The 16 Monk Novels in Order

Monk and the Dirty CopReaders are always asking me for a list of the MONK books in order. So here you go, along with some trivia that you might find interesting.

Mr. Monk Goes to the Firehouse (2006) William Rabkin and I adapted this novel into the MONK episode “Mr. Monk Can’t See a Thing.”

Mr. Monk Goes to Hawaii (2006) Yes, I know about the milk error in this book. A character in this novel also appears in my novel Diagnosis Murder: The Death Merchant.

Mr. Monk and the Blue Flu (2007) This book was loosely adapted into the MONK episode “Mr. Monk and the Badge.”

Mr. Monk and the Two Assistants (2007) This book is unrelated to the MONK episode that brought back Sharona, which came several years after this book was published.

Mr. Monk in Outer Space (2007) Some characters in this book might be familiar to readers of my novel Dead Space (aka Beyond the Beyond). Monk’s brother Ambrose also has a significant role in this novel.

Mr. Monk Goes to Germany (2008) Several of the “assistants” that Natalie meets with in this book were originally introduced in Mr. Monk and the Blue Flu. Monk’s adversary Dale the Whale makes an appearance in this novel.

Mr. Monk is Miserable (2008) This book is a direct sequel to Germany and picks up right where the previous book left off.

Mr. Monk and the Dirty Cop (2009) – There is a call-back in this novel to the MONK episode “Mr. Monk Meets The Godfather,” which I wrote with William Rabkin. There are also some in-joke references to the TV series Mannix and Murder She Wrote.

Mr. Monk in Trouble (2009) There are many, many in-joke references in this book to western authors, television series, and movies, and even radio shows. An excerpt from the book was published as The Case of the Piss-Poor Gold in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, November 2009

Mr. Monk is Cleaned Out (2010) This book features a variation on the classic locked-room mystery.

Mr. Monk on the Road (2011) This is the first book set after the final episode of the TV series and features Monk’s brother Ambrose in a big way.. Excerpt: Mr. Monk and the Seventeen Steps, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, December 2010.

MM_Gets_EVEN_mm

Mr. Monk on the Couch (2011) An excerpt from the book was published as Mr. Monk and the Sunday Paper in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, July 2011

Mr. Monk on Patrol (2012) An excerpt from the book was published as Mr. Monk and the Open House in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine in December 2011. This book features the return of Sharona and Randy Disher.

Mr. Monk is a Mess (July 2012) An excerpt from the book was published as  Mr. Monk and the Talking Car, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine May 2012. There is another call-back to the TV episode “Mr. Monk Meets The Godfather” in this novel.

Mr. Monk Gets Even (January 2013) An excerpt from the book was published as Mr. Monk Sees the Light in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, December 2012. Dale the Whale and Monk’s brother Ambrose return in this book, which was my final novel in the series.

Mr. Monk Helps Himself  (June 2013) This is the first book in the series written by Hy Conrad and picks up where my books left off.

 

88 thoughts on “The 16 Monk Novels in Order”

  1. Was surprised to see you stop at 15.

    Monk would have preferred 16… Or 20… Twenty would be better…

    Than for posting a list!

    Reply
  2. Oh, wow. Thought the novels ended with Mr. Monk Get’s Even. Glad that there’s more on the way. I haven’t even started on the first, but I am planning to… In just a few minutes! I was elated to find out that there’s more to the Monk story than just the show. I was so sad when it ended. Just sitting here thinking about it makes me feel like I’m about to embark on a grand journey! Reading these books should definitely bring me back into the Monk universe! Can’t wait to start! Allons-y!

    Reply
  3. The explanation for Trudy’s murder is in one of the Monk books – sorry I can’t remember which one. Believe
    it was one of the early ones.

    Reply
    • That’s incorrect, Barb. I don’t believe I ever explained the solution of Trudy’s murder because I didn’t want to spoil it for viewers of the TV show. If I mentioned it at all, it was in passing in one of the post-TV series finale novels… MR. MONK ON PATROL, MR. MONK IS A MESS or MR. MONK GETS EVEN.

      Reply
      • It’s refreshing to see so many avid Monk followers. I thought I was the only one. I had no idea there were books too! Unfortunately, with 3 small children, reading is a luxury I dont have at the moment but I look forward to checking these out in about, say, 18 years 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thanks for writing these!

        Reply
  4. I love the Monk show. Have read two of the books. Just got all 16 for Christmas….. I shall read these over and over for years to come.

    Reply
  5. I discovered Mr. Monk recently on reruns (and soon afterwards on books), and it’s become an instant favorite in our household, despite the fact that we don’t watch much TV. Even my husband can sit for hours at a time, & as we laugh, it has facilitated great times with our teenagers. We now call each ourselves: Monk-aholics!!!!! Thank you, Mr. L. Goldberg, for creating such a wonderful series!

    Reply
    • Thank you for the kind words, Carmen, but I didn’t create MONK. My good friend Andy Breckman created the character and the TV series. He wrote some episodes of the TV show and 15 MONK novels.

      Reply
      • Wow, I’ve been listening to Andy Breckman for 25 years on the weekly experimental comedy program he co-hosts on WFMU with station manage Ken Freedman, and had no idea he’d written Monk NOVELS, let alone that they’d been continued by you and Mr. Conrad! Did Tom Scharpling contribute any more material?

        Reply
  6. I’ve enjoyed reading all of your Monk books. It was great to read on even after the series ended. Thanks.

    I have a question. Officer Brooks and Sergeant Denton from Mr. Monk Goes to Germany – are they named after Miss Brooks and Walter Denton of “Our Miss Brooks” fame? As a fan of that show as well, I appreciated the (possible) reference.

    Reply
    • Most likely, yes. It was so long ago, I can’t say for certain. But I’m a huge fan of old TV shows and sneak in references whenever I can. All the character names in MR. MONK IN TROUBLE, for instance, are homages to western TV series characters, writers, producers, and directors…as well as western novelists. The lead character in THE HEIST and THE CHASE, the first two books in the new series of novels that I wrote with Janet Evanovich, always uses TV character names for his aliases.

      Reply
      • Lee, I really enjoy your new book series with Janet Evanovich. just ordered the next one for when it comes out. you are one of my favorite writers, and I don’t really like to read that much.

        Reply
  7. I really have enjoyed reading the Mr. Monk series and I hope you continue to write them ( I haven’t yet read the new guy’s book,but I hope he was entrusted to keep the humor and characterizations intact and knows how to pace a good mystery as well.)
    I started watching the series very late in its run as USA network oversold Monk’s germaphobia and it seemed like he was going to be a bedridden detective. Despite being a big fan of Tony Shaloub, I nevertheless had no wish to see crimes being solved every week from a bedroom or kitchen. I finally tu end in after the seventh but before the final season and was surprised and delighted by the entire cast and the writing. in summary, many thanks to you, Andy Beckman and the talented staff of both the show and your books.I’m really glad I got hooked on Monk.

    Sincerely,

    Bennett Klafter

    Reply
    • I’m afraid I’m done writing them, Bennett. It was time to move on to other things. I am writing books with Janet Evanovich now and am having a blast! Hy Conrad’s books are good and I think you will enjoy them.

      Reply
      • I apologize! You’re going to think I’m an idiot. I didn’t know there were any Monk books until today (2021!) How did I miss this information? I feel so stupid.

        Reply
  8. Thank you Mr. Goldberg for all these wonderful books. I’m from BraziI and I read all of them, but the last one, which I intend to do it this semester. They really helped me to have Monk around after the TV series ended, which was a pity. I love the series and the characters and you were able to create the same atmosphere we saw on TV. I loved all the stories and I really think all of them could be used as a great story to reunite all the actors and make a TV special or a movie. Congratulations for the great work.

    Reply
  9. Thank you Mr Goldberg for your entertaining books. I have walked~100 miles on the treadmill listening to your Mr Monk audiobooks and will have to listen to something else of yours soon since Audible only has the first 8!

    Reply
  10. forgive if I am wrong, But mr. monk never survived a tornado. that would have been hard on his suit. TY For every book.

    Reply
  11. I’m a flight attendant and someday I’m going to meet you on an airplane. I’m going to gush in unmanly gratitude for all the quiet laughs and hopeless absurdities you’ve led me into. Brace yourself.

    Reply
  12. I enjoy watching the TV series/repeats of Mr. Monk. Didn’t realize until recently, that there were books written about him. Some I have paid for and most got them from my
    local library. I have read all of your books and absolutely loved your writing of
    them. I felt like I was watching the movie and not just reading a book. I really am
    saddened that I have read them all. I wish there were more. I did get Hy Conrads version, and they were ok, but you brought out the ‘real’ Natalie’ and the ‘real’ Mr. Monk. Mr. Conrads narration at times, did not seem like the ‘real’ Mr. Monk….or Natalie speaking. But it was a good story line. I understand when something you love doing needs to come to an end in your life. Just wanted to say ‘THANKS’ for your creative writing and ‘THANKS’ for entertaining me when the TV series wasn’t on.

    Reply
  13. Also, one more thing. Never really realized it before, but how much a lot of us have a Monk in us. When I stop to move an object, just a little bit, because it’s not straight enough, I think of Monk. When I have seen someone else doing similar, I mention
    Monk. Just wanted you to know that. I love Mr. Monk!.
    Thanks again for your books.

    Reply
  14. When I foun this Monk book, I couldn’t believe it!!!! I’m being a Monk’s fan from years, since the series started. I saw them all, but now that the serie its over, I see the reruns. I have all the CD’s, but I wish I would have the books, but I haven’t see them anywhere. I asked the clerk at the store where I found this, but they do not know. Where can I get All of your Monk’s book.?

    Reply
  15. I am going to miss you writing the books, but I’m glad that someone is going to continue writing them. I hope someday that there will be a Monk movie made. I think Mr. Monk and the Blue Flu would make a good movie. Good luck on your future.

    Reply
  16. As a die-hard Monk fan who have watched every episode at least twice I have to say I LOVE LOVE LOVE your series!!! I’ve read 13 so far and plan on continuing with the ones by Hy but he has a LOT to live up too!!!!
    I was devastated to learn you had stopped writing and am relishing reading them now that I know it’s coming to an end on your part. Hy Conrad has some BIG shoes to fill. We will see how he does! Appreciate you so much for sticking true to the characters which make ‘Monk” aas much a joy to read as he was to watch. Love you & Thank you!!!
    ~Eva

    Reply
    • It’s very easy. Go to Amazon.com or Barnesandnoble.com or the iBookstore or any bookstore online, and you can order them all in whatever format you desire. Or you can walk into your neighborhood bookstore, which probably carries most of them, and you can order the ones that they don’t.

      Buy buttons for Amazon and B&N are located on the product page of each Monk book here on my site.

      Reply
      • Hi I am interested in reading the monk books. I just want to know if I should read them in order to understand it. Like are all the books connected. Or can I read for example the last book that came out, and read that first

        Reply
        • The only books you should read in order are MR. MONK GOES TO GERMANY and MR. MONK IS MISERABLE… and perhaps the last three I wrote, MR. MONK ON PATROL, MR. MONK IS A MESS, and MR. MONK GETS EVEN. Otherwise, you can read them in any order.

          Reply
  17. Hi, thank you for the list and for the books. I have all the seasons and was happy to see the books and have been introducing them to others that liked the series. When did you stop writing them and when did Hy Conrad start writing them?

    Reply
  18. Lee — In my draft WIP, the second Penny Summers mystery, “The Body in the Brantleigh Glen,” I have a line from the Randy Newman song. Here’s the context:

    [My protagonist, Penny Summers:] I couldn’t decide if I should voice my suspicions. “I doubt it,” was all I could say, but after I shut my phone, I hummed Randy Newman’s line from the old Monk theme: I could be wrong now, but I don’t think so.” (the words, of course, italicized)

    May I have your permission to use that line in the ms?

    Thank you, John Gordon
    Author of “Katelyn’s Killer” to be published April 2015 by Oak Tree Press

    Reply
      • Hi Lee Goldberg. I’m just a 13 year old boy from Australia who can’t get enough of monk! 🙂 i started watching monk years ago and relising how good it is! And now just recently i sat down and watched all 8 seasons of monk and i plan on reading the books! 🙂 Monk was one of the best things in the world! Its a massive shame they stopped making the series! 🙁 i heard a couple of years ago they were going to make a comeback with some new monk episodes like ‘Mr. Monk Runs For Mayor’ When I heard this i screamed with excitment! I couldnt wait for it!! And then i heard you canceled that idea! I was shattered! 🙁 Monk was a perfect show!!! Just looking at these replys by the fans, they want monk to continue! They loved it too! Along with a billion others! So, thank you Andy Breckman and Lee Goldberg for making the most perfect show ever made!!! And also, coued you please consider doing those bew monk episodes? Everyone would love them and everyone wants them! 🙂 could you please just talk to Andy Breckman about it again Lee Goldberg? It would make my sweet little heart with joy!!! 🙂 there are lots of things that you could do with the show! 😉 and i know you can figure it out! 😉 let monk live on forever!!!!!!!!!! (10)
        Please get back to me and reply! 🙂

        Reply
        • I’m afraid I have no control over whether or not new MONK episodes are produced. I just wrote the books and a few episodes. Andy Breckman is the creator and executive producer of MONK…but he is at the mercy of the studio, who owns the show, and the network, which broadcasts it. I know Andy would love to make a reunion movie…but the studio and the network just couldn’t make the numbers work so that it made financial sense.

          Reply
          • Yeah ok 🙁 are you still in contact with Andy Breakman? Is there anyway that i can contact Andy Breakman to see what his opinion on this is? 🙂 i know the betwork doesn’t want to do new monk episodes/tv movie because it wont make enough money, but it would!!! Because its been 5 years with no monk!! And like 1 billion people want it back! 🙂 Lee Goldberg, whats you personal opinion on new monk episodes/tv movie? And also, is there anyway that i can contact the network? 🙂
            And also if the network doesnt want to make the tv movie or new episodes than is it possible to change networks? Please get back to me as soon as possible 🙂

          • I wish there was some way Andy Breckman would do a 2-hour TV movie adaptation of “Mr. Monk Goes to Hawaii” – rewritten for the screen as a standalone ‘post-Season-Eight’ story, with Dr. Charles Kroger’s scenes rewritten for Dr. Neven Bell – or even another therapist altogether if Hector Elizondo couldn’t do it.

            Out of all the “MONK” novels, I think the Hawaii story would have the most potential: The whole Dylan Swift plot/big reveal in the final chapter really made an impression on me, and I just loved how Adrian told that story of the “night-night” blanket to Natalie, then has that letter notorized and unveils it so dramatically at the Dylan Swift Show in the Belmont Hotel (by the way, I was surprised to learn there really is a Belmont Hotel in San Francisco – under the Stayfree Extended America hotel chain), which I’m guessing is where Adrian and Natalie went.

            Having said all that…. I must also say that I found Ian Ludlow (from “Mr. Monk and the Two Assistants”) to be the most riveting, brilliant and electrifying villain I have ever read in a book. For some reason, I couldn’t help but visualize Nicolas Cage in every scene Ludlow is in…. like an evil Ben Gates from National Treasure, as it were. Gosh, Ian Ludlow is such an outrageously twisted psychopath, it’s a crying shame he never got to be on the actual “MONK” TV series!

  19. Yeah ok are you still in contact with Andy Breakman? Is there anyway that i can contact Andy Breakman to see what his opinion on this is? i know the betwork doesn’t want to do new monk episodes/tv movie because it wont make enough money, but it would!!! Because its been 5 years with no monk!! And like 1 billion people want it back! Lee Goldberg, whats you personal opinion on new monk episodes/tv movie? And also, is there anyway that i can contact the network?
    And also if the network doesnt want to make the tv movie or new episodes than is it possible to change networks? Please get back to me as soon as possible

    Reply
    • Nope. The only two that should be read in order are MR. MONK GOES TO GERMANY adn MR. MONK IS MISERABLE, since one immediately follows the other…it picks up the same day that the other one ends.

      Reply
  20. my wife and I became so addicted to Monk on TV that we couldn’t wait a week for the next show, we bought the Box Set of DVD’s. My wife came across the Monk books one day whilst at our Bank, 2 of them were there being sold to raise funds for the local Hospice. We live in the UK but come across to the States every year on holiday, touring a different State each trip. So last year we went to Oregon and visited a Barnes and Noble where we got another 10 Monk books. We hope to get the remainder this year in Missouri. The Books are terrific but it certainly helps when you know the characters involved, you literally view the action on each page, that’s the thing!
    Thank you for providing us with such great entertainment, much appreciated this side of the pond.

    Reply
  21. I’m only up to Mr. Monk is Miserable – but I wanted to drop in and say Mr. Monk Goes to Germany was by far and away my favorite so far. I was belly laughing during the whole book! Thanks for writing these and keeping these hilarious characters alive long after the show!

    Reply
  22. I’m confused about something. When monk is in Paris (Mr monk is miserable), he speaks to Dr Kroger on the phone. Now I’m reading Mr monk and the dirty cop and it says Dr Kroger had passed away and Mr monk is treating with Dr bell. What happened?? I don’t remember that happening on the show.

    Reply
    • You must have missed the last year or so of the show. In real life, Stanley Kamel, the actor who played Dr. Kroger, died in 2008. So Monk had to find a new shrink. Actor Hector Elizonda played Dr. Bell until the series ended in 2009.

      Reply
  23. I’m so disappointed to learn that you’ve stopped writing the Monk books! I just discovered them a few weeks ago after my husband brought home “Mr. Monk is Miserable” from our local library. I have since been able to go back and read some of the ealier ones, although our library unfortunately does not have them all. 🙁 I was actually planning to ask you to consider having Monk look into all the September 11th “conspiracy stuff” to see what he would come up with. There are lots of folks out there who don’t believe the physical evidence lines up with what we’ve been told officially, and I thought it would be interesting to see what Monk might do with the information. If you ever decide to write another Monk book, please feel free to use my idea! Thanks again for your wonderful books!

    Reply
  24. You have quickly become my favorite author of all time. I have watched all the Monk episodes at least 3 times and practically memorized the lines but I must the books are even better if that’s possible. Many many viewers and in Korea just love Monk. Some even use your books to study English since they are such fun to read. Korean TV doesn’t broadcast Mr. Monk but we found our way to watch the shows and you should see the thousands of raving reviews. Oh wait, you can’t. They’re all in Korean. 🙂 Thank you for writing these books and making my days so much more fun! After I’m done with Monk books I’ll start right on you other books.I pre ordered The Scam and also bought Watch me die, The walk, McGrave and My gun has bullets on my Kindle. My boyfriend is jealous now that I pay so much attention to your books than him! 🙂 Take care~ we love you in Korea.
    P.S: Would it really be possible to count your blinks? ^^

    Reply
    • Thank you so much, Lauren! It’s gratifying, and a little scary, to know that students are using my MONK books to study English. 🙂

      Lee

      Reply
      • Thank you so much for your reply. It really made my day! Don’t worry about the students, they are all having a blast with your books. I am planning to use some of them in my classroom. I teach ESL students. I bet they will find Mr. Monk so funny that they will want to read more of your books. 감사합니다~(That’s thank you in Korean.)
        You rock!

        Reply
  25. I really love your Monk novels and when I finish them I will surely try some of your new novels, I have my eye on the ones you wrote with Janet Evanovich, they seem fun. I realized one flaw in your Monk novels, that extends to the tv series too. If there is more than one murder they surely must be connected. EVERYTIME when there is a murder (and Monk can’t solve it instantly) it will definitely be connected to the main murder of the book. EVERYTIME! Still thanks for keeping Monk alive, I’ve read a ton of mystery novels and Monk’s deserve definitely a place on top.

    Reply
    • I appreciate your kind words about the MONK novels. However, your statement that all the murders in a MONK book are always connected is absolutely incorrect.There are at least one or two “mini-murder mysteries” in just about every MONK novel that have nothing to do with the A-plot…and often those chapters were published as standalone short stories in ELLERY QUEEN MYSTERY MAGAZINE.

      Reply
      • Oh man, if I knew you would reply I would have thought something smarter to say! Thanks for the quick response, I couldn’t believe it at first. Keep up the good work and greetings from Greece to you and your family!

        Reply
  26. Thanks for the Monk books. I like to think of them as “lost episodes” of the show (a whole season’s worth!). Thanks again!

    Reply
  27. Hey Lee,

    I just finished reading the 16th novel in the series after three years of reading. When the TV Show ended, I had no idea these books even existed for a very long time. Thank you so much for bringing MONK back into my life! You are truly amazing.

    Reply
  28. Mr. Goldberg, I know you stopped writing Monk books and Mr. Conrad took over writing them. I have not found any new books in a few years. Is he still writing them? I loved reading them and I have them all, as well as the full set of TV videos. There are reruns on now, three a day, and I watch them. I’m older and handicapped and Monk books made me feel good to read. I hope they’re still being written. Would appreciate hearing from you. Thank you, Kaye Luszowiak

    Reply
  29. Thank you! I love your writing and Mr Monk. I can read the book and see the characters my mind saying t the things you write.

    Reply
  30. I just found two Monk books in a thrift store – Mr. Monk is Miserable and Mr. Monk in Trouble – and enjoyed them both. I plan on getting the rest of them. I was a big fan of the series.

    One mystery I always thought the show would resolve but never did that I recall was the death of Mitch, Natalie’s husband. It seemed like it occurred under suspicious circumstances. Do you know if one of the novels will address this?

    Reply
    • The novel series is over. It ended some years ago after 18 novels — 15 by me, and three by my friend Hy Conrad. I often toyed with exploring Mitch’s death and did early on, to some degree, in the novel MR. MONK GOES TO HAWAII.

      Lee

      Reply
  31. Only the first 8 Mr. Monk novels seem to have been published in audiobook form before AudioGo went defunct. Are there plans to produce the other 8?

    Reply
  32. Mr. Goldberg:

    Hope you’re still reading these comments. Sadly, I just got the last 2 ‘Monk” books in the mail. After they’re read, that will be the lot. I have enjoyed the journey! I may have read them out of order; but of course they are stored on my bookshelf – hardbacks first then the smaller paperbacks, then in order of publication. You know, so the universe won’t be unbalanced and collapse, causing Armageddon. 🙂
    Please, please, please write some more.

    barb

    Reply
    • I’m glad you’ve enjoyed the series — I had great fun writing them, but I’m done. You might want to check out the books that my friend Hy Conrad did after I left.

      Reply
  33. Thank you for your dedication in writing Mr.Monk book series so much! I’m 19 now and I’ve been a huge fan of Adrian Monk ever since I can only remember. Reading your books or watching TV series always brings me memories from my childhood and make me feel cozy inside. I’m sorry to hear that you won’t continue writing new books, anyway thank you very much for making my journey with Mr.Monk so enjoyable 🙂

    Reply
  34. Hi Lee!
    My name is Kandyce and my 12 year old brother and I have started a podcast all about Monk, called the Junk Monk Podcast. We have decided to do monthly giveaways for our listeners, and we are going to put all of your books (in chronological order of course) as a prize each month! Just wanted to say how excited we are about it, and thank you for writing the book that give us more insight and adventures in the Monkverse!!!

    Reply
  35. Hi Lee,

    Mate, writing this message has been as torturous as Adrian getting his signature just right. It must be tricky to mentally go back nearly 7 years, since you finished with writing the series. I’m working on a fandom story “Mr Monk meets Marie Kondo”, and had a few brief writing questions (having read the bio, I know your a busy man).
    1. Do you have any writing quirk’s that work only for you?
    2. Which fear/phobia of Adrian’s was the most fun to play around with?
    3. Which fictional villain would you consider a match for Adrian’s emotional intelligence?
    4. What’s the worst writing advice someone has given you?
    Cheers from Australia\
    p.s – Currently reading “The Blue Flu” tres magnifique sir, so it must have been a witch to write

    Reply
  36. I’ve read all the wonderful books and am currently listening to them as eBooks. Now that I’m a widow I get Monk on a whole new level. Thank you for carrying on a character I can relate too!

    Reply
  37. I had a terrible crush on Natalie. Bought and read all the novels–twice. Now trying to find the name of the NJ town where she served as a police officer. (I gave away all the novels.)
    RSVP!

    Reply

Leave a Comment