Over the past 20 or so months I have been working my way through Lee Goldberg’s Adrian Monk mysteries. In January I finally completed the series and naturally, when one has done this, a ranked list inevitably follows. To date I have done a few ranked lists: Anthony Berkeley, Christianna Brand, Leo Bruce, Edmund Crispin, Christopher St John Sprigg, Alice Tilton, Clifford Witting, Christmas Mysteries and British Library Short Story Collections. So, by the looks of it, this is my first ranked list for a modern crime writer.
With a ranked list there can be the implication that “this is the suggested order to read them in, best to worst”. Worst is not as dire as it sounds, as with a good author, their worst book might be a 4/5, which is still an enjoyable mystery. However, when ranking titles in a mystery series, this implication can become problematic, as some series are plotted in a way that they need to be read in chronological order. When it comes to Crispin’s Gervase Fen or Bruce’s Sergeant Beef, a random reading order works reasonably well, but in the case of the Adrian Monk mysteries, this is not so. There are definitely some books which need to be read in a certain order. For example, Mr Monk is Miserable (2008) is a direct follow on from Mr Monk Goes to Germany (2008). Moreover, Lee Goldberg himself suggests reading Mr Monk on the Road (2011), Mr Monk on the Couch (2011), Mr Monk on Patrol (2012) and Mr Monk is a Mess (2012) in order, due to the changes which occur in the personal lives of the series characters. Consequently, whilst the list in this post charts which books I liked the most etc., it is not necessarily a recommended reading order.
15th Place: Mr Monk is Miserable (2008)
Rating: 3.75/5
This was the weakest book for me, as I felt the first 100 pages needed trimming down, as it spent too much time establishing Adrian Monk and Natalie Teeger in Paris. I felt this adversely effected the mystery plot, as there was less investigation time available. The solution also only seemed to hinge upon one piece of evidence.
14th Place: Mr Monk is Cleaned Out (2010)
Rating: 3.75/5
The mystery element in this story felt a bit marginalised, in comparison to the plot thread exploring how Adrian and Natalie cope financially (after Monk realises his savings have been embezzled). Yes, seeing this duo having to work non-sleuthing jobs is funny, as Adrian invariably gets them sacked quite quickly, but I found Julie (Natalie’s teenage daughter) more annoying in this narrative.
13th Place: Mr Monk in Outer Space (2007)
Rating: 4/5
The sci-fi convention milieu was not as appealing for me in this one, and I am not sure we get enough information to work out the main mystery ourselves (in comparison to stronger novels in the series). Getting to see Ambrose, Adrian’s brother, was a definite plus though, as he is a character I really enjoy spending time with. It is nice how Ambrose gets more of a role in some of the later books in the series.
12th Place: Mr Monk on the Road (2011)
Rating: 3/5 (Mystery component) 4.5/5 (If rated for being a comic adventure)
This was a very difficult book to rate and rank, as it is a wonderfully enjoyable book, but I would say it is a borderline detective story, since most of the book has nothing to with crime or detection. Yet by what criteria should it be judged? If I were to just isolate the crime and detective elements and assess them in light of genre expectations, then I think this book would only get 3/5. But if I were to rate it just as a comic adventure novel then it’s sheer entertainment factor and enjoyable characters would give it a 4.5/5. I would not recommend this as a way of first sampling the series, as its fun factor is intrinsically bound to the reader’s investment in the series characters.
11th Place: Mr Monk Goes to Germany (2008)
Rating: 4/5
This book details well Adrian’s pain-in-the-rear tendencies, although the author does a great job of making sure Monk does not become so annoying that the reader is put off. I think part of Goldberg’s success in this area is down to how he describes or explores Adrian’s rigid worldview. The episodic structure, whilst not uncommon in this series, is more pronounced here.
