Red Dragon

About Red Dragon

Red Dragon is a mystery thriller novel written by Thomas Harris featuring the brilliant psychiatrist and serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter. It was originally published in 1981, but found a new audience in the early 1990s after the success of its sequel, The Silence of the Lambs. The title refers to a painting by William Blake, "The Great Red Dragon and the Woman Clothed with the Sun" (though Harris describes the similar painting, "The Great Red Dragon and the Woman Clothed in Sun"). It was adapted in 1986, as the critically well-received but unpopular Michael Mann film, Manhunter, which has since gained cult status. After the success of the sequel The Silence of the Lambs, in which Anthony Hopkins won an Oscar for the Lecter role, Red Dragon was made again as Brett Ratner's Red Dragon. Anthony Hopkins reprised as Dr. Lecter.

Red Dragon is the second book in the Lecter saga. It was written first, but comes second in chronological order; Hannibal Rising documents Hannibal Lecter's life before Red Dragon. While this is the first novel to feature Lecter, the book places its central focus on the characters of Will Graham and Francis Dolarhyde.

Will Graham is called out of retirement by the FBI to help track down a serial killer known to law enforcement agencies and the press only as "The Tooth Fairy," who has murdered two families. Graham retired after being nearly killed by the serial killer Hannibal Lecter, who was subsequently captured in the process. Graham turns to Lecter for help in tracking down The Tooth Fairy. However, Graham discovers that Lecter is manipulating not only him but also the man he is hunting.