by Ian Hamilton
The door led into a small corridor. Chen walked briskly towards the far end. Ava trailed, her shoe heels almost making music on the tile floor. The corridor was lined with storage rooms, and Ava wondered where they were going until they reached a door that read MANAGER. Chen knocked and then opened it. Ava peered past him and saw Fai sitting in a chair by a desk, surrounded by Tsang, the movie’s producer, and three others she didn’t recognize.
“I brought you a visitor.” Chen took a step to one side so that Ava could pass.
Fai stared at her with wide eyes. Then her mouth flew open and she leapt to her feet. In three strides she was in front of Ava, throwing her arms around her neck. Ava felt Fai’s fingers digging into her shoulders, and she was pressed so hard against Fai’s chest that she could hardly breathe. “I’m so happy you’re here,” Fai said in a rough whisper. Ava thought she could feel her body tremble.
“I wasn’t sure I could make it until last night,” Ava said. Fai clung to her, and Ava began to sense disquiet among the other people in the room.
“Perhaps we should leave you two alone for a moment,” Tsang said.
“Please,” Fai replied.
Ava didn’t move until the men had filed out of the office and the door closed. She placed her hands on Fai’s arms and gently pushed herself free of the embrace. “I didn’t mean to shock you,” Ava said. “I just thought you would be happy with the surprise — although Chen would probably disagree.”
“I’m so happy you’re here,” Fai repeated.
“The film was wonderful, and you were fantastic,” Ava said. “For the first ten minutes or so I felt I was watching you, but then I was drawn completely into the character. By the time the film ended, all I cared about was Mao’s daughter.”
“It was a good role, and Tsang is a great director,” Fai said, her voice catching.
“Are you okay?” Ava asked. “Or are you always this emotional at premieres?”
Fai stepped back until she found the chair and sat down. “I’ve spent the past two days in hell,” she said. “All I could think about was how much I wanted to see you and how much I needed you. I started to call you so many times, but then I always stopped.”
“Why? You know I would want to hear from you.”
“It was me, not you. I wanted to tell you what’s going on, but I couldn’t do it over the phone.”
“Fai, what’s the matter?” Ava said, moving next to her.
She looked up at Ava, her eyes brimming with tears. For a second Ava thought of a scene from the film she’d just seen, except this time Fai wasn’t acting.
“What happened?” she said.
“You may have just seen the last film I’ll ever make.”
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This story did not have an easy course, and it didn’t fall naturally into the Ava Lee chronology. Indeed, it went through four different permutations — including two as a non–Ava Lee book — before becoming what it is. And what it is, I believe, is one of the very best Ava Lee novels.
I need to thank some early readers for their input. Among them are my daughter Jill, my wife, Lorraine, Farah Mohamed, Farzana Doctor, Robin Spano, and Steele Curry.
My agents, Carolyn Forde and Bruce Westwood, were particularly supportive, and there were days when their encouragement was really needed. My gratitude to them again.
My editor, Janie Yoon, and I had our disagreements about this book, but we finally resolved them over dinner at an American Library Association meeting in Orlando. The result fairly represents a melding of our views and reinforces for me the belief that it’s hard to create a good book without a good editor. And I have a great one.
As always, Sarah MacLachlan, Barbara Howson, and the team at House of Anansi have been terrific. I’d like to give a special nod to Laura Meyer, head of publicity. Laura is capable and completely professional, but she’s also a joy to work with, and that’s a much less common attribute.
Ian Hamilton is the author of the Ava Lee series. The books have been shortlisted for numerous prizes, including the Arthur Ellis Award, the Barry Award, and the Lambda Literary Prize, and are national bestsellers. The Water Rat of Wanchai was the winner of the Arthur Ellis Award for Best First Novel and was named a best book of the year by Amazon.ca, the Toronto Star, and Quill & Quire. BBC Culture named Hamilton “One of the Ten Mystery/Crime Writers from the Last Thirty Years That Should Be on Your Bookshelf.” The series is being adapted for television.
