Herman Koch

Summer House with Swimming Pool is Herman Koch's second book to be translated into English (from Dutch) after his wildly successful novel The Dinner.  Again we have the unreliable narrator, a physician who has committed an act placing him before the medical board where he is at risk of losing his licence to practice.  This we know from the start.  The action takes place against the idyllic summer house, also (tellingly) not without its own flaws.  Various assorted oily and vituperous people gather here, living the good life until it starts to crumble under the weight of their own despicable behaviour.  Not without humour, thankfully, but humour notwithstanding I still needed a (figurative!) shower after finishing this quick read.