BookBingeDexter Books in Order
The short answer
Jeff Lindsay · 8 books
- How many books?
- There are 8 books in the Dexter series, published 2004–2015.
- Is it finished?
- Yes — the series is complete; it ends with Dexter is Dead (2015).
- Where to start
- Start with Darkly Dreaming Dexter (2004).
About 2,600 pages — roughly 40 hours of reading
A blood-spatter analyst by day and vigilante serial killer by night navigates Miami's underworld while hiding a very dark secret.
Here is the complete Dexter reading order — all 8 books by Jeff Lindsay, in the order you should read them:
Reading order
- Darkly Dreaming DexterA Miami blood-spatter analyst who secretly moonlights as a vigilante killer is drawn into hunting a murderer whose methods feel eerily familiar.2004304 pages
- Dearly Devoted DexterDexter faces a rival killer whose gruesome methods threaten to expose the careful double life he has built for himself.2005310 pages
- Dexter in the DarkA disturbing, cult-like murder case shakes Dexter's sense of identity and forces him to confront the dark presence guiding his urges.2007320 pages
- Dexter by DesignFreshly returned from his honeymoon, Dexter tracks a killer staging artfully gruesome crime scenes across Miami.2009336 pages
- Dexter is DeliciousNew fatherhood upends Dexter's carefully ordered life just as he stumbles onto a disturbing case involving cannibalism.2010350 pages
- Double DexterAfter being spotted mid-kill by a stranger, Dexter must track down the witness before his secret life unravels.2011337 pages
- Dexter's Final CutA true-crime TV crew filming alongside Miami police puts Dexter uncomfortably in the spotlight while a killer starts targeting the cast.2013368 pages
- Dexter is DeadWith his double life finally exposed, Dexter must fight to protect his family and his freedom in the series' final chapter.2015304 pages
Good news: for this series, reading order and publication order are the same — just read straight down the list.
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Get BookBingeFrequently asked questions
How many Dexter books are there?
There are 8 books in the Dexter series by Jeff Lindsay, from Darkly Dreaming Dexter (2004) to Dexter is Dead (2015). Together they run to about 2,600 pages.
Is the Dexter series finished?
Yes. Jeff Lindsay completed the series with Dexter is Dead in 2015; all 8 books are out now.
What is the first Dexter book?
Darkly Dreaming Dexter (2004) is book one, at 304 pages. A Miami blood-spatter analyst who secretly moonlights as a vigilante killer is drawn into hunting a murderer whose methods feel eerily familiar.
Should I read the Dexter series in publication order?
Yes. For the Dexter series, reading order and publication order are the same — Darkly Dreaming Dexter (2004) through Dexter is Dead (2015).
How long does it take to read all Dexter books?
About 2,600 pages across 8 books — roughly 40 hours at a page a minute. The longest is Dexter's Final Cut (368 pages); the shortest is Darkly Dreaming Dexter (304 pages).