Heard: "Mr. Monk Goes to Hawaii" by Lee Goldberg

Heard: Mr. Monk Goes to Hawaii by Lee Goldberg, 2006, Overdrive download.

Another Goldberg-goes-on-vacation-and-turns-it-into-a-novel book. Good, we get a nice tour of Hawaii. The internet says this is the second Monk novel. That means it's the first novel with Monk taking Dioxnyl, an OCD medication, that completely inhibits his inhibitions and allows him to fly.

Anyhoo.  Natalie is going to her best friend's wedding in Hawaii and Monk cannot cope without her.  Monk's appearance on Natalie's flight to Oahu is a nasty surprise to Natalie. But, at least out-of-character Monk is not as annoying as regular-nutbag-Monk. After landing, Natalie and Monk catch a flight to Kauai. You get the full tourist experience as Natalie and Monk stay at a high-end resort, go in the ocean (well, Natalie does), eat pie, eat [Hawaiian food], eat other [Hawaiian food], eat third [Hawaiian food], rent a Ford Mustang, chat with local residents, see some sites, and find a dead body.

Monk figures out that the fiance of Natalie's best pal is a fraud. Monk announces this fact right before the wedding ceremony ends. Everyone is mad at Monk for ruining the wedding and Natalie's best pal flees home to San Diego. Since Natalie's trip was already paid for she decides to stay the week.  Then they find a dead body. Well, they walk by the crime scene and Monk gets involved.

Things happen with super observant Monk being a nut. Natalie trying to get away from Monk. Monk complaining about rolled towels. Monk complaining about geckos. Monk complaining about dirty countertops. Monk telling a guy he should get a tattoo on his right wrist since the man's left wrist tattoo puts the guy out of balance.

Each Monk book I have read is pretty dang good and well worth your time.  Monk remains dedicated to truth and justice. Natalie and Monk stay stuck on their dead spouses. Bad guys get comeuppance. Many jokes. Goldberg really dislikes con men and scammers. Good for him, Goldberg calls bullshit when he sees it.

Comment
1. I've resisted reading Goldberg's novels with Evanovich because I never much cared about the Stephanie Plum novels. But, Goldberg and Evanovich have the two main characters traveling around and I do enjoy Goldberg's settings.