“Mr. Monk and The Blue Flu” is my second favorite book in the series after “Mr. Monk and the Two Assistants”. In this book, most of the San Francisco police department calls in sick due to poor pay and the fact that police officers can not go on strike. The mayor is left without most of the city’s police force and is forced to rehire some of the officers that the city has had to let go in the past. Due to the high amount of cases that Monk has solved for the city as a private consultant, Monk is hired on as the acting captain of homicide, temporarily taking over Leland Stottlemeyer’s position. It’s great to see Monk back under the employ of the SFPD again. I would love to see this book adapted into an episode of the series, as “Mr. Monk Goes to the Firehouse” was adapted into “Mr. Monk Can’t See a Thing”. The book really does feel like a long episode of the television series.

When the police department goes on strike, Monk is hired as a scab and promoted to Captain.

Lots of very funny moments, a good plot, and great character moments. Exactly what you’d expect from something with the name MONK on it.