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Mr. Monk #15
Mr. Monk Gets Even
An all-new original mystery starring Adrian Monk, the brilliant investigator who always knows when something’s out of place....
It may be a foggy San Francisco summer, but for Adrian Monk the future is looking bright. Natalie is off working as a cop in Summit, his brother Ambrose and Yuki are a week away from their wedding, Monk has a new assistant—Natalie’s daughter Julie—and even a girlfriend, Ellen Morse.
All this change doesn’t keep Monk from work, though. He’s investigating a string of accidental deaths and suicides that he quickly determines are actually murders. But when the man Monk pegs for the murder is killed, Monk is forced to face the fact that, for the first time, he might actually be wrong. Have stability, domesticity, and happiness robbed Monk of his special skills? Has Monk lost his mojo?
Meanwhile, Monk’s imprisoned arch nemesis, the morbidly obese criminal mastermind Dale the Whale, is being transferred from prison to San Francisco General Hospital for an operation. But when Dale escapes and all signs point to Captain Stottlemeyer as his accomplice, Monk will have to reboot his detective skills to clear the captain’s name—and prove that he’s still the one and only Monk.
It may be a foggy San Francisco summer, but for Adrian Monk the future is looking bright. Natalie is off working as a cop in Summit, his brother Ambrose and Yuki are a week away from their wedding, Monk has a new assistant—Natalie’s daughter Julie—and even a girlfriend, Ellen Morse.
All this change doesn’t keep Monk from work, though. He’s investigating a string of accidental deaths and suicides that he quickly determines are actually murders. But when the man Monk pegs for the murder is killed, Monk is forced to face the fact that, for the first time, he might actually be wrong. Have stability, domesticity, and happiness robbed Monk of his special skills? Has Monk lost his mojo?
Meanwhile, Monk’s imprisoned arch nemesis, the morbidly obese criminal mastermind Dale the Whale, is being transferred from prison to San Francisco General Hospital for an operation. But when Dale escapes and all signs point to Captain Stottlemeyer as his accomplice, Monk will have to reboot his detective skills to clear the captain’s name—and prove that he’s still the one and only Monk.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published December 31, 2012
40 people are currently reading
816 people want to read
About the author
Lee Goldberg
158 books2,110 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 99 reviews
September 14, 2014
This is the last in the series of Monk books written by Lee Goldberg and it's a fitting end to the characters and situations of the series (even more so than the show finale, I think). Reintroducing Dale the Whale into the final book was a nice way to tie up the book series since he was involved in tormenting Monk about his wife's murder throughout the show.
Goldberg does a good job of writing situations that parallel the show's timeline and he continues the character development in some unexpected ways especially with the last few books. This is especially true with the first book after the show's series finale, Mr. Monk On The Road (2011) which adds some new characters into the mix. The few books in the Monk series that didn't work well for me, Mr. Monk Goes to Hawaii, Mr. Monk Goes to Germany, and Mr. Monk is Miserable (Adrian is in Paris) seem to put Monk into situations that feel forced and it felt like Goldberg was on vacation in Hawaii and Europe and was on a deadline to finish (I didn't buy that Monk would travel across the Pacific to Hawaii or across the Atlantic to Germany and France).
Despite this, Goldberg knows the characters well and I found his dialogue writing of Monk, Natalie and Captain Stottlemeyer to be especially good and faithful to the characters in all of the books, and especially this final one. I always looked forward to checking out a new Monk book from the library, especially if I was in the mood for a quick and quirky murder mystery.
You may enjoy reading the series in the order that they were written as there are plot points in the later books that may not make as much sense if you haven't seen the final season of the show.
