[s2e7] Mr. | Monk And The Sleeping Suspect

: Sharona’s ex-husband, Trevor Howe (Frank John Hughes), returns and convinces her to move back to New Jersey. However, she discovers his motive is selfish—he only needs her and Benjy back to secure an inheritance from his wealthy uncle.

Monk eventually unravels the clever (though scientifically questionable) scheme. Brian had originally planned to be in as his alibi, having arranged to be arrested just before the bombs were delivered. He achieved this by leading the police on a high-speed chase, but the plan went awry when he accidentally crashed and ended up comatose instead.

The "how" was simple: Brian had prepared the mail bombs months in advance and used a clever physical trick to ensure they weren't delivered until much later. Monk identifies the killer by noticing a distinctive, perfectionist knot Brian used to tie his shoes, which matched the string on the bomb packages—a detail Ricky was too sloppy to replicate. Character Drama and Subplots [S2E7] Mr. Monk and the Sleeping Suspect

: After narrowly surviving a bomb blast, Monk suffers from temporary "residual auditory trauma," leading to several comedic scenes where he shouts at everyone.

: In a comedic blunder, Monk accidentally unplugs Brian's life support while trying to vacuum a mess he made. Ironically, the shock from restoring the power helps bring Brian out of his coma. : Sharona’s ex-husband, Trevor Howe (Frank John Hughes),

Beyond the main mystery, the episode is packed with emotional stakes for the main cast:

: Fans often point out that the central plot point—packages secured with string—would not work in modern times, as the U.S. Postal Service stopped accepting string-secured mail in the 1980s. Brian had originally planned to be in as

: With Dr. Kroger (Stanley Kamel) away on vacation, a desperate Monk resorts to using the comatose Brian Babbage as a sounding board for his problems. Trivia and Fun Facts