The Orchard Murders

Robert Gott

‘Gott’s use of language in this finely written book is superb. He is an exceptional storyteller, and the plot unfolds effortlessly. It’s a joy to find writers who can command their craft in such a way so the action doesn’t feel forced or contrived … We can’t say its champagne crime fiction as it’s not from the Champagne region, but this sure as hell is sparkling crime fiction.’

Julia Jackson, Readings

‘As with Gott's earlier novels, The Orchard Murders bristles with interesting detail and a convincing wartime backdrop.’

Jeff Popple, Readings

View all reviews

‘Gott’s dark wit, smooth storytelling and high body count make for entertaining homegrown period crime.’

The Sydney Morning Herald

‘The intricate plot, colourful characters – on both sides of the law – and the dark period of the war are all perfectly handled by Gott, evoking an uncertain period in Melbourne’s history.’

Barry Reynolds

‘The novel exudes authenticity, and the reader is transported to wartime Melbourne … The novel sweeps the reader along from the tragic opening pages through the twists and turns of the investigation and further murders until its conclusion.’

Kathryn Eyre, Good Reading, starred review

‘The Orchard Murders… [is] a sleekly executed thriller … If you know your Robert Gott novels, you'll know what's good here: crystalline prose, gruesome violence, attention to historical accuracy, sly humour and a couple of genuinely unsettling moral quandaries.’

Jock Serong, The Australian

‘Stylish, witty, and nail-bitingly relentless. Gott is at the top of his game.’

Emma Viskic

A novel about revenge, obsession, and the dangerous gullibility of religious fanatics.

In 1944, in the outer-Melbourne suburb of Nunawading, a brutal triple murder heralds the return of a long-forgotten cult. A man named Anthony Prescott has declared himself the Messiah and has promised his followers immortality. There are those who believe him and who are ready to kill in his name. Inspector Titus Lambert of the Melbourne Homicide unit, whose detectives are over-stretched, requests the discreet assistance of Helen Lord and Joe Sable, once members of his unit, now private inquiry agents. The investigation is more perilous than any of them realise, and will have tragic consequences.

The Orchard Murders is the fourth novel in Robert Gott’s acclaimed series, set in Melbourne during the dark days of the Second World War.

Julia Jackson, Readings

‘As with Gott's earlier novels, The Orchard Murders bristles with interesting detail and a convincing wartime backdrop.’

Jeff Popple, Readings

View all reviews

‘Gott’s dark wit, smooth storytelling and high body count make for entertaining homegrown period crime.’

The Sydney Morning Herald

‘The intricate plot, colourful characters – on both sides of the law – and the dark period of the war are all perfectly handled by Gott, evoking an uncertain period in Melbourne’s history.’

Barry Reynolds

Kathryn Eyre, Good Reading, starred review

Jock Serong, The Australian

Details

Format:Paperback

Size: 210mm × 135mm

Extent:304pp

ISBN (13):9781922310675

RRP:$29.99

Pub date:3 Aug 2021

Rights Held: World

High-res cover:Download Image

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AUTHOR

Robert Gott

Robert Gott was born in the Queensland town of Maryborough in 1957, and lives in Melbourne. He has published many books for children, and is also the creator of the newspaper cartoon The Adventures of Naked Man. He is the author of the William Power series of crime-caper novels set in 1940s Australia, comprising Good Murder, A Thing of Blood, Amongst the Dead, and The Serpent’s Sting, and of the Murders series, comprising The Holiday Murders, The Port Fairy Murders, The Autumn Murders, and The Orchard Murders.

Amongst the Dead

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Good Murder

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The Holiday Murders

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The Port Fairy Murders

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The Serpent’s Sting

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A Thing of Blood

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The Autumn Murders

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