Dearly Devoted Dexter (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard)

Hes a charming monster . . .

A macabre hero . . .

A serial killer who only kills bad people

Dexter Morgan has been under considerable pressure. Its just not easy being an ethical serial killerespecially 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 worlds 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 Miamia man whose twisted technique leaves even Dexter speechless. As Dexters 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 monsterbut it isnt 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.

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

In this acclaimed follow-up to the bestselling novel Darkly Dreaming Dexter, we pick up with Dexter Morgan when he’s under considerable pressure. It’s not easy being an ethical serial killer—but he’s doing his best to keep up the disguise, spending time with his girlfriend and her kids, slowly becoming the world’s first serial killer couch potato. Then a particularly nasty psychopath starts cutting a trail through Miami and killer whose twisted techniques leave even Dexter speechless. When his sister Deborah, a tough-as-nails cop, is drawn into the case, it becomes clear that Dexter will have to do something about it. Unless, of course, the killer finds him first . . .

JEFF LINDSAY is the author of Darkly Dreaming Dexter. He lives in South Florida with his wife and three daughters.