10th Place: Mr Monk on the Couch (2011)
Rating: 4/5
This novel sees Natalie expanding her role and stretching her sleuthing muscles. Having now read the whole series, I can see where these small changes were heading. Transitions though can cause some teething troubles, and I think Natalie’s greater role in wrapping up the case, made it a little bit less satisfying. Not because I disliked her being in that position, but I did not feel wholly convinced by the way she arrived at her conclusion. Moreover, Monk is a less central character in this story arguably, which might appeal less to some.
9th Place: Mr Monk Gets Even (2012)
Rating: 4/5
This is the final novel in the series, so probably a good idea to leave this one until last! Mr Monk is a Mess which is the penultimate story, felt like a satisfying ending for the series, so I was unsure what I would make of this one. I didn’t need to worry as this story was an enjoyable read. Adrian Monk has to face new anxieties, as well as old foes, which means plenty of drama is to be had. As I wrote in my review:
The overall structure of the mystery is more thriller than detective, and I am reminded of something Dorothy L. Sayers wrote in one of her reviews for The Sunday Times, upon the nature of the difference between thrillers and detective fiction:
‘[…] is mainly one of emphasis. Agitating events occur in both, but in the thriller our cry is “What comes next?” – in the detective story, “What came first?” The one we cannot guess; the other we can, if the author gives us a chance.’
I definitely think Mr Monk Gets Even is a story in which we are eager to discover “What comes next?”.
8th Place: Mr Monk and the Two Assistants (2007)
Rating: 4/5
I wonder if this is a book which will be most enjoyed by readers who have also watched a lot of the TV series, as a great deal of the tension, drama and humour arises from the interaction between Monk’s former and current assistants, Sharona Fleming and Natalie Teeger. This is Sharona’s first appearance in the novel series, but she was Monk’s first assistant, featuring in the first two and half seasons of the TV show. Hence the reason a reader who has only read the books, but never seen the show, may respond to it differently. This is another mystery in which Monk has several quicker cases to solve, although naturally the reader is trying to see if there is something to link them.
7th Place: Mr Monk Goes to the Firehouse (2006)
Rating: 4/5
This is the first book in the series, and the producers of the Monk TV show liked it so much that it was then used as the basis for one of the subsequent episodes. However, the plots are different, so if you have seen the episode then you can still read the novel.
If you know anything about the character of Adrian Monk, then you will know how promising the first chapter of this story sounds when it is called: ‘Mr Monk and the Termites’. There are many different scenes which will tickle the reader’s funny bone, from Monk’s reaction to being mugged, to the attempts made to find him a hotel to stay in whilst his apartment is being fumigated. Let’s just say Monk pushes everyone to breaking point with the reasons he dismisses hotel rooms, such as mismatched wallpaper underneath the bathroom counter. This problem is resolved by Natalie recklessly inviting him to stay with her and her daughter – a move which results in a lot of pleasing comedy. Monk is put straight into the main investigation and one of the things I enjoyed about this case was the interesting variety of clues. Some you can anticipate but there are many that you won’t. For example, Monk proves that a fire was arson, based on where someone was sitting, and Monk also learns something valuable staring at the contents of someone’s laundry basket. This latter clue is something readers might miss as like Natalie they might assume Monk is focusing on the laundry intently due to his fears, anxieties, or OCD behaviours. I enjoyed the finale to this one.
6th Place: Mr Monk on Patrol (2012)
Rating: 4.25/5
There is an emphasis on solving several smaller cases in this story, rather than there being one big crime to investigate. I think this structure worked effectively, as it meant the plot was harder to predict, meaning there were plenty of surprises. This is another mystery in which Sharona features, which certainly added to the humour of the piece, as her bluntness contrasts with Natalie’s approach to handling Monk. Nevertheless, I felt there was a bit of a lull in the detection in the second half of the book.
5th Place: Mr Monk and the Dirty Cop (2009)
Rating: 4.25/5
This instalment in the series is interesting in the way it explores the adverse effect Adrian Monk’s success has on the professional reputation of Captain Stottlemyer. Giving cases to Monk for him to solve, which is key in Monk’s recovery process, does come at great cost to the captain, which is not something I had given much thought to previously. Whilst some friction comes between the duo, a personal predicament helps to bring them back together. The “main” mystery does not appear on the page until 60-70% of the way though the story, which is a bold move. However, it is one that the writer pulls off well, and this means the tale can move in different directions.
