Jeff Lindsay Books In Order

Publication Order of Dexter Books

Publication Order of Dexter Down Under Books

Publication Order of Billy Knight Books

Publication Order of Riley Wolfe Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Dexter : A Graphic Novel Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

About Jeff Lindsay:

Whoever has not heard of the famous series available in Showtime about a serial killer named Dexter is not in this planet. The incredible collection of books is conceptualized and written by Jeff Lindsay who is Jeffry P. Freundlich in real life.

Born in Miami last July 14, 1952, Jeff Lindsay has his life mapped out as an amateur Mormon apologist with engineering as his career. He finished college at Middlebury College in Vermont and would have happily gone through his peaceful and uncomplicated life. But words kept on beckoning him until he can no longer ignore the clamor and caved in to the need to put his ideas on paper. He started with partnering with different writers primarily his wife to get himself acclimated to the world of publishing until he developed such an incredible thirst and passion for writing about complicated crimes that he needed to do it by himself.

Keep it in the Family

Lindsay’s wife Hilary Hemingway is the niece of author and Nobel Prize winner Ernest Hemingway. She collaborated with Lindsay on his earlier books and is an author with her own impressive works.

What Triggered it All

Darkly Dreaming Dexter, which is what started it all, was nominated for Best First Novel Category in the Mystery Writers of America’s Edgar Awards. It was however removed from the nomination when the judges found out that it was not in fact his first novel and that he has published other written works under his pen name, Jeffry P. Lindsay.

The Tale of Dexter’s Life

Darkly Dreaming Dexter is the initial story in the series and is about a man named Dexter Morgan. He appears to be a typical and attractive man who can be very pleasant. But underneath the veneer of politeness that he shows the world is a very dark secret, one that compels him to kill. This character is defined by a past so dark and damaging that in his mind, crime is justified and he is beyond the rules for normal society. The saving grace is akin to Robinhood’s principle of thieving, Dexter only kills bad people. This trait endears him to his followers and provides a kind of salvation to his sins. Lindsay partnered this amazing and provoking characterization with a perfect job for the hero and villain in one. Being an expert in blood splatter and working for the police department of Miami gives Dexter ample opportunity to feed his obsession. He has access to records, victims and the perpetrators.

On the sequel titled Dearly Devoted Dexter, a character that combats Dexter is introduced in a police sergeant who has suspicions that Dexter is not as he appears to be. He tries his utmost to outwit the sergeant by playing the devoted boyfriend role to the hilt. Spending every bit of his free time with his girlfriend and her kids may have given his nemesis second thoughts on his true personality but Dexter doubts if he can keep it up for long or if his craving to kill will eventually overcome his desire for safety.

This story caters to the macabre nature in the readers.

Evil is part of his daily life and as an investigator of gruesome crime scenes, Dexter can identify with the perpetrators of the crime though he sees himself more in the light of an avenger. This is because the voice that whispers in his ear to kill also tells him that he has a good reason to do so since he only kills wicked people. In the third story titled Dexter in the Dark, a sinister character combats for notoriety and provided Dexter with more questions than answers. Will he be able to differentiate between the killer’s deliberate and mean killing versus his need to even the score for the victims?

In an effort to establish normalcy in his otherwise chaotic life, Dexter got married and tries to settle to a somewhat typical family life. He believed for a while that the demons inside him were asleep if not dead. But the temptation to foray into killing is again prompted by his need to punish the criminal and take justice into his own hands. In the fourth book Dexter by Design, he is dealing with a brutal and scheming villain who took the time to display his victim in a public Miami Beach. This criminal may be devious but Dexter has a few tricks up his own sleeve.

Happy days began when Dexter had a daughter who seems to have flashed a light in the dark recesses of his soul and gotten rid of the thirst for death. Being a serial killer did not exactly prepare him for changing diapers in the middle of the night and lullabies to help his daughter sleep. Nor did it give him an idea that her thousand watt smile can melt even the frozen regions of his heart. But then, a new and strange case crossed his path and awakens the old urges. In Dexter Is Delicious, there is a surplus of supernatural as vampires and cannibals came into play. Dexter encounters the threat not only in his job but also with the most precious people in his life, his loving family.

Accomplishment through Dedication and Hard Work

Lindsay is currently living in Cape Coral, Florida with his family. He is able to write at least one book a year by waking up daily at 3AM and writing continuously until lunch time. He then takes a short break then resumes writing after lunch. This is a grueling schedule that not all writers can adhere to but Lindsay says it keeps him focused on the job. He aims to finish at least five pages per day to be able to count the day as a productive one. He also narrates for his audio books since it is more logical for him to do it as he is not just familiar with the story but has it committed to his heart.
Another project for Lindsay is for Marvel comics which is a comic book version of his Dexter series.

“Nothing in life is fair. Fair is a dirty word and I’ll thank you not to use that language around me”

One Response to “Jeff Lindsay”

1. Ellen Anderson: 2 years ago

   I really enjoyed your television series, but only recently began reading Dexter books. They are wonderful, thank you for sharing your great imagination with us. As anside, my maiden name is Ellen Lindsay. I know you are not a real Lindsay but it is fun to know you picked that Irish name. Thank you for these interesting books. Ellen Lindsay Anderson

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