When you think of your favorite Serial Killer, no one is as cute as our friendly neighborhood forensics expert, Dexter Morgan. Working for Miami's local Police Department, he aids the crime solvers to perpetuate their track record of missing their suspects...by taking a stab at them first! With the disappointment of the Season Finale, during its glorious time airing in Showtime, back in 2013, a book comparison was in demand. But alas, you'll be disappointed before you reach volume two.

The cheery score of the series played so well with your imagination, as you find Dexter taking blood samples from his victims, and slicing them into pieces - with a smile, saving a glass tray with their name on it. It's spine tingling, it's exciting, and the cynicism tickles your black heart, topped with the dark humor of death, seafood, and of course, Cuban musica! It was fun, who could resist?


Opening page one,  the book throws you into Dexter's numerous monologues. You get to feel the cry of each victim, as he introduces you to his "playmates" - severing their arteries, draining their blood, and meditating in "Harry's Way" - a philosophy Dexter can't help repeating, as you continue reading. It's like Batman's trauma all over again: fighting the bad guy because of that "something" that keeps him up at night, unable to help himself until the nightmare is quenched. It would be exhausting, if the read wasn't so easy. Yes, it's easy. Nothing complex with the writing style here, a nine year old could enjoy these novels in one afternoon. But, that's not to say that it wasn't worth the read.

Although, the TV series does keep you engaged. Unlike the novels, you get to peek at Dexter's coworkers - their complexes, their struggles, and the reason why they keep their "masks" on. It feels like humanity was swimming too honestly in this little city in Florida, and we never knew it. The sympathy gets so cheesy that you can't help but fall in love with the people of Miami.

The beauty of the show is that all the objects the book speaks so well of are brought to life. As simple as a Barbie action figure - decapitated and broken into pieces - sitting neatly in Dexter's fridge, or a severed head thrown into the windshield of his car, or even the photo scene manifested in full color can be. One can't help but love the ride throughout each episode. If you were ever a fan of the novels, then the show has given the fans the extended version of what we miss about Dexter and his world of serial kills.

More people die in the book, to be blunt. And where the book could've thrived in using character development, Showtime milked it. Romance could've been in the air, but Jeff Lindsay said no. Revealing the suspect was more important to the Author than meditating on the people in the story. He killed Dexter faster than the show! Improving the manuscript through a screenplay must have been fun. But if you were already disappointed with the show, then you'll have to excuse the novel series from your reading list, unless you're up for a ticket to snoozeville.