sep 24, 2012 Criss rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: not-too-bad, mystery, so-weird-it-was-good, read-only-once

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

I really like Dexter. I think that is the only thing really redeeming about this entire series so far. Granted this is only book two. Dexter is funny in a cynical people are so stupid kind of way. Which I can absolutely relate to.

In this book you actually get to see some detective work and the plot is good. So that was a Major plus from book1. Also, there is no psychic answers to the questions characters have so it's actually believable this time. Instead of stumbling around until the answer c...more

I really like Dexter. I think that is the only thing really redeeming about this entire series so far. Granted this is only book two. Dexter is funny in a cynical people are so stupid kind of way. Which I can absolutely relate to.

In this book you actually get to see some detective work and the plot is good. So that was a Major plus from book1. Also, there is no psychic answers to the questions characters have so it's actually believable this time. Instead of stumbling around until the answer came to him in a dream there appeared to be some evidence A that led to evidence B that led to a believable answer. Needless to say Dexter didn't just pull stuff out of his ass this time. A few times you actually get to see Dexter at work at his real job as a blood splatter expert.

I have to add that I generally don't like crime books and some things that are in this book is why. I don't think the author has ever actually been in a patrol car or on a crime scene in their life. I'm not even sure if the author has researched what it is like to be a police officer, detective, or even a lab rat. I think it might be akin to a carpenter walking into a newly built house and immediately noticing the flaws or an English professor reading a book and noticing the grammatical errors. (I see reviews about the editing in books and almost never notice those... But again I'm not an English professor)

This is a spoiler! Stop reading now if you don't want to know a significant part about this book!

What set my teeth on edge about this book...... When they discover the van with the police scanner in it. Well first off the bad guy left that van behind and knew he left a scanner in it. Thereby notifying police that he had been monitoring them via the pd radio. Now mind you this guy is not supposed to be stupid. You following me so far?Don't you think that any criminal worth his salt would think that anything said over the radio after that might be a trap? Seeing as how you now have HIS scanner. Ughhh... On top of that... I cringe when I hear officers going on and on and on over the radio. I have heard sergeants get on the radio and tell officers to pick up their cell phones and call each other if they want to yack all day. And I have never in my life heard radio conversation about a party going on and on and on over a radio. I was thinking...surely that is not really going to lure him in?
And something else that bothers me..... Why the hell is Dexter allowed to roam in on just any crime scene. The blood splatter expert is normally not called in until later. Sure...I've seen bored cops wander in wanting to be nosy on a slow day. I've just never seen this many random people saunter into a crime scene. Now in all fairness this doesn't really happen as much in this book as the last one he actually has a valid reason in most instances.

I LOVED the bachelor party. Good stuff. I have a friend that's very anti social and I could just picture him in Dexters place freaking out!!! Ha ha ha.

Okay so I spent a lot of time ranting. I had to split this down the middle and call it 3.5 stars because I really did like it much better than the last one and I like the hell out of Dexter. I just think these books could have been so much better. (less)

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Jan 25, 2012 Megan rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, nook-book, not-mine-library

So it seems that Dear Dark Dexter has become poorly written, zero character development Dexter. Even worse, he is surrounded by static characters, cops who are strangely uninterested in doing police work, and people who actually form a conga line at at bachelor party. Really, who does that???

I think that in the hands of a better writer this story could be so much better. (After all, the show is filled with an amazing cast of characters.) Unfortunately, in the books author Jeff Lindsay focuses o...more

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Nov 14, 2011 Courtney rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: crime

I don't love the writing but I do love the idea and that's what makes this a page turner.

I haven't yet watched the TV series but it's on my list. This book and the first attracted me as a lover of crime, true crime and procedural thrillers. Having already learnt a lot about psychopaths and the nature of serial killers some of this book was a bit 'basic' and I found Jeff Lindsay would dwell on some of the more obvious traits of a serial killer such as their lack of empathy and inability to alway...more I don't love the writing but I do love the idea and that's what makes this a page turner.

I haven't yet watched the TV series but it's on my list. This book and the first attracted me as a lover of crime, true crime and procedural thrillers. Having already learnt a lot about psychopaths and the nature of serial killers some of this book was a bit 'basic' and I found Jeff Lindsay would dwell on some of the more obvious traits of a serial killer such as their lack of empathy and inability to always understand the nuances of the human condition. Where the parts I would like to know
more about he skips straight over, such as Dexter's technique and desire. But perhaps this is to ensure he is still palatable to a wider reading audience.

I will read the rest of the series and I hope to find Lindsay taking more risks with his character. Showing more of the Dark Passenger, the internal struggle to keep the monster under relative control. I also hope to find an improvement in the writing, particularly the dialogue which I find forced and unnatural, even if Dexter isn't a normal member of society the conversations just make me cringe. They are so... 'tacky' much like the dress code of Miami.

I'd also love to see less annoying over used alliteration and less self praise. While I understand a key element of the psyche of a serial killer is that they think (and often are) so much more clever than everyone else I honestly don't need to be reminded three times within the same paragraph. I just don't think Dexter would really remind himself so often how clever he is, I feel like he would and should just BE clever.