1. Mr. Monk Goes to the Firehouse
2. Mr. Monk Goes to Hawaii
3. Mr. Monk and the Blue Flu
4. Mr. Monk and the Two Assistants
5. Mr. Monk in Outer Space
6. Mr. Monk Goes to Germany
7. Mr. Monk is Miserable
8. Mr. Monk and the Dirty Cop
9. Mr. Monk in Trouble
10. Mr. Monk is Cleaned Out
11. Mr. Monk on the Road
12. Mr. Monk on the Couch
13. Mr. Monk on Patrol
14. Mr. Monk is a Mess
15. Mr. Monk Gets Even
Goldberg does a good job of writing situations that parallel the show's timeline and he continues the character development in some unexpected ways especially with the last few books. This is especially true with the first book after the show's series finale, Mr. Monk On The Road (2011) which adds some new characters into the mix. The few books in the Monk series that didn't work well for me, Mr. Monk Goes to Hawaii, Mr. Monk Goes to Germany, and Mr. Monk is Miserable (Adrian is in Paris) seem to put Monk into situations that feel forced and it felt like Goldberg was on vacation in Hawaii and Europe and was on a deadline to finish (I didn't buy that Monk would travel across the Pacific to Hawaii or across the Atlantic to Germany and France).
Despite this, Goldberg knows the characters well and I found his dialogue writing of Monk, Natalie and Captain Stottlemeyer to be especially good and faithful to the characters in all of the books, and especially this final one. I always looked forward to checking out a new Monk book from the library, especially if I was in the mood for a quick and quirky murder mystery.
You may enjoy reading the series in the order that they were written as there are plot points in the later books that may not make as much sense if you haven't seen the final season of the show.
1. Mr. Monk Goes to the Firehouse
2. Mr. Monk Goes to Hawaii
3. Mr. Monk and the Blue Flu
4. Mr. Monk and the Two Assistants
5. Mr. Monk in Outer Space
6. Mr. Monk Goes to Germany
7. Mr. Monk is Miserable
8. Mr. Monk and the Dirty Cop
9. Mr. Monk in Trouble
10. Mr. Monk is Cleaned Out
11. Mr. Monk on the Road
12. Mr. Monk on the Couch
13. Mr. Monk on Patrol
14. Mr. Monk is a Mess
15. Mr. Monk Gets Even
June 4, 2013
I put off reading this book for a couple of days after receiving it, I just didn't want the ride with Goldberg at the helm to end. Since Mr. Monk Goes to the Firehouse, Goldberg has taken the (great) characters from the TV show and given us sides/dimensions to them that the show didn't have time or opportunity to develop. This is particularly true after the finale episode where Goldberg didn't have to worry about contradicting the show's canon, but was free to grow the characters...to add new ones, to make significant life changes and so on.
And when it comes to serialized detective fiction -- no matter the medium, it's the characters that count. Yes, the plots and mysteries need to be enough to hold your interest -- and you need a laugh or two when the series is along the lines of Monk; and Goldberg can do that just fine. But what brings viewers and readers back again and again.
Mr. Monk Gets Even handles the character stuff flawlessly. To send himself off with a bang--Goldberg brings back Dale the Whale, larger and more preposterous than ever; Stottlemeyer's career and life are in jeopardy; Monk may be wrong; Ambrose (I'd pay for Ambrose books written by Goldberg) reaches another major milestone; and, of course, Natalie is at a crossroads, too. And that's just the major points. Shouldn't forget some of the most prominent use of Julie Teeger in any medium.
Goldberg does it all with panache, respect for the characters, a lotta laughs, and just the right emotional moments to bring his time with the series to a close.
Great read.
And when it comes to serialized detective fiction -- no matter the medium, it's the characters that count. Yes, the plots and mysteries need to be enough to hold your interest -- and you need a laugh or two when the series is along the lines of Monk; and Goldberg can do that just fine. But what brings viewers and readers back again and again.
Mr. Monk Gets Even handles the character stuff flawlessly. To send himself off with a bang--Goldberg brings back Dale the Whale, larger and more preposterous than ever; Stottlemeyer's career and life are in jeopardy; Monk may be wrong; Ambrose (I'd pay for Ambrose books written by Goldberg) reaches another major milestone; and, of course, Natalie is at a crossroads, too. And that's just the major points. Shouldn't forget some of the most prominent use of Julie Teeger in any medium.
