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Mr. Monk #12
Mr. Monk on the Couch
Monk is back in the twelfth book based on the incredibly popular USA Network series.
Three strangers, each a murder a security guard, a struggling student, and a beautiful woman. They have something more in common than death and Monk can't believe what it is-a couch. Before you find out why, you'd better sit down.
PRAISE FOR LEE GOLDBERG'S MONK NOVELS
""No one else could capture these characters and bring them to life on the page the way Lee Goldberg does!"-- King's River Life Magazine
"Goldberg makes Adrian Monk much more interesting than the TV the twitches are less obvious, the outcomes much less predictable. Even (or especially) the secondary characters are more interesting and have sharper dialogue."-- Chicago Tribune
""The only thing more fun than watching Monk is reading the adventures Lee Goldberg creates for him. The books set a high standard from the get-go." Crimespree Magazine
"Full of snippets of slapstick humor and Monk's special talents for observation," Library Journal
"This latest hilariously funny and devilishly clever novel about TV's obsessive-compulsive sleuth Adrian Monk is an impossible crime lover's delight! Very funny and inventively plotted," Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
">"Throughout the Mr. Monk series author Lee Goldberg has always kept a firm grasp on exactly who his characters are, and he is able to expertly play them against one another to the best dramatic and comic advantage," The Gumshoe Review
"You'd be hard-pressed to find another recent work that provides so many hip and humorous moments." Bookgasm
Three strangers, each a murder a security guard, a struggling student, and a beautiful woman. They have something more in common than death and Monk can't believe what it is-a couch. Before you find out why, you'd better sit down.
PRAISE FOR LEE GOLDBERG'S MONK NOVELS
""No one else could capture these characters and bring them to life on the page the way Lee Goldberg does!"-- King's River Life Magazine
"Goldberg makes Adrian Monk much more interesting than the TV the twitches are less obvious, the outcomes much less predictable. Even (or especially) the secondary characters are more interesting and have sharper dialogue."-- Chicago Tribune
""The only thing more fun than watching Monk is reading the adventures Lee Goldberg creates for him. The books set a high standard from the get-go." Crimespree Magazine
"Full of snippets of slapstick humor and Monk's special talents for observation," Library Journal
"This latest hilariously funny and devilishly clever novel about TV's obsessive-compulsive sleuth Adrian Monk is an impossible crime lover's delight! Very funny and inventively plotted," Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
">"Throughout the Mr. Monk series author Lee Goldberg has always kept a firm grasp on exactly who his characters are, and he is able to expertly play them against one another to the best dramatic and comic advantage," The Gumshoe Review
"You'd be hard-pressed to find another recent work that provides so many hip and humorous moments." Bookgasm
278 pages, Hardcover
First published June 7, 2011
42 people are currently reading
836 people want to read
About the author
Lee Goldberg
154 books2,080 followersLee Goldberg is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of over forty novels, including Malibu Burning, Calico, Lost Hills (the first novel in his acclaimed "Eve Ronin" series), 15 "Monk" mysteries, five "Fox & O'Hare" adventures (co-written with Janet Evanovich), and the new thriller Ashes Never Lie, the second in his "Sharpe & Walker" series.. He's written and/or produced many TV shows, including Diagnosis Murder, SeaQuest, and Monk and he co-created the Hallmark movie series Mystery 101.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
December 29, 2019
Mr Monk is always on his psychiatrist's couch but this time another couch is the mystery cause of murder
A charming murderer can attract ladies so easily
My inability to see Jerry’s true character might not have bothered me so much if it had been the first time that I’d been attracted to a man who later turned out to be a murderer.
But it wasn’t. If you’ve stopped keeping track, I’m not going to remind you how many there have been. It’s too embarrassing.
I had to wonder, though, if there’s something about a murderer, particularly a confident one, that gives him a certain charisma or charm that I, in particular, am susceptible to.
I mean, there’s a reason more women are attracted to Dracula than repelled by him.
I made a resolution to myself. From now on, I’d assume that every man I was attracted to was a murderer until proven otherwise.
Perhaps it wasn’t the most promising strategy for starting a relationship, but I might live longer.
Is Natalie attracted to Mr Monk, or has she just been without a lover for a long time?
“Ambrose has a girlfriend,” I said.
“Is she virtual or inflatable?”
“She’s flesh and blood and she’s living with him. She’s Yuki Nakamura. You met her in Yosemite. She was Dub Clemens’ researcher.”
“The Asian woman with the tattoos?”