I have no problem with actually disliking the main protagonist while also rooting for him so I feel Dexter could be darker without alienating the reader. I hope this happens in the books to come.

These books are a cool, creepy concept riddled with repetitive ramblings that I hope lucky literary Lindsay looses a little and focuses on the fearsome, forbidden fun-times of his marvelous, murderous, malicious Dexter. (less)

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Aug 05, 2008 Sandy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2008, fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I liked it well enough, but was expecting more from this sequel. Namely, how Dex's relationship with Debra has changed now that she knows the truth about him. Aside from a few jabs about who he really is there was nothing. C'mon!

First, what I did enjoy: 1) I liked how Dex just stumbles into becoming engaged to Rita. 2) I loved the idea of Cody being like Dexter and how excited he was at the idea of getting to mentor him. 3) I liked that Dex, of course, could appreciate Dr. Danco's work. 4) Freq...more

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Apr 18, 2009 Brooke rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009, mystery

As I'd expected to, I quickly devoured the second Dexter novel today while enjoying the long-missed sunshine on my back porch. I'm not quite as delighted with it as I was with book #1. I still laughed a lot, but the narration wasn't quite as whimsical and delightful as before.

However, I'm feeling something I didn't before - interest in where the plot's going. I really liked the surprise surrounding Cody, which is definitely a different angle than the show took. I'm eagerly looking forward to se...more

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Mar 19, 2009 Primadonna rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: suspense

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 25, 2009 Karin rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-fiction, audio-edition, books-made-into-television-shows, crime-scene-investigation, dark, horrifying, horror, murder, mystery, realistic, serial-killers, suspense-thriller, violence, borrowed-from-the-library

Dexter and his dark passenger are back in this sequel to Darkly Dreaming Dexter. This time he’s on the trail of a terrible sociopath who takes the body parts of his victims without taking their lives – leaving mewling, horrible, barely-human torsos behind. Dexter and his sister Deborah are drawn into the case even deeper when Deborah’s love interest is also taken by the sociopath. In order to find the missing man, Dexter convinces Sergeant Doakes (his arch nemesis) to act as bait. Doakes is take...more Dexter and his dark passenger are back in this sequel to Darkly Dreaming Dexter. This time he’s on the trail of a terrible sociopath who takes the body parts of his victims without taking their lives – leaving mewling, horrible, barely-human torsos behind. Dexter and his sister Deborah are drawn into the case even deeper when Deborah’s love interest is also taken by the sociopath. In order to find the missing man, Dexter convinces Sergeant Doakes (his arch nemesis) to act as bait. Doakes is taken, and Dexter rescues Deborah’s love interest. The others convince him to find Doakes as well – Dexter is reluctant, as Doakes’ disappearance leaves him free to indulge the passions of his dark passenger – and Dexter is then captured. Deborah saves the day and everyone, save the sociopath and his victims, lives happily ever after (or until the next book).

There are more than a few disturbing things going on in this novel – so, don’t tackle it over a meal. The sociopath’s method of destroying his victims is graphic and effective. He removes their appendages slowly while the victims are heavily drugged, gives them time to heal and makes sure they don’t die from shock. He also makes them watch. Final steps include removing their tongues, eyelids, teeth. They are nothing recognizably human when he’s finished. The descriptions of the *surgeries* he performs are enough to turn your stomach and wonder why we are so hooked on this kind of horrifying violence. Also, after Dexter accidentally gets engaged to his girlfriend, Rita, he learns that Rita’s son seems to have a fledgling dark passenger of his own. And Dexter’s looking forward to furthering his education. Now, this kid is only, what, six? Obviously Dexter isn’t in his right mind, but you wonder if maybe someone will take some notice and get the kid some help. Is it too late to reach out to him or are these dark passions something that take root early and can’t be overcome? Dexter’s own lack of affect – particularly where Sgt. Doakes is concerned – is also disturbing. He fakes being human so well sometimes that you forget he’s dangerous and dangerously unfeeling. I think it would be difficult for *most* people to be in the same room as someone having their limbs tortured off of them.

I mentioned, after reading the first book, that I was surprised that this sort of thing could be my cup of tea. I’m definitely moving outside of my comfort zone with this one – it made me queasy. But, I was also unsatisfied because it didn’t really explore new territory. The phrase “dark passenger” was deliciously evocative in the first book, but it’s rather overused by the time we get to this second book. Also, it takes awhile to get going. I was hoping that there would be more details about Dexter’s line of work – and not just the sideline cases he gets involved in at the behest of his bossy sister (and Deborah’s just an obnoxious nag). I think I’ll try one more just to see if I’ve had enough of Dexter. I’m notorious about falling out with series fiction, because I get sick of hearing/seeing the same thing over and over again.(less)

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Jan 11, 2009 Jaemi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: series, adult-fiction

I find Dexter to be a really likable guy, despite his serial killer nature. I'm interested to see where the TV show has gone in its second chapter, as it didn't stick with the books. After reading the story, I can see how it might be extremely traumatic if translated to television, though with the amount of violence people watch today, I'm not sure it really would have mattered.

