Dexter - Differences between the book and the TV show

I decided (as I mentioned previously), to take a dip into the original books after enjoying the TV series so much, and guess what? They are *rather* different (same basic storyline, but the TV show adds a lot more depth to the sub-characters)...

Hmm, now can I do this without any serious spoilers...?

Right at the start of the book Dexter himself introduces the reader to his "Dark Passenger" - when he is comitting murder he tends to refer to himself as "We" and "Us" (even when speaking out loud) - it isn't until season 2 of the TV show that this dual personality is in any way acknowledged and even so he always refers to himself as "I"...

Dexter's 'methods' vary, following a "searching for some hidden truth" theme, like by using his knife (in one example) he can literally find tangible answers hiding under the skin, it's just a matter of discovering the correct method...oh and he always wears a mask...

Dexter uses the word "important" a lot in the book, for example "the body was completely drained of blood, this was important" or "the girls were all fair haired, this was important" without a lot of further explaination, as if the reader were just supposed to understand (which is quite haunting and powerful)...not a mention of the word on TV, but I think I can understand the need for them to make him a more 'friendly' person...

The book is all from Dexter's point of view, a little like you are taking a ride along with him (sat quietly next to the aforementioned passenger), the TV series explores all sorts of different characters point of view (expanding many of them considerably into side-plots)...

Deborah in the book is suspicious of Dexter right from the start - saying things like "How do you *know* that?", prompting Dexter to carefully insert little mistakes into his predictions of what killers might be thinking...it doesn't work though (and without going into details) from the conclusion of the first book, she discovers that her brother is a serial killer (which is going to make things interesting!), in the TV show she is still none-the-wiser as of the season two finale...

Rita’s abusive ex-husband Paul doesn't exist, or isn't mentioned anyway...(much simplifying the girlfriend situation)...

Angel is referred to as "Angel (no relation)" and we don't hear much about him, and even less about his ex-wife (nothing in fact)...

Dexter doesn't have a real 'buddy' at the station (sorry Masuka)...the Dexter in the book actually rather dislikes him...

It's not the "Ice Truck Killer" it's the "Tamiami Butcher" (smacks a bit of dumbing down, I think I could have been introduced to the area with a nice panning shot of a "Welcome to Tamiami" sign)...

Camilla Figg is much younger and infatuated with Dexter (working nearby in the lab) rather than a filing clerk and mother figure who worked with Dexter's father (back in the day)...

Oh and one of the main characters is murdered...but I'll let you find out who, where, how and why... ;)

I have also learned that the second book ("Dearly Devoted Dexter") has virtually nothing to do with the TV show (yes!)...the first one did actually follow the same story arc, only the end being *considerably* different (but I won't ruin it)...so that means I have some nice fresh Dexter fiction to chew on while I wait for September...excellent... ;)