“That’s her,” I said. “She’s Ambrose’s assistant, too.”
“How does that make you feel?”
“I’m happy for him,” I said.
“You’re not even a little bit uncomfortable?”
“Why should I be?”
“Because it could give Monk ideas about the two of you.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” I said. “We don’t see each other in that way.”
“Yet,” he said.
“Ever,” I said.
Is the famous Mr Monk just going to give up?
Monk was depressed.
He couldn’t even muster up the energy to clean. He just sat on his couch and stared at the wall.
“Don’t you think you might be blowing things slightly out of proportion?”
“Am I?” He turned to me. “Here’s how it’s supposed to work. I solve a murder, the police make an arrest, the killer is convicted, and order is restored. But that’s not happening now. I solved the crime, but police with crooked teeth are declining to make an arrest, and the killers are walking free. It’s anarchy.”
“It’s an isolated incident, Mr. Monk. It will be fixed.”
“Will it? Open your eyes, Natalie. My brother is shacking up with an ex-con biker chick. Crime scene cleaners are spilling blood instead of wiping it up. And now, the complete collapse of our justice system. I saw the signs five days ago and I was right. The apocalypse is nigh and the first horseman rode in on a Harley.”
“Are you sure there isn’t anything I can do to make you feel better?”
“Maybe there’s one thing,” Monk said. “Do you still have those trash bags I left at your house?”
“Yes,” I said.
“Burn them,” he said.
Watch Natalie Teeger solve a mystery disappearance without help from Mr Monk. Is she becoming the new detective?
Enjoy!
A charming murderer can attract ladies so easily
My inability to see Jerry’s true character might not have bothered me so much if it had been the first time that I’d been attracted to a man who later turned out to be a murderer.
But it wasn’t. If you’ve stopped keeping track, I’m not going to remind you how many there have been. It’s too embarrassing.
I had to wonder, though, if there’s something about a murderer, particularly a confident one, that gives him a certain charisma or charm that I, in particular, am susceptible to.
I mean, there’s a reason more women are attracted to Dracula than repelled by him.
I made a resolution to myself. From now on, I’d assume that every man I was attracted to was a murderer until proven otherwise.
Perhaps it wasn’t the most promising strategy for starting a relationship, but I might live longer.
Is Natalie attracted to Mr Monk, or has she just been without a lover for a long time?
“Ambrose has a girlfriend,” I said.
“Is she virtual or inflatable?”
“She’s flesh and blood and she’s living with him. She’s Yuki Nakamura. You met her in Yosemite. She was Dub Clemens’ researcher.”
“The Asian woman with the tattoos?”
“That’s her,” I said. “She’s Ambrose’s assistant, too.”
“How does that make you feel?”
“I’m happy for him,” I said.
“You’re not even a little bit uncomfortable?”
“Why should I be?”
“Because it could give Monk ideas about the two of you.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” I said. “We don’t see each other in that way.”
“Yet,” he said.
“Ever,” I said.
Is the famous Mr Monk just going to give up?
Monk was depressed.
He couldn’t even muster up the energy to clean. He just sat on his couch and stared at the wall.
“Don’t you think you might be blowing things slightly out of proportion?”
“Am I?” He turned to me. “Here’s how it’s supposed to work. I solve a murder, the police make an arrest, the killer is convicted, and order is restored. But that’s not happening now. I solved the crime, but police with crooked teeth are declining to make an arrest, and the killers are walking free. It’s anarchy.”
“It’s an isolated incident, Mr. Monk. It will be fixed.”
“Will it? Open your eyes, Natalie. My brother is shacking up with an ex-con biker chick. Crime scene cleaners are spilling blood instead of wiping it up. And now, the complete collapse of our justice system. I saw the signs five days ago and I was right. The apocalypse is nigh and the first horseman rode in on a Harley.”
“Are you sure there isn’t anything I can do to make you feel better?”
“Maybe there’s one thing,” Monk said. “Do you still have those trash bags I left at your house?”
“Yes,” I said.
“Burn them,” he said.
Watch Natalie Teeger solve a mystery disappearance without help from Mr Monk. Is she becoming the new detective?
Enjoy!
