Dear Mr. M Summary
Koch, Herman

Dear Mr. M Overview

Dear Mr. M is a fictional thriller that centers around the titular M, an aging writer who is known for a novel that he wrote concerning the true story of a teacher who disappeared following an affair with one of his female students. M's life is heavily scrutinized by his downstairs neighbor, who writes never-sent missives to M that mock M's career and personal life and hint at "new material" concerning the case of the teacher Jan Landzaat. M's downstairs neighbor reveals himself to be one of the students involved in the case, and sets about coming into direct contact with M. What follows is a story that spans multiples perspectives and time periods, creating an in-depth meditation on the nature of fiction and reality and the responsibilities of authorship. Themes in this work include youth rebellion, conformity, post-war guilt, grief, creation and parenthood.