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Dexter Is Delicious (Dexter #5)

3.79 of 5 stars 3.79 · rating details · 7,606 ratings · 733 reviews

The newest novel in the New York Times bestselling series that inspired Showtime's #1 hit, Dexter. Jeff Lindsay now delivers his most macabre, witty, and purely entertaining new adventure for America's dark defender.

Dexter Morgan's happy homicidal life is undergoing some major changes. He's always live by a single golden rule - he kills only people who deserve it. But the...more

Hardcover, 1st Edition, 350 pages

Published September 7th 2010 by Doubleday

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Jan 25, 2012 Joe Thomas rated it 2 of 5 stars

Don't get me wrong, I still reccomend this book and the Dexter series as a whole is one of my favorite series.

Let's just get down to it shall we? The reason I rate this so low is probably because my expectations were set higher by the previous books. The Dexter in this book is NOT the Dexter I have come to love reading about.

In Dexter is Delicious, new Daddy Dexter is faced with horrors far more gruesome than serial killers and Rapists. No, I am not talking about the coven of cannibals either....more

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Jan 09, 2012 Childfree Chic rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Ugh. This book should have been titled "Babies Ruin Everything" for it contains very little to none of the Very Dark Dexter we know and love. Instead, Dark Dexter had been practically castrated by his new offspring, ending up as prey instead of the predator not once but *twice*. He drones on endlessly about how having a baby has suddenly made him human, which is just another boring way to phrase a tired old cliche:

"Becoming a parent makes you a better person!"

:::insert hurling sounds here:::

Dext...more

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Feb 19, 2013 Sadaf rated it 3 of 5 stars

After I read Dexter by Design, Part 4 of the series, I was eagerly looking forward to this one. The book begins very well, and the plot is interesting too. Dexter has his first biological child in the book, Lily Anne, and his experience as a father is very well expressed. Dexter's solitary hunting trips are therefore reduced, due to his duties and emotions as a newly-born father, and all his adventures are mainly due to being Deborah's sidekick.
Pretty soon, it is clear that a girl is abducted, a...more

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Jan 03, 2013 Christine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Dexter is now a daddy! Baby Lily Anne has an unexpected effect on our favorite serial killer. He is experiencing feelings for the first time ever and vows to change his vigilante ways. His dark passenger isn't happy but Dexter is committed to a new life. Meanwhile, his brother Brian is back in town and quickly integrating himself with Dexter's family. Dexter is sure Brian has an ulterior motive, but Rita and the kids love him. Dexter and Deb are also investigating a brutal murder of a young girl...more

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Nov 02, 2012 Jon Scott rated it 3 of 5 stars

I confess. I came to this book through the television series. I don't know why I chose this particular book to read, but as a reader, I was curious to read at least one of the books to get the literary flavor of the character and to judge Dexter on its literary merits. I am of the belief that the book is always better, but I'm not a big book series reader.
Delicious started off well with a strong narrative voice and mordant observations of nascent fatherhood. But as I continued to read, the plot...more I confess. I came to this book through the television series. I don't know why I chose this particular book to read, but as a reader, I was curious to read at least one of the books to get the literary flavor of the character and to judge Dexter on its literary merits. I am of the belief that the book is always better, but I'm not a big book series reader.
Delicious started off well with a strong narrative voice and mordant observations of nascent fatherhood. But as I continued to read, the plot began to bog down and the characters seemed to lapse into cardboard cut outs. In particular, I felt that Dexter's sister, Debs, was stale and quite frankly, unpleasant. Even though events progressed, I got the feeling that nothing was really happening.
All of that began to change whenDexter encountered the "damsel in distress". Lindsey really pulled off an interesting and original innovation with her. From there, the narrative action picked up and I thought the quality of writing did too. I particularly liked the abandoned theme park as a setting for the book's finale.
What I also enjoyed was Dexter's interior monolog. He made me laugh with his observations and his attempts to put his dark passenger to bay and live life like a real human being with real feelings for others. Yet his efforts were thwarted by what Emerson called his "mean egoism."
I read another reader's comments and he said that he was put off by Dexter's whining and self absorption, but to me Dexter's extreme and distorted self concept was consistent with what I suspect a serial killer would believe. Dexter is a highly intelligent and observant character-- to everything but himself. Much of the humor came from the story's ending when Dexter contrasted his killing ways to those of the other killers, his own self sense of self preservation as opposed to others. Very clever and witty.
Even though I think that Debs is one of the most obnoxious and unlikable characters in recent memory, the wit and the devilish attitude of Dexter will bring me back to the series to read more.(less)

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Apr 26, 2012 Pete Denton rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the fifth book in the Dexter series.

