Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Acknowledgements
CHAPTER ONE - Mr. Monk Gets His Kicks
CHAPTER TWO - Mr. Monk and the Unlucky Break
CHAPTER THREE - Mr. Monk and the Reunion
CHAPTER FOUR - Mr. Monk Can’t Decide
CHAPTER FIVE - Mr. Monk’s Assistant Takes a Trip
CHAPTER SIX - Mr. Monk’s Assistant Makes a Discovery
CHAPTER SEVEN - Mr. Monk Takes the Case
CHAPTER EIGHT - Mr. Monk and the Long Drive
CHAPTER NINE - Mr. Monk and the Fly
CHAPTER TEN - Mr. Monk Had a Little Lamb
CHAPTER ELEVEN - Mr. Monk Takes the Case
CHAPTER TWELVE - Mr. Monk and the Brooch
CHAPTER THIRTEEN - Mr. Monk Finds the Holes
CHAPTER FOURTEEN - Mr. Monk Goes Home
CHAPTER FIFTEEN - Mr. Monk Takes a Breath
CHAPTER SIXTEEN - Mr. Monk Goes to the Beach
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN - Mr. Monk and the Other Shoe
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN - Mr. Monk Goes to Church
CHAPTER NINETEEN - Mr. Monk Hears a Confession
CHAPTER TWENTY - Mr. Monk Goes to the Orthodontist
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE - Mr. Monk and the Autopsy
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO - Mr. Monk and the Man Who Wasn’t Himself
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE - Mr. Monk Goes to the Firehouse
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR - Mr. Monk Tells All
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE - Mr. Monk and the Big Arrest
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX - Mr. Monk Loses an Assistant
CHAPTER TWENTY- SEVEN - Mr. Monk and the Jailbirds
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT - Mr. Monk and the Third Summation
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE - Mr. Monk and the Happy Ending
The Monk Series
Mr. Monk and the Blue Flu
Mr. Monk Goes to Hawaii
Mr. Monk Goes to the Firehouse
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First published by New American Library,
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First Printing, July 2007
Copyright © 2007 Universal Studios Licensing LLLP. Monk © USA Cable Entertainment LLC. All Rights Reserved
REGISTERED TRADEMARK—MARCA REGISTRADA
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA
Goldberg, Lee, 1962-
Mr. Monk and the two assistants/Lee Goldberg.
p. cm.
eISBN : 978-1-436-23696-6
1. Private investigators—Fiction. 2. Eccentrics and eccentricities—Fiction. 3. Psychics—Fiction. I. Monk (Television program) II. Title. III. Title: Mr. Monk and the two assistants.
PS3557.O3577M725 2007
813’.54—dc22 2006102819
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PUBLISHER’S NOTE
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
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To Valerie and Madison, who keep me (relatively) sane
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND AUTHOR’S NOTE
I would like to thank Dr. D. P. Lyle, William Rabkin, Pat Tierney, Sarah Bewley, Ivan Van Laningham, Rhys Bowen, Bob Morris, William Tapply, Carol Schmidt, Peggy Burdick, Mark Murphy, Annette Mahon, Mary Ellen Hughes, Alex Brett, Jack Quick, Robert Thompson and Anne Tomlin for their technical assistance on a variety of murderous topics. Any mistakes or factual liberties are my fault and not theirs, though I suppose they could be accused of aiding and abetting my crimes.
Special thanks to Kerry Donovan, Gina Maccoby, Stefanie Preston and most of all Andy Breckman, the creator of Adrian Monk, for their incredible support and encouragement.
While I try as best I can to stay true to the continuity of the TV series, it’s not always possible, given the long lead time between when my books are written and when they are published. During that period, new episodes may air that contradict details or situations referred to in my books. If you come across any such continuity mismatches, your understanding is appreciated.
I would love to hear from you. Stop by www.leegoldberg.comand say hello. Remember to floss twenty times daily.
CHAPTER ONE
Mr. Monk Gets His Kicks
My name is Natalie Teeger. I’m an honest-to-goodness soccer mom and proud of it. My twelve-year-old daughter, Julie, plays defense on the Slammers in the all-girl league. The kids get together at Dolores Park for practices on Saturdays and games on Sundays.
On this particular Sunday, my boss, Adrian Monk, the legendary detective, was with us at the game. He was too restless to stay at home. For the past couple days, he’d been investigating the brutal beating death of the reviled E. L. Lancaster, who ran the mortgage division of a San Francisco bank.
Lancaster was disliked by just about everyone he’d ever met. He’d even foreclosed on his parents’ home when his father, slipping into senility, missed a couple mortgage payments.
I’m not kidding. Lancaster was that lovable.
The only clue Monk had to work with was a confusing cluster of overlapping bloody footprints belonging to the
