What would you do if a colleague you barely knew entrusted you with their life's work—and asked you to bring it into the world after their death?
That is the extraordinary story behind I'm Going to Miss Me, a darkly humorous and deeply moving literary novel by the late Lee Knoll (a pseudonym), published September 1, 2026, by Koehler Books.
Before his death by suicide, Lee Knoll mailed a manuscript to his work colleague Andy Levinsky with an unusual request: to find a publisher and donate any profits from book sales to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Levinsky was stunned. The two had shared little more than workplace conversations and a mutual dislike of their supervisor. Why would Knoll choose him to carry out such a personal final wish?
"To this day, I remain mystified about why I was chosen to bring a story into the world written by a person I hardly knew," says Levinsky.
As he read the manuscript, Levinsky discovered a story that grappled with isolation, detachment, and suicidal ideation, balanced by an unexpected undercurrent of mordant humor. Although he wondered whether the novel contained autobiographical elements, Knoll had explicitly described the work as fiction.
'I'm Going to Miss Me' is a darkly humorous, thought-provoking literary fiction novel that explores one of life's most universal questions: What am I doing here?
A Darkly Funny, Surprisingly Hopeful Exploration of Life, Death, and Everything In Between
Charles Braun has been trying to make his exit from the world since the day he arrived with the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck. At least that's what his mother always said.
While most people keep bucket lists, Charles maintains something far more impressive: a meticulously curated catalog of things he has not done. No skinny dipping. No all-nighters. No speeding tickets, no passports, no hangovers. He's skipped Gone with the Wind, Star Wars, and, in a feat of near-mythic restraint, even porn. If life is a buffet, Charles has spent six decades politely declining to fill his plate. But when he loses his only family member in advance of his sixtieth birthday, Charles is forced to ask whether it's finally time to opt out of life . . . or officially time to opt in.
A call to a hotline connects him with Maeve, a graduate student whose advice is equal parts baffling and possibly life-altering. As Charles, under Maeve's guidance, stumbles toward something resembling action, his story unfolds to a soundtrack of familiar songs and poetic wisdom-but will it be enough for him to hit replay on life? And will he finally be able to answer the existential question we all face: What am I doing here?
Blending pitch-black humor, poignant observations, familiar music, and philosophical reflection, I'm Going to Miss Me explores the painful realities of loneliness, grief, regret, and suicidal ideation without losing sight of the absurdity—and possibility—of being human.
I'm Going to Miss Me is recommended for book clubs and readers drawn to character-driven literary fiction that balances emotional depth with dark comedy.
About the Author:
Before his death by suicide, Lee Knoll (a pseudonym) mailed a package with his manuscript to a work colleague, Andy Levinsky, with instructions to find a publisher.
The circumstances surrounding the novel's publication make its themes especially poignant.
Lee Knoll's decision to entrust the manuscript to an acquaintance raises questions about the connections people form, the loneliness they may carry privately, and how little we sometimes know about those around us.
By honoring Knoll's request, Andy Levinsky has helped bring a previously unpublished work into the world while preserving the author's anonymity.
The result is a novel that invites readers to reflect on mortality, loneliness, human connection, and the possibility of finding purpose at any stage of life.
I’m Going To Miss Me was published on September 1, 2026 by Koehler Books.
Book Details
Title: I'm Going to Miss Me
Author: Lee Knoll (pseudonym)
Publisher: Koehler Books
Publication Date: September 1, 2026
Genre: Literary Fiction / Dark Comedy
Media Inquiries / Interview Opportunities:
Andy Levinsky is available to discuss the remarkable circumstances surrounding the manuscript, his unexpected role in bringing the book to publication, the author's wish to remain anonymous, and the novel's exploration of loneliness, mortality, and human connection.
For more information, visit https://ImGoingToMissMe.com.