I always judge a book by whether or not the story stays with me after I’ve finished reading. When I decided to start writing book reviews I made the conscious decision to wait a few days after I’d finished a book to let the story wash over me a little. Some stories you forget about, but this is not one of them. This story just keeps coming back and certain scenes keep popping into my mind. I like it when they do that.

This book’s written in the first pe...more

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Apr 15, 2012 Donovan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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***
The...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***
The book begins nine months after the end of Dexter by Design with the birth of Lily Anne Morgan, the daughter of Dexter and Rita Morgan. His daughter's birth has brought remarkable changes in Dexter; apart from feeling genuine love and emotions for the first time he also does not feel his Dark Passenger's compulsion to kill and vows to swear off his dark hobby in order to be a better father for his daughter. Soon after Dexter is called to a crime scene by his sister Deb, who is in the middle of a jurisdictional fight with the FBI who claim that a kidnapping has taken place. Dexter believes that the large quantity of blood found there was planted, and that the missing girl in question is faking her disappearance in order to get money from her parents. Dexter runs tests and discovers that the blood type does not match the missing girl, Samantha Aldovar. Deb and Dex go to the private school Samantha attends and talk to her principal, who at first is reluctant to divulge any information. This changes when the principal discovers that Tyler Spanos, a wild child and Samantha's friend, is also missing. Subsequent interviews with their friends indicate that they were both befriended by a young man with teeth filed down like fangs, and that only a few dentists in Miami offered such a service. Their prime suspect is narrowed down to Bobby Acosta, the son of Joe Acosta, who is a city official and has powerful connections.

Dexter receives a surprise one day bringing Cody and Astor home from school; waiting for him is his brother Brian, whom Dexter last saw at the end of Darkly Dreaming Dexter. Brian quickly ingratiates himself with Dexter's family, who rapidly start to adore him much to Dexter's dismay. Dex soon receives another call from his sister, and arrive at a crime scene where someone was apparently cooked and eaten. Tests later determine that the gnawed bones found belong to Tyler Spanos after matching her DNA with that found at the first crime scene and medical records. One of the detectives working under Deb uses his contacts and come up with two Haitian men who swear that they saw Bobby Acosta leaving Tyler's car at a known Chop shop. Deb and Dex arrest a young man named Chapin after running from them to avoid questioning, but are forced to release him when a public defender shows up. Dexter, in a fit of overprotective fury over his daughter, stalks Chapin and kills him. Just before dying, Chapin admits to having taken part in eating Tyler Spanos. Things get worse when the remains of Deke, Deb's obnoxious partner, are found partially eaten. Rummaging through a nearby trash bin, Dexter finds Deke's blood sodden shirt and a chip from a local goth nightclub called "Fang."

Dex and Deb force their way into the club, but shortly after finding Bobby Acosta they are thrown out by the club's irate manager. Deb resolves to wait until everyone leaves and makes Dexter break in to search for Samantha. Dexter breaks in and while searching around recalls that the manager of "Fang" was a prospective "playmate" due to the large number of migrant workers that the club went through who were never heard from again. Dexter eventually locates Samantha in a large refrigerator; while trying to get her out Samantha locks them inside and states that she doesn't want to go. Samantha then reveals that she desires to be eaten, and that she and Tyler shared the same fetish and volunteered to let the cannibals cook and eat them. Dex and Samantha are then taken to a trailer in the Everglades left only with a jug of water. While drinking the water Dexter and Samantha become euphoric and eventually have sex multiple times, despite the realization that the water was laced with ecstasy. Shortly afterward Deb and the Miami PD arrive (thanks to a tracer Deb's boyfriend Chutsky placed on the vans leaving the club) and arrest the cannibals, except for the club manager, who was killed. Samantha, who is irate at being rescued, issues a thinly-veiled threat to Dexter that she will tell people he raped her as revenge for the police denying her her fantasy.

