This part of the city slept, as much as it ever did. A few people still swirled across the Miami landscape: tourists who’d had too much Cuban coffee and couldn’t sleep. People from Iowa looking for a gas station. Foreigners looking for South Beach. And the predators, of course–thugs, robbers, crack-heads; vampires, ghouls, and assorted monsters like me (p 85).
I’m happy to find I enjoy reading about Dexter as much as I enjoy watching him on Showtime. Of course, the clever premise is consistent. Dexter, a serial killer of serial killers, was taught to control his Dark Passenger by Harry, his sagacious foster-father. Harry, a former cop now long dead, was the best instructor for a killer like Dex. He gave Dexter a code to live by methods to avoid getting caught. Chop up the bad guys, Dexter. Don’t chop up your sister (p 278).
Then a new killer comes to town, leaving carefully hacked body parts bloodless and gift wrapped just for Dexter. Who is this artist and why does he want to play with Dexter? The answer will challenge the code Dexter has lived by.
I was surprised to learn LaGuerta died in this first volume! She is such an instigator in the TV series, so colorful and complex. I was also shocked that Deb learned all about Dexter’s murderous desires. So much of the series hinged on her ignorance. Wow. Just wow. So now I’d anxious to see where this goes. Dearly Devoted Dexter is next!
