Mr. Monk and the Badge

Mr. Monk and the Blue Flu

1st edition 2007 paperback cover
Author	Lee Goldberg
Country	United States
Language	English
Series	Monk mystery novel series
Genre	Mystery novel
Publisher	Signet Books
Publication date	January 2, 2007
Media type	Print (Paperback)
Pages	304 pp
ISBN
OCLC	77178816
LC Class	CPB Box no. 2704 vol. 4
Preceded by	Mr. Monk Goes to Hawaii
Followed by	Mr. Monk and the Two Assistants

Mr. Monk and the Blue Flu is the third novel by writer Lee Goldberg to be based on the television series Monk. Like the previous two books, the book is narrated by Natalie Teeger, Monk's assistant.

Adrian Monk and Natalie Teeger are called to the scene of a murder in Golden Gate Park. A woman has been strangled and her left running shoe taken. Although Captain Stottlemeyer tries to get Monk to look at the crime scene closer, Monk uses binoculars loaned to him by Officer Kent Milner to learn that this woman comes from the Republic of Georgia. Stottlemeyer and Lieutenant Disher remark that this is the third killing in the park of this nature. Disher argues that they should call the killer the Foot Maniac. But the eventual name of this killer is the Golden Gate Strangler.

As they leave the scene, Stottlemeyer tells Monk that the city has been planning on making deep cuts in their pay, medical benefits, and pension contributions. Negotiations between the union and the city walked away that morning. He explains that although it's illegal for police officers to strike, there is a strain of the flu going around. Monk initially thinks that it's a disease until Stottlemeyer explains that it's called the Blue Flu, where the police officers call in "sick" until they get a better contract.

The next day, 70% of the detectives' bureau of the San Francisco Police Department calls in sick. Natalie goes out shopping to buy new clothes for Julie, but after a pregnant woman takes a blouse Natalie wanted, Monk exposes the pregnant woman, a man with an oxygen tank, and a nun in the department store as a set of shoplifters. Later, Natalie has a rendezvous with Stottlemeyer in which the Captain explains he is beginning to understand and act a lot like Monk. As they talk, Natalie receives a call. The mayor wants to see her and Monk.

Mayor Barry Smitrovich does criticize Monk for the detective's proposal of straightening out Lombard Street (a reference to a scene where Monk is talking to the mayor in the season 5 episode "Mr. Monk and the Garbage Strike"). Smitrovich is concerned about the lack of policing out on the streets, and although Natalie states to Smitrovich that Monk won't work for anyone, Smitrovich says that he'll have them working for him. He wants Monk to be reinstated to the police department as acting captain of the Homicide division. Although Natalie tries to convince Monk not to accept the mayor's offer, Monk goes ahead and accepts it.