Goldberg does it all with panache, respect for the characters, a lotta laughs, and just the right emotional moments to bring his time with the series to a close.
Great read.
July 23, 2018
I have been watching and enjoying a lot of Monk episodes on cable lately, so when I saw this book in the Mystery section of my local library I grabbed it.
It fulfilled all of my expectations - it's a well-written, humorous, and enjoyable murder mystery that plays out likes an episode of the tv series in your head! Very entertaining!
P. S. The author, Lee Goldberg, wrote episodes for the television series Monk and also for Diagnosis Murder (of which he also wrote a book series). This, Mr. Monk Gets Even, is Goldberg's fifteenth and final Mr. Monk novel. I look forward to reading the other fourteen novels in this series!
It fulfilled all of my expectations - it's a well-written, humorous, and enjoyable murder mystery that plays out likes an episode of the tv series in your head! Very entertaining!
P. S. The author, Lee Goldberg, wrote episodes for the television series Monk and also for Diagnosis Murder (of which he also wrote a book series). This, Mr. Monk Gets Even, is Goldberg's fifteenth and final Mr. Monk novel. I look forward to reading the other fourteen novels in this series!
February 28, 2023
I really recommend these if you’re a fan of the show! There were a few dumb things that I felt weren’t true to Monk or were very unoriginal like the Steve Jobs like character whose name was Cleve Dobbs - but other wise I enjoyed the continuation of the story after the end of the show.
December 7, 2023
Mr. Monk Gets Even is the last book by Lee Goldberg. It was another enjoyable read.
January 16, 2013
With this, his fifteenth Monk novel, author Lee Goldberg ends his run, going on to write original material.
Monk is investigating a series of murders made to look like accidents> He figures that early on and who the murderer is. Just no physical evidence to prove it.
At the same time, Monk runs up on an old enemy, Dale The Whale, the enormous and rich murderer. He's serving two life sentences in prison and Monk him there. To large to get out of bed, the state is tired of paying for his care and the plan is to give him surgery, sucking out large amounts of fat and removing the extra skin. Cheaper in the long run.
Monk has a crisis of confidence when his serial killer is murdered himself and Dale manages to escape from the heavily guarded hospital during an emergency influx of patients in an incident at the emergency room.
And suddenly Stottlemeyer is under suspicion of helping Dale escape. He's been under financial pressure and a large chunk of money is deposited in his bank account the day after.
Everyone but the officious Deputy Chief of Police knows it's a set-up by Dale to frame the Captain.
Monk must call on all his talents to figure it out and clear the Captain.
A nice ending to the author's run. Another author has taken the reins with the Monk series. We'll see how that goes.
Monk is investigating a series of murders made to look like accidents> He figures that early on and who the murderer is. Just no physical evidence to prove it.
At the same time, Monk runs up on an old enemy, Dale The Whale, the enormous and rich murderer. He's serving two life sentences in prison and Monk him there. To large to get out of bed, the state is tired of paying for his care and the plan is to give him surgery, sucking out large amounts of fat and removing the extra skin. Cheaper in the long run.
Monk has a crisis of confidence when his serial killer is murdered himself and Dale manages to escape from the heavily guarded hospital during an emergency influx of patients in an incident at the emergency room.
And suddenly Stottlemeyer is under suspicion of helping Dale escape. He's been under financial pressure and a large chunk of money is deposited in his bank account the day after.
Everyone but the officious Deputy Chief of Police knows it's a set-up by Dale to frame the Captain.
Monk must call on all his talents to figure it out and clear the Captain.
A nice ending to the author's run. Another author has taken the reins with the Monk series. We'll see how that goes.
January 4, 2016
Mr. Monks gets even by Lee Goldberg is the 15th book in the Mr. Monk mystery series. Mr. Monk investigates a series of murders made to look like accidents as well as investigating the escape of Dale the Whale from hospital after undergoing liposuction and weight reduction surgery. Sadly this will be the last Mr. Monk book written by Lee Goldberg but happily the series continues with Hy Conrad taking over the series. This was a typical Mr. Monk book and I loved it just as much as all the others. So many changes have occurred since the TV series ended so that it is definitely a series that should be read in order. An entertaining quick read and I'm definitely looking forward to the next installment.