The next day Deb approaches Dexter and tells him that Samantha has run off again, and that she is going to talk to Bobby Acosta's parents in hopes that they will bring him in so she can find Samantha even though it will likely mean Bobby will avoid prison time. Bobby's father refuses to turn his son in, but his wife privately tells the two that he is at an abandoned amusement park that his father owns. Deb, Dex and Chutsky arrive at the park and begin searching it; eventually the three are caught and the leader of the cannibal "coven" is revealed to be Alana Acosta, Bobby's stepmother. Deb and Chutsky are taken away leaving Dexter to watch Alana cook pieces of a still-conscious Samantha. As Alana approaches Dexter to begin cutting and cooking him, one of Alana's guards guns her down as well as two other guards. Dexter's savior is revealed to be Brian, who had started working for the cannibals a few weeks prior. He cuts Dexter loose and helps him rescue Deb and Chutsky; while leaving they check on Samantha, who has since died of her wounds. Chutsky decides to leave Deb because he failed her and nearly got her killed; upon waking up on the way to the hospital Deb reveals that she is pregnant.

The book ends with Deb preparing to give birth despite Chutsky vanishing, and Dexter deciding that even though he now feels emotions like normal people, he can't stand by and let people be preyed upon when he can do something about it. He decides that the best he can do for his sister right now is to honor an earlier request of hers, and "take care" of Bobby Acosta.(less)

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Oct 23, 2011 Robert J. Sullivan rated it 4 of 5 stars

There’s a Venn diagram on the web that shows two circles that almost completely overlap. The first is labeled “Things you shouldn’t laugh at”, the second is labeled “Things I think are funny”, and the intersection is labeled “Reasons I’m going to hell.” Enjoying Dexter probably falls into the third category. If you can put aside your moral qualms about sympathizing with a serial killer, this is fun.

Dexter Morgan is a family man, with a wife, two stepchildren and a new daughter, and a job with th...more There’s a Venn diagram on the web that shows two circles that almost completely overlap. The first is labeled “Things you shouldn’t laugh at”, the second is labeled “Things I think are funny”, and the intersection is labeled “Reasons I’m going to hell.” Enjoying Dexter probably falls into the third category. If you can put aside your moral qualms about sympathizing with a serial killer, this is fun.

Dexter Morgan is a family man, with a wife, two stepchildren and a new daughter, and a job with the Miami-Dade police as a blood spatter expert. He is also a serial killer with a hobby of killing murderers. He’s not a reluctant avenger, half-heartedly dispatching those the law can’t reach, he truly enjoys killing people. His stepfather recognized his avocation early and provided him with a set of rules about who to kill and how to get away with it.

I haven’t read the other Dexter books, so I’m picking up a lot from context and passing references. This story is about family, as it were. Dexter’s brand-new daughter, Lily Anne, has caused Dexter to try and turn over a new leaf, to leave murder behind and become a responsible father to his children. He’s experiencing emotions he’d always faked before. As always with the plans of mice and men, there are events that stand in the way of his change.

The first is the kidnapping or murder of Samantha Aldovar, which quickly leads definitely to murder and, believe it or not, cannibalism. Dexter’s sister Deborah is the lead detective on the case and drags her reluctant brother along. Debbie takes the case to heart and shows a lot more emotion than Dexter is used to from her. Dexter wonders if everyone has gone weird on him. The lead suspects turn out to be a group of faux vampires led by Bobby Acosta, whose father is both rich and politically connected.

In addition, Dexter’s brother Brian, a serial killer without Dexter’s restraining rules, shows up and elbows his way into our protagonist’s life and family. What does he want? The problem is complicated because Dexter’s stepchildren are on the same road as Dexter, budding serial killers in the making.

One can’t expect to quit a bad habit like smoking or serial murder cold turkey without the occasional lapse and Dexter finds it harder than he expected to give up his hobby.

If all of this sounds too grim for words, it isn’t. Dexter has a great way with words and his commentary on his life is funny. His sister bullies him and has a habit of punching him in the arm. His Dark Passenger, his dark side, warns him of danger and helps him in his work, if it isn’t too upset at Dexter for snubbing it.

Four stars, for this unusual take on detection and murder.(less)

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Aug 25, 2011 Tara Moss rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: crime

You may already be familiar with Dexter, the award-winning TV series about happily homicidal Dexter Morgan — blood splatter expert with Miami PD and secret serial killer of serial killers. The original and improbable premise of a psychopathic serial killer ‘good guy’ works with surprisingly entertaining results. But whether or not you are a fan of the TV series, the novels by Jeff Lindsay are simply not to be missed. This is where you get pure Dexter in first person:

'My conscience is as clean a...more

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May 25, 2011 Dancinginmadrid rated it 2 of 5 stars

The only book in the Dexter Series I have detested and had to force myself to finish.

