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 him first...

With the incredible wit and freshness that made his first Dexter novel a bestseller, Jeff Lindsay brings back one of the most original, colorful narrators in years.

"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)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

"Dexter...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....[A] gruesomely fascinating character." Booklist (Starred Review)

"When will [Dexter] get his own chance to shine? Not, sad to say, till the very last pages, though he does do yeoman's sleuthing work on the uncompelling mystery. While he's waiting to kill, however, Dexter is never less than brainy, witty and macabre." Kirkus Reviews

"Dearly Devoted Dexter is fascinating, entertaining, and brilliant. Let Jeff Lindsay introduce you to the serial killer next door — Dexter (and his Dark Passenger) are the freshest, most terrifying creations you are ever likely to meet...and live to tell about." New York Times bestselling author Robert Crais

Homicidal maniac Dexter Morgan, narrator of the bestselling Darkly Dreaming Dexter, returns and must slip further into his foolproof domestic disguise to avoid the suspicions of Miami Police Sergeant Doakes.

He’s a charming monster . . .

A macabre hero . . .

A serial killer who only kills bad people

Dexter 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.

Jeff Lindsay is the author of Darkly Dreaming Dexter, and the coauthor with his wife, Hilary Hemingway, of Hunting with Hemingway. He lives in Cape Coral, Florida.