June 16, 2011
Monk is rolling! Yes this is like reading what happens to a caged animal that gets loose or let out of his pen. With nothing to hang around his neck, and the weight of the show and the television season gone, Lee Goldberg takes the characters to new heights. We get to finally see what the man can do with a set of characters on the open highway. I personally love it. Think about it, what can the man do with Monk? The guy keeps himself in a box and is the central character, and personally I don’t want him messed with too much, maybe a tweek here and there. The rest of the crew just starts to roll and build on the last offering which I thought was an amazing piece. Here is a peek inside the novel:
“Three strangers, each a murder victim: a security guard, a struggling student, and a beautiful woman. They have something more in common than death and Monk can't believe what it is-a couch. Before you find out why, you'd better sit down.”
Okay the synopsis is brief, what do you want, it’s Monk. Here is the deal for me: the writing by Lee Goldberg just rules. The characters have never had it this good, and I personally wish this was a three or four times a year thing. Ambrose, Stottlemeyer, the intense Devlin (a great foil), and Natalie are finally being removed from Monk’s shadow and taking on lives of their own. Could other stand alones be forth coming? Could we see an Ambrose, Devlin, or a Natalie digital short story in the future? I for one would love that!
Things have changed around here. I am now the published author by Trestle Press of “I Have Chrome Balls, Don’t You?” an “In Between The Collaborations”, “Down Low- Dead” with Vincent Zandri, “The Jersey Shore Has Eyes” with Big Daddy Abel”, “G.S.I Gelati’s Scoop Investigations Psychotic Detectives” with Thomas White, “Who Whacked The Blogger” with Benjamin Sobieck,“Thad and The G-Man’s Most Awesome Adventure” with Thad Brown , “Hotel Beaumont” with B.R. Stateham, “Bring Us Your Living…Now!” with HR Toye and the soon to be released “Edge of Cataclysmic” with Big Daddy Abel. All the stories are available @ Amazon, Barnes & Nobles and Smashwords. I am also the host of the wildly popular The G-ZONE blogtalk radio show. Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
“Three strangers, each a murder victim: a security guard, a struggling student, and a beautiful woman. They have something more in common than death and Monk can't believe what it is-a couch. Before you find out why, you'd better sit down.”
Okay the synopsis is brief, what do you want, it’s Monk. Here is the deal for me: the writing by Lee Goldberg just rules. The characters have never had it this good, and I personally wish this was a three or four times a year thing. Ambrose, Stottlemeyer, the intense Devlin (a great foil), and Natalie are finally being removed from Monk’s shadow and taking on lives of their own. Could other stand alones be forth coming? Could we see an Ambrose, Devlin, or a Natalie digital short story in the future? I for one would love that!
Things have changed around here. I am now the published author by Trestle Press of “I Have Chrome Balls, Don’t You?” an “In Between The Collaborations”, “Down Low- Dead” with Vincent Zandri, “The Jersey Shore Has Eyes” with Big Daddy Abel”, “G.S.I Gelati’s Scoop Investigations Psychotic Detectives” with Thomas White, “Who Whacked The Blogger” with Benjamin Sobieck,“Thad and The G-Man’s Most Awesome Adventure” with Thad Brown , “Hotel Beaumont” with B.R. Stateham, “Bring Us Your Living…Now!” with HR Toye and the soon to be released “Edge of Cataclysmic” with Big Daddy Abel. All the stories are available @ Amazon, Barnes & Nobles and Smashwords. I am also the host of the wildly popular The G-ZONE blogtalk radio show. Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
September 25, 2023
Another fun Mr. Monk book. The mystery was good and I liked how Natalie and Devlin worked together in the end. Interesting how there were a couple different mysteries to try and solve this time around as well. Great ending!
December 31, 2011
The second of Goldberg's MONK books since the series finale. In the previous book he introduced two new characters into the MONK-verse, Disher's replacement and a new Assistant for Monk's brother Mycro er, uhm... Ambrose. It was one of the better MONK books and carried the series finale to a logical conclusion. In this one, Monk is no longer "more balanced." He seems to be as bad or worse than he was before the final season. Part of this is explained that he is horrified by something, but I kept wondering -- "Where is Molly?" She was in the opening and closing chapters of the previous book, but in this one, according to the handy kindle word search, she's only mentioned once. Maybe Goldberg has decided that Monk isn't as interesting without his neurosis cranked up to 11? Maybe he's not.
My main problem with this was that it focused on Natalie. It's hard for the books not to focus on her since it's her voice that narrates them, but this is different. If it were an episode of a TV show, I'd think it were a back-door pilot spin-off -- Teager, PI. Natalie concludes that: As a woman pushing 40 with a grown daughter, she's no longer satisfied just being Monk's assistant. She wants to be Archie Goodwin to his Nero Wolfe. A detective in her own right. So the bulk of the book is her tracking down the real identity of a John Doe who died in a flea-bag San Francisco motel. I found Natalie to be tedious, her mystery to be predictable and Monk to be uncharacteristically mean.
