Published from 1974 to 1985, this sequence of five interrelated novels explore the lives of a group of Europeans before, during, and after World War II.

The novel draws extensively on Gnosticism, and this system of belief recurs as a plot element throughout the Quintet.

[1] According to critics James Gifford and Stephen Osadetz, for Monsieur, Durrell drew from Serge Hutin's Les Gnostiques, as he had marked numerous passages in his copy, as well as contemporary newspaper reports he held of a Slovenian suicide cult.

[2][3] In Monsieur, "Durrell's Gnostics enact their refusal of the cursed world, flawed in every way, through suicide via the active acceptance of death.

The annotated edition has translations of an extensive stash of ancient documents from the period of early Christianity when Gnosticism was a powerful movement.

The English edition of the Nag Hammadi papers refers to Durrell in its introduction, but largely in relation to his earlier The Alexandria Quartet (1957 to 1960).

[5] Five characters in Monsieur (including Durrell, referred to as "D," of "Devil in the Details") claim to be the author of the book.

[6] In the first section, "Outremer" (outre-mer, meaning overseas in French, and used to officially refer to former colonies that are now departments and territories of the metropole), protagonist Bruce Drexel is introduced, who is the chief narrator of the novel.

The second chapter, "Macabru," recounts Bruce, Piers, and Sylvie's journey into Egypt years earlier.

In this period, Durrell was highly respected for his experimental works, was a bestselling author, and celebrated in Great Britain.

'"[8] He closed the article with "The 'Monsieur' of the title is the devil: those interested in that subject should read Robertson Davies's fine novel 'Fifth Business.'