Mr. Monk and the Dirty Cop -- Lee Goldberg

Lee Goldberg's books about Monk never let me down. They're always good for a some smiles and laughs, but that's the least of it. I've talked before about the themes of loyalty and friendship in books by other writers (here for example), and Robert B. Parker couldn't fill up ten pages without writing about them. People take the themes seriously in other books because, well, the books are serious. Goldberg has a lighter touch, but if you don't think those themes are treated just as seriously in his work, then you should read Mr. Monk and the Dirty Cop.

Can a man be too good at his job? It seems possible. Monk gets fired from his job as a consultant to the San Francisco police. Finances or jealousy? He's then hired by a big, successful detective firm, Intertect (no mention of Joe Mannix, though). He's solving cases almost faster than they can supply him with the files, but when his friend Captain Stottlemeyer is accused of murder, nobody's going to stop Monk from helping. In his own way, of course.

As for Natalie, she's more than just the narrator of Monk's adventures. She's a solid character in her own right, and the story's about her as much as it's about Monk, and it's nice to see her coming into her own more and more as the books progress.

I believe the TV series about Monk is supposed to come to an end after another season or so. I'm betting this won't affect the sales of Goldberg's books a bit. In fact, the sales might increase if fans of the show suffer from withdrawal and want more of Monk and Natalie's adventures. I'm looking forward to reading the books for a long time to come.