I'd give it 2.5 stars, but since it more annoyed than entertained me for the couple hours it took to read, I rounded down.
My main problem with this was that it focused on Natalie. It's hard for the books not to focus on her since it's her voice that narrates them, but this is different. If it were an episode of a TV show, I'd think it were a back-door pilot spin-off -- Teager, PI. Natalie concludes that: As a woman pushing 40 with a grown daughter, she's no longer satisfied just being Monk's assistant. She wants to be Archie Goodwin to his Nero Wolfe. A detective in her own right. So the bulk of the book is her tracking down the real identity of a John Doe who died in a flea-bag San Francisco motel. I found Natalie to be tedious, her mystery to be predictable and Monk to be uncharacteristically mean.
I'd give it 2.5 stars, but since it more annoyed than entertained me for the couple hours it took to read, I rounded down.
November 1, 2023
My least favourite in this series. There was very less of Mr. Monk. Natalie's needless detective work to find about a man who died of natural causes was very boring. Even Monk (who enjoys to watch paint dry) sarcastically comments on how boring her investigation is "Its a wonder you can even stay conscious with exciting developments like that"
The main detective story of serial murders was also not much of a mystery. I guessed the killer right when he was introduced.
Lt. Devlin's character was further developed and she uses her experience as an undercover cop to find the killer. I still miss Lt. Randy Disher.
The main detective story of serial murders was also not much of a mystery. I guessed the killer right when he was introduced.
Lt. Devlin's character was further developed and she uses her experience as an undercover cop to find the killer. I still miss Lt. Randy Disher.
September 29, 2019
This book takes place a few months after the final episode of the Monk TV series and is written from Natalie's perspective. Monk investigates a series of murders and meets a group of crime scene cleaners, who he views as kindred spirits, while Natalie feels compelled to learn more about the life and death of a man both Monk and Stottlemeyer say died of natural causes.
The used bookstore I bought this from had a bunch of Mr. Monk mysteries, and, if I remember right, I pretty much grabbed this one at random. I didn't realize it was the twelfth book in the series, and the second book set after the series finale. I'm extremely behind on the series - I can't remember exactly when I stopped watching, but I know I definitely haven't seen any of the episodes in the last two or three seasons.
Although I googled a few characters I was unfamiliar with (Monk's new psychiatrist, Lieutenant Devlin), I didn't feel like the gap in my Monk viewing hurt my reading experience much. I do think it helped that I started re-watching Season 4 of the TV series soon after starting the book. It got me in the right mood and gave me a reminder of what everyone looked like and how they tended to behave. I had somehow forgotten how self-centered and casually awful Monk could be. Yeesh. I'm glad the TV series reminded me of that before I got to the bit in the book where Monk crashed a group therapy session because he couldn't handle his brother suddenly having a sex life.
Parts of this book were perfect. The scene with Monk, Stottlemeyer, and the badly parked police cars was great, and I loved Monk's interactions with the crime scene cleaners. I'm actually kind of surprised that crime scene cleaning never came up in the show at all. Maybe too gross or gory to have on-screen?
Unfortunately, the book's various mysteries didn't intrigue me much. I figured out part of what was going on with Monk's murders well before it was revealed. The way Devlin and Natalie set their part up was interesting, at least, but I had a tough time believing that Monk would quietly allow himself to be involved, even if only a little.
Natalie's investigation into Jack Griffin's death bored me and, after a certain point, struck me as being a terrible idea. Although I appreciated her insights into the way Monk's way of doing things differed from regular detective work, it didn't make her painstaking efforts to track down where Jack Griffin's old photo might have been taken any less tedious. Ambrose and his new girlfriend/assistant Yuki got a few mentions, as they helped Natalie with her research, and Natalie spent some time evaluating her life and the sort of future she might have if she wasn't Monk's assistant. It wasn't necessarily bad, but I don't know that it was worth the amount of pages it took up.
I'm enjoying getting back into the TV series and will probably continue working my way through the seasons, assuming it stays on Amazon Prime long enough. I haven't decided yet whether I'm going to read more books from this series. It did feel, at times, like reading an episode of the show, so it had that going for it.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
The used bookstore I bought this from had a bunch of Mr. Monk mysteries, and, if I remember right, I pretty much grabbed this one at random. I didn't realize it was the twelfth book in the series, and the second book set after the series finale. I'm extremely behind on the series - I can't remember exactly when I stopped watching, but I know I definitely haven't seen any of the episodes in the last two or three seasons.
