The Holiday Murders is so satisfyingly local that you’ll spot the location of no less than three current Readings stores in the map on the front cover. However, it is also anchored firmly in a past that, mercifully, we can all hope will never be repeated: World War II, and a Melbourne underground filled with anti-Semitism, racism, hatred and psychosis.

A father and son are murdered – the son in a grotesque reimagining of Jesus Christ on the cross – and Homicide’s Inspector Titus Lambert is on the case. Alongside him is Detective Joe Sable, a man with a past that swiftly becomes too closely linked to the crimes, and Constable Helen Lord, a female police officer who has had enough of pushing paper around and is angrily trying to prove herself in a world where men refuse to take her seriously – until now.

The Holiday Murders is not for the squeamish – there are more murders on the cards, and those responsible have no qualms in making it a grim performance. In their efforts to protect the family’s remaining member, aspiring actress Mary, Titus gets help from home and Joe immerses himself in the world of those who hate his Jewish heritage. In the meantime, the story builds up to almost unbearable tension. Robert Gott made his mark in comedic fiction, and while this isn’t particularly laugh-a-minute stuff, it’s still something you’ll want to race through to the finish.

Fiona Hardy sells books and talks too much to customers at Readings Carlton, and puts together