Sadly the serial killer I have grown a huge attachment to lost his edge. And began to mirror the characterization of his wife on the television show. I could not stand Dexter the entire novel, his whole idea to fly straight killed me. This was not a further advancement in the character's plotting or personality, no this was something else. I cannot even try to give this a name. Dexter who is normally a smart, c...more

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Mar 29, 2011 InkTrace rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My least favorite of the whole series. Issue #1: What happened to the narrator Nick Landrum? He did such a fabulous job bringing Dexter and his world alive that changing the voice, even to the author's, is so jarring. No wonder from that first sentence on, Dexter never seemed to pick up his likability that he had (and Landrum pulled off so well) from the other books...

Issue #2: What happened to the confident and intelligent Dexter that we read about in the other four books? The charm of the who...more

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Jan 19, 2011 Our Library Mornington rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: we-recommend

Upon the birth of his daughter, Dexter is surprised to learn that for the first time in his life, he is feeling human emotion. Dexter resolves to abolish his dark ways despite the occasional flutter from his Dark Passenger. But when the return of an old “friend” and the investigation of a missing girl threatens Dexter’s newly blissful existence, Dexter might be influenced to return to his old ways.

It’s not very often you find yourself cheering on a serial killer and crossing your fingers that he...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. Talk about a fitting title! This is the fifth Dexter book, and if you're wondering if Dexter's ever going to lose his need to kill... this is the book. Or is it? Well, that's how it seems at the beginning.

You see, something strange has happened to Dexter. He's a lot of things--reluctant husband, mentor to his stepchildren, blood spatter specialist, punching bag for his sister--but he's now become something more. After Rita gives birth to their child, he becomes Dex-Daddy. And just like every new...more Talk about a fitting title! This is the fifth Dexter book, and if you're wondering if Dexter's ever going to lose his need to kill... this is the book. Or is it? Well, that's how it seems at the beginning.

You see, something strange has happened to Dexter. He's a lot of things--reluctant husband, mentor to his stepchildren, blood spatter specialist, punching bag for his sister--but he's now become something more. After Rita gives birth to their child, he becomes Dex-Daddy. And just like every new father, he can't help but look at his new daughter, Lily Anne, with wonder and awe. A need to protect and love her actually takes such a deep hold of him that he neglects, and even becomes convinced that he can do without, the Dark Passenger.

Of course, that's until he gets caught up in a case with Deborah. A strange case that begins with the apparent kidnapping of a teenage girl, which then evolves into something a lot darker, and quite horrifying. In spite of wanting to stay out of it, Dexter finds himself being dragged from a school campus, to homes, the Everglades, and even into a nightclub called Fang, that seems to cater to a very, very strange crowd. Are they vampires? Maybe. Maybe not.

The deeper they delve into it, the more Dexter starts to realise that he's not the only person in this world who hides and craves some very sick and dark desires. I actually found my stomach turning a few times, because of just how sick all of this turns out to be. I'll just give you one hint: cannibals in Miami.

Oh, and did I mention that Dexter's older brother, Brian, actually makes an appearance in this book? Well, he does, and he can tell what Cody and Astor are as well as Dexter could when he first met them. He also plants himself right in the middle of Dexter's family life, even impressing Rita. Much to Dexter's dismay, because he knows what type of monster his brother is.

Dexter Is Delicious is another excellent installment to this wonderfully dark and morbid series. It takes the reader on another wild and very dangerous ride through some pretty gross and disturbing subject matter that comes to an amazing Dexteresque conclusion. With plenty of surpises.

I particularly liked that Dexter finds himself in uncomfortable and alien territory--actually feeling, and caring, like a human. Yikes! That definitely makes for some great reading!

Dexter Morgan, you never disappoint. This is another keeper! :)(less)

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Dec 16, 2010 Cornerofmadness rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The latest installment in the serial killing vigilante series and it picks up where the last one left off, with the fact Dexter is about to become a father. This one opens up with Dexter looking through the viewing window at Lily Anne, his newborn daughter and realizes a change is coming over him: he’s feeling emotions. So much so Dexter swears off his Dark Deeds Dexter life to become Dex-Daddy, protector of Lily Anne.

Of course Miami isn’t about let him off so easily. Deborah has caught a case a...more The latest installment in the serial killing vigilante series and it picks up where the last one left off, with the fact Dexter is about to become a father. This one opens up with Dexter looking through the viewing window at Lily Anne, his newborn daughter and realizes a change is coming over him: he’s feeling emotions. So much so Dexter swears off his Dark Deeds Dexter life to become Dex-Daddy, protector of Lily Anne.