This installment centers around relationships, and a mystery killer who enjoys mutilating and dicing his victims, leavi...more

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Apr 04, 2013 Brandon Collinsworth rated it 3 of 5 stars

The first book followed the show up to a point, there were some changes but a person reading the first book and watching the first season would still be ok with it.

No more, now by the second book we are parting deeply from the show. No problem with that in and of itself, but the problem here is the second season of the show is better than the first, and the second book in the series isn't even really as good as the first book. The second season of the show was great tv, this is mediocre book.

I...more

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Mar 25, 2013 Pierre Iskandar rated it 4 of 5 stars

"I was not aware of being a jerk, a monster, yes, certainly, but on the whole a very pleasant and well-mannered monster."
There is something morbidly charming about Dexter Morgan, be it the way he casually describes himself as a monster, or how he feels no empathy, or anything to that effect for anything or anyone, except for a bit of responsibility towards his sister, Deborah, and to Harry's code, oh, and a certain hatred towards a certain Sergeant Doakes (which you'll learn that in the book, g...more "I was not aware of being a jerk, a monster, yes, certainly, but on the whole a very pleasant and well-mannered monster."
There is something morbidly charming about Dexter Morgan, be it the way he casually describes himself as a monster, or how he feels no empathy, or anything to that effect for anything or anyone, except for a bit of responsibility towards his sister, Deborah, and to Harry's code, oh, and a certain hatred towards a certain Sergeant Doakes (which you'll learn that in the book, goes by the name Albert Doakes instead of the show's James Doakes). Ah, Doakes... Dexter's thorn in side... If every superhero has a nemesis, Doakes would be Dexter's, but is it appropriate to describe charmingly murderous Dexter as a hero? Perhaps.
In this book, Dexter is stalked by non other than Miami's finest, Albert Doakes, he's the only one who gets the "creeps" from Dexter anyway, so he must be the only person thinking straight as far as cops should think. Throughout the book, Doakes stalks Dexter, preventing him from entertaining his dark passenger. making untamed fang-y Dexter docile and unable to stalk his preys. Things get even worse for Dexter when the police finds a body, still living, but largely mutilated. Some investigations and the arrival of a Kyle Chutsky from Washington reveals that this mutilated living stump of a person was part of a special force in Al Salvador, along with a few others who are targeted by this heinous criminal. This ensues the events of the book and how Dexter is forced to help Chutsky catch the criminal.
As far as writing goes, the book definitely improves over Darkly Dreaming Dexter in terms of conveying just how dis-attached Dexter is from the human world, and how his quick wit wins over conversations and even save his life at times.
Starting from Dearly Devoted Dexter onwards, the novels have nothing to do with the show, so if you're having symptoms of Dexter withdrawal and waiting eagerly for the next season, you can read this novel and live another Dexter adventure.(less)

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Mar 13, 2013 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

I read Jeff Lindsay's first Dexter book, Darkly Dreaming Dexter, and after that I said I would go on to read more of the series after I finished some other books. So much for that thought. I was compelled to pick up book #2 two days later and completely consumed it. I couldn't put it down.

To tell the truth, I did enjoy book #2 a bit more than book #1, perhaps because book #1 was more prone to comparison with the Showtime television series. While I try to look at print media differently from the...more I read Jeff Lindsay's first Dexter book, Darkly Dreaming Dexter, and after that I said I would go on to read more of the series after I finished some other books. So much for that thought. I was compelled to pick up book #2 two days later and completely consumed it. I couldn't put it down.

To tell the truth, I did enjoy book #2 a bit more than book #1, perhaps because book #1 was more prone to comparison with the Showtime television series. While I try to look at print media differently from the visual medium of film, I suspect that I was inherently distracted by the fact that plot and character elements of the two diverged significantly. Book #2 suffers less from this because the plot lines are basically different (although Dexter's "hiding" in normalcy remains the same and is indeed one of the most intriguing themes of the book).

In any case, I enjoyed book #2 of the series, Dearly Devoted Dexter. The unique and fascinating character of Dexter continues to speak to us as the Miami police seek a horrific mutilating perpetrator. Dexter becomes wrapped up in the case through his job and his cop-sister. We see more of his interactions with Debra, which are a fascinating insight into the inner workings of his mind. Probably the most compelling portion of the story is Dexter's conflict with Sergeant Doakes, who inherently "knows" that something is more than slightly "off" with Dexter. This theme played out effectively in the Season 2 television series as well.

Dexter, who has always had to pretend normalcy to hide his inner-self, must completely suppress his Dark Passenger (the bad within him that makes him kill) and throw himself into the role of being "normal." This is difficult for him, naturally, and we see much of Dexter's wry humor and self-deprecation while he struggles with the scrutiny of Doakes and suppression of his urge to kill. He must balance his trained/learned need for self-preservation against the almost unbearable compulsion to do what he does. What will win out? The Dark Passenger, or the rules he learned from the all-important Harry (his adoptive father)?

