After arriving home in San Francisco after working as police officers in Summit, New Jersey, Natalie Teeger finds a dead body lying in her bathtub.

[1] During the investigation by the police, marked money from a federal sting operation is found stuffed under Natalie's mattress.

He's helping his brother find his missing girlfriend Yuki Nakamura,[2] which is a problem that Monk is conflicted about, since he's happy to see Yuki leave.

As the case continues, it becomes clear that Yuki has a dangerous past, and that they are chasing a ruthless, cold-blooded killer.

Mr. Monk and the Talking Car is an excerpt from Mr. Monk Is a Mess that was published as a short story in the May 2012 issue of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine before the release of the book.