<Tr> <Td> ← Previous "Mr. Monk and the Badge" </Td> <Td> Next →--</Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Monk (season 8) List of Monk episodes </Td> </Tr> <P> "Mr. Monk and the End" is the two - part series finale of the USA Network original criminal mystery dramedy television series, Monk . It is the fifteenth and sixteenth episodes of the eighth and final season, and is the 124th and 125th episodes in the series overall . Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub) finally discovers his wife Trudy's (Melora Hardin) murderer after twelve years of searching, concluding a seven - year, eight - season long arc . When "Part 2" aired, it set a series high and a new viewership record for the most watched episode of a regular drama series ever in basic cable with 9.4 million viewers . Both parts were written by series creator Andy Breckman and directed by Randall Zisk . </P> <P> Early on the morning of December 14, 1997, Trudy Monk is discussing with her husband Adrian how hard it is to keep secrets from him, before asking him about the latest police investigation he is assisting on, surrounding the suspicious disappearance of a midwife named Wendy Stroud . As Monk prepares to head to the Palgrove Birthing Center, the birthing clinic that Stroud worked at, to question the clinic's director, Dr. Malcolm Nash (Ed Begley, Jr .), he notices a small present under their Christmas tree meant for him, but is instructed by Trudy not to open it until Christmas Day . Despite insisting she is fine, Monk notes she appears nervous about something . Later that day, Trudy heads for a meeting with someone at multi-story parking garage, but soon panics when a six fingered man, who had been watching her, emerges from the shadows and follows her . Seeking to escape, Trudy returns to her car, unaware that explosives have been planted in it, which detonate the moment she turns the key in the ignition . At the clinic, Monk and Captain Stottlemeyer learn from Dr. Nash that Strode was the first midwife he hired and had never been late for work . Before they can learn anymore, Stottlemeyer receives a phone call and informs Monk that his wife has been killed . Then Christopher Menendez came into the office . </P>

When does monk find out who killed trudy