Luckily for Dexter, the case they are working on offers him a solution of sorts. He's clever because he takes a route that will aid his sister but might get rid of his Doakes problem. While this part of the story is macabre, it is well-told and not overwhelming in the gore-descriptions and such. Indeed, Lindsay's somewhat understated prose is perfect in this respect. Perhaps because his narrator (Dexter) is "hollow" we see scenes of death and mutilation in a somewhat detached manner. I don't know if I'm explaining that well, because Lindsay's prose is chilling to read in many ways, but it is not the super-graphic gore-fest that some other writers might have made it. Perhaps what makes the books so chilling is the divergence of the reader's emotions and Dexter's. The author does a masterful job with that balance.

An interesting consideration in these books is how we as readers relate to Dexter. Obviously, most of Lindsay's readers are not serial killers, and yet I believe his readers do identify with Dexter. While I'm not a killer, we all have a dark side, and we all have certain feelings of being out of place in society or alienated from it. That's why I think we relate so well to Dexter as a character. He is far more alien than we, and yet he manages, with intelligence, charm, and a dry wit, to "fit in." His killing is tempered with the fact that his victims "deserve it" so we don't feel so terrible rooting for him to avoid capture and continue his work.

Overall, I really enjoyed Dearly Devoted Dexter and look forward to picking up book #3 in the near future (really I should read the other books in my pile first, but will I?)(less)

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Nov 19, 2012 Joseph Barnes rated it 4 of 5 stars

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 g...more

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Oct 19, 2012 Giota Papadimakopoulou rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ξέρετε πόσο πολύ εξοργίζομαι όταν για διάφορους λόγους, δεν μπορώ να προχωρήσω σερί στην ανάγνωση μιας σειράς. Στην προκειμένη περίπτωση βέβαια, υπάρχει μια διαφορά. Βλέπετε, μπορεί τα βιβλία που έχουν κυκλοφορήσει με πρωταγωνιστή τον αγαπημένο μου Ντέξτερ Μόργκαν να είναι στο σύνολό τους έξι ωστόσο, στη χώρα μας κυκλοφορούν μόνο τα δύο και δυστυχώς, προς απογοήτευση τόσο των fans όσο και δική μου, δεν νομίζω πως πρόκειται να κυκλοφορήσουν ποτέ τα επόμενα δεδομένου ότι μεσολάβησαν 5 χρόνια ανάμε...more Ξέρετε πόσο πολύ εξοργίζομαι όταν για διάφορους λόγους, δεν μπορώ να προχωρήσω σερί στην ανάγνωση μιας σειράς. Στην προκειμένη περίπτωση βέβαια, υπάρχει μια διαφορά. Βλέπετε, μπορεί τα βιβλία που έχουν κυκλοφορήσει με πρωταγωνιστή τον αγαπημένο μου Ντέξτερ Μόργκαν να είναι στο σύνολό τους έξι ωστόσο, στη χώρα μας κυκλοφορούν μόνο τα δύο και δυστυχώς, προς απογοήτευση τόσο των fans όσο και δική μου, δεν νομίζω πως πρόκειται να κυκλοφορήσουν ποτέ τα επόμενα δεδομένου ότι μεσολάβησαν 5 χρόνια ανάμεσα στην έκδοση των συγκεκριμένων. Αν και η επιτυχία της τηλεοπτικής μεταφοράς του έφτασε και στην χώρα μας, δεν συνέβη το ίδιο και με τα βιβλία που την ενέπνευσαν, πράγμα που είναι πραγματικό κρίμα καθώς, δεν θα μπορέσουμε να δούμε ολοκληρωμένη αυτή την εκδοχή του, κατανοώντας ίσως με τον τρόπο αυτό, περισσότερα πράγματα για τον ίδιο, δεδομένου ότι βιβλία και σειρά, έχουν αρκετές διαφορές.

Ο Ντέξτερ συνεχίζει τη δολοφονική του δράση, έχοντας πάντα στο πλευρό του, τον Σκοτεινό του Επιβάτη, που ξυπνάει μέσα του την επιθυμία για δράση. Όμως πλέον, δεν μπορεί να δράσει ανενόχλητος καθώς, δεδομένου όσων συνέβησαν στο πρώτο βιβλίο της σειράς, έχει βρεθεί περισσότερο από ποτέ άλλοτε στο στόχαστρο του Ντόουκς ο οποίος, χωρίς καμία προσπάθεια να το κρύψει, παρακολουθεί στενά κάθε βήμα του, αποκόπτοντάς τον αναγκαστικά από κάθε διασκεδαστική γι' αυτόν δραστηριότητα. Αυτό έχει σαν αποτέλεσμα, να υιοθετήσει ένα καθημερινό προφίλ που όχι μόνο δεν του ταιριάζει αλλά αντίθετα, τον κάνει να πλήττει και να βυθίζεται στην αδράνεια. Μέχρι την ώρα τουλάχιστον που ένας ψυχοπαθής γιατρός φαίνεται να έχει βάλει στόχο κάποιους παλιούς του φίλους από τον στρατό, οι οποίοι τον πρόδωσαν παραδίνοντάς τον στους Κουβανούς, γεγονός που όπως φαίνεται, όχι μόνο δεν του άρεσε αλλά, τον έκανε να ορκιστεί εκδίκηση και μάλιστα, με τον πιο σκληρό, βίαιο και αποτρόπαιο τρόπο.

