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Jeff Lindsay

Author of Darkly Dreaming Dexter

41+ Works 18,814 Members 717 Reviews 52 Favorited

About the Author

Jeff Lindsay was born Jeffry P. Freundlich on July 14, 1952 in Miami, Florida. He graduated from Middlebury College in Vermont in 1975. He is best known for his novels about sociopathetic vigilante Dexter Morgan. The first book in the Dexter series, Darkly Dreaming Dexter, was published in 2004 and show more was the basis of the Showtime TV series Dexter. His other works include Tropical Depression: A Novel of Suspense, Dream Land: A Novel of the UFO Coverup, Time Blender and Dreamchild. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Image credit: Taken in 2007 at Books 3

Series

Works by Jeff Lindsay

Darkly Dreaming Dexter (2004) 6,545 copies
Dearly Devoted Dexter (2005) 3,784 copies
Dexter in the Dark (2007) 2,794 copies
Dexter by Design (2009) 1,840 copies
Dexter Is Delicious (2010) 1,334 copies
Double Dexter: A Novel (1994) 870 copies
Dexter's Final Cut: A Novel (2013) 553 copies
Dexter is Dead (2015) 400 copies
Just Watch Me: A Novel (2019) 154 copies
Dexter: An Omnibus (2008) 127 copies
Tropical Depression (1994) 46 copies
Fool Me Twice: A Novel (2020) 46 copies
Dexter [Graphic Novel] (2013) 38 copies

Associated Works

No Rest for the Dead: A Serial Novel (2011) — Contributor — 404 copies

Tagged

2011 (62) audio (75) audiobook (90) crime (691) crime fiction (192) dark humor (110) detective (87) Dexter (531) Dexter Morgan (108) Dexter series (86) ebook (232) fiction (1,533) Florida (170) forensic scientists (58) forensics (197) horror (374) humor (159) jeff lindsay (71) Kindle (100) library (58) Miami (328) murder (312) mystery (989) novel (91) own (65) police (126) psychological (63) read (266) serial killer (624) serial killers (320) Serial murderers (57) series (297) sociopath (60) suspense (281) television (100) thriller (696) to-read (946) TV series (64) unread (93) vigilante (128)

Common Knowledge

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Reviews

 
Flagged
BooksInMirror | 106 other reviews | Feb 19, 2024 |
In this rare case, the TV show is better than the book.
 
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devilhoo | 270 other reviews | Jan 3, 2024 |
I've begun to ask myself why I keep reading these. The first novel was really good. The second was entertaining. Then came the third novel... we'll just forget about that one it was so odd. No I mean it was ODD.

Obviously this is the fourth novel and as the description mentions Dexter is now married and has two lovely step-children. (I'll let you find out why he adores them so on your own) He returns from his honeymoon - complete with observations about Paris done in Dark Deadly Dexter style. We re-encounter most of the repeat characters, and eventually a plot makes itself known. It should have stayed away.. found another novel perhaps.. better yet beat the author about the ears until it was viable and ready to spring upon the readers.

I think - in the interest of character development perhaps? - Dexter tosses aside the "Rule of Harry" yet again and goes off and gets himself into trouble.. again. (seriously at this rate he'll be arrested by the third chapter of the next book.. no one could be that blind) While a worthwhile antagonist is welcome.. (oh please can we have that story. it'd be SUCH fun) the "opponent" in this book doesn't appear to be the adversary who Dexter was cut out to sharpen his skills against. He's also displaying emotions - despite all his comments to the contrary.

Then there is sister Debbie. While it might intended to be an illustrator of his inability to understand emotion, her behavior and treatment of him (and everyone else) has gone utterly over the top. I didn't pick up that his childhood once he joined the Morgan's was abusive - quite the contrary, it has been portrayed as a loving family situation. He also has indicated emotional bond to all his acknowledged family. Deb is not only extremely rude, she's abusive -- emotionally, mentally manipulative, and lightly on the physical side which includes hitting him (although that is always stated as a punch in the arm although he will avoid it because she repeats the action a few times each episode). Even without the ability to experience emotion that he goes on about this is more than obvious. Sometime in book two I began to ask why she hadn't been reprimanded and counseling introduced. By this book I'm asking wtf she hasn't been fired. Aside from the family dynamics I'd have told her where to get off the bus a while back. If her character seemed to be leading to a point I might not be as strident in my opinion, however her sole purpose seems to be to drag Dexter into a case, prove she's utterly unable to do her job - or be a human being, abuse everyone around her while acting as if it is everyone-else's fault, and not least end up in a life threatening situation that puts Dexter and the rest of those closest to her in imminent (and eminent) danger.

That there isn't much development of characters doesn't help. If Lindsey is headed where I think he is going with Dexter & Co. that would greatly help these books and he doesn't need a great deal of exposition to accomplish it.

I've now finished this and the very last line made me laugh - possibly the only real enjoyment of the whole book. I have the last novel and have begun it but unless something drastically changes I probably will not finish it. Oh and if your interested... the beginning for Dexter is interesting, the first word from Deb enough to make me stop reading.
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Flagged
Kiri | 69 other reviews | Dec 24, 2023 |
Jeff Lindsay has created some great lead characters in his books. I devoured the Dexter series, but somehow missed the Riley Wolfe series. I've since caught up with the latest entry - The Fourth Rule. This is a series, but can absolutely be read as a stand alone.

Like Dexter, our lead character Riley lives on the other side of the law - as a thief. But not any old thief. Sometimes its just to see if he can steal the unstealable. And sometimes it's a paid job. The word heist comes to mind and I truly adore heist books and films.

The Fourth Rule is told in first person. The reader feels like Riley is recounting a tale to us and we're privy to all the details.

One of those details are the self made rules that Riley operates under. Number four? "Even if you're the best there is, watch your back. Because somebody better is coming." Riley has an ego, but it's been earned. But - for how much longer?

Lindsay has a great (and devious) imagination when it comes the heists. I love the details that surround the thefts and the sheer audacity of the attempts. Oh, his disguises as well. Improbable? That's the fun of heist tales - to do what they say can't be done.

I'm going to leave things there as I don't want to provide spoilers. The Fourth Rule was inventive, lots of fun and made for easy, addictive reading. And a great last chapter that hints at the future. Maybe...
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Flagged
Twink | Dec 7, 2023 |

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