Revenge in a Cold River

It has always bothered Monk that he cannot remember beyond thirteen years ago when he was involved in a carriage accident that took his memory of any previous events. He thought he had hidden it pretty well, especially from Customs Officer McNab, until this newest case. McNab called Monk onto the case since it involved a murder of a man who escaped from Customs officers, though the circumstances were definitely questionable. When another man who escaped from Customs ends up drowning on Monk’s watch, Monk takes the fall and ends up arrested for murder. He asks Rathbone for legal representation but can’t shake the feeling that this time there is no getting free as his missing past comes back to haunt him. For fans who enjoy the Monk series because of his wife, Hester, they will be disappointed that she doesn’t play a larger role, not even showing up in the first 100 pages. Some of the testimony during the trial may seem far-fetched, but the story sets a quick pace and answers some questions that have been raised about Monk’s forgotten past. Though not the best offering in the series, devoted readers will still enjoy the tale.