by Ian Hamilton
“Expertise. You make it sound so academic. My brother said you risked your life to save his.”
“That’s a bit dramatic. The guys guarding him were amateurs.”
“There were three of them, no?”
“I think so.”
“And they had knives, and one had a gun.”
“True, but I had Carlo and Andy — two of Uncle’s men — and Carlo had his own gun.”
“Austin said you were wounded by a knife.”
“It was a small cut on my arm. It looked worse than it was.”
Carrie lifted the glass to her lips and sipped. “No matter how much you want to downplay it, both my brother and I think the Ma family owes you more than the money you were paid.”
“That’s very kind. But I hope you’re not here just because of that.”
“I am.”
“That makes me quite uncomfortable,” Ava said softly. “This new business has to stand on its own merits or it won’t be sustainable.”
“Thank you for saying that,” Carrie said. “I can’t tell you how many invitations we turn down every month. If we accepted even a quarter of them, I’d never be in my office. So my coming here is a bit unusual. But the bottom line is still that we’ll do business only if the clothes meet our standards — and those standards are high.”
“That makes me feel a bit better.”
Carrie smiled. “Good. Now let’s hope the clothes are exceptional.”
“They’re wonderful.”
“Is that dress you’re wearing a PÖ?”
“It is.”
“Then we’re off to a good start.”
Ava saw that Carrie’s glass was empty and looked for a server. Before she could find one, Amanda reappeared.
“Excuse me, but May Ling wants Ava to know that Mr. Xu is here.”
“That’s perfect timing,” Carrie said. “Please go and see your guest. I’m going to mingle for a while and then leave early. I’ll see you at the launch tomorrow.”
“Will we have a chance to talk before you leave?”
“Do you mean after the show?”
“Yes.”
“That’s not something I normally do, but then, coming to Shanghai isn’t either,” Carrie said. “So yes, we can chat.”
“Thanks.”
“It’s still too soon to say that.”
Ava smiled and walked away, feeling satisfied with the way things had gone. She had no doubt that Carrie Song would be fair, and that’s all they could expect.
She saw Xu standing just inside the doorway, talking to May. He was dressed, as was his habit — which Ava was sure he’d picked up from Uncle — in a black suit and white shirt. But instead of his normal black tie, he was sporting one in light blue silk patterned with red and white dragons. About six feet tall, he was slim and elegant. His fine features were accented by strong eyebrows and a thick head of hair that he wore swept back. He looked every inch the successful professional. And so he was, except that his profession was running the Triad organization in Shanghai and functioning as chairman of the Triad societies across Asia.
May was standing close to Xu, looking up at him with her hand resting on his arm. It unexpectedly occurred to Ava that May was flirting with him. If she was, Xu didn’t seem to be discouraging it.
“Hey, what’s going on with you two?” Ava asked as she drew near.
May moved back, looking a bit flustered. You were flirting, Ava thought.
“I was just telling our silent partner how well the money he put into our business is doing,” May said quickly.
Ava was slightly taken aback by the comment, and she glanced around to see if anyone else might have heard it. Xu had put $150 million into Three Sisters. He had carefully assembled the money from his many enterprises, including factories that made knockoff electronic devices and designer bags and clothes. Then he had separated the money as far as possible from its Triad roots before transferring it to them.
“I’m quite sure that come as a surprise to him,” Ava said, relieved to see that no one was in earshot.
Xu smiled at Ava, but she thought it looked a bit tentative. She immediately noticed that there were dark circles under his eyes and that his face looked gaunt. She wondered if he was having lingering health issues from the knife wounds he’d received in Shenzhen five months before, when his main competitor for chairmanship of the Triad societies had tried to take him out of the running.
“Mei mei, it is good to see you,” he said.
Ava stepped into his arms. “And you.”
“May said you were meeting with a very influential woman from Lane Crawford. I hope I did not drag you away from her.”
“Our business was done.”
“How did it go?” May asked.
“Well enough, I think.”
“How do you know her?” Xu asked.
“Uncle and I did a job for her family.”
“It was successful?”
“Yes.”
“And she feels indebted?”
“Enough that she came here. For the rest of it, she has to see and like Clark’s clothes. I told her that’s the way it should be.”
“Getting her here was a feat in itself,” May said. “Ava is always teasing me about my guanxi, but now she’s