Of course Miami isn’t about let him off so easily. Deborah has caught a case arguing it with the FBI over jurisdiction, a young girl has gone missing then they realize that so has her wealthy friend and it looks like the son of a wealthy important politician might be behind it. The boy has a penchant for the vampire lifestyle complete with teeth. Things get worse when they’re called out to the everglades where someone has been barbequed and eaten, one of the teenaged girls. They have a pack of cannibals on the loose.

As if this isn’t enough, Brian, Dexter’s serial killing (innocents, unlike Dexter) has made a reappearance to become Uncle Brian. Cody and Astor love him, especially when he takes them hunting while Dexter is trying to see if he can change the course of their lives before they become fully functioning psychopathic killers instead of directing it like Harry did him.

Sounds exciting. The crime itself is. However, there was a lot that just didn’t’ do it for me. The FBI get forgotten halfway in (I just realized that in typing this up). Deb’s moodiness grates. Dexter going on and on and on about becoming a good guy, while not unbelievable, gets old. Maybe I’ve read too many mysteries and watched too many forensic programs (one even addressed the ideas put forth in the book about advertising to find people who want to be eaten and vice versa, it’s happened for real) but it was a bit predictable including the ending.

But I think the thing that bothered me the most was Brian. He’s an obvious threat to Dexter’s little girl and while he is Dex’s brother I would have thought he’d have done more to run him off. Well, that and the ending bothered me too. I’m getting very tired of the trope where we make the hero do something moronic to rachet up the tension at the end. Okay if it were amateur detectives I could maybe see it but to have seasoned cops run off alone without telling anyone and having no backup? This is like the 10th time I’ve seen that this year alone. It makes me lose respect for the characters and the author. Surely there has to be better ways than that? Sigh. It wasn’t a horrible book but I’m glad I got it from the library.
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Oct 24, 2010 Mark rated it 3 of 5 stars

Dexter is delicious definitely saw a lot of character development for Dexter, which makes me believe that there are some big changes on the horizon in the next book.

Everything seems to be a little "too good" for the protagonist, with his life actually seeming to be fairly normal. While the books and the show took completely different paths several years ago, I can't hep feeling like the character is still the same, and is doomed to have incredible personal issues with the people around him.

The...more

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Sep 08, 2010 Giovanni Gelati rated it 5 of 5 stars

To say I am a fan of these novels is an understatement. I just love the writing style of Jeff Lindsay and am just amazed at the characters he has created with this story. The entire experience for me, from front cover to the back of the novel, just flat out rocks. The cover is eye catching and very colorful, for someone as simple minded as me this is a plus. I can watch a fire or an aquarium for hours; this is almost as good.
Let me just ask this question, have you read any of the Dexter series?...more To say I am a fan of these novels is an understatement. I just love the writing style of Jeff Lindsay and am just amazed at the characters he has created with this story. The entire experience for me, from front cover to the back of the novel, just flat out rocks. The cover is eye catching and very colorful, for someone as simple minded as me this is a plus. I can watch a fire or an aquarium for hours; this is almost as good.
Let me just ask this question, have you read any of the Dexter series? I offer no spoilers but below the post you will find all the covers from the novels in the series; each one is as good as the other. I don’t hesitate to suggest trying one or all of them if you haven’t. Just click on the cover tab and enjoy. But I digress. Here is a little bit about Dexter is Delicious:
“Dexter Morgan has always lived a happy homicidal life. He keeps his dark urges in check by adhering to one steadfast rule . . . he only kills very bad people. But now Dexter is experiencing some major life changes—don’t we all?—and they’re mostly wrapped up in the eight-pound curiosity that is his newborn daughter. Family bliss is cut short, however, when Dexter is summoned to investigate the disappearance of a seventeen-year-old girl who has been running with a bizarre group of goths who fancy themselves to be vampires. As Dexter gets closer to the truth of what happened to the missing girl, he realizes they are not really vampires so much as cannibals. And, most disturbing . . . these people have decided they would really like to eat Dexter.”
Humor, action, endearing characters, and too much fun are all between the covers of this novel. I am consistently amazed at how Jeff Lindsay can get me to become emotionally connected to a serial killer and laugh the entire way. His narrative is unique, engaging and additive. Can one call what Dexter is going through duplicity, bipolar disorder or just flat out fun, who cares? I for one certainly do not. I find that the wait between novels is far too long, but hey, I feel that way about most of my favorite authors anyway. The wait was worth it; the ride was fun and all too quick, and by novels end I was wanting oh so much more. That is what next year is all about. Give Dexter and company a try, you wouldn’t be disappointed by the way you killed the time; it is all good time, ha-ha .Please pass the duct tape, rope and the fillet knife if you would.
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Dec 05, 2011 Georgette rated it 4 of 5 stars