May 3, 2015
I'm glad I stuck it out. I was turned off to it early on due to the narration (Natalie is always the narrator, but she was not present for much of this book. She narrated, with a POV close to her daughter Julie and it was kind of awkward. There was one instance where Natalie said someone was looking at 'us' in a scene she was not in) and due to it being about Dale the Whale. I ended up enjoying the Dale mystery a lot, though, probably because it involved Dale not being there. It was an elegant mystery.
February 5, 2013
This was fun..but sad since this is the author's last Monk book. I'm definitely going to miss Lee Goldberg's take on Mr. Monk!
September 23, 2017
Awww Natalie and Monk are back together.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 10, 2024
In this book Monk takes on Dale the Whale as well as Cleve Dobbs, the tech giant behind Peach products lol.
May 29, 2013
A Quickie Review
Lee Goldberg's final "defective detective" novel is quite the ride. Between an old nemesis escaping, Stottlemeyer being framed as a criminal's accomplice, and the thought that Monk may actually be wrong about a murder, this one is a bit head-spinning. As usual, Mr. Goldberg's writing is great, though I wish he would choose a different narrator for once. There were some content problems, though; see below.
Content Concerns: The Monk books aren't usually as family-friendly as the TV series, and this one is no exception. At least ten profanities--and one that is implied--alongside descriptions of murder scenes that are mildly creepy. One scene even features a woman who is intentionally nude so as to trigger Monk's gymnophobia. Smoking and drinking also gets mentioned. Discerning readers should stick to the DVD season sets.
Score: 2.25/5
Lee Goldberg's final "defective detective" novel is quite the ride. Between an old nemesis escaping, Stottlemeyer being framed as a criminal's accomplice, and the thought that Monk may actually be wrong about a murder, this one is a bit head-spinning. As usual, Mr. Goldberg's writing is great, though I wish he would choose a different narrator for once. There were some content problems, though; see below.
Content Concerns: The Monk books aren't usually as family-friendly as the TV series, and this one is no exception. At least ten profanities--and one that is implied--alongside descriptions of murder scenes that are mildly creepy. One scene even features a woman who is intentionally nude so as to trigger Monk's gymnophobia. Smoking and drinking also gets mentioned. Discerning readers should stick to the DVD season sets.
Score: 2.25/5
February 9, 2013
I think this has to be my favorite Monk book in the whole series. This is the last book in the series Lee Goldberg will be writing, but he really left things on a high note.
Monk's arch nemesis Dale the Whale may be getting liposuction to become a new man on the outside, but he's up to his same old tricks. The way Monk faces him, and how he interacts with his friends, girlfriend, and brother just made me smile from ear to ear. The character has grown so much through this series of books and so has his former assistant (soon to be partner!) Natalie.
Thank you Mr. Goldberg for writing such a great series that continued the spirit of Monk so well. The books will be taken over by another writer, and I hope that he will continue with the same high standard that's been set.
Monk's arch nemesis Dale the Whale may be getting liposuction to become a new man on the outside, but he's up to his same old tricks. The way Monk faces him, and how he interacts with his friends, girlfriend, and brother just made me smile from ear to ear. The character has grown so much through this series of books and so has his former assistant (soon to be partner!) Natalie.
Thank you Mr. Goldberg for writing such a great series that continued the spirit of Monk so well. The books will be taken over by another writer, and I hope that he will continue with the same high standard that's been set.
August 22, 2019
A light, fluffy read that captures the vibe of the TV show. (Half the fun of the book was imagining Tony Shalhoub, Ted Levine, and especially John Turturro acting the story out.) I thought the resolution of the main mystery was a stretch and several plot threads went underdeveloped for a good bit of the middle of the story, but the book was enjoyable, a nice way to wind down at the end of the day. 4 stars is too high but 3 seems too low. I’d be interested to read more of these tie-in novels sometime.