Although I googled a few characters I was unfamiliar with (Monk's new psychiatrist, Lieutenant Devlin), I didn't feel like the gap in my Monk viewing hurt my reading experience much. I do think it helped that I started re-watching Season 4 of the TV series soon after starting the book. It got me in the right mood and gave me a reminder of what everyone looked like and how they tended to behave. I had somehow forgotten how self-centered and casually awful Monk could be. Yeesh. I'm glad the TV series reminded me of that before I got to the bit in the book where Monk crashed a group therapy session because he couldn't handle his brother suddenly having a sex life.
Parts of this book were perfect. The scene with Monk, Stottlemeyer, and the badly parked police cars was great, and I loved Monk's interactions with the crime scene cleaners. I'm actually kind of surprised that crime scene cleaning never came up in the show at all. Maybe too gross or gory to have on-screen?
Unfortunately, the book's various mysteries didn't intrigue me much. I figured out part of what was going on with Monk's murders well before it was revealed. The way Devlin and Natalie set their part up was interesting, at least, but I had a tough time believing that Monk would quietly allow himself to be involved, even if only a little.
Natalie's investigation into Jack Griffin's death bored me and, after a certain point, struck me as being a terrible idea. Although I appreciated her insights into the way Monk's way of doing things differed from regular detective work, it didn't make her painstaking efforts to track down where Jack Griffin's old photo might have been taken any less tedious. Ambrose and his new girlfriend/assistant Yuki got a few mentions, as they helped Natalie with her research, and Natalie spent some time evaluating her life and the sort of future she might have if she wasn't Monk's assistant. It wasn't necessarily bad, but I don't know that it was worth the amount of pages it took up.
I'm enjoying getting back into the TV series and will probably continue working my way through the seasons, assuming it stays on Amazon Prime long enough. I haven't decided yet whether I'm going to read more books from this series. It did feel, at times, like reading an episode of the show, so it had that going for it.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
February 9, 2015
Lee Goldberg really hits his stride with his 12th novel of this wonderful series based on the fantastic defective detective.
This particular book takes place after the television series finale-- so Randy is a missing character.
So why is this one so very, very good.
First, Goldberg sticks with one big mystery rather than a series of hysterically funny Monk Vignettes. Okay, Natalie has a mystery of her own she is working on, but some of the other Monk books are really little more than a series of very intelligently written, cleverly deducted, and humorous snippets surrounding a larger story. This time, Goldberg moves right into the story and never blinks or changes direction-- As good as the other books in this series are, this one is perhaps the best.
Another element in the story is the way that Goldberg brings about growth in the lives of some of the characters. Natalie is wondering about her career with Monk.. is it really satisfying??? Does she have the detective chops to solve a mystery of her own? Can she solve a mystery and still take proper care of Mr. Monk. Also, Monk's brother Ambrose-- who still won't leave the house.. now has a live-in lover-- a biker chick, and they have a very passionate love life and that is another step of growth-- though Monk himself doesn't like it at all. (The biker chick is a character Goldberg introduced us to in an earlier installment)-- So the characters are moving forward, with the possible exception of Mr. Monk himself. Though there is a moment of clarity between Natalie and Mr. Monk where he allows some real emotion, some reality of their relationship to sink in.
I have to regret that I always felt that Natalie would eventually grow to love Mr. Monk as more than a boss or a friend. I was hoping that Natalie would be the element that began to bring Monk happiness in the midst of his great loss and out of control OCD. While they don't get romantic in any sense in this book, the relationship becomes more solidified and that was gratifying to me.
This was a fun book, a quick read, and it brings me sadness that Lee Goldberg has moved on and will not be writing anymore of these gems. Another writer is taking over the series-- He will have to work very hard, because Mr. Goldberg set the bar very high for the next author to attempt to continue the legend of Mr. Monk.
By the way-- Tony Shaloub is one of the best actors anywhere. I doubt any other actor could have brought Monk to life. I am grateful that he allows his image to be used on the book covers because he IS Monk.
This particular book takes place after the television series finale-- so Randy is a missing character.
So why is this one so very, very good.
First, Goldberg sticks with one big mystery rather than a series of hysterically funny Monk Vignettes. Okay, Natalie has a mystery of her own she is working on, but some of the other Monk books are really little more than a series of very intelligently written, cleverly deducted, and humorous snippets surrounding a larger story. This time, Goldberg moves right into the story and never blinks or changes direction-- As good as the other books in this series are, this one is perhaps the best.
Another element in the story is the way that Goldberg brings about growth in the lives of some of the characters. Natalie is wondering about her career with Monk.. is it really satisfying??? Does she have the detective chops to solve a mystery of her own? Can she solve a mystery and still take proper care of Mr. Monk. Also, Monk's brother Ambrose-- who still won't leave the house.. now has a live-in lover-- a biker chick, and they have a very passionate love life and that is another step of growth-- though Monk himself doesn't like it at all. (The biker chick is a character Goldberg introduced us to in an earlier installment)-- So the characters are moving forward, with the possible exception of Mr. Monk himself. Though there is a moment of clarity between Natalie and Mr. Monk where he allows some real emotion, some reality of their relationship to sink in.
I have to regret that I always felt that Natalie would eventually grow to love Mr. Monk as more than a boss or a friend. I was hoping that Natalie would be the element that began to bring Monk happiness in the midst of his great loss and out of control OCD. While they don't get romantic in any sense in this book, the relationship becomes more solidified and that was gratifying to me.
This was a fun book, a quick read, and it brings me sadness that Lee Goldberg has moved on and will not be writing anymore of these gems. Another writer is taking over the series-- He will have to work very hard, because Mr. Goldberg set the bar very high for the next author to attempt to continue the legend of Mr. Monk.
By the way-- Tony Shaloub is one of the best actors anywhere. I doubt any other actor could have brought Monk to life. I am grateful that he allows his image to be used on the book covers because he IS Monk.
November 28, 2014
I'm a big fan of Monk, the TV series and books, but I must admit that I was somewhat disappointed in this one. Having read all the prior books in the series, I did not feel that this one lived up to Monk's standards. Being the second book since the TV series ended, it was a perfect time to expand on Monk's character by expanding his relationships and maybe allow Trudy's daughter Molly to become a bigger part of his life. Instead, Goldberg focused in on Natalie's struggles with whether or not she was more than Monk's assistant and her wanting to be a good detective. I understand that the books are written from Natalie's point of view, and no disrespect to her, but I read these books because of Monk. I think that people who can relate to Monk's OCD want to see him grow and find at least a little bit of happiness in his life. I think his character deserves that.
At least I was happy for Monk's brother Ambrose who now has some happiness in his life and is no longer alone. I'm also hoping that Lieutenant Amy Devlin's character begins to soften. She is just flat out nasty to Monk. I understand that people with anxiety disorders can frustrate people, but I don't think treating people with mental issues this way is okay. I miss Randy Disher's comical approach to Monk.
I will continue reading the series simply because I love Mr. Monk.
At least I was happy for Monk's brother Ambrose who now has some happiness in his life and is no longer alone. I'm also hoping that Lieutenant Amy Devlin's character begins to soften. She is just flat out nasty to Monk. I understand that people with anxiety disorders can frustrate people, but I don't think treating people with mental issues this way is okay. I miss Randy Disher's comical approach to Monk.
I will continue reading the series simply because I love Mr. Monk.
July 18, 2011
While not as good as the last Monk book, this was still a great book. Natalie's character develops a little more and Goldberg still keeps Monk's disorders fresh and entertaining, but I have to wonder how long he can keep it up.
May 20, 2018
It was a mystery and some mysteries were solved, but it was also a very humorous book. My wife kept asking me what I was laughing about. After reading that book, I am going to have to read more of tje Mr. Monk series.
January 2, 2013
On of Goldberg's best. Great mystery. Great characters. Great Monk.
September 6, 2016
Another good story with a new main character that adds to the storyline.
September 5, 2025
I do love this series. A fun one, easy to figure out though.
June 16, 2019
This was probably between a 3 and a 4 for me.
The mystery was written so that I could just hear the TV series actors saying the lines, even though it's been a considerable amount of time since I've watched this with the kids. The humor was more silly than funny, but that was OK for a light read. I guessed whodunit. Or one of the whodunits.
It's interesting to me that I just read another book where the characters didn't seem to be able to think through issues, situations, or themselves without conversation, (Mindy Obenhaus' "Falling for the Hometown Hero.") Now, in "Mr. Monk on the Couch," Natalie said, "I found his silence more aggravating than his complaining. I wanted him to ask me questions, to make me justify my actions, because I wanted to hear the answers myself. Maybe then I'd understand what I was doing and why I was doing it ..." That seemed more appropriate for a TV series, though, because most of the time, we don't hear the characters think unless they voice their opinions, or unless they're the narrator, in which case, they are also voicing their opinions. Of course, it's also true that even the most introspective of people can learn more about themselves in conversing with others.
Part of the humor in this was making fun of people who are concerned for those they care about making decisions with potentially big consequences. Yes, Monk took it to extremes, as he takes everything, but there are times when it's OK to share legitimate concerns with others. (I am not saying that all Monk's concerns were legitimate. Some, maybe even most, were ridiculous.)
The mystery was written so that I could just hear the TV series actors saying the lines, even though it's been a considerable amount of time since I've watched this with the kids. The humor was more silly than funny, but that was OK for a light read. I guessed whodunit. Or one of the whodunits.
It's interesting to me that I just read another book where the characters didn't seem to be able to think through issues, situations, or themselves without conversation, (Mindy Obenhaus' "Falling for the Hometown Hero.") Now, in "Mr. Monk on the Couch," Natalie said, "I found his silence more aggravating than his complaining. I wanted him to ask me questions, to make me justify my actions, because I wanted to hear the answers myself. Maybe then I'd understand what I was doing and why I was doing it ..." That seemed more appropriate for a TV series, though, because most of the time, we don't hear the characters think unless they voice their opinions, or unless they're the narrator, in which case, they are also voicing their opinions. Of course, it's also true that even the most introspective of people can learn more about themselves in conversing with others.
Part of the humor in this was making fun of people who are concerned for those they care about making decisions with potentially big consequences. Yes, Monk took it to extremes, as he takes everything, but there are times when it's OK to share legitimate concerns with others. (I am not saying that all Monk's concerns were legitimate. Some, maybe even most, were ridiculous.)
March 12, 2012
Lee Goldberg's done it again with another intriguing Monk mystery. I loved the character development in this one - Natalie is really starting to shine as a detective in her own right. She's picked up a lot of skills through her working with Mr.Monk. And Ambrose, Mr. Monk's brother, makes a surprising leap into new territory for him.
The book's primary mystery has to do with a group of murders that are seemingly unconnected at first, but later it is discovered that they all revolve around a particular couch - or at least its contents.
There's a secondary mystery presented in a man found dead of natural circumstances, but using a assumed name. He was holding a photograph of a nurse and a young girl when he died. This is the mystery Natalie sets out to solve on our her own.
Unfortunately for me, there are only two books left in the Monk series for me to read - Mr. Monk on Patrol, and the upcoming Mr. Monk is a Mess (which will be released in June). After that, Mr. Goldberg bids a fond farewell to the Monk book series.
Perhaps they will be continued under another author, but I don't know if anyone could manage to capture the characters so well. This is really the best tv tie-in series I have ever read. Usually they're quite disappointing in quality, but the Monk books have been solid throughout.
I've reviewed the entire series on Goodreads, so check out the rest of my reviews of Monk titles if you're so inclined.
The book's primary mystery has to do with a group of murders that are seemingly unconnected at first, but later it is discovered that they all revolve around a particular couch - or at least its contents.
There's a secondary mystery presented in a man found dead of natural circumstances, but using a assumed name. He was holding a photograph of a nurse and a young girl when he died. This is the mystery Natalie sets out to solve on our her own.
Unfortunately for me, there are only two books left in the Monk series for me to read - Mr. Monk on Patrol, and the upcoming Mr. Monk is a Mess (which will be released in June). After that, Mr. Goldberg bids a fond farewell to the Monk book series.
Perhaps they will be continued under another author, but I don't know if anyone could manage to capture the characters so well. This is really the best tv tie-in series I have ever read. Usually they're quite disappointing in quality, but the Monk books have been solid throughout.
I've reviewed the entire series on Goodreads, so check out the rest of my reviews of Monk titles if you're so inclined.
December 23, 2012
There were a number of murders in this book, even higher than the average counts in the series. The mysteries were okay, a tad boring actually because the murders were solved quite fast. The only thing holding them from arresting the killers was the lack of evidence against them.
The majority of this novel was spent on Monk being a matchmaker for Natalie and the crime scene cleaning guy while she tried to solve her first case. There was a surprise for Monk too when he discovered that Ambrose had started a relationship with his new sexy assistant, Yuki. I did not know what to think of this new development as I found this to be too abrupt. As for the SFPD detectives, I like that Devlin played more part in this book. I miss Randy though and can't hardly wait to meet him and Sharona in the next book.