This has all the earmarks of a typical Dexter novel....except that the ending felt, like the disposition of Dexter throughout the book, like it was too happy. Dexter, in the throes of first-time fatherhood, is settling down for happiness with Rita, her two kids by a previous marriage, and their new baby. What does this mean? Inexplicably, it means that Dexter may have feelings. It also means that for the first time he feels unrequited love, and begins to fight off his Dark Passenger. However, th...more

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Mar 07, 2011 Samantha rated it 3 of 5 stars

If there were never another Dexter book in the series, this would make a decent and appropriate end. I'm not sure Jeff Lindsay has such restraint, but looking back over the series, he brought things together in this novel that surpassed my (low) expectations. Dexter's evolving relationship with his Dark Passenger and his family are both deftly handled, both in this novel and retrospectively over the series. In what is possibly the only instance of good character development Lindsay has displayed...more If there were never another Dexter book in the series, this would make a decent and appropriate end. I'm not sure Jeff Lindsay has such restraint, but looking back over the series, he brought things together in this novel that surpassed my (low) expectations. Dexter's evolving relationship with his Dark Passenger and his family are both deftly handled, both in this novel and retrospectively over the series. In what is possibly the only instance of good character development Lindsay has displayed, Dexter has actually changed in a significant way, and yet it is completely natural when the reader finally arrives. Dexter's new baby, Lily Anne, is ostensibly catalyst for that, but his one-note adoration of his baby, never frustrated with her from sleep deprivation, never just the littlest bit irritated with his angel, rings a little false to most parents.

The mystery is not a masterwork, but it shows marked improvements from earlier works. It's substantially better than the third and fourth, and if the villain has no motivation other than "people are tasty and I want to eat them," it's forgivable when Lindsay has finally done some appropriate pacing and laid a couple clever red herrings. He certainly hasn't mastered his craft; (view spoiler) Lindsay drops hints both intentionally and unintentionally (you can always tell, because he is no master of subtlety with his intended clues). Because those unintentional hints are there, though, trying to read between the lines and outfox the author is just as fun as if Lindsay had done it properly.

As for the characters, I give up. Deborah descended into complete unlikeability, and Chutsky still acts like "secret agent ex machina" when he's needed. It's is curious that a character with traits, actions, and motivations should still seem so flat, but all I can think is that he simply fits too well: he is everything the plot needs him to be and nothing more. His background is secret, his life outside Deborah and Dexter nonexistent, his motivations beyond his love for Deborah opaque. With Chutsky, and others in these books, it's less like telling the stories of people, and more like playing mystery with cardboard cutouts with backstories written on their backs. Sure, Hercule Poirot had no realistic character either, but he had no pretensions of it, either. Given the amount of time Lindsay spends developing character in between plot points, you'd think he'd actually have something to show for it at the end. Brian had some potential, but not enough screentime (pagetime?) to go anywhere fascinating.

That criticism of Brian is a microcosm of the problems with the series as a whole: it had so much potential that it just never met. Lindsay has great ideas, but simply lacks the craft to develop them the way they deserve. If he can recognize that in himself, though, he could become a very good author indeed in 5-10 years.

This book was published in July 2010, and so it's very possible that Lindsay is working on a new one as we speak. But this really ought to be the end: it reaches a good stopping place for character and plot alike. It ties up all the loose ends of interest, the characters had (or pretended to have) some sort of arc over the series, and Miami is, for now, safe. If you've read this far, you might as well finish it up, and then sit back and consider yourself finished with Dexter.

Well, until season 6. (less)

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Jan 05, 2012 Deanna rated it 3 of 5 stars

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

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Oct 11, 2010 Jay rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ballet, books-i-own, redrum, tab-a-in-slot-b, bat-country

I'm not a huge fan of the Dexter books, I'm sorry to say. The predominant reason is Lindsay's writing. He's not a bad writer, but it's rather plain and bland. This could be because Dexter's personality, sociopathy aside, is rather plain and bland. If I were to meet Dexter and he decided not to kill me, I wouldn't be running to be his BFF. He's a tad boring. However, I also find the Dexter series to be ever so slightly ridiculous. There are the fantasy elements, and there's also the fact that Dex...more I'm not a huge fan of the Dexter books, I'm sorry to say. The predominant reason is Lindsay's writing. He's not a bad writer, but it's rather plain and bland. This could be because Dexter's personality, sociopathy aside, is rather plain and bland. If I were to meet Dexter and he decided not to kill me, I wouldn't be running to be his BFF. He's a tad boring. However, I also find the Dexter series to be ever so slightly ridiculous. There are the fantasy elements, and there's also the fact that Dexter can get away with so much and have so few fingers pointed at him. It reminds me a little of Johnny in Jhonen Vasquez's Johnny the Homicidal Maniac series.

