Mr. Monk and the Blue Flu is the third novel by writer Lee Goldberg based on the television series Monk. In this novel, in response to a blue flu, the mayor of San Francisco reinstates several police officers who suffer from debilitating mental issues, including Adrian Monk. The squad of half-crazy detectives must contend not only with each other's eccentricities and a series of murders linked only by missing left shoes and shared birth dates, but their former friends on the other side of the labor dispute. Like the previous two books, the book is narrated by Natalie Teeger, Monk's assistant. Synopsis The city is planning on making deep cuts in the San Francisco Police Department's pay, medical benefits, and pension contributions. Negotiations between the union and the city break down. Although it is illegal for police officers to strike, the police officers plan to call in sick until they get a better contract. Mayor Barry Smitrovich, concerned about the lack of policing, reinstates Adrian Monk to the police department as acting captain of the homicide division. Although Natalie Teeger points out that the mayor is using Monk as a strikebreaker, Monk accepts the job, pleased to have his badge back. His assisting detectives are "Mad Jack" Wyatt, Cynthia Chow, and Frank Porter. Wyatt lost his badge due to lawsuits arising from his violent methods and disregard for civil rights. Chow is a conspiracy theorist who had her badge taken away due to her escalating paranoia. Porter is a veteran detective who was forced into retirement by the onset of senility. Their top priority is a series of stranglings of women whose left running shoes are taken. The press labels the killer the Golden Gate Strangler. Monk instructs Porter to check the dead women's credit card purchases and map out the crime scenes. However, none of the women made any shoe purchases on their credit cards. In the Haight-Ashbury district, astrologer Allegra Doucet has been stabbed to death. The bathroom towel rack is broken, and there is no evidence pointing to forced entry. Doucet knew the killer, judging from the lack of defensive wounds. Madam Frost, Doucet's elderly competitor across the street, despised Doucet. Natalie receives a call from Officer Curtis about a hit-and-run. The victim is John Yamada. While jaywalking to the market, he was struck by a car and killed. Monk realizes this is a premeditated murder when