Heartbroken by the sudden death of Dr. Kroger, Monk rushes into homeownership and gets a little more than he bargained for when he hires a very persistent contractor.
Brilliant chess grandmaster Patrick Kloster's wife Linda Kloster goes to Monk saying that her husband is planning to murder her, and she wants him caught posthumously.
A boxer narrowly avoids a bomb, and Stottlemeyer believes it won't be the only attempt with a championship bout coming up. Meantime, Monk splits his time between the case and contemplating retirement when he finds he must pass a fitness exam.
Monk is smitten with an attractive former dancer and when she's accused of murder, he agrees to help her, even though all the evidence points to her, and continues searching--even after she confesses to the crime.
Monk's hundredth case, involving a serial killer, is covered by a TV news magazine, but while watching it he realizes that a second unknown killer was responsible for one of the murders.
Monk's hypnotic regression to his childhood begins to affect the case on which he's consulting - an actress who's disappeared, and the holes in her story when she's found after a deadly escape.
Monk's Christmas spirit, or lack thereof, is challenged when he takes a case from three homeless men who believe their friend was murdered, and Leland's epiphany sends him on a mission.
When Monk's half-brother Jack shows up at his door, he's less than thrilled, especially after learning that Jack has just escaped from prison and is accused of killing a very popular female employee while making his escape.
Monk dips his toe into male bonding when he attends the playoffs with Leland, but a murder distracts them from the game and its solution may be the only way to ensure the championship.
When Monk's neighbor Kevin is found dead backstage at a magic show, Monk begins to suspect Kevin's old mentor, The Great Torini. The problem is, he has a perfect alibi.
Desperate to save the parking lot where Trudy was killed from demolition, Monk enlists the help of a sympathetic councilwoman. But when she goes missing, Monk may be forced to deal with her hapless and incapable assistant.