Ο Jeff Lindsay συνεχίζει να αφηγείται τις περιπέτειες του Ντέξτερ στο ίδιο μοτίβο, όπως και στο πρώτο του βιβλίο με τη μόνη διαφορά ότι αυτή τη φορά, περιορίζει τη δράση του, αναγκάζοντάς τον έτσι να ωθήσει τον εαυτό σου σε πράξεις που υπό άλλες συνθήκες δεν θα προέβαινε και παράλληλα, σε σκέψεις για την συνέχεια της πορείας την ζωής και της ύπαρξής του. Μέσα από το πρώτο βιβλίο γνωρίσαμε το παρελθόν του ενώ μέσα από το δεύτερο, καλούμαστε να εξερευνήσουμε μαζί του τις προοπτικές του μέλλοντός του. Η δολοφονική του δράση μπορεί να είναι περιορισμένη όμως, αυτό δίνει την δυνατότητα, τόσο στον ίδιον όσο και σε εμάς, να εξερευνήσουμε για μια ακόμη φορά τα άδυτα του μυαλού και του υποσυνείδητού του, κατανοώντας ακόμα περισσότερο, πέραν από την διαστροφή της φύσης του, πόσο απόλυτα ευφυής και ενδιαφέρον είναι ως χαρακτήρας, πόσο εύκολα μπορεί να σκέφτεται και να λειτουργεί σε πολλαπλά επίπεδα, οδηγούμενος σε συμπεράσματα που μόνο εκείνος θα μπορούσε, σε χρόνους τουλάχιστον που θα μπορούσαν να αποδώσουν κάτι.

Όσον αφορά τον 'κακό' αυτή τη φορά, τα πράγματα νομίζω είναι ακόμα πιο ενδιαφέροντα από το προφίλ που χρησιμοποιήθηκε στο πρώτο βιβλίο της σειράς. Δεν έχουμε να κάνουμε απλά με έναν διαταραγμένο, διεστραμμένο και βίαιο χαρακτήρα αλλά, με έναν άνθρωπο που συνδυάζει όλα τα προηγούμενα με την οργή που γεννά η προδοσία και η ανάγκη να τιμωρήσεις τους ενόχους. Ο τρόπος με τον οποίο λειτουργεί, είναι πραγματικά ανατριχιαστικός και η περιγραφή των πράξεών του, αποτρόπαια απολαυστική. Σκοπός του δεν είναι απλά να σκοτώσει τα θύματά του αλλά να τα βυθίσει σε μια ακόμα μεγαλύτερη αγωνία. Να βλέπουν τους εαυτούς του να ακρωτηριάζονται βήμα προς βήμα, μην μπορώντας να αντιδράσουν, καταλήγοντας σε έναν κούφιο κορμό χωρίς καμία χρησιμότητα, έχοντας απόλυτη συναίσθηση του τι συμβαίνει, οδηγώντας σταδιακά στην τρέλα και την καταστροφή όποιας συνείδησης μέχρι ο θάνατος να φανεί καλός απέναντί τους έτσι ώστε να τους λυτρώσει. Φαντάζεστε κάτι πιο τρομακτικά καλύτερο;

Η πλοκή είναι γρήγορη και γεμάτη ένταση και παρά το γεγονός ότι δεν η δολοφονική δράση του Ντέξτερ περνά σε δεύτερη μοίρα, δεν απογοητευόμαστε καθόλου. Άλλωστε αυτό που απολαμβάνουμε περισσότερο από κάθε τι άλλο στον χαρακτήρα του, είναι ο διεστραμμένα ευφυής τρόπος σκέψης του, η ικανότητά του να δρα εκεί που όλοι οι άλλοι φαίνεται να αδυνατούν να πετύχουν το παραμικρό βήμα, κάνοντας τελικά τη διαφορά. Ουσιαστικά, είναι ένας αντιήρωας που ακόμα κι αν δεν εγκρίνεις όλα όσα κάνει, δεν μπορείς να μην το συμπαθήσεις, πόσο μάλλον να μην ακολουθήσεις την πορεία του ξαναμμένος και γεμάτος αγωνία. Η ίδια η ιστορία έχει αρκετές ανατροπές, κρατώντας έτσι τον αναγνώστη σε εγρήγορση ενώ για ακόμα μια φορά, δεν απουσιάζει το καυστικό, σατιρικό και σαρκαστικό χιούμορ που ο Lindsay ντύνει τον βασικό του χαρακτήρα, προσθέτοντας έτσι μια διασκεδαστική πινελιά αλλά και ένα σημείο αναγνώρισης, μια καθαρά δική του ταυτότητα.(less)

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Jul 01, 2012 Reg Franklin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Dearly Devoted Dexter opens similarly to the second season of the TV series, with Dexter's interior monologue talking about the thrill of the chase...and it turning out he's talking about playing Kick the Can because Sgt Doakes has been trailing him.

