Some of the Monk books can be rather frustrating to read, but this one was really good. I loved the plot and the characters, and Monk was marginally less annoying than he is in the other books. Only problem was the cliffhanger. I hate those. ( )

I take it back. Reading this series, I've so far said that I prefer the stories set on home ground, and felt the others were forced.
This one is the exception to the rule. Monk and Natalie go to Summit, New Jersey to help Randy and Sharona and although it is still within the US, in some ways it takes Monk further out of his comfort zone than any of the European adventures. Yet it works.
I found myself laughing aloud again in this one.
A good fun read. ( )

Randy Disher, now the police chief of Summit, New Jersey where he lives with Sharona Fleming, prevails upon Monk and Natalie to fly out and help when his town and police force are decimated by corruption. Monk and Natalie go reluctantly, soon sort things out, and are drafted into the Summit police force until Randy can find replacement cops. Again, the murders themselves (enjoyable as they are to read) take a back seat to the dynamics between Monk and the rest of the world. Actually, Monk has taken huge strides lately, showing new growth as he shows unexpected compassion and insight when Natalie foils a convenience store robbery on her own, drawing her weapon on the robber in the process. He also pursues a relationship with a woman who shows many OCD traits in common with Monk, but who runs a shop that sells recycled dung products called Poop. Toward the end both Monk and Natalie realize that their ties to San Francisco have become more tenuous, and there are some incentives to considering a change in their lives when Randy offers them permanent positions. One of the more enjoyable Monk books, because we are finally seeing signs of growth and change in both major characters. ( )

http://www.book-blog.com/2012/01/goldberg-lee-mr-monk-on-patrol.html ( )