Not a bad opening line. Direct and to the point for a mystery novel. And raises a question as to the character of the character.
Unfortunately, what follows is back story about the character of Adrian Monk who somewhat enjoys a fame that borders on cult status. If a reader is aware of the TV show then this might be interesting; if they are not aware, it is barely enough to get them interested, unless they're fascinated with OCD (and who isn't!). Nevertheless, the back story doesn't really need to be thrown in on page 1. It reminds me of how the Hardy Boys and other such novels begin. It sounds forced of the preamble variety and style. To sum up, there certainly is a lot of telling.
First thing said:
"Excuse me, sir."
The opening line is interesting but because there is no conflict (story) on page one (except back story) this fails to hook. The hook is obviously in the title character.
I like the TV series and will continue to watch episodes as they become available, but the books, or at least this one, I will put back on the library bookshelf.
Verdict: Pass (barely)
Sincerely,
Theodore Moracht
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