After that, the book takes a definite departure from the series as it focuses on the police pursuit of a former military torturer from El Salvador they refer to as Doctor Danco (he slices, he dices, he turns out chopped vegetables). To be honest, thi...more

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Apr 15, 2012 Donovan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: thriller

I love a good anti-hero...and Dexter serves it up beautifully. This series is simply written and drops a lot of the polish you will often see in other thrillers. Instead, it replaces it with a certain tongue-in-cheek cheesy quality that gives such a dark series a breath of fresh air.
If you like a thriller then you'll find this is one series that you'll fly through.
It's gripping, it's funny, it's a soap opera all wrapped up in a soft doughy package about a psychotic killer.

Plot ***Spoilers***
A s...more I love a good anti-hero...and Dexter serves it up beautifully. This series is simply written and drops a lot of the polish you will often see in other thrillers. Instead, it replaces it with a certain tongue-in-cheek cheesy quality that gives such a dark series a breath of fresh air.
If you like a thriller then you'll find this is one series that you'll fly through.
It's gripping, it's funny, it's a soap opera all wrapped up in a soft doughy package about a psychotic killer.

Plot ***Spoilers***
A shadowy figure from Sgt. Doakes' past arrives in Miami, and begins preying on former U.S. Army operatives Doakes served with during the Salvadoran Civil War. The killer possesses a unique method of torture that has earned him the nickname "Dr. Danco": He kidnaps each victim, pumps them full of sedatives, and, over a period of several days, steadily removes their limbs, genitalia and facial features, before leaving them to contemplate their hideous mutilation in front of a carefully placed mirror.

Meanwhile, Dexter, having been forced to suppress his own psychopathic urges by the machinations of an increasingly suspicious Doakes, welcomes the distraction and begins to focus on hunting down a possible child killer. However, he finds himself drawn into the case of the mysterious Dr. Danco when his sister Deborah's new boyfriend, detective Kyle Chutsky, turns out to be on the torturer's hit list.

Amidst all the chaos, Dexter finds himself accidentally engaged to his girlfriend Rita, and begins to suspect Rita's children Astor and Cody of having sociopathic tendencies of their own.

At the conclusion of the story, Dexter learns that Dr. Danco murders his victims by making them play a word game resembling hang man. Each victim is asked to guess a word chosen for them by Danco, each wrong answer resulting in the amputation of a body part. This is simply an additional cruelty, however, as Danco usually has cut out the tongue of the victim, making it impossible for their speech to be understood. The victim is also forced to witness his own dismemberment in a mirror hung above his "operating table."(less)

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Mar 06, 2012 Karen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: crime, usa

Dearly Devoted Dexter is the second book from Jeff Lindsay "staring" forensic blood splatter specialist and serial killer Dexter Morgan. Dexter is, by his own observation, not exactly a normal human being. He has a busy sideline in righteous serial killings - he kills people who undoubtedly have avoided retribution for crimes they have committed. Dexter and his darker side "The Dark Passenger" work very hard at their chosen craft and Dexter spends a large amount of time explaining himself, his m...more Dearly Devoted Dexter is the second book from Jeff Lindsay "staring" forensic blood splatter specialist and serial killer Dexter Morgan. Dexter is, by his own observation, not exactly a normal human being. He has a busy sideline in righteous serial killings - he kills people who undoubtedly have avoided retribution for crimes they have committed. Dexter and his darker side "The Dark Passenger" work very hard at their chosen craft and Dexter spends a large amount of time explaining himself, his motives and his methods in an internal voice, shared with the reader.

Dexter was adopted as a small child and his foster father, a cop himself, taught him all sorts of tricks whilst grooming him for his role of avenging angel. His sister, Deborah, was groomed for a role in the police force and it is her Dexter is having lunch with one day (she knows all about Dexter's extra-curricula activities) when they are called to a particularly gruesome crime scene. Dexter develops a sneaking sense of regard for a serial offender who has a line in gruesome that makes Dexter look like a bit of an amateur. Meanwhile Dexter is quietly executing his own plans for some retribution against a pair of child molesters. Unfortunately this plan is being seriously interfered with by local Police Sergeant Doakes who is absolutely convinced that Dexter is up to something and undertakes some pretty close surveillance.

Dexter's own crime scenes are elaborate and graphically described but that is absolutely nothing compared to the crimes that he finds himself having to investigate, firstly, by happy co-incidence with Doakes, which gets Doakes off his own back and away from his own activities. Secondly because his sister's own personal life is involved.

