Darkly Dreaming Dexter--Jeff Lindsay

I must confess, there's a new man in my life...and he goes by the name of Dexter. For those of you who don't know, there's a show by the same name on Showtime. It is riveting and yes, I'm sure my school-girl crush on Michael C. Hall adds to my overall interest in the show. I've been watching it for a few seasons now, and I figured it was about time to read the series it's based on.
The main character, Dexter Morgan, works for the Miami Police Department as a blood spatter analyst. His fascination with blood extends far beyond forensics; Dexter himself is a killer. But Dexter doesn't go killing all willy-nilly; he only kills those he knows have killed others. Think of him as a sociopathic vigilante, cleaning up what the law failed to. Dexter was adopted at the age of three after he was discovered at the site where his mother was murdered--sitting in her blood for over two days. He carried immense pain where his mother was concerned and felt it necessary to avenge her death. Dexter lived by a certain code--one taught to him by his foster father (and respected cop), Harry Morgan. Dexter showed signs early on, so Harry constructed a set of rules for Dexter to follow. "He taught me to be careful as only a cop could teach a killer."
Dexter was also taught to fake his emotions; whatever he actually felt, he was to act exactly the opposite. Dexter learned to imitate life. You get a true understanding of what a sociopath is--Dexter struggles to feel ANY emotion. That said, he sometimes came off like a foreign exchange student, attempting to find the appropriate phrase: "Ah, it's what you call...um...being in a committed relationship?" Like, he kills people as a hobby--I think he can manage to string a sentence together.
It's interesting to read how Dexter copes with his urges. He refers to these urges as his "dark passenger." He must please his companion by killing others or else it will keep nagging him.
With all of this said, you think I would be running to the library to get my hands on the next books in the series...not so much. While Lindsay had all of the elements, he failed to create any real sense of excitement or suspense. He even managed to turn Dexter into a somewhat cheesy character. At one point, Dexter actually says "au contraire." Ick. This is one of the rare occasions that I'm going to recommend the on-screen version; the show gives you all of the "page-turning" excitement Lindsay couldn't deliver. Seriously, sign up for a trial period of Showtime and give "Dexter" a chance. He's a serial killer you won't spending time with...