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)

LOVE LOVE LOVED IT!

Its funny, witty and never dull! Well worth a credit! I bought on a whim looking for something new and I am thrilled I did!

Oddball story that you'll enjoy

This book won't be like the others you listen to! I found it amusing, intriguing and always unexpected. I listened to it every day wondering what would happen next. Just when I thought it was going hopelessly zany, the author pulled it together...very much like the nutsy characters that appear in the story. This is one to enjoy.

Wouldn't have enjoyed near as much without the humor

This was recommended by a friend. Interesting storyline and a lot a nice twists, but was a little too predictable in places. Enjoyed the humor the most. Definitely could have done without the corny music between chapters, it was plain jolting.

Huckleberry Finn Effect

Good book, good story, but I could tell the author got to the "oh boy, I'd better figure out a way to end this book," and did it in a way that, to me, was unsatisfactory and anticlimactic. But it was quite funny.

Bizarre and fun

I listened to this book a while ago and it still sticks with me. As usual the author comes up with some wild characters and throws them into strange situations. If you want to have fun then worth your time.

Completely entertaining.

The narrator is fantastic on this book. I don't know that I would want to listen to it with anybody else performing. The story is delightful. My husband and I listen to it together, and it was like seeing a great comedy at the movies. It was thoroughly enjoyable! One of the strangest books I've ever "read".

Dark humor..

Most humor these days is crass without class but not this novel. You'll need to be able to laugh at life, but if you can you'll be laughing driving down the highways as I was. Enjoyed it immensely, looking for others now by the same author

pleasant surprise

this book was a very nice surprise. Had not heard of the author before. The book had a some wicked humor and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I lingered anywhere just to listen.

This book was really great.. I listened to this book again just because I thought it was so funny. The characters and dialogue were amazing. I also found it unique and enlightening. Good Times.. It is a nice break from the serious book I typically read.

Addicting

Imaginative, fast paced, a bit racey for my taste. Takes place in the Bay Area with fantastic characters.