House of Anansi Press was founded in 1967 with a mandate to publish Canadian-authored books, a mandate that continues to this day even as the list has branched out to include internationally acclaimed thinkers and writers. The press immediately gained attention for significant titles by notable writers such as Margaret Atwood, Michael Ondaatje, George Grant, and Northrop Frye. Since then, Anansi’s commitment to finding, publishing and promoting challenging, excellent writing has won it tremendous acclaim and solid staying power. Today Anansi is Canada’s pre-eminent independent press, and home to nationally and internationally bestselling and acclaimed authors such as Gil Adamson, Margaret Atwood, Ken Babstock, Peter Behrens, Rawi Hage, Misha Glenny, Jim Harrison, A. L. Kennedy, Pasha Malla, Lisa Moore, A. F. Moritz, Eric Siblin, Karen Solie, and Ronald Wright. Anansi is also proud to publish the award-winning nonfiction series The CBC Massey Lectures. In 2007, 2009, 2010, and 2011 Anansi was honoured by the Canadian Booksellers Association as “Publisher of the Year.”
PRAISE FOR IAN HAMILTON AND THE AVA LEE SERIES
Praise for The Water Rat of Wanchai
Winner of the Arthur Ellis Award for Best First Novel
“Ian Hamilton’s The Water Rat of Wanchai is a smart, action-packed thriller of the first order, and Ava Lee, a gay Asian-Canadian forensics accountant with a razor-sharp mind and highly developed martial arts skills, is a protagonist to be reckoned with. We were impressed by Hamilton’s tight plotting; his well-rendered settings, from the glitz of Bangkok to the grit of Guyana; and his ability to portray a wide range of sharply individualized characters in clean but sophisticated prose.” — Judges’ Citation, Arthur Ellis Award for Best First Novel
“Ava Lee is tough, fearless, quirky, and resourceful, and she has more — well, you know — than a dozen male detectives I can think of…Hamilton has created a true original in Ava Lee.” — Linwood Barclay, author of No Time for Goodbye
“If the other novels [in the series] are half as good as this debut by Ian Hamilton, then readers are going to celebrate. Hamilton has created a marvellous character in Ava Lee…This is a terrific story that’s certain to be on the Arthur Ellis Best First Novel list.” — Globe and Mail
“[Ava Lee’s] lethal knowledge…torques up her sex appeal to the approximate level of a female lead in a Quentin Tarantino film.” — National Post
“The heroine in The Water Rat of Wanchai by Ian Hamilton sounds too good to be true, but the heroics work better that way…formidable…The story breezes along with something close to total clarity…Ava is unbeatable at just about everything. Just wait for her to roll out her bak mei against the bad guys. She’s perfect. She’s fast.” — Toronto Star
“Imagine a book about a forensic accountant that has tension, suspense, and action…When the central character looks like Lucy Liu, kicks like Jackie Chan, and has a travel budget like Donald Trump, the story is anything but boring. The Water Rat of Wanchai is such a beast…I look forward to the next one, The Disciple of Las Vegas.” — Montreal Gazette
“[A] tomb-raiding Dragon Lady Lisbeth, sans tattoo and face metal.” — Winnipeg Free Press
“An enjoyable romp with a feisty, ingenious heroine whose lethal martial arts skills are as formidable as her keen mind.” — Publishers Weekly
“Readers will discern in Ava undertones of Lisbeth Salander, the ferocious protagonist of the late Stieg Larsson’s crime novels…She, too, is essentially a loner, and smal
l, and physically brutal…There are suggestions in The Water Rat of Wanchai of deeper complexities waiting to be more fully revealed. Plus there’s pleasure, both for Ava and readers, in the puzzle itself: in figuring out where money has gone, how to get it back, and which humans, helpful or malevolent, are to be dealt with where, and in what ways, in the process…Irresistible.” — Joan Barfoot, London Free Press
“The Water Rat of Wanchai delivers on all fronts…feels like the beginning of a crime-fighting saga…A great story told with colour, energy, and unexpected punch.” — Hamilton Spectator
“The best series fiction leaves readers immersed in a world that is both familiar and fresh. Seeds planted early bear fruit later on, creating a rich forest that blooms across a number of books…[Hamilton] creates a terrific atmosphere of suspense . . .” — Quill & Quire
