Pest Control

By: Bill Fitzhugh

Narrated by: Colby Elliott

Bob Dillon is a down-on-his-luck exterminator from Queens who just wants to make a killing with his radical new environmentally friendly pest elimination technique, involving his hybrid assassin bugs (a very real group of insects). But when Bob decides to advertise, his flyer falls into the hands of a European murder-for-hire broker who mistakes Bob for a professional assassin. Before he knows it, Bob's "competition" targets him for extermination, sending him running for his life from a motley collection of the world's deadliest and most outrageously eccentric contract killers.

©1997 HarperCollins (P)2010 Last Word Audio

Critic reviews

"[An] hilarious comic thriller... offbeat, engaging, and very funny reading." ( Washington Post)

" Pest Control is an eccentrically comic take on the high-tech thriller...[it is a] strange and funny...curiously appealing little novel of intrigue." (NPR's All Things Considered)

"Fitzhugh does for New York what Carl Hiaasen did for Miami." ( The Times London)

a lot of fun

Story reminds me of the man who knew too little since involves a regular guy mistaken as a bad ass. Its a funny story, with unique characters, and action. It would make a great movie. I enjoyed the story.

Very fun

Would you listen to Pest Control again? Why?

Entirely believable characters caught in crazy mix of situation and misunderstanding. A lot of fun!

What did you like best about this story?

Characters are so believable.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

It would have to be bug related and that is why they pay those writers the big bucks.

Any additional comments?

Hysterical

A Fun, Laugh Out Loud, Listen

I'm a Christopher Buckley fan, Boomsday, Supreme Courtship and That's No Way to Treat a First Lady are my favorites. Bill Fitzhugh was suggested so I took a chance...and fell in love. Witty, and snarky, with characters that you care about. Pest Control just ended and I'm starting the Exterminators. Binge listening weekend!

A story that took me in a journey I didn’t expect. Thoroughly enjoyed the adventure. Glisten to this book for some good laughs

A story that took me on a journey I didn’t expect. Thoroughly enjoyed the adventure. Listen to this book for some good laughs!

LOVED IT!

This was a really refershing read. It was fun, easy to follow and pick back up and it wasn't predictable. The characters were likable and believable. I was very pleased and definitely recommend it. I'll read more form this author. Two thumbs up.

Cute

This was very enjoyable, but it could have been better with another narrator. the delivery was dry and rat-a-tat.

Madcap Ety/Entomological Romp

What did you love best about Pest Control?

It struck me as a cross between Shakespeare's "Comedy of Errors" and Abbott and Costello's classic comedy routine "Who's on First?" I loved the cross talk and misunderstandings that led to Bob unwittingly becoming enmeshed in the shadowy world of contract killing! I really enjoyed the author's playful use of language and exploration of other languages and their interesting idioms.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I naturally identified with the protagonist, Bob, whose thoughts and actions make up the bulk of the book, but for reasons outlined below, I may have to go with Claus as my favorite character.

What does Colby Elliott bring to the story that you wouldn???t experience if you just read the book?

His diction (in terms of accent, inflection, intonation, speech-sound quality, enunciation) is impeccable. The emotional timbre he brought to the reading rang true and enhanced my appreciation of the story. May he receive many more opportunities to audibly bring to life books for audio-bookophiles like me.

Who was the most memorable character of Pest Control and why?

They were all very colorful and therefore memorable, but I think Claus, the contract killer with a strict moral code, who retired as a simple exterminator of pesky bugs, who is looking for love but hates singles mixers, will always be emblematic of this book to me.

Any additional comments?

Enjoyed the story.

James Bond meets Bates Pest Control!!

Where does Pest Control rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the best audio books we've read so far.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Bob Dillon because of the obvious comparisons with the sinnger/song writer Bob Dylan.

What does Colby Elliott bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He brings the personalities to life.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Definetly.

Any additional comments?

This book is loads of fun. Bugs plus spys equal fun!!!

A Dylan Fan; A Dillon Fan

What did you love best about Pest Control?

The tongue-in-cheek use of Bob Dylan song titles and lyrics, along with a zany improbable, but then again, quite possible case of mistaken identity taken to the extreme.

What other book might you compare Pest Control to and why?

The Bernie Rhodenbarr collection of detective tales. Because the authors of such books most likely construe the dialogue between characters, by recording intoxicated conversations in their local bar.

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

No. I, however, will listen to the follow-on episode and sample another of his works.

Who was the most memorable character of Pest Control and why?

Bob Dillon.

Any additional comments?

I'm surprised that the film has not sen the light of day yet. I can imagine Harrison Ford in the role of Bob Dillon and Dylan's music fading in and out, especially during the action scenes. Offer Bob Dylan a role in the barroom scene where Bob Dillon hatches his assassination campaign.

Good premise, misses the mark

The premise of the book is funny, and it is a clever, humorous, story. But the author goes in to Wayyy too much detail about different kinds of bugs. Yes, the conceit is the main character is an exterminator. But after a while it felt like the author was just trying to add to his page count.