Thankfully the fantasy elements were mostly left out in this issue of Dexter. They're still there- the flittering of wings, being able to sense other monsters and so forth, but there's no long-dead gods here.

I'm not sure what I feel about the baby story line that's occurring in both TV-show and book. Does Dexter really need a baby? Although I haven't seen the current season of Dexter, I don't really like the way Lindsay has Dexter change because of it. Dexter doesn't need a reason to kill people. While Harry gave him one, it was a good one- he could kill and justify the reasons if need be. He doesn't need a second reason- he does need to justify killing people that a) harm others, and b) to 'protect' Lily Anne and Deborah's currently unnamed child. I guess I just don't like emotional-Dex.

Furthermore, I'm not sure how I feel about Brian coming back onto the scene. The character has never really grabbed me. And the Twilight references? A little too far, I think.

I did like the cannibals, though. And I definitely liked the vore fetish that Lindsay brought in. I found the final words passed between Samantha and Dexter to be touching- she just wanted to know if she was delicious. This, I think, saved the novel for me. I'm a bit disappointed, though, that Dexter wasn't eaten in some way. We could have finally found out if Dexter really is delicious.(less)

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Mar 16, 2012 Caroline rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, read-in-2012, audio

This was weak for Dexter, despite the interesting storyline in here involving cannibalism (really, cannibalism! It sounds wrong, but it felt like a fun topic for Dexter to tackle). But, like with book 3, it's a non-Dexter that narrates this novel, as after the birth of his daughter he meekly tries to give up what he really is.

For most of this, Dexter flails about and seems to take a severe hit in the intelligence department as a result of him trying to behave better. There are so many obvious, s...more

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Jul 30, 2011 S.D. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery

And delicious he certainly is. I was first introduced to Dexter via the television series then quickly went out and purchased the books. In this installment someone has kidnapped two teenaged girls. When the burned body of one is found, it is evident she had been eaten. Vampires and cannibals in Miami? Dexter has seen stranger things, he thought, until he finds the remaining teen and discovers she doesn’t want to be rescued. It is her dream to be eaten by cannibals. There are a lot of changes in...more

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Nov 08, 2010 D.M. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: thrillers

Dexter, that most likeable serial killer if there was such a thing, is now a dad to baby Lily Anne and finds out he does actually have feelings. And how does he keep his Dark Passenger at bay now he wants to leave behind his lust for despatching them who slip through Miami's justice system? This is what you'll discover as he meets up with some very nasty vampire and cannibal types, and while he can understand how they are driven, he doesn't particularly want to be on their menu.

I devoured "Dext...more

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Aug 11, 2011 Jessica Strider rated it 5 of 5 stars

Pros: lyrical writing, introspective, darkly fun

Cons: predictable

Dexter is astonished that upon the birth of his daughter his homicidal instincts desert him for more... human... ones. Suddenly he wants to be Dex-Daddy, hang up his knives and steer Astor and Cody away from the dark path.

But life intrudes in the form of his sister and a possible kidnapping/murder case involving cannibals. And a figure from his past starts to become cozy with his family, leaving Dexter disoriented.

This is a lighthe...more

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Jan 20, 2013 Bernie rated it 3 of 5 stars

The fifth book in the series sees a mellower Dexter. He has become a father and fears that he might be taking on more human traits. Is he becoming more sentimental?
As with the previous books in the series this volume abounds with black humour. Dexter is really an alien amongst us. He muses at length about his colleagues and vulnerabilities. There is of course Dexter’s colleague Masuka. A pervert by any measure his lines in both versions of Dexter (TV and Book) are memorable. For example; Masuka:...more

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Sep 19, 2010 Becca rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Becca by: First Reads

Shelves: first-reads, mystery, action-adventure

I'm not a giant fan of the Dexter franchise, but it's always sparked my curiosity. I've watched a couple of episodes of the first season of the TV show and flipped through the first couple pages of some of the books. So, I wasn't sure how I would feel about this book, as most of the readers seem to be long term fans.