4th Place: Mr Monk and the Blue Flu (2007)
Rating: 4.25/5
This is a good example of how the author mixes things up in this series, as this novel sees Monk back on the police force, due to a wider employment dispute within the department. Due to this, Adrian must contend with juggling several cases at once, which differs to other books in the series where he is able to complete investigations one at a time. This setup allows the reader to engage with different aspects of Adrian Monk’s personality, as he struggles with being a team manager, and we also get the opportunity to know Captain Stottlemeyer better.
3rd Place: Mr Monk Goes to Hawaii (2006)
Rating: 4.25/5
This was my first experience of this series and initially I found Natalie Teeger’s narrative voice a bit abrasive. However, this issue thankfully receded, and her voice became one of the many things I enjoy about this series. Mr Monk Goes to Hawaii demonstrates the fun to be had in watching the dynamic between Adrian and Natalie, as it has some wonderful one-upmanship. Monk sometimes has to compromise and on other occasions, Natalie finds herself bested by Monk. I think this means our sympathies can be spread across the two characters. A good example of this is at the start of the book when Natalie thinks she has “won” by waiting until before Monk’s therapy appointment to tell him that she is off to Hawaii for a week. By doing this she thinks Monk’s therapist will have to deal with his anticipated negative reaction. However, Natalie is in for a rude awakening when she is on her flight to Hawaii… This is very much a case of one all.
2nd Place: Mr Monk is a Mess (2012)
Rating: 4.5/5
This book is action-packed and well-paced and there is plenty of mysteries for the readers and characters to solve. The author balances bringing together and resolving character arcs with the demands of investigating several mysteries. Since this novel is so late in the series, and it involves a lot of character development, I have not gone into too much detail about the plot here, nor in my fuller review. But I did enjoy the narrative hook of Natalie returning home and having a dark Goldilocks bear moment. There are the remains of a pizza she has not eaten and a beer she has not drunk. Several of her possessions are missing and breakfast dishes are laid out for two. Her bed has been slept in and only after that does she find the body in her bath.
1st Place: Mr Monk in Trouble (2009)
Rating: 4.5/5
One of the many enjoyable aspects about this book is that it has a dual narrative, with some chapters being extracts from a diary written in 1855 by Abigail Guthrie, who came to the town of Trouble with her husband during the Gold Rush. When her spouse dies Abigail works for the town’s assayer Artemis Monk. It is no spoiler to say that Artemis is presented as a historical predecessor (not a blood relative though) of Adrian Monk, who in the present-day visits Trouble, with Natalie, to assist in investigating the murder of a museum watchguard. I loved how these two timelines run parallels to one another and how they go on to intertwine. An unsolved train robbery from the 1960s also plays a role in the story. Consequently, it is no surprise that the plot and puzzle of this book are really strong. Furthermore, the characterisation is top notch, and I love how the author is able to take the Monk of the TV show and put him on the page, which comes through well in the dialogue. The dialogue here does more than simply relay plot information to the reader, as in this story it is also used effectively to depict character traits and provide comedy. Here is a favourite example of mine when Adrian Monk is not keen on going to Trouble:
“I can’t do it,” Monk said.
“Why not?” I said.
“Tumbleweeds,” Monk said. He was terrified of them.
“What do Tumbleweeds have to do with anything?” Stottlemeyer said.
“It’s an Old West town,” Monk said. “The Old West is where tumbleweeds like to tumble.”
“I’ll protect you,” I said.
“How?”
“If any tumbleweeds come along, I’ll throw myself in front of them.”
“You’d do that for me?” he asked.
“Just like I did when you were nearly hit by that runaway dandelion a few weeks ago.”
“It’s not the same thing,” Monk said. “Tumbleweeds are like dandelions on steroids.”
Do you have a favourite Monk book or TV episode?