• Dexter in the Dark

  • A Novel
  • By: Jeff Lindsay
  • Narrated by: Jeff Lindsay
  • Length: 10 hrs and 28 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (1,571 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Dexter in the Dark  By  cover art

Dexter in the Dark

By: Jeff Lindsay
Narrated by: Jeff Lindsay
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $15.75

Buy for $15.75

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

“One of the most likable vigilante serial killers” (The New Yorker) faces his ultimate adversary…an evil so terrifying it scares away Dexter’s inner monster - and nearly dries up his sense of humor - in this wickedly witty, darkly suspenseful novel.

In his work as a Miami crime scene investigator, Dexter Morgan is accustomed to seeing evil deeds…particularly because, on occasion, he rather enjoys committing them himself. Guided by his Dark Passenger (the reptilian voice inside him), he lives his outwardly normal life adhering to one simple rule: He kills only very bad people. Dexter slides through life undetected, working as a blood spatter analyst for the Miami Police Department, helping his fiancée raise her two adorable (if somewhat…unique) children, and always planning his next jaunt as Dexter the Dark Avenger under the light of the full moon.

But then everything changes. Dexter is called to a crime scene that seems routine: a gruesome double homicide at the university campus, which Dexter would normally investigate with gusto, before enjoying a savory lunch. And yet this scene feels terribly wrong. Dexter’s Dark Passenger senses something it recognizes, something utterly chilling, and the Passenger - mastermind of Dexter’s homicidal prowess - promptly goes into hiding.

With his Passenger on the run, Dexter is left to face this case all alone - not to mention his demanding sister (Sergeant Deborah), his frantic fiancée (Rita), and the most frightening wedding caterer ever to plan a menu. Equally unsettling, Dexter begins to realize that something very dark and very powerful has its sights set on him. Dexter is left in the dark, but he must summon his sharpest investigative instincts not only to pursue his enemy, but to locate and truly understand his Dark Passenger. To find him, Dexter has to research the questions he’s never dared ask: Who is the Dark Passenger, and where does he come from? It is nothing less than a search for Dexter’s own dark soul…fueled by a steady supply of fresh doughnuts.

Macabre, ironic, and wonderfully entertaining, Dexter in the Dark goes deeper into the psyche of one of the freshest protagonists in recent fiction. Jeff Lindsay’s glorious creativity is on full display in his most accomplished novel yet.

©2013 Jeff Lindsay (P)2013 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"It’s like very little else you’ve read. Imagine if Hannibal Lecter starred in CSI: Miami, and you’re halfway there." ( Time)
"Maybe the first serial killer who unabashedly solicits our love." ( Entertainment Weekly)
"The real appeal of this macabre tour-de-force is Dexter’s sardonic voice, so snappy and smart, and yet so full of self-loathing that we hate ourselves for laughing." ( New York Times)

Featured Article: Dream Big—Meet the All-Star Cast of The Sandman: Act II


Immerse yourself in the world of The Sandman right now with an unforgettable audio experience. The star power alone is worth the price of admission—the cumulative amount of awards that have been won by the cast over the course of their careers is simply staggering. The cast features some of the most talented and esteemed actors working today. So let's dive right into the who's who of The Sandman: Act II.

What listeners say about Dexter in the Dark

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,002
  • 4 Stars
    336
  • 3 Stars
    175
  • 2 Stars
    40
  • 1 Stars
    18
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,014
  • 4 Stars
    266
  • 3 Stars
    82
  • 2 Stars
    27
  • 1 Stars
    13
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    819
  • 4 Stars
    308
  • 3 Stars
    181
  • 2 Stars
    59
  • 1 Stars
    32

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Unfortunate Narrator Change

Any additional comments?

Man, I miss Nick Landrum as the Dexter narrator. I appreciate it when authors try to read their own work but... writing and reading are completely different skill sets and sometimes an actor is better.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

7 people found this helpful

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

A Dexter divided, cannot stand.

If you could sum up Dexter in the Dark in three words, what would they be?

Dexter is possessed.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Always.

What about Jeff Lindsay’s performance did you like?

He's the PERFECT voice for every single character in his book, especially Dexter.

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

No, but I really enjoyed it.

Any additional comments?

First, for anyone that is a fan of the show (like me) the books are totally different than the TV show. I love all the dexter books. This one has a kind of sci-fi style to it. I don't think this is a problem. In fact, I really liked it. The story still stays in the realm of a serial killer, but some readers may feel it differs too much from the other Dexter books. Like all Dexter stories, it is a mystery that Dexter must unravel. The only weak point in the story which bleeds into other books is that the odd relationship that develops with kids is rather contrived. Note: I don't mean that Dexter abuses kids. I don't want to spoil anything. I'm just saying that the kids turn out . . . odd and it seems a bit contrived.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

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

Wow. Dark Dexter Does It Again.

I think Jeff Lindsay really does the Dexter voice well. I would hope so, as he is the author. The thing that I hate about the Dexter books is that I wind up liking and rooting for a sociopath and murderer. How does he do that? Why would I like such an inhuman character so well?

I enjoyed the story very much and look forward to the next book in the series as I work my way through it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

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

Not a fan

I just don’t like Jeff Lindsey’s voice as narrator. This is my third book and each time I am listening, I am continually annoyed by his voice but I like the books so I keep listening.
But I think, this time, that I’m finished. I can’t listen to his voice any more. And the storyline was weak and way out there. Another narrator would make this series outstanding.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

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

not like the show but worth a listen

i enjoyed it but the tv show has better plot lines. the authors voice isn't the best at doing multiple characters but it is worth a listen.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

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

Third time is difficult.

First one is your blast. Second is what's left over from the first one and third is the brand new idea. Not bad not the best. But a fine read as always.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

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

dearly devoted Dexter it wasn't

the previous book with the sociopathic doctor was much more enjoyable than this particular book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

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

Something of a misstep

Some of the story arc elements are satisfying, but the overall story feels like a misstep, especially with its introduction of mysticism/fantasy elements. The idea behind some of it works, but the overall method and how far it goes with some of it, feels like it undermines the grounding of the previous books. It no longer feels like it takes place quite in our world. I still enjoyed the writing, but I think this book is a misstep for the series. Having loved the TV show, I'll be curious to see if further books in the series drop these elements, or if they double down and further diverge from the initial concept that works so well and seems to be what the TV show more directly adapted.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

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

Supernatural garbage

I love Dexter. He's your lovable serial killer. But, then this book goes off the rails into the realm of supernatural mumbo jumbo and completely kills the series.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

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

I love the Dexter series

I was a huge fan of the TV show Dexter, and once it was over, I was sad to see it end. When I went to watch a second time, I noticed the show was based on this series, and now with Audible, I get to enjoy more episodes. This book wasn't the best of the previous ones, but I have a feeling this story line was important. If anything I gives us a better insight into the Dark Passenger and why he refers to himself as us during kill mode. Overall, I probably wouldn't listen to our read it again, but worth already a one time read.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful