• Darkly Dreaming Dexter

  • Dexter, Book 1
  • By: Jeff Lindsay
  • Narrated by: Jeff Lindsay
  • Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (4,404 ratings)

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Darkly Dreaming Dexter  By  cover art

Darkly Dreaming Dexter

By: Jeff Lindsay
Narrated by: Jeff Lindsay
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Publisher's summary

Meet Dexter Morgan, a polite wolf in sheep’s clothing. He’s handsome and charming, but something in his past has made him abide by a different set of rules. He’s a serial killer whose one golden rule makes him immensely likable: he only kills bad people. • The Killer Character That Inspired the Hit Showtime Series Dexter

And his job as a blood splatter expert for the Miami police department puts him in the perfect position to identify his victims. But when a series of brutal murders bearing a striking similarity to his own style start turning up, Dexter is caught between being flattered and being frightened–of himself or some other fiend.

©2005 Jeff Lindsay (P)2012 Random House

Critic reviews

"A macabre tour-de-force." ( The New York Times Book Review)
“A dark comedy with a creative twist.” ( The Miami Herald)
“Dark and devious..Daring and unexpectedly comedic.” ( USA Today)

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What listeners say about Darkly Dreaming Dexter

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    2,801
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  • 3 Stars
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Story
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Novella Style Serial Killer

While similarities between the tv show and this book are abound, the original trimmed down story is engaging if not a little bit slammed together at the end for the grand reveal. Jeff Lindsay portrays Dexter as more monster than human as opposed to the tv show. As a long time fan I enjoyed it.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Dexter Delivered By Jeff

Dexter is a favorite character. So like yet unlike the TV character.

This one is better, by far.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Great Bones

This seemed like a rare case of the show being better than the book. Though the book is very good and I enjoyed it, the show fleshed the characters out quite a lot more. Michael C Hall’s performance really builds onto Jeff Lindsay’s character and though I’m not sure of the actor’s name, Angel was a major let down here compared to the shows portrayal. Also, though I am excited to continue with the book series and see how it differs, the show really handled the ending of this arc much better and much more believably. All in all great book and I’m even going back now to bump the performance score up to 5 stars. The narrator did a great job and I think Michael C Hall’s 6 star performance is the only thing keeping me from giving the narrator a 5/5!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Literally just read it

If you have watched the show first give it a chance there are big differences at the end that will blow your socks off omg amazing !

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A great book.

Really do wish Micheal C. Hall could read the book, but nevertheless Jeff Lindsay has an great reading voice and I loved the experience.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

dreamily dark

If you could sum up Darkly Dreaming Dexter in three words, what would they be?

dark, quirky, captivating

Who was your favorite character and why?

Dexter is quite interesting in his view of the world

What about Jeff Lindsay’s performance did you like?

His voice matches Dexter's mood, but not all of the other characters

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

A couple parts made me cringe, others made me laugh

Any additional comments?

The TV show deviates from the book plot.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Strange and interesting

Can one call a book about a serial killer "light?" But it really sort of was. Enjoyed the narrator, the quips. Enjoyed it well enough to now buy book two in the series. I have a feeling it won't last but...

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Dark and well performed

So dark and well performed. This book is better than the TV series in my opinion

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent book

Such an amazing performance. The ending was unexpected and g great It’s own way, love it!!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

the Dexter story that launched a franchise

The story is as enjoyable now as it was many years and many readings ago. the performance (reading) is a little flat.

even if you are a huge fan of the TV series there are surprises in store for you. although season one was based on this book there are some significant plot line changes for tv. from the second book on the books and tv show are completely independent stories.

so if you were wishing for more Dexter, but never read the books for fear it would be the same stories, dig in!

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5 people found this helpful