As in the first Dexter book (Darkly Dreaming Dexter) there is a heavy dose of black humour in DEARLY DEVOTED DEXTER. Dexter is very self-deprecating, whilst simultaneously firmly convinced of the necessity of his actions. Nearly all of the insights into Dexter and how or why he does what he does are through Dexter's own internal musings. This provides an unusual insight into the mind of Dexter the serial killer but I could see how after a couple of books you could possibly be wishing that Dexter would just stop talking for just a few pages. Black humour, slightly on the heavy handed side with a very unusual central character, it will be interesting to see how long the Dexter series can continue.(less)

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Mar 04, 2012 Remo rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: novela, 2007

Segunda entrega de las aventuras de Dexter, un simpático psicópata asesino en serie que, curiosamente, nos cae bien y es el prota de la novela. En la crítica del primer libro de la serie ya presentamos a los personajes principales de la novela. En esta segunda parte (hay una tercera parte en camino que se publica este verano), un médico asesino vuelve del cautiverio al que le enviaron sus compañeros para vengarse de la manera más cruel que se pueda imaginar. Uno por uno va atacando a sus antiguo

...more

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Feb 05, 2012 Robert J. Sullivan rated it 4 of 5 stars

The second in the adventures of Dexter Morgan, blood-spatter analyst for the Miami police by day, cheerful serial killer of unpunished murderers by night, is one of the better Dexter books. Lindsay is at the top of his game, balancing grisly dismemberments with Dexter’s adopted domestic life, seasoned with his view-from-the-outside observations about humanity.

There’s a new monster in Miami who’s performing surgery on unwilling patients, trimming off unnecessary parts, like arms and legs. Dexter...more The second in the adventures of Dexter Morgan, blood-spatter analyst for the Miami police by day, cheerful serial killer of unpunished murderers by night, is one of the better Dexter books. Lindsay is at the top of his game, balancing grisly dismemberments with Dexter’s adopted domestic life, seasoned with his view-from-the-outside observations about humanity.

There’s a new monster in Miami who’s performing surgery on unwilling patients, trimming off unnecessary parts, like arms and legs. Dexter is offended – who is this untidy person who doesn’t have the decency to kill his victims and clean up after himself? As an added fillip, the Feds, in the person of Kyle Chutsky, have taken the case away from the Miami police. Dexter’s sister, Deborah, has a new role as liaison between the police and the Feds, a role that seems to occupy her day and night. The only other person who has a hint of what is going on with the crime is Sergeant Doakes, Dexter’s nemesis.

Doakes is the only member of Miami’s Finest who has figured Dexter out. He knows Dexter’s a bad seed and has made it his hobby to follow him around, waiting to catch him at something. This has seriously handicapped Dexter, keeping him from his latest target. To bore him into finding another pastime, Dexter spends time with his girlfriend, Rita, and her two children. This doesn’t work out well for our hero: he ends up accidentally engaged to be married.

Dr. Danco, the freelance surgeon, keeps slicing bits off people and leaving the living torsos, or yodeling pillows, as Dexter calls them, for someone else to pick up. Aside from a mild admiration for Danco’s sense of humor and a willingness to duct-tape him to a table and demonstrate his own technique, Dexter is more interested in lunch than going out of his way to help catch him. That changes when Danko grabs Chutsky and Deborah pleads with Dexter to rescue him, leading to an unlikely alliance with Sergeant Doakes. Eventually, Right and Justice win out, but not before there are a few more body parts scattered around.

I’ve read these books out of order, so I knew the end results of this book going in. It didn’t stop me from enjoying it, although I’d unring that bell if I could. If you haven’t read the series and start, go through ‘em in order.

I raced through this book, savoring every page. Dexter’s unfailing self-involvement (“Never mind the murder, when is lunch?”), his sharp comments about human beings, and one joke at end that I didn’t see coming make this a recommended read - if you can get by the blood and dismemberment. Weak stomachs should look elsewhere for reading material.

I have the same complaint about this book I’ve had about the others – someone always has to rescue Dexter at the end. One more and I’m recommending that the book covers show Dexter in a long white dress, the back of one hand held to his mouth and the other stretched out toward the shadowy figure next to the castle, as if to fend off his advances. (less)

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Aug 15, 2011 Lisa Ard rated it 4 of 5 stars

Can I really describe a book about a murderous sociopath as fun? Yes!

In book 2, Dexter returns. He's a 30-ish forensics specialist with the Miami police department, who happens to have a Dark Passenger. Some disturbing incident in his early childhood left him different. Only his adopted father Harry can take credit for his seemingly normal appearance. Harry taught him to blend in and use his dark side for the good - to take out those that escape the law.