The majority of this novel was spent on Monk being a matchmaker for Natalie and the crime scene cleaning guy while she tried to solve her first case. There was a surprise for Monk too when he discovered that Ambrose had started a relationship with his new sexy assistant, Yuki. I did not know what to think of this new development as I found this to be too abrupt. As for the SFPD detectives, I like that Devlin played more part in this book. I miss Randy though and can't hardly wait to meet him and Sharona in the next book.
April 24, 2012
Not at all surprisingly, Goldberg delivered yet again. It seems the man can't write a bad book--which is fine with me.
This book is more about Natalie than usual, about her growth as an investigator--spurred by her work with Monk. As such, it's probably one of the more emotionally satisfying of this long series. We also get some good development of the new lieutenant brought in by Goldberg to replace Lt. Disher following the TV series' finale.
I can't think of much to say about this that doesn't fall into spoiler territory (or is a rehash of the backcover copy). Funny, good whodunit, and some nice character moments. All you can ask for.
This book is more about Natalie than usual, about her growth as an investigator--spurred by her work with Monk. As such, it's probably one of the more emotionally satisfying of this long series. We also get some good development of the new lieutenant brought in by Goldberg to replace Lt. Disher following the TV series' finale.
I can't think of much to say about this that doesn't fall into spoiler territory (or is a rehash of the backcover copy). Funny, good whodunit, and some nice character moments. All you can ask for.
March 3, 2014
While Natalie tries to figure out the identity of a John Doe who died of natural causes, Monk investigates a string of murders that have the most unual common element - a couch. Another fun book with friends old and new that includes some good twists and laughs.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
January 25, 2013
This was another good book to read.
Monk's world seems shattered as he learns his brother, Ambrose, has allowed a woman to move
in with him.
Natalie tries her had at solving the mystery of an unknown man found dead in an apartment.
Though he died of natural causes she wants to know what brought him there to die in a run-down
apartment holding an old photograph of a child & woman.
And there are murders going on, too.
Monk's world seems shattered as he learns his brother, Ambrose, has allowed a woman to move
in with him.
Natalie tries her had at solving the mystery of an unknown man found dead in an apartment.
Though he died of natural causes she wants to know what brought him there to die in a run-down
apartment holding an old photograph of a child & woman.
And there are murders going on, too.
August 25, 2013
A great mystery novel, just like the TV show, all the fun, jokes, mystery and OCD are there. This time Natalie takes advantage of Monk in a way, but it back fires at her. The plot of the story is so strong and consistent, all the details are carefully mentioned. They are adequate, so no extra reading about how does and unrelated table in the room looks like, and just enough so you would have an idea about the story scene.
December 5, 2013
Rated 7.25 out of 10. I normally love these Monk books but there have been a few that were good but not up to the Monk standard. This was one such book. I felt the same way about the back to back books Mr. Monk goes to Germany and Mr. Monk is Miserable. It is worth reading but not that great. I did not care for the outside characters at all. The new detective Devlin was just mean and not in a charming way. Nothing great about this book.
September 8, 2021
The mystery was good enough...although I kinda figured out the criminal fairly early. I thnk I would go 3.5 if I could because you might want to change the series names to "Teeger" in that half the book focus on Natalie's "wannabe" detective skills. Well, Mr Monk is still an annoying yet interesting person in the way he solves things.
March 7, 2015
I miss watching Mr. Monk each week. I'm glad that Lee Goldberg continues to write Mr. Monk novels. They read very much like an episode of Monk, which I really liked a lot! This one did not disappoint me in the least.
August 31, 2018
This one was actually quite good. A little more complicated than some, and some excellent character development on top. While I like all of these I've read so far, this one is definitely the one that, to me, is the best.
August 11, 2022
Another entry in the series that probably should be rated one star instead of two, but over the last three books, Goldberg has been hinting at a horrific plot development that he's clearly itching to write, so I'm saving the one-star review in case he does.
September 28, 2022
This is a reasonable read - it's better than the book just before this in the series, but not as good as all the earlier ones. There's just too much about Natalie's new detecting career, which made for a rather downbeat ending which was a shame. I miss Randy too! But not bad.
September 27, 2014
Another fun read!!! and this was my second time reading it!!!
July 5, 2012
One of the better books in the series! All of them are funny!
April 13, 2014
Funny as ever!!
March 6, 2018
Really enjoyed reading this one just not as much as the others. I still recommend though.
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