Customer Reviews

Mr. Monk is Cleaned Out

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I truly enjoy these Mr. Monk books. They are a hoot and I find myself laughing out loud at some of his antics and explanations. This time around Adrian gets fired from his police consultant job, loses his money in a ponzi scheme, and gets evicted from his apartment. Of course, all of this rolls downhill to Natalie. Natalie is also having problems dealing with her hormonal teenager. There are several crimes committed in this book and several of them have to do with the United States economy and in particular the state of California, and the City of San Francisco. To fight the economy Adrian and Natalie try several odd jobs to tie them over.

The novel is excellent couldn't put it down. Once Again Monk is fired because the department is down-sizing which also affects his long suffering assistant Natalie Teeger. But nothing stops Monk once he gets doing. Solving crimes right and left while the duo are working odd jobs to make ends meets. This novel has plenty of humor which is refreshing and delight to read. Also the additon of his brother Ambrose in the novel makes for very interesting reading. The best of the series.

Lee Goldberg's, "Mr. Monk is Cleaned Out," is a richly detailed novel with excellently drawn characters, and is, for me, the best book of the Monk series that I have read so far. The writing seems to come from a deeper place within the writer in this story, and the characters and their problems are dealt much more with sympathy and hardly with any farce at all. Even when Mr. Monk is at his most difficult to deal with, he is making a very good point which the other characters agree with. What's more, this novel is written with a wealth of good feeling and a lot of energy. It just feels good to read it, and reading it the second time is even better, for the writer has taken a great deal of care to layer in a wealth of repeated phrases and parallel conversational points--the craftsmanship is really impressive. But the very best parts of this novel for me are the insights generated by the theme, which revolves around respect and self-respect in a down economy. It's a thoughfully written book and the reader feels like he or she has entered into a very warm world and made friends with very warm and human figures. I'm definitely looking forward to the books in the series that follow this one.

In the latest installment in Lee Goldberg's series of TV tie-ins, Adrian Monk faces two crises that threaten his life and livelihood. The more pressing is the disappearance of his preferred bottled water from supermarket shelves: Summit Creek, bottlers of the only water pristine enough to pass his lips, has gone out of business. Impending death from dehydration leads Monk to try to score some bottles on the black market, but his foray into the mean streets of San Francisco ends badly. The demise of Summit Creek is just one sign of a much larger economic downturn that impacts Monk and his assistant Natalie soon after the book opens: the San Francisco police department is forced once again (cf. the events of Mr. Monk and the Dirty Cop) to fire Monk as a consultant. Monk and Natalie are forced to seek employment elsewhere, with comical results. The murders Monk seeks to solve in this one are likewise related to the economy, a series of deaths connected to the upcoming trial of a Bernie Madoff-type character. The crimes are clever, as usual, but, as always, Monk is more clever.

Lee Goldberg's Monk books are always worth reading. The mysteries are good, often laugh-out-loud funny, and Monk is simply a wonderful character who comes across as well on the page as he does on the screen. Mr. Monk is Cleaned Out didn't make me laugh quite as much as some other books in the series, and while the relationship between Monk and Natalie advances a bit the two never quite have an emotionally satisfying scene in this one. But I must say that Mr. Goldberg has the conversation and mien of a petulant teenager down cold, and Natalie's interaction with her teenage daughter does make for some moving scenes. In short, Mr. Monk is Cleaned Out is another solid read in the series, if not one of my very favorites among the books.

-- Debra Hamel

MR. MONK IS CLEANED OUT is based on the TV series created by Andy Breckman and here tells of Monk's firing as a consultant because of the financial crisis. Nobody can afford him - and his money is wiped out due to a shady investment. He's broke, and a job search with Natalie results in his PI skills being put to the test in this fun, whimsical detective tale.

this book is just great. I love Monk and I am so glad we have the books to still leave. I am not finished with it yet, half way through. But it keeps me laughing and on toes to see who done it. If you haven't started reading the Monk series you should start today.

It's easy for Monk fans to get depressed these days. Times are hard, and there are no new episodes of the TV series this summer. So the publication of a new Monk novel is a welcome event.

In this tenth Monk novel, set at a time before the end of the TV series, Adrian is hit with a string of major setbacks. The manufacturer of his favorite bottled water goes out of business. He's laid off from his consulting job with the police. His savings disappear in a bad investment. (A palindrome-based investment strategy turns out to be a bad idea.) Then he loses his apartment, and he is fired almost immediately from jobs at a grocery store and a pizza parlor.

Fortunately for Monk, he has a strong support group. His assistant Natalie, Captain Stottlemeyer and Lieutenant Disher, his therapist Dr. Bell, and his brother Ambrose (the Mycroft of the Monk world) are all there for him. With their help, he may be able to solve a big murder case and come out on top.

I've read every Monk book Lee Goldberg has written, and this, hands down has been my most favorite. Maybe it's because the Monk series is over, and I'm lacking "Monk" in my life, but I really did enjoy it.

The book basically talks about the economy's condition, and forces the SF Police Department to have to no longer have Mr. Monk as a consultant. He tries to help out with cases free of charge, but eventually due to Natalie gets to try out various jobs. Some of these include in a grocery story and pizzeria. His tendencies usually end up getting them fired, and they're back to square one. All the while, this big case that Captain Stottlemeyer won't allow Monk to be included on is going on without being solved. Monk says he knows who did it, but isn't able to be involved enough to find the evidence to close the case.

Again, this was just one of my favorite Monk books. As usual, a quick read, and hard to put down. Keep them coming, Mr. Goldberg!

Captivating Characters, plus a Puzzling Plotline. The latest Mr Monk book is a fast read. Finished in one evening. Multiple murders are solved, while Monk indulges in his usual angst, and Natalie tries her best to do damage control. Wish this series had more frequent books. Reading them is a real treat. Unusual cover, featuring Monk and dalmation dog, who doesn't appear until second half of book. A minimal supporting canine character. Fascinating, neverthless!
Enthusiastic Monk fan,
Arlene Millman
author of "Boomerang - A Miracle Trilogy" and
"Forever Love and More, Encore"

This plot was especially relevant in our current real-life economic situation. Also brought in Monk's brother, who never leaves his home. Monk's female assistant gives a consistantly entertaining report