In this book, Dexter teams up again with...more

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Aug 09, 2011 Aimee added it

Nice! The first book was mildly entertaining but I found the writing there to be....like getting there but not quite there yet. But this second book, wow, it just seemed to snap into place! It has everything that makes it a great mystery thriller:
- an adventure w investigation and interrogation (not quite there in the 1st book)
- Dexter's cool superiority that i TOTALLY find charming (was not as charming in the 1st)
- an unexpected wedding proposal
- and I must add - a car chase!
- of course Dexter...more

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Feb 22, 2011 Guillermo rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. After the death of LaGuerta in Darkly Dreaming Dexter, Dexter finds himself in a different role - the hunted rather than the hunter. Dead on his trails is Sergeant Doakes, whose suspicion of our Dark Defender is now ten-fold. Having to give up his dark duties, Dexter assumes the role of doting boyfriend as he puts on a show for Doakes' amusement. All the while, he bides his time for the moment Doakes is out of his life so he can resume his work on the second half of a murderous pedophile duo.

Opp...more

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Dec 30, 2010 Yolanda Sfetsos rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. After the events of Darkly Dreaming Dexter, Sergeant Doakes decides to watch Dexter's every move. That puts a strain on Dexter's bad guy games, especially when he's got his eye on the second half of a particularly sick individual that his Dark Passenger can't wait to get his hands on.

Determined to bore Doakes out of his pursuit by acting boringly normal, Dexter spends most of his nights on Rita's couch watching TV and drinking beer. That alone isn't exciting but it does get him closer to Rita's...more

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Oct 24, 2010 Nicole Ng rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you’re the type of person who is heavily sheltered against violence or any sort of unpleasantry in the “outside” world, I’m sure you’ll find Dearly Devoted Dexter a refreshing experience. Let me warn you – with all the severing of body parts (yet interestingly bloodless gore) in the book, you’ll never play Hangman the same way again. What a difference one wrong letter can make.

Jeff Lindsay gives Dexter, the clever and charming killer of bad guys, an intriguing voice. Unlike the other murder...more If you’re the type of person who is heavily sheltered against violence or any sort of unpleasantry in the “outside” world, I’m sure you’ll find Dearly Devoted Dexter a refreshing experience. Let me warn you – with all the severing of body parts (yet interestingly bloodless gore) in the book, you’ll never play Hangman the same way again. What a difference one wrong letter can make.

Jeff Lindsay gives Dexter, the clever and charming killer of bad guys, an intriguing voice. Unlike the other murderers we’ve heard about, Dexter is smart enough to satisfy his “urges” without arousing suspicion, and he does so by creating a lovely phony character, complete with a girlfriend and her kids. He thinks of himself as a mostly harmless being, because he eliminates only the villains who “killed without code” in his hometown of Miami, and so the novel’s plot surrounds the actions of one such villain. Dexter claims to be incapable of truly acting like a regular human, but he’s got himself a nice big ego for a start. When he is presented with a challenge, what goes through his mind is: “I merely had to be the clever boy we all believed I was.”

Also, his preference for “D” words is an interesting quirk – throughout the book he refers to himself as “Debonair Dexter”, “Dour Dutiful Dexter”, “Dexter Derailed”, and of course “Dearly Devoted Dexter” – but the “Dark Passenger” (a.k.a. his killer-mode, and pretty much the list’s only half-exception) tops his list of alter-egos.

So how did such a fascinating fellow come into existence? It’s all thanks to Harry, Dexter’s foster father who realized what kind of person he was, and then carefully shaped him into what he is. I enjoyed the “young Dexter” flashbacks very much, mainly because they show such a strong bond between the two. This killer has a role model – It’s a beautiful glimpse at Dexter’s softer side: “The only reason I ever thought about being human was to be more like him.”

Even though I’ve only watched the first couple of episodes from the TV series, I find that I am awaiting the next novel with great anticipation. Along Dexter’s journey, he makes a shocking discovery. There is someone else like him, who is still a young boy. Here is yet another curious trait of Dexter’s – he really likes kids, and has a particularly personal connection with Cody, one of his girlfriend Rita’s kids. Next time, Dexter will be the one who gets to guide Junior down the “Harry Path” to become Dexter’s Double.(less)

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Oct 21, 2010 Darren rated it 4 of 5 stars

Dearly Devoted Dexter written by Jeff Lindsay is a great book to read. The book follows a serial killer, Dexter, who works for the Miami Police and only kills people who are other serial killers. Even though Dexter is a serial killer, I find him easy to like because of the way he thinks and acts. For example, I find it really interesting that Dexter talks to his “other’ self, the Dark Passenger, when he wants to kill someone or he finds something of interest that is related to a murder.
Jeff Lind...more

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About Jeff Lindsay

Jeff Lindsay is the pen name of an American crime writer, Jeffry P. Freundlich, who lives in Cape Coral, 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. Many of his earlier published works include his wife as a co-author. Time Blender was written with Michael Dorn. He graduat...more

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“You're driving me NORMAL!” — 116 people liked it

“I am not shy about admitting my modest talents. For example, I am happy to admit that I am better than average at clever remarks, and I also have a flair for getting people to like me. But to be perfectly fair to myself, I am ever-ready to confess my shortcomings, too, and a quick round of soul-searching forced me to admit that I had never been any good at all at breathing water. As I hung there from the seat belt, dazed and watching the water pour in and swirl around my head, this began to seem like a very large character flaw.” — 68 people liked it

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