“The book is an absolute page-turner…Hamilton’s knack for writing snappy dialogue is evident…I recommend getting in on the ground floor with this character, because for Ava Lee, the sky’s the limit.” — Inside Halton
“A fascinating story of a hunt for stolen millions. And the hunter, Ava Lee, is a compelling heroine: tough, smart, and resourceful.”— Meg Gardiner, author of The Nightmare Thief
“Few heroines are as feisty as The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’s Lisbeth Salander, but Ian Hamilton’s Ava Lee could give her a run for her money…Gripping…[Ava is] smart, gutsy, and resourceful.” — Stylist UK
“With Ava Lee comes a new star in the world of crime-thrillers…Hamilton has produced a suspenseful and gripping novel featuring a woman who is not afraid of anything…Captivating and hard to put down.” — dapd/sda
“Thrillers don’t always have to be Scandinavian to work. Ava Lee is a wonderful Chinese-Canadian investigator who uses unconventional methods of investigation in a mysterious Eastern setting.” — Elle (Germany)
“Ava has flair, charm, and sex appeal…The Water Rat of Wanchai is a successful first book in a series, which will definitely have you longing for more.” — Sonntag-Express
“Hamilton is in the process of writing six books and film rights have already been sold. If the other cases are similar to this first one, Ava Lee is sure to quickly shake up Germany’s thriller business.” — Handelsblatt
“Brilliantly researched and incredibly exciting!” — Bücher
“Page-turning till the end of the book!…Ava Lee is the upcoming crime star.” — dpa
“Exciting thriller debut with an astonishing end.” — Westdeutsche Zeitung
“Seldom does one get a thriller about white-collar crime, with an intelligent, independent lesbian and Asian protagonist. It’s also rare to find a book with such interesting and exotic settings…Readers will find great amusement in Ava’s unconventional ways and will certainly enjoy accompanying her on her travels.” — Literaturkurier
Praise for The Disciple of Las Vegas
Finalist, Barry Award for Best Original Trade Paperback
“I started to read The Disciple of Las Vegas at around ten at night. And I did something I have only done with two other books (Cormac McCarthy’s The Road and Douglas Coupland’s Player One): I read the novel in one sitting. Ava Lee is too cool. She wonderfully straddles two worlds and two identities. She does some dastardly things and still remains our hero thanks to the charm Ian Hamilton has given her on the printed page. It would take a female George Clooney to portray her in a film. The action and plot move quickly and with power. Wow. A punch to the ear, indeed.” — J. J. Lee, author of The Measure of a Man
“I loved The Water Rat of Wanchai, the first novel featuring Ava Lee. Now, Ava and Uncle make a return that’s even better…Simply irresistible.” — Margaret Cannon, Globe and Mail
“This is slick, fast-moving escapism reminiscent of Ian Fleming, with more to come in what shapes up as a high-energy, high-concept series.” — Booklist
“Fast paced…Enough personal depth to lift this thriller above solely action-oriented fare.” — Publishers Weekly
“Lee is a hugely original creation, and Hamilton packs his adventure with interesting facts and plenty of action.” — Irish Independent
“Hamilton makes each page crackle with the kind of energy that could easily jump to the movie screen…This riveting read will keep you up late at night.” — Penthouse
“Hamilton gives his reader plenty to think about…Entertaining.” — Kitchener-Waterloo Record
Praise for The Wild Beasts of Wuhan
Lambda Literary Award Finalist: Lesbian Mystery
“Smart and savvy Ava Lee returns in this slick mystery set in the rarefied world of high art…[A] great caper tale. Hamilton has great fun chasing villains and tossing clues about. The Wild Beasts of Wuhan is the best Ava Lee novel yet, and promises more and better to come.” — Margaret Cannon, Globe and Mail
“One of my favourite new mystery series, perfect escapism.” — National Post
“As a mystery lover, I’m devouring each book as it comes out…What I love in the novels: The constant travel, the high-stakes negotiation, and Ava’s willingness to go into battle against formidable opponents, using only her martial arts skills to defend herself…If you want a great read and an education in high-level business dealings, Ian Hamilton is an author to watch.” — Toronto Star
“Fast-paced and very entertaining.” — Montreal Gazette
