Leland Stottlemeyer is used to obsessive- compulsive genius Adrian Monk getting all the praise and attention. But the police captain is feeling a little hostile after taking a lot of ribbing about his reliance on his star consultant. Is it possible heas used the latest round of budget cuts as an excuse to cut Monk loose?

But Monk is much too compulsive to stop investigating, even without pay. Soon heas calling in tips under assumed names to help solve cases. (Who would ever guess the real identity of aAdrian Smitha and aAdrian Jones?a) Then Stottlemeyer is framed for the murder of another copaand only one detective in San Francisco can save him...