In short, this was a fun romp. The story was much more imaginative than your run-of-the-mill mystery series. The writing was mostly pedestrian, but with some entertaining turns of p...more

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Feb 12, 2012 Ethan rated it 4 of 5 stars

It has been said that the birth of your first child is the kind of event that shapes the rest of your life. Your priorities shift as you learn to put the newborn's needs before your own, and the whole worlds seems like a much brighter place to live in. For Miami's local serial killer, Dexter Morgan, the birth of a young daughter ignites emotions he never new he possessed and threatens to disrupt his "Dark Passenger".

As the novel opens, Dexter is, surprisingly, in a state of blissful awe, follow...more It has been said that the birth of your first child is the kind of event that shapes the rest of your life. Your priorities shift as you learn to put the newborn's needs before your own, and the whole worlds seems like a much brighter place to live in. For Miami's local serial killer, Dexter Morgan, the birth of a young daughter ignites emotions he never new he possessed and threatens to disrupt his "Dark Passenger".

As the novel opens, Dexter is, surprisingly, in a state of blissful awe, following the birth of his daughter. Readers of the previous installments will recall that, while Dexter originally got involved with his wife Rita in an attempt to hide who he really is, he has found that he actually cares for her and her two children, both of whom seem to harbor "Dark Passengers" of their own. As he recognizes that he is responsible for the well-being of his family, Dexter vows to end his homicidal acts of vengeance.

Unfortunately for Dexter, he is called to help investigate the disappearance of a high school girl who seems to be caught up with a group of people who think they are vampires. When the body of another teenage girl is discovered, Dexter realizes that is dealing with full blown cannibals. As he races to help save the kidnapped teen, Dexter must face his own demons and choose between the perfect family life and the darkness inside of him.

This is the fifth novel in the popular series by Jeff Lindsay, and this was the best book in the series by a long shot. While the previous installments all contained snappy dialogue, a fascinating main character, and fast pacing, they all left me feeling as if they had ended too soon, without a proper conclusion. In this novel, Lindsay manages to keep all of the things that worked in the other ones, while adding a renewed depth to the characters and the mystery that drives the story to a satisfying conclusion. As with the other novels, the bright Florida setting provides the perfect backdrop to juxtapose this truly dark tale. For the first time, Lindsay allotted some time to develop the characters outside of the Dexter Morgan Family arc, and this made them be something more that simply plot points. I really enjoyed this novel, and I look forward to reading the next book in this fascinating series.(less)

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Apr 09, 2013 Nitya Sivasubramanian rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2star

Near the end of this story, Dexter's brother wonders out loud why it took so long for Dexter to put the pieces of the puzzle together. I shared this question. Usually so incisively intelligent, my beloved murderous wit wandered through the pages of this book in a haze, overlooking the clues that even slapped me in the face when I first read them. What could possibly be so off in Dear Dark Dexter's world that he winds up wandering through an abandoned theme park, putting himself, Deborah and Chut...more

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Dec 27, 2011 Yla Delarosa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Dexter is Delicious - He most certainly is! I used to be a big fan of Dexter TV series, falling in love with him each time I watched the show. So when I saw this book, I cant resist the urge to read it - perhaps because even if I have outgrown my "love" for Dexter, he still appeals to me;)

In this installment, we can see a lot of changes in Dexter's life. Besides being married, he is now a father to Lily Anne. He started developing emotions which he dont know how to deal with - most especially, t...more

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Jun 26, 2011 Joe rated it 3 of 5 stars

By the fifth book of the series, a few things have become incredibly clear about Jeff Lindsay. First, he loves to describe Miami traffic every chance he gets. Yes, I know that traffic in Miami can be terrible. But seriously, every chance he gets, he's describing how angry drivers are, or how dangerous it is, or how Dexter just can't get mad at them this time. Second is that he loves talking about food - especially Cuban food. Yes, Dexter is a hungry guy and he loves food. But how many times do I...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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Quotes from Dexter Is Delicious

“Have you noticed how difficult it is just to get along in the world? If you're no good at all in your job, people treat you badly and eventually you will be unemployed. And if you're a little better than competent, everyone expects miracles from you, every single time. Like most of life, it's a no-win situation. And if you dare to mention it, no matter how creatively you phrase your complaints, you are shunned as a whiner.” — 28 people liked it

“As I've said, freedom is really an illusion. Anytime we think we have a real choice, it just means we haven't seen the shotgun aimed at our navel.” — 20 people liked it

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Dexter Is Delicious (Dexter #5)

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