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)

Good pick

Can’t go wrong with this one whether using a credit or buying its a good pick. It’s funny, interesting and the characters are likeable. Well done Mr Moore.

dirty job

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Christopher Moore does it again!! by far one of the best out there today. always good for a laugh

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Dirty Job?

the hell hounds

Have you listened to any of Fisher Stevens’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

n/a

If you could take any character from A Dirty Job out to dinner, who would it be and why?

the baby of course and have her point and say.......

great book great narrator!!!

fantastic story and the narrator is spectacular. it was riveting and outstanding. I can't wait to listen to the next in this series.

Fast-paced insightful sillyness

Rarely does a book make me laugh out loud in an abrupt, embarassing, bark-like manner but this one did repeatedly and I was glad I was alone when it did. Steven's brisk, upbeat, earnest narration suits Moore's story brilliantly - kudos to both of them.

Entertaining and Unique

This novel is a very entertaining and unique piece. The narrator was absolutely fantastic. He was able to bring the story to life with vocal renditions of each character in the story. I fell in love with each character that Moore brought to life. I finished this is 2 days

lots of fun

If you like christopher Moore, you will like this one. I have read all of his work so far, and this one made my laugh more then most. Well worth the money. The narrator did a great job as well, no complaints there.

Laughed so hard I cried

So, I’m really glad I didn’t read any reviews before I listened to this book. Haters gonna hate. I listen to so many books I’ve gotten good at giving my non-fiction-reading husband (I know, I know) a 2 minute synopsis. That is not possible with this book. The best I can do is this: Cross a grown up D&D nerd with a comic book junkie, who has a sense of humor like a 21 year old computer nut. Ask him to write a book. Give him reference books on ancient cultures and mythology, plus a love for San Francisco, and suggest he use every stereotype character he knows. If that sounds fun to you, you’ll love this book. If not, go read something else. Personally, I laughed until I cried. This is funny like Richard Pryor is funny.

Very Entertaining

Interesting characters, tongue in cheek dialogue and wonderful nuances. Lots of fun and made the hours of driving go by very quickly.

I adore this! I have a crush on Charlie!

I must warn you, after this novel you will look at things in second hand stores differently! I still stare at this little vase I bought and wonder... is that it... If you have not read this I will not tell you what I am wondering but you will understand after.

I have a total crush on Charlie Asher! I have read this and listened to it and when I was in San Francisco I insisted on going to China Town so I could imagine him running around there.

I love Christopher Moore! I love his humor, I love his characters, I love that I laugh out loud and people stare at me. He is such a gem.

Fisher is Charlie Asher. If they ever made this into a movie, I would be so angry if Charlie is not Fisher Stephens! He gives so much to his voice and you truly feel like you know him!

Everyone should hear or read this novel! You should also meet Minty Fresh!

A Total Riot!

Fisher Stevens is the absolutely perfect performer for this. I knew him only as a bad-guy actor.

I'm not normally a comedy novel kind of person, but this was a most enjoyable book to listen to; very strange and very funny. Really impressive.