Renowned philanthropist Henry Rutherford is killed when a moderate earthquake rocks the city and sends a display case falling on top of him. But when Monk examines the scene, he finds clues that suggest foul play.
Tropes
- Bait-and-Switch: For a moment, it seems Monk was unaffected by the earthquake. But when he talks to Sharona, he speaks absolute gibberish. She doesn't realize it at first because he's eating an apple and she thinks it's simply because his mouth is full.
- Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Wright may seem charming and fun to talk with. But he's only tricking Sharona so he can acquire her phone tape. And that's at best. At worst, he's murderously willing to threaten her life, even follow up on his threat.
- Bludgeoned to Death: Christine kills Henry by striking him in the head with a marble bust.
- Establishing Character Moment: Christine and Rutherford's exchange in the prologue tells us that the former isn't fond of her husband, especially for the way he stares at his "trophy".
- Gold Digger: Christine married her husband for his money. When the earthquake hits, she seizes the opportunity to kill him.
- Make It Look Like an Accident: Christine kills her husband and drops a display case on him to make it look like he died in the earthquake.
- Obfuscating Disability: When Sharona brings up that she needs him to pay her, Monk pretends he's suffering a traumatic speech impediment like before.
- Pre-emptive Declaration: Captain Stottlemeyer wonders aloud how Wright can talk with a broken jaw. Wright wonders what he is talking about, only for Stottlemeyer to deck him across the jaw.
- Shout-Out: Monk's gibberish while taking a cab ride alludes to one of Tony Shalhoub's early roles: the movie Quick Change, where he played a cab driver speaking an unnamed fictional foreign language no one can understand.
- Spotting the Thread: Over dinner, Wright talks about an article he wrote in Australia about a bridge collapse. Monk immediately recognizes that story as the plot of the 1927 novel The Bridge of San Luis Rey. He also claims that the story won a Pulitzer, which are only awarded for achievements in American journalism.
- Tempting Fate: When Sharona wonders how Monk got through the earthquake (mentally) unscathed, Monk responds by speaking gibberish.
