Dearly Devoted Dexter (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard)

From Publishers Weekly Dexter the Demon, Dexter the Avenger—whatever he chooses to call himself, the hero of this intelligent, darkly humorous series knows he's a monster who loves slicing people into little pieces. That Dexter limits his killing to ''acceptable'' victims—usually other serial killers—is designed to keep the reader from having to worry too much about the morality of his avocation. Dexter's just added his 40th victim, a homicidal pedophile, and is eagerly looking ahead to number 41 when he becomes involved in a case through his job as a blood spatter analyst at the Miami-Dade police forensics lab. A man is found with ''everything on [his] body cut off, absolutely everything''—a piece of work that makes Dexter's own tidy killings look like child's play. This madman, nicknamed Danco, spends weeks surgically removing his victims' ears, lips, nose, arms, legs, etc., while keeping them alive to watch their own mutilation. Despite a certain professional admiration for Danco's dexterity, Dexter decides to take on the case. It's the contradictions in Dexter's character that make it all work—he's smart, he's funny, he cares for children, and yet he has no normal human responses or emotions. The first book in the series, Darkly Dreaming Dexter , was very well received; this one should be as well, and deservedly so. (July 19) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From Starred Review Dexter, your friendly neighborhood serial killer, is a police department blood-spatter expert who, in his spare time, kills people. Not just anyone, you understand--he only kills other killers, people whom he believes deserve it. Is this because Dexter really has a heart of gold? No, he's a monster (he is the first to admit it), but at least he tries to steer his evil into productive channels. In the second of Lindsay's alliteratively titled thrillers (following last year's Darkly Dreaming Dexter ), Dexter's nemesis, Sergeant Doakes, is getting a little too close for comfort, and there is also the matter of a psychopath on the loose. When Dexter's two problems eventually link up . . . well, what's a well-meaning homicidal maniac to do? Dexter, the cheerfully sociopathic crime fighter, is one of mystery fiction's most original, compelling, and oddly endearing heroes. Lindsay digs a little deeper under Dexter's surface this time, showing us a little more about what makes him tick, but readers shouldn't worry. There are volumes still to be written about this gruesomely fascinating character. David Pitt Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved He's a charming monster . . . A macabre hero . . . A serial killer who only kills bad peopleDexter Morgan has been under considerable pressure. It's just not easy being an ethical serial killer--especially while trying to avoid the unshakable suspicions of the dangerous Sergeant Doakes (who believes Dexter is a homicidal maniac . . . which, of course, he is). In an attempt to throw Doakes off his trail, Dexter has had to slip deep into his foolproof disguise. While not working as a blood-spatter analyst for the Miami Police Department, he now spends nearly all his time with his cheerful girlfriend, Rita, and her two children, sipping light beer and slowly becoming the world's first serial couch potato. But how long can Dexter play Kick the Can instead of Slice the Slasher? How long before his Dark Passenger forces him to drop the charade and let his inner monster run free?In trying times, opportunity knocks. A particularly nasty psychopath is cutting a trail through Miami--a man whose twisted technique leaves even Dexter speechless. As Dexter's dark appetite is revived, his sister, Deborah (a newly minted, tough-as-nails Miami detective) is drawn headlong into the case. It quickly becomes clear that it will take a monster to catch a monster--but it isn't until his archnemesis is abducted that Dex can finally throw himself into the search for a new plaything. Unless, of course, his plaything finds him first . . . With the incredible wit and freshness that drew widespread acclaim to Darkly Dreaming Dexter, Jeff Lindsay now takes Dexter Morgan to a new level of macabre appeal and gives us one of the most original, colorful narrators in years.

dexter Morgan Has Been Under Considerable Pressure. In Trying To Avoid The Deep Suspicions Of The Dangerous Sergeant Doakes-who Believes Dexter Is A Homicidal Maniac (which, Of Course, He Is)-dexter Has Had To Slip Further Into His Foolproof Domestic Disguise. While Not Working As A Blood Spatter Analyst For The Miami Police Department, He Now Spends Nearly All His Time With His Girlfriend, Rita, And Her Two Children. But How Long Can Dexter Play Kick The Can Instead Of Slice The Slasher? How Long Before His Dark Passenger Forces Him To Drop The Charade Of Family Life And Let His Inner Monster Run Free?

in Trying Times, Opportunity Knocks. A Particularly Nasty Psychopath Is Cutting A Trail Through Miami-a Man Who Slices And Dices And Leaves Vegetables Behind. Dexter's Dark Appetite Is Revived, But It's Not Until His Nemesis, Sergeant Doakes, Is Abducted That Dex Can Finally Throw Himself Headlong Into The Search For A New Plaything. Unless, Of Course, His Plaything Finds...

the New York Times - Marilyn Stasio

i Honestly Didn't Think That Jeff Lindsay Could Get Away With A Sequel To darkly Dreaming Dexter, His Flamboyantly Offbeat Debut Novel About A Witty Homicidal Maniac Who Makes A Point Of Killing Only Those Who Deserve It. dearly Devoted Dexter Proves Me Wrong. No Less Macabre (indeed, Rather More Gruesome) Than Its Morbidly Funny Predecessor, The Story Provides The Unorthodox Hero With Enough Subhuman Forms Of Life To Sharpen His Skills Without Compromising His Identity As ''a Well-designed Artificial Human.''

In this acclaimed follow-up to the bestselling novel Darkly Dreaming Dexter, we pick up with Dexter Morgan when he’s under considerable pressure. It’s not easy being an ethical serial killer—but he’s doing his best to keep up the disguise, spending time with his girlfriend and her kids, slowly becoming the world’s first serial killer couch potato. Then a particularly nasty psychopath starts cutting a trail through Miami and killer whose twisted techniques leave even Dexter speechless. When his sister Deborah, a tough-as-nails cop, is drawn into the case, it becomes clear that Dexter will have to do something about it. Unless, of course, the killer finds him first . . . Dexter, a serial killer who limits his victims to other killers, bides his time between murders by working as a blood splatter analyst for the Miami Police Department, and dating Rita, the single mother of two children, but he is faced with a challenge when a psychopath arrives in town and his sister, a newly-minted Miami detective, becomes involved in the case A secret vigilante killer who works as a blood spatter analyst for the Miami Police Department, Dexter Morgan finds his efforts to seek domestic tranquility undermined by a psychopath terrorizing the city A secret assassin working as a blood spatter analyst for the Miami Police Department, Dexter Morgan finds his efforts to seek domestic tranquility undermined by a psychopath terrorizing the city