The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe, published in 1845. It centers around a man named Valdemar who is hypnotized shortly before his death. After his apparent demise, his body remains in a state of catalepsy for several days. While still in this state, the narrator attempts to communicate with Valdemar through hypnosis, but the results are startling and disturbing.