A Dirty Job

By: Christopher Moore

Narrated by: Fisher Stevens

Length: 11 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

Charlie Asher is a pretty normal guy. A little hapless, somewhat neurotic, sort of a hypochondriac. He's what's known as a Beta Male: the kind of fellow who makes his way through life by being careful and constant, you know, the one who's always there to pick up the pieces when the girl gets dumped by the bigger/taller/stronger Alpha Male.

But Charlie's been lucky. He owns a building in the heart of San Francisco, and runs a secondhand store with the help of a couple of loyal, if marginally insane, employees. He's married to a bright and pretty woman who actually loves him for his normalcy. And she, Rachel, is about to have their first child.

Yes, Charlie's doing okay for a Beta. That is, until the day his daughter, Sophie, is born. Just as Charlie, exhausted from the birth, turns to go home, he sees a strange man in mint-green golf wear at Rachel's hospital bedside, a man who claims that no one should be able to see him. But see him Charlie does, and from here on out, things get really weird.

People start dropping dead around him, giant ravens perch on his building, and it seems that everywhere he goes, a dark presence whispers to him from under the streets. Strange names start appearing on his nightstand notepad, and before he knows it, those people end up dead, too. Yup, it seems that Charlie Asher has been recruited for a new job, an unpleasant but utterly necessary one: Death. It's a dirty job. But hey, somebody's gotta do it.

©2006 Christopher Moore (P)2006 HarperCollinsPublishers

Critic reviews

• 2006 Quill Award Nominee

"Moore's enthusiasm and skill make it convincing, and his affection for the cast of weirdos gives the book an unexpected poignancy." (Publishers Weekly)

Fun

A funny and entertaining book. I honestly enjoyed it and am looking forward to reading the next one

I'm a fan

I loved it, but I am a big fan of Moore, so I'm biased! The story is his usual mix of fun, crazy, commentary and fantasy creatures with humor all around.. I wish he would write more!

Very interesting

Not really my kind of book but the performance was great and it held my attention. Great ending

Great performance for a really good story.

I listened to many audio books lately. Good ones and bad ones, but this book is the first one that made me feel like I had to write a review and recommendation. Perfect blend of fun, humor , action , horror and darkness. Loved it from the first minute to the last. And the performance is hilarious! A must.

Great

Great, well read, funny. Definitely not for kids.

Couldn't stop listening!

All I can say is... this book has been in my home and on my playlist for a long time. It was SO good. I wish I hadn't delayed it for so long. Don't be like me. Listen to it NOW!

silly, but exactly what I needed

2nd book I have done by Christopher Moore.
I like his off the wall ideas/stories now.
it's nice to read something more light hearted and fun on occasion.
Yes involves death, but how can that be fun and light hearted? well it can when you essentially have a reaper side job, extremely odd characters, and visual oddities. A tall black man in a minty green silk suit, devil dogs, that poop like bears. Big like bears. Read the story, good like bears. No bears. Just like bears. :)

Wouldn't It Be Funny If....

Amateur humor. The author is trying too hard to make funny in places it doesn't belong.

Side Splitting Hilarity

Real comedy comes from creating characters who are inherently quirky and putting them in hilarious situations. The funniest book I’ve heard or read in ages. I’m a fan forever!!

Lots of fun

Humor like Carl Hiassen. Story did not seem as tight or as well written as Hiassen, but very entertaining. Excellent reader.