Book Review: Dear Mr. M
"every breath you take..."
Book review:
Dear Mr. M
A Novel By Herman Koch, Translated by Sam Garrett
For various reasons, I have always liked good crime thrillers. Perhaps because of my fathers’ own real-life encounters, or because I fell in love with intense and suspenseful crime thrillers as a young teen. Perhaps because Papa had a copy of the life and crimes of Charles Sobraj or that I read about the workings of Mossad and other spy agencies at age 14. Our library had a small but bizarre and fascinating selection. Anyway.
Dear Mr. M is one of those kinds of books that I cannot wait to finish, but I am taking my time savoring the words for who knows when another good thriller comes around. I am loving it, twisted in some ways where the voices are sadistic enough to inspire fear, yet they are simple in a kind and neighborly sort of way. Think Kathy Bates in Misery or Psycho, or any of those well-made suspense thrillers that kept you glued to your seat. Perhaps it is that in the translation from Dutch to English, it has become more intense and sharper. Or think of Sting and his classic: Every Breath You Take, both its perceived meaning and its explicit one.
You know I would not steer you wrong, if I hate a book I'd say it. I would encourage anyone wanting a good old-fashioned crime thriller to pick this one up. It is riveting.
Makes you wonder who is really watching you.
Disclaimer: I received this book from Blogging for Books for a review. The review is unbiased.
