Here are a bunch of questions I’ve received lately about Monk. There may be spoilers ahead.
I just saw an episode of Monk that revealed Trudy’s killer as a college professor she had an affair with and had his baby. In your books you keep saying the murder hasn’t been solved. Can you explain? I still have several of your Monk books to read so the answer may be in the unread books. Thanks on advance for your feedback. Darla
That’s not the case. My books came out while the show was still on the air. The first book of mine that acknowledges the solving of Trudy’s murder is Mr. Monk on Road. I wrote four more MONK novels after that…all of which acknowledge that Trudy’s murder has been solved.
Hello Lee
First of all let me begin by telling you what a big fan I am of the Monk TV series AND your books. I was so upset when the TV series ended but your books allowed me to go on ‘watching’ it. One thing that I’m curious about though: why did you have to make Randy Disher leave for New Jersey? He was one of my top favorite characters in the series (I actually love all the characters and especially Sharona too). Anyway, just wanted to know why you had to replace Randy with Amy – you can tell I don’t like change much! 😛
Thanks!
Nyain from South Africa.
Disher left San Francisco for New Jersey in the final episode of the MONK television series, so I was just picking up where they left off.
I JUST READ “MR. MONK AND THE TWO ASSISTANTS” . I HAD NO IDEA THIS SERIES EXISTED. I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO SEE THE TV SERIES GO ON FOR ANOTHER 10 YEARS OR SO. THIS IS THE NEXT BEST THING. I CAN ACTUALLY VISULIZE THE CHARACTERS AS I READ THE BOOK. I LAUGH OUT LOUD. I INTEND TO READ ALL OF YOUR “MR MONK” BOOKS.
I HAVE READ ALL OF PARKER’S BOOKS. HIS BOOK COVERS ALWAYS SHOWED HIM IN A LEATHER JACKET AND BOSTON BALL CAP. I REMEMBERED THAT WHEN READING ABOUT “LUDLOW’S” BOOK COVERS.
I ENJOY YOUR WORK. TRAVIS
Thank you so much, Travis! I hope you continue to enjoy the MONK books. Your note reminded me that I need to change my author photo and put on a leather jacket.
how about you write a book with Mrs. Monk still living, perpetrating the neurosis later found in her kids? I would read it..!
Sorry, I am not writing the books anymore…and if I was, I wouldn’t write that.
I recently read the new novel Mr. Monk Helps Himself by Hy Conrad. It really sucked. […] Please, please reconsider coming back and writing another Monk book or at the very least talk to Hy Conrad and tell him where he’s gone wrong. I will have to content myself with rereading all your Monk novels. I miss the old Monk.
Thank you, I appreciate your kind words but I am done with Monk… It’s Hy’s series now and I wouldn’t presume to tell him how to write it. That said, I have to disagree with you. I think he’s doing a great job.
I am trying to find someplace that I can purchase the entire series of the Monk books, and keep hitting dead ends. Just wondering if you might know somewhere that this may exist. […] They are too expensive to purchase individually, and I’m hoping to get a better deal by finding the complete set.
You didn’t look very hard. You can find complete sets on ebay…or partial sets that you can buy to create a complete set…or you can find them from used book dealers on the Internet for as little as 1 cent each. I think you just wanted me to send you 15 books. Sorry, I don’t do that.
through reading janet evanovich’s books, i discovered you and the monk books. is the book, mr. monk on the couch, the last book of the series?
No, the last of the 15 Monk books that I wrote is Mr. Monk Gets Even. That said, Hy Conrad has continued the series and has written several more great books.
I find Monk irritating and wish you would write a book where he’s normal.
Well, then it wouldn’t be Monk book, would it? I think people read the Monk books because they like the Monk character. If you remove what makes him Monk, then he isn’t Monk any more.
