4 of 6

I'm finally posting my thoughts on 4 of 6.

Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay
Published in 2004

What they say:
From Barnes and Noble

Synopsis
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 likeable: he only kills bad people. 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.

“It’s been years since there’s been a thriller as original as this one by Lindsay, who takes a tired subgenre—the serial-killer novel—and makes it as fresh as dawn.
Lindsay’s premise alone is worthy: narrator Dexter Morgan, a blood-spatter specialist for the Miami cops, is also a serial killer . . . What makes this novel zing is the narration—humorous, self-deprecating, smart and sometimes lyrical, it’s a macabre fun ride . . . A gripping, deliciously offbeat novel that announces the arrival of a notable new talent.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“After finishing this novel, readers will have only one thing to say: Wow! Dexter, a likable fellow on the surface, firmly in touch with his own inhumanity, is one of the genre’s most original, compelling characters to appear in years. He makes a fascinating narrator, appealing, articulate, and ghoulish all at the same time. Long after readers finish this gripping novel, they will still be thinking (or dreaming) about Dexter.”—Booklist (starred review)

What I say: Dexter is a mass of contradictions. Even though he's a serial killer, you have a hard time hating him. He should be a monster, someone easy to loath but as I read the book, I oftentimes found myself rooting for him.

I suppose you would have to have a dark mind to be able to write a likeable serial killer. I've never seen Lindsay give an interview so I don't know. To top it off, Lindsay's characters are funny. It's just another contradiction of the story being able to find humor in the midst of blood.

Something else I find odd about Dexter is that the Showtime series is just as good as the books. If you've never seen it, watch it. If you've never read the books, hit your library. Both are worth your time.