Dear Mr M.

The once celebrated writer M. had his greatest success with a novel about the notorious disappearance of Jan Landzaat. This history teacher disappeared after a brief affair with a stunning pupil, and was last seen at the holiday cottage where she was staying with her new boyfriend. The novel was a bestseller and marked M.’s international breakthrough, but now, at the end of his career, he is fading increasingly into obscurity. But not when it comes to his mysterious downstairs neighbour, who keeps a close eye on M. What does he have to do with the disappearance case?

From various perspectives, Herman Koch tells the intriguing story of a writer in decline, a teenage couple in love and a missing teacher. Thanks to the bestseller, their fate seems to be linked forever. Dear Mr M. is a magnificent novel about jealousy and envy, friendship and love. With his world-renowned sharp eye, Herman Koch once again spares nothing and no one.

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‘Dear Mr M. comes very close to perfection.’***** DE STANDAARD

‘It is not just a page-turner, there are also plenty of belly laughs to be had.’ –**** HET PAROOL

‘Koch demonstrates his great narrative talent.’DE TELEGRAAF

‘Tense, ingeniously constructed novel by a chuckling writer.’ZIN

‘The writing is crystal clear and unpretentious, typically Koch!’**** NRC HANDELSBLAD

‘Dear Mr M. fulfills the promise of a long-awaited new Koch after only a few pages.’VRIJ NEDERLAND

‘Koch has mastered all the tricks. He is the master of variety, balance and subtle cliff-hangers. [...] Plot-driven is an understatement: Koch cracks the whip to the very end.’BOEK

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‘Herman Koch, the best-selling postwar Dutch writer, shows yet again why he is the master of suspense and open endings.’ **** Humo

‘Koch has mastered all the tricks. He is the master of variety, balance and subtle cliff-hangers. [...] Plot-driven is an understatement: Koch cracks the whip to the very end.’ BOEK

‘A feast of clarity. Herman Koch responds with stunning irony, scope and narrative efficiency.’ El Periódico (Spain)

‘Koch tells a suspenseful story, with intriguing characters and a pleasant theme.’ FLAIR

‘An intelligent, psychologically complex novel, exploring the boundaries of morality.’ STERN

Koch’s writing style is a rare combination of exuberance and understatement. What he describes is so understated and low-key it never becomes superficial.’ NRC Handelsblad

‘Koch has put it all ingeniously together. His humour is as restrained as his style. A powerful novel, without cannonballs whizzing past your ears. And yet the ending will keep ringing in your head long after you have finished reading it.’ Het Parool

‘The story unfolds from one powerful scene to the next, from one penetrating image to another.’ Vrij Nederland

‘Anyone who really wants to understand Koch’s popular novels should start with these stories.’ NRC Handelsblad

‘Should Tom Sanders disregard that advice? Or should he tackle his son about his behaviour? That is the central dilemma in Easy Living, and Koch gets a devilish kick out of making Tom Sanders vacillate between these two options, and gets an even greater kick out of pushing him into a corner.’ Parool

'One of the most moving school novels in Dutch literature.' Vrij Nederland

This could very well be Koch’s best novel. Het Parool

Herman Koch slaat verrassend toe in bijtende roman. Elsevier