“Ava Lee is definitely a winner.” — Saskatoon Star Phoenix
“The Wild Beasts of Wuhan is an entertaining dip into potentially fatal worlds of artistic skulduggery.” — Sudbury Star
“Hamilton uses Ava’s investigations as comprehensive and intriguing mechanisms for plot and character development.” — Quill & Quire
“You haven’t seen cold and calculating until you’ve double-crossed this number cruncher. Another strong entry from Arthur Ellis Award–winner Hamilton.” — Booklist
“An intelligent kick-ass heroine anchors Canadian author Hamilton’s excellent third novel featuring forensic accountant Ava Lee…Clearly conversant with the art world, Hamilton makes the intricacies of forgery as interesting as a Ponzi scheme.” — Publishers Weekly, *Starred Review*
“A lively series about Ava Lee, a sexy forensic financial investigator.” — Tampa Bay Times
“This book is miles from the ordinary. The main character, Ava Lee is ‘the whole package.’” — Minneapolis Star Tribune
“A strong heroine is challenged to discover the details of an intercontinental art scheme. Although Hamilton’s star Ava Lee is technically a forensic accountant, she’s more badass private investigator than desk jockey.” — Kirkus Reviews
Praise for The Red Pole of Macau
“Ava Lee returns as one of crime fiction’s most intriguing characters. The Red Pole of Macau is the best page-turner of the season from the hottest writer in the business!” — John Lawrence Reynolds, author of Beach Strip
“Ava Lee, that wily, wonderful hunter of nasty business brutes, is back in her best adventure ever…If you haven’t yet discovered Ava Lee, start here.” — Globe and Mail
“The best in the series so far.” — London Free Press
“Ava [Lee] is a character we all could use at one time or another. Failing that, we follow her in her best adventure yet.” — Hamilton Spectator
“A romp of a story with a terrific heroine.” — Saskatoon Star Phoenix
“Fast-paced…The action unfolds like a well-oiled action-flick.” — Kitchener-Waterloo Record
“A change of pace for our girl [Ava Lee]…Suspenseful.” — Toronto Star
“Hamilton packs tremendous potential in his heroine…A refreshingly relevant series. This reader will happily pay House of Anansi for the fifth instalment.” — Canadian Literature
Praise for The Scottish Banker of Surabaya
“Hamilton deepens Ava’s character, and imbues her
with greater mettle and emotional fire, to the extent that book five is his best, most memorable, to date.” — National Post
“In today’s crowded mystery market, it’s no easy feat coming up with a protagonist who stands out from the pack. But Ian Hamilton has made a great job of it with his Ava Lee books. Young, stylish, Chinese-Canadian, lesbian, and a brilliant forensic accountant, Ava is as complex a character as you could want…[A] highly addictive series…Hamilton knows how to keep the pages turning. He eases us into the seemingly tame world of white-collar crime, then raises the stakes, bringing the action to its peak with an intensity and violence that’s stomach-churning. His Ava Lee is a winner and a welcome addition to the world of strong female avengers.” — NOW Magazine
“Most of the series’ success rests in Hamilton’s tight plotting, attention to detail, and complex powerhouse of a heroine: strong but vulnerable, capable but not impervious…With their tight plotting and crackerjack heroine, Hamilton’s novels are the sort of crowd-pleasing, narrative-focused fiction we find all too rarely in this country.” — Quill & Quire
“Ava is such a cool character, intelligent, Chinese-Canadian, unconventional, and original…Irresistible.” — Owen Sound Sun Times
Praise for The Two Sisters of Borneo
National Bestseller
“There are plenty of surprises waiting for Ava, and for the reader, all uncovered with great satisfaction.” — National Post
“Ian Hamilton’s great new Ava Lee mystery has the same wow factor as its five predecessors. The plot is complex and fast-paced, the writing tight, and its protagonist is one of the most interesting female avengers to come along in a while.” — NOW Magazine (NNNN)
“The appeal of the Ava Lee series owes much to her brand name lifestyle; it stirs pleasantly giddy emotions to encounter such a devotedly elegant heroine. But, better still, the detailing of financial shenanigans is done in such clear language that even readers who have trouble balancing their bank books can appreciate the way conmen set out to fleece unsuspecting victims.” — Toronto Star
