Dexter by Design: A Novel

✍ Scribed by Jeff Lindsay

• Publisher: Doubleday
• Year: 2009
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 176 KB
• Category: Fiction
• ISBN: 0385530145

✦ Synopsis

The Dexter seriesbestselling books, acclaimed TV show, worldwide phenomenoncontinues with Dexters deadliest case yet.

After his surprisingly glorious honeymoon in Paris, life is almost normal for Dexter Morgan. Married life seems to agree with him: hes devoted to his bride, his stomach is full, and his homicidal hobbies are nicely under control. But old habits die hardand Dexters work as a blood spatter analyst never fails to offer new temptations that appeal to his offbeat sense of justice. Not to mention that his Dark Passenger still waits to hunt with him in the moonlight. The discovery of a corpse (artfully displayed as a sunbather relaxing on a Miami beach chair) naturally piques Dexters curiosity and Miamis finest realize theyve got a terrifying new serial killer on the loose. And Dexter, of course, is back in business.

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Book Description
The macabre, witty New York Times bestselling series (and inspiration for the #1 Showtime series, Dexter) continues as our darkly lovable killer matches wits with a sadistic artiste--who is creating bizarre murder tableaux of his own all over Miami.

After his surprisingly glorious honeymoon in Paris, life is almost normal for Dexter Morgan. Married life seems to agree with him: hes devoted to his bride, his stomach is full, and his homicidal hobbies are nicely under control. But old habits die hard--and Dexters work as a blood spatter analyst never fails to offer new temptations that appeal to his offbeat sense of justice...and his Dark Passenger still waits to hunt with him in the moonlight.

The discovery of a corpse (artfully displayed as a sunbather relaxing on a Miami beach chair) naturally piques Dexters curiosity and Miamis finest realize theyve got a terrifying new serial killer on the loose. And Dexter, of course, is back in business.

---

An Essay by Jeff Lindsay: "Dexter and Me"

My mother called me one night two years ago. "Well," she said. "Now I know youve really made it."

"Oh, really?" I said. "What do you mean?"

"Im watching Jeopardy," she said. "The answer to the last question was, Who is Dexter?"

A few nights later, my sister called. "You were just on Nancy Grace," she said.

"I was?" I said, very surprised. It didnt seem like the kind of thing I would forget. "You mean me?"

"No, not you," she snorted, as if I should have known better that someone like me would never be on Nancy Grace. "Dexter. Somebodys foot washed up on a beach, and she called it a real-life Dexter moment."

And then a few weeks later my agent called. "Did you hear what they named the new robot arm for the space shuttle?" he said.

"Let me guess," I said.

"Its iconic," my agent said. "Thats a good thing."

And it is. Dexter is iconic. But as my sister was smart enough to pick up on, I am not. I think this is a good thing. I worked in Hollywood for a dozen years, and all I can say about it is that the primitive tribes who think the camera steals your soul were really on to something. So I dont want to be instantly recognizable--not Tom Cruise famous, not even Stephen King famous.

On the other hand, if Dexter wants fame, thats fine with me. He deserves it: hes a fine, upstanding, hardworking guy who is good with kids, thoughtful to co-workers, and helpful around the house. And if he slips away now and then for a little bit of human vivisection--well, nobodys perfect.

I will admit, though, that lately Ive begun to suffer what may be the worlds first Edgar Rice Burroughs Complex. Like Burroughss Tarzan, my character is known all over the world, and I am still anonymous. That takes some getting used to, even though there are perks. It has given me some wonderful moments--like riding into Times Square in a taxi and seeing Dexter 60 feet tall on the side of the building. "Have you seen that program?" the driver asked me.

"I dont watch much TV," I said, even though I was staring like a school boy at a peep show.

"There are books, too," he said.

And there are. I hope you will like them. They make wonderful gifts, too. Even better, Nancy Grace and Alex Trebek will never have to see me sweat.--Jeff Lindsay

(Photo Hilary Hemingway)

From Publishers Weekly

Lindsay doesn't always maintain the balance between farce and something more serious in his fourth thriller to feature Dexter Morgan (after Dexter in the Dark). As fans of the hit Showtime TV series know, Dexter is a blood-splatter analyst for the Miami PD as well as a serial killer who targets killers who've evaded justice. When two eviscerated corpses turn up on a beach, Dexter investigates, as does his sister, Deborah, a sergeant with his department, who suffers serious injury after she's stabbed by a suspect, Alex Doncevic. Convinced Deborah's assailant is the person also responsible for the bodies on the beach, Dexter eliminates Doncevic, only to find that he's taken an innocent life. To Dexter's further dismay, someone begins posting videos of Doncevic's murder on YouTube. While the darkly witty Lindsay deserves credit for continuing to make imaginative use of his original concept, a contrived resolution disappoints. (Sept.)
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