Red Dragon (Paperback, Thomas Harris)

Red Dragon begins Thomas Harris’ horrific tale of Dr. Hannibal Lecter, Hannibal the Cannibal.

Summary of the Book

When a serial killer called “The Tooth Fairy” stalks and murders apparently random families in about two months, the FBI sets off on his trail. The agent in charge of the case calls on his protégé to help him. Will Graham is a brilliant profiler who gained fame for capturing a notorious cannibalistic serial killer three years ago. The case drove him to retirement, and the last thing he wants is to meet yet another madman with a vendetta against mankind. However, he returns to service one last time to help his friend on this case. He soon realizes that to find the killer, he will have to make a deal with the very killer he helped put away. That is not going to be a simple deal, for the man is none other than the genius cannibal, Dr. Hannibal Lecter.

About Thomas Harris

Thomas Harris is an American writer and screenwriter who is best associated with his Hannibal Lecter series of novels.

The above title has been adapted into two films, the first was entitled Manhunter and starred William Petersen and Brian Cox. The second film was named after the novel and starred Anthony Hopkins who reprised his role from the Academy Award-winning movie, The Silence of the Lambs.

Series Reading Order

Red Dragon is the first novel in the Hannibal Lecter series. Hannibal’s story continues in The Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal. Hannibal Rising is the prequel novel which depicts Lecter’s childhood and the beginnings of his cannibalistic desires.