Tell the truth now…you made up that last one…I have enjoyed Hy Conrad’s first two offerings. Either the reader, and there are others, didn’t “get it” or has some other issue. I’m not the most critical reader, or the least. I remember a reviewer saying that Rex Stout detested the word “grimace” and took umbrage with Robert Goldsborough putting the word into Archie Goodwin’s description of Nero Wolfe. He claimed to be an expert, but was undoubtedly one who didn’t actually read Stout’s series, since the word was used at least a dozen times in the novels and novellas. So I guess “it really sucked” isn’t right up there with best criticism, and you have merely revealed another celebrity stalker. To quote Archie, sort of, “When you first announced being done with the series, I was against it, but now that Hy has the job, I’m all for it.” That sort of quote is from The Doorbell Rang.
I wish I had. But no, I didn’t make it up. And it’s not the first email I’ve had from a reader making the same complaint and suggestion.
Loved the monk series enough I bought the complete set and love the books you wrote. Own all those too. I havent tried the new ones by Hy, but I enjoy the characters so much that I am willing to give him a try. Thank you for putting in all the time and work it took to entertain us with your books.
Dear Mr. Goldberg,
I’ve watched the Monk TV Series and read all the books. I’ve enjoyed all of them very much. However I have a vague remembrance of seeing a different finale than the one showing Trudy’s law professor as her killer and the father of her daughter. The one I recall had Trudy coming out of the Witness Protection Program and reuniting with Monk to go live happily ever after. Did I just dream this, or was it a real show that was televised once and then scrapped in favor of the one starring Craig T. Nelson. I’m not actually losing sleep over this (not much, anyway) but I would really like to know the answer.
Thank you very much.
Sincerely,
Judy Powers
You dreamed it.
I love the new series with Janet Evanovich. The Heist and The Chase were both well written. Hopefully, a TV producer will latch onto these books and launch a TV series with Nick and Kate. Keep writing more books.
Hy Conrad is doing a GREAT job.
you pissed me off so much when you wrote that natalie teeger os 5’7″ and that her daughter, Julie, is 5’10” because it was well-established that natalie is 5’5″ and that her daughter is only 2 inches taller than her. Luckily, Hy Conrad set the record straight in Mr monk gets on board by writing that natalie is 5’5″. yay! (i’m being sarcastic)
Lee,
Having read the three Hy Conrad entries in the Mr. Monk series, I can say that the books are proceeding in a decent enough manner. The instant haters will not be mollified, demonstrating a clear lack of critical thinking. I reserved judgement. The books have been middle of the road quality, not reaching the heights of your contributions while being better than a couple of entries. Sorry about that, but you did have an off-month or two during those writing days. Writers all do.
I’m always surprised when judgement is invoked prior to actually testing whatever the observer is ranting about. I don’t understand it. But there are a lot of things I don’t understand and I’m at an age where understanding everything isn’t as important to me as it once was. So, for those folks who invoke the old saying, “Better to be thought a fool than to open one’s mouth and prove it,” please rant elsewhere. It’s taking up my time, and worse, Lee’s time, to deal with it before letting it pass through the exit process. That’ll get me a response or three from trolls, I guess.
Tell Hy Hi for me and the rest who are enjoying the continuing stories of the Natalie Teeger Universe [G]. I’m happy she’s done faking on the AA story line. I understand Hy’s been a busy bee and that I will have lots to read over the next few months. I hope he gets better in the way that I hope ALL writers get better and continue to produce the enjoyment we care so much about.
P.S. I know it’s contrary to popular opinion, but I prefer Mr. Monk in love. Those humane moments, while fleeting, make him a better character.
I love the series and the books, both the ones written by you and the ones wirtten by hy. I got one question though. What happened to Trudy’s daughter? In the first book after the series final she is mentioned but then never again. Monk seemed to love her so much in the final episode and I think it is sad that in the books she just kind of disappeared, while his brother is mentioned all the time.
Monk’s brother is a FAR more significant character and major part of Monk’s life that Trudy’s daughter. To be honest, Trudy’s daughter never interested me as a character so I included her in one book to acknowledge her existence and never got back to her before I stopped writing the series. I suspect Hy feels the same way about her.