May 30, 2018
This is the last book Lee Goldberg wrote in the Mr. Monk series. It was funny as all the rest. And I love the way Mr. Monk is allowed to solve murders with almost no information. When explained, it is perfectly obvious, but not until the explanation. There is so much that happened in this book that would spoil it for you, that I have to quit here.
March 16, 2023
Another classic Monk tale! Sad to see the author won't be writing any more of these (but Hy Conrad has picked up the series, yes!) and I was also glad he was able to include Dale the Whale one more time as well as wrapping up a couple of loose ends from previous books. If you liked the TV series you will no doubt like this book (and all of the author's other Monk books).
February 10, 2014
I love this series, I'm really interesting where the next author of the series takes it. I adore Lee Goldberg :)
December 31, 2012
Love love loved it! Dale the Whale aka Dale the Fail, Cleve Dobbs and more! This was probably my favorite so far
November 30, 2020
Lee Goldberg's final Monk novel is very well done, wrapping up all of the development he brought to the series in an organic way. I hope the author next brings his A game.
March 14, 2022
This is the last Monk book written by Goldberg and it didn't disappoint. It was really enjoyable and I hope that the rest of the series written by Hy Conrad are just as enjoyable.
May 2, 2020
I was expecting more from the continuation of the "Monk" TV series, especially when the books are written by people who actually worked on the show. I chose "Mr. Monk Gets Even" (by "Monk" alum Lee Goldberg) because it involved Monk facing off with Dale the Whale, his nemesis.
There are a lot of problems with "Mr. Monk Gets Even." The title isn't a reference to revenge, or even justice, but to Monk's desire to bring balance back to the world. To me, that's a let down.
The narrator of the novel is Monk's former assistant, Natalie Teeger. She narrates the story as if she's present, but she's not. She's working as a cop in New Jersey. She doesn't actually enter the story--her daughter is Monk's new assistant--until late in the novel. I have a problem with that, it's just sloppy/shoddy craftsmanship on the part of the writer. Mr. Monk would NOT approve.
And Dale the Whale, while a small part of the story, is not too involved. He finds a way to escape police custody and that has ramifications for the main characters. But there's almost no interplay between Dale and Monk. That's disappointing.
The main "case" of the novel is about a tech genius named Cleve Dobbs (think Steve Jobs) who may have killed everyone whom he feels stood against him before he became wealthy, famous, and powerful. But when Dobbs--the multi-billionaire creator of Peach (think Apple)--turns up dead, he seems to prove Mr. Monk has bungled two cases at once.
And the whole Steve Jobs/Cleve Dobbs Apple/Peach thing is another example of lazy writing.
The author seems to think the more personal events of Monk's life are more important than the cases he's working on. I disagree, as would he. Monk's brother's wedding and Monk's budding relationship with a woman--who sells products made from dung (yes, he's germ-phobic, we get it)--take up a large portion of the novel.
I think the best scene of the book is where a VERY uncomfortable Monk is forced to question a nude woman about her connection to Dale the Whale. That scene has a spectacular conclusion and reminded me the most of the "Monk" TV show.
The main thing lacking in this Monk novel is the performance of Tony Shalhoub as Monk. On the page, Monk is a LOT less charming, funny, and interesting than he is on the screen. He comes off as fussy, irrational, selfish, and sometimes mean. And when he's not "all about the work," as is the case for most of this novel, those personality quirks get tiresome very quickly.
There are a lot of problems with "Mr. Monk Gets Even." The title isn't a reference to revenge, or even justice, but to Monk's desire to bring balance back to the world. To me, that's a let down.
The narrator of the novel is Monk's former assistant, Natalie Teeger. She narrates the story as if she's present, but she's not. She's working as a cop in New Jersey. She doesn't actually enter the story--her daughter is Monk's new assistant--until late in the novel. I have a problem with that, it's just sloppy/shoddy craftsmanship on the part of the writer. Mr. Monk would NOT approve.
