Dexter by Design

June 29, 2009
Lindsay doesn't always maintain the balance between farce and something more serious in his fourth thriller to feature Dexter Morgan (after Dexter in the Dark
). As fans of the hit Showtime TV series know, Dexter is a blood-splatter analyst for the Miami PD as well as a serial killer who targets killers who've evaded justice. When two eviscerated corpses turn up on a beach, Dexter investigates, as does his sister, Deborah, a sergeant with his department, who suffers serious injury after she's stabbed by a suspect, Alex Doncevic. Convinced Deborah's assailant is the person also responsible for the bodies on the beach, Dexter eliminates Doncevic, only to find that he's taken an innocent life. To Dexter's further dismay, someone begins posting videos of Doncevic's murder on YouTube. While the darkly witty Lindsay deserves credit for continuing to make imaginative use of his original concept, a contrived resolution disappoints.

Those acquainted with Showtime's hit series "Dexter," about the Miami Police blood spatter analyst by day, vigilante serial killer by night, will be thrilled by Lindsay's latest installment. Upon returning from his honeymoon in Paris, Dexter's iconic character continues to struggle with his "Dark Passenger," the driving force behind his bloody deeds. Landrum excels in depicting Dexter's macabre persona--every utterance is dripping with impeccable irony and self-ridicule. His tone as Dexter is menacing, not flat, although Dexter describes himself as having no soul. Lindsay's sharp wit and character repartee are also suited to Landrum's measured pace and modulated intensity. As the suspense of Dexter's latest case builds and he faces a shock from his personal demon, even more horrors await at home. A.W. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine