Mr. Monk and the Blue Flu
by Lee Goldberg
Buy book: $6.29

Monk is horrified when he learns there's going to be a blue flu in San Francisco, until Capt. Stottlemeyer explains that it just means the police plan to call in "sick" until they get a better contract. Monk soon has his badge back and must catch an astrologer's killer and, most importantly, clean up his squad's desks.

I really like this book. I'm a big fan of the TV show, and it seems from what I've read so far, that I might like this book better than the show. However, I haven't been able to find it in the library, because, apparently, it's not listed in the Buffalo Library system yet. Do you have any idea when this would be hitting the library? I would rather not buy the book- my finances took a big hit on Christmas, and I would like to conserve some of my money for now.

Thanks so much.

I enjoyed the book excerpt overall. The plot line was lively, and I'm going to find the book and finish it.

I did find Natalie's "witty dialogue" a little over-the-top sometimes. It pulled me out of the novel, and I had to make a conscious effort to ignore it.

I was really enjoying this book--the pace, flow, descriptions, and characters--until I came to "Except she's from Russia, probably the Republic of Georgia, where
she was active in the United National Movement, which favors closer
ties with the European Union."
That was a real "turn-off." Maybe I am as obsessive-compulsive as Monk is, but those little "glitches" drive me absolutely nuts. Ladies and Gentlemen, Georgia of 1991 was not a part of Russia; the Soviet Union maybe, but not Russia. And a wedding ring on the right hand is not "particular" to the people of "the Jewish faith."
This said, I think I will read Lee Goldberg's books (provided, of course, the author takes some world geography and/or history classes at a local community college). :)