And Dale the Whale, while a small part of the story, is not too involved. He finds a way to escape police custody and that has ramifications for the main characters. But there's almost no interplay between Dale and Monk. That's disappointing.
The main "case" of the novel is about a tech genius named Cleve Dobbs (think Steve Jobs) who may have killed everyone whom he feels stood against him before he became wealthy, famous, and powerful. But when Dobbs--the multi-billionaire creator of Peach (think Apple)--turns up dead, he seems to prove Mr. Monk has bungled two cases at once.
And the whole Steve Jobs/Cleve Dobbs Apple/Peach thing is another example of lazy writing.
The author seems to think the more personal events of Monk's life are more important than the cases he's working on. I disagree, as would he. Monk's brother's wedding and Monk's budding relationship with a woman--who sells products made from dung (yes, he's germ-phobic, we get it)--take up a large portion of the novel.
I think the best scene of the book is where a VERY uncomfortable Monk is forced to question a nude woman about her connection to Dale the Whale. That scene has a spectacular conclusion and reminded me the most of the "Monk" TV show.
The main thing lacking in this Monk novel is the performance of Tony Shalhoub as Monk. On the page, Monk is a LOT less charming, funny, and interesting than he is on the screen. He comes off as fussy, irrational, selfish, and sometimes mean. And when he's not "all about the work," as is the case for most of this novel, those personality quirks get tiresome very quickly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 7, 2022
Number 15 in the series and the last by author Lee Goldberg. This book was much better than the previous one (Mr. Monk Is A Mess) which I quit 1/3 of the way through simply because of too much objectionable content (i.e. stuff you wouldn't want your kids or grandkids to read). In "Mr. Monk Gets Even" we see the return of our heroes' arch-foe Dale The Whale, "growth" of the characters, and Mr. Monk solving two mysteries in one. My only objection was the chapter containing the interview with the naked woman suspect, which was totally unnecessary. Looking forward to the next 4 books in the series, written by Hy Conrad.
January 2, 2024
This was Lee Goldberg’s last Monk novel and I thought he went out with a bang! I loved this installment. Sure, it veered off the beaten path of the established Monk from earlier books and the tv series but it was still super interesting and entertaining. The mysteries were well done and though I had some of the whole tangled mess figured out, it wasn’t all of it and didn’t unravel the way I’d have thought.
November 9, 2017
Another Great Read.
I love reading the Mr. Monk series. I've come to know the characters as if they were part of my own life. This book didn't disappoint and solution to the mystery crimes was very well thought out. I never saw it coming.
I love reading the Mr. Monk series. I've come to know the characters as if they were part of my own life. This book didn't disappoint and solution to the mystery crimes was very well thought out. I never saw it coming.
May 20, 2018
The usual, a load of murders.
The unusual, a new assistant for Monk, a girlfriend, Ambrose gets married,...
All in all a nice conclusion of the series. Well not entirely, it seems there are some more books written by another author. Not sure that I will be reading those though.
The unusual, a new assistant for Monk, a girlfriend, Ambrose gets married,...
All in all a nice conclusion of the series. Well not entirely, it seems there are some more books written by another author. Not sure that I will be reading those though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 6, 2020
I picked this up at a used bookstore because my family used to be big fans of the show. Reading it was very nostalgic. As a rapidly produced series book, I did not find it very well written, but it was enjoyable.
October 20, 2022
I was going to give this book 4 stars, as I enjoyed it, but then when they mentioned Don Aslett near the end, one of my favorite authors and someone I've met a couple of times, I had to raise to a 5. Fun book for those who like the characters from the TV series.
May 5, 2024
Mr Monk's life is changing -- Natalie is working as a cop in NJ, Ambrose is getting married, Captain Stottlemeyer gets put on leave and Dale the Whale goes missing. Monk feels like he's lost his mojo. But help from Julie and Amy Devlin leads him to solving some interesting murders.
January 17, 2017
Very entertaining! Especially if you have watched the t.v. series. I could picture the characters and laughed a lot!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews