"based on TV show"

Mr. Adrian Monk lost his job as a homicide detective because his obsessive compulsive behavior interfered with his performance though somehow he always caught the criminal and SFPD has kept him on the books as a consultant. His idiosyncrasies are difficult to live or work with so his assistant Natalie jumps at the chance to escape for a little while by accepting her best friend's invitation to be in her bridal party in Hawaii.

Monk is unwilling to be parted from his assistant who is also his security blanket so he takes a pill to inhibit his worst tendencies, but also his detecting abilities. Natalie knows instantly that her vacation is ruined when a wealthy woman is murdered at the hotel and Monk happily inveigles his way into the investigation. He soon has several crimes including an illegal drug operation and burglaries along with the homicide to occupy his time.

Nobody writes original novels based on TV shows better than Lee Goldberg does. He captures the essences of Monk and Natalie as well as the ambience of the locale. Although extreme cases of obsessive compulsive behavior can be difficult on the person and those in their sphere, Natalie accepts Monk for who he is and helps him survive in a world where he dances to a different drummer. There is much humor in this tale while Monk's brilliance overcomes his disabilities.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted July 4, 2006

Summary

Welcome to the all-new series of original mysteries starring Adrian Monk, the brilliant investigator who always knows when something's out of place....

Some people think Hawaii is paradise. But Monk knows that danger—like dirt—lurks everywhere. Look at Helen Gruber, the rich tourist who took a fatal blow from a coconut. The police say it fell from a tree, but Monk suspects otherwise. His assistant, Natalie, isn't exactly thrilled about Monk's latest investigation. It was bad enough that Monk followed her on vacation, and now it looks as though the vacation is over....

Smooth-talking TV psychic Dylan Swift is on the island and claims to have a message from beyond—from Helen Gruber. Monk has his doubts about Swift's credibility. But finding the killer and proving Swift a fraud—all while coping with geckos and the horror of unsynchronized ceiling fans—may prove a tough coconut to crack....