Summer House with Swimming Pool

A Novel

By: Herman Koch

Narrated by: Peter Berkrot

Length: 11 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

The blistering new novel from Herman Koch, author of the instant New York Times bestseller The Dinner.

When a medical procedure goes horribly wrong and famous actor Ralph Meier winds up dead, Dr. Marc Schlosser needs to come up with some answers. After all, reputation is everything in this business. Personally, he’s not exactly upset that Ralph is gone, but as a high-profile doctor to the stars, Marc can’t hide from the truth forever.

It all started the previous summer. Marc, his wife, and their two beautiful teenage daughters agreed to spend a week at the Meiers’ extravagant summer home on the Mediterranean. Joined by Ralph and his striking wife, Judith, her mother, and film director Stanley Forbes and his much younger girlfriend, the group settles in for days of sunshine, wine tasting, and trips to the beach. But when a violent incident disrupts the idyll, darker motivations are revealed, and suddenly no one can be trusted. As the ultimate holiday soon turns into a nightmare, the circumstances surrounding Ralph’s later death begin to reveal the disturbing reality behind that summer’s tragedy.

Featuring the razor-sharp humor and acute psychological insight that made The Dinner an international phenomenon, Summer House with Swimming Pool is a controversial, thought-provoking novel that showcases Herman Koch at his finest.

©2011 Herman Koch (P)2014 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved. Translation © 2014 by Sam Garrett

Would not recommend!

The book was hard to finish- perverted and disturbing. The plot was weak and there was no resolution.

Loved it!

What a great story! I don't understand the detractors at all. This was a first-rate read and not at all horrendous like some said. The narration was ideal! I will be checking out more from this author!

Hours of my life I'll never get back

Any additional comments?

If you're into pointless ramblings that have nothing to do with the story than this book is for you! If not rambling on about pointless medical information the author was diving into his chauvinistic and inappropriate thoughts about women. What little story existed was not even worth listening to. I only finished the book because other reviewers said the ending was worth it. I found that information false.

Wish I had taken the time to read the reviews

This book seems to be well written, although I cannot make it past about chapter 3. I can't listen anymore. Way, WAY too dark for me. And if I had taken the time to read some reviews, I likely would have steered clear. I was making a few quick purchases my home page brought up. I rarely go wrong with this and it was my own fault. If you are like me, don't make the same mistake. I don't read/listen to things that will make me suicidal. This is a good hard look into a person I would prefer to pretend does not exist in my world. And I'm not exactly Mary Poppins. Murder mysteries and medical psychos are on my favorites list. This book made me take a shower and want to watch the Sound of Music to recover! So not my cup of tea.
If, however, some part of you has a desire to torture small animals before taking a nice nap, enjoy!
The performance is top notch.

It's............ different

Like most of the other reviews... if you like to highly dislike the main character or like deep long graphic detail descriptions on thing, then sure this is the book for you. BUT!! If you don't like grand descriptions of the human body, disgusted by older men and young girls, misogynist men, perversion, then this isn't for you at ALL! No real solution to the undetermined plot. However, the narration was really good and thats all I have on that.