Topical socialist books about horrendous leader (3-3)
I believe the answer is:
red-hot
'topical' is the definition.
(red-hot can mean topical or current)
'socialist books about horrendous leader' is the wordplay.
'socialist' becomes 'red' (socialism is often associated with the colour red).
'books' becomes 'OT' (Old Testament).
'about' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'leader' suggests taking the first letters.
The initial letter of 'horrendous' is 'h'.
'ot' put after 'h' is 'hot'.
'red'+'hot'='RED-HOT'
(Other definitions for red-hot that I've seen before include "So fresh it burns - like news scoop" , "Glowing with a high temperature" , "Flower (just out of the fire?)" , "Very passionate - considered almost certain to win" , "likely to win" .)