'Dexter is Delicious' is the fifth book in the series featuring the serial killer who preys only on other serial killers. It's also the basis for a TV series on a channel I am too poor to subscribe to.
The character Dexter is kind of like a thought experiment, in my opinion. What would happen if a child doomed to be a serial killer is raised by a law-and-order type--- in this case, cop Harry Morgan--- who tries to shape the budding maniac in a more socially responsible direction?
In this book we start off in a hospital nursery, with Dexter looking admiringly at his perfect newborn daughter, Lily Anne. He is so happy at the birth of his child that he feels he can put away his killing tools for good.
But Dexter's paternity leave is interrupted by a call from his foster sister, police sergeant Debbie Morgan, who urgently requires his presence at the bloody scene of a teen girl's kidnapping. Later a body is discovered with evidence of bite marks on the bones, and Dexter and Debs realize the killers they are after are cannibals.
In the middle of the mayhem, Dexter realizes he's being followed, and for some reason he's relieved to find out that his stalker is his biological brother Brian, a much less polite serial killer than Dexter is. But this time Brian is not there to murder Dexter's loved ones, but to win the affections of Dexter's wife Rita and his step-kids Astor and Cody. (You do not want to know how Brian wins the affections of Dexter's damaged and homicidal step-kids. Let's just say it involves a stray dog...)
There is also the moment when Dexter's nemesis, Sgt. Doakes--- or actually, as Dexter points out, 2/3rds of Sgt. Doakes who lost important bits of himself in a previous book--- investigates a bag of Lily Anne's dirty diapers.
As the book continues, Dexter's life is threatened by the cannibals, which doesn't stop Debs from drafting Dexter into a mission to catch the cannibal leader at an abandoned amusement park. In spite of the title, no one in the book gets to find out for sure whether Dexter is in fact delicious or not.
But Dexter's interlude of cannibal captivity does manage to re-awaken Dexter's inner monster, which is actually a good thing since I want this book to have a sequel. And Dexter manages to find the perfect present for his sister Debs....
One of the delights of the Dexter series for me is that it is written in the first person, from Dexter's point of view. He is able to reveal his often selfish thoughts, and he describes himself as a monster. But he's a monster constantly being maneuvered into being a good guy--- usually against his will, often under threat of his sister's infamous vicious arm punches. Almost makes you see a divine plan in Dexter's life....
. On the right side of the screen where it says 'Kindle Edition', there is a button which says 'Read the First Chapter Free'. Press the button. (You don't need to own a Kindle for this to work.) You will be able to read the first chapter and a few pages of the second. Then you can decide for yourself if you want to finish reading the book. I know when I did the challenge I was very tempted to order the book on the spot, if only it wouldn't mean doing without food (and cat food) for a bit.....
and you will be able to read the first chapter of that book for free.
