Book Review: Darkly Dreaming Dexter

Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay

My review

rating: 2 of 5 stars

I was really excited to finally read the first book that the excellent Showtime series is based on, especially after having just finished season 3. But I have to say that I was more than a little disappointed in this book. Where most of the characters in the TV series are well developed and likable, their counterparts in this book seemed to be bumbling underdeveloped characters. There was no logical evidence or clues to follow in solving the mystery in the book, yet characters made leaps of logic that conveniently panned out for them.

All the Miami police are made out to be idiots while Dexter is the genius. But he also makes a lot of stupid, careless mistakes. You are really given no reason to care about Dexter or anyone else in his life. Dexter seems a little more intelligent than the other characters, but even he is a pale shadow of the character portrayed in the show.

If I had read this book before seeing the TV series I never would have watched the show. The use of the "psychic connection" plot device was tiresome and unnecessary. The story just seemed to go from one convenient plot device to the next.

My advice, skip the books and just watch the Showtime show. That series is a much more rewarding experience than this book. I didn't hate the book but I found myself growing bored and annoyed many times.

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