Breckman's biggest success, "Monk", was a murder-mystery with a humorous edge. Breckman told "New Jersey Monthly" that he was a voracious reader of the works of Arthur Conan Doyle, John D. MacDonald, and other authors of “solvable” mysteries, as well as being a big fan of the TV series "Columbo". “In a way, it’s similar to comedy writing,” he says. “It’s puzzles and puzzle solving. Very logical.” In August 2009, USA Network launched "Little Monk", a spinoff series that portrays the main character, detective Adrian Monk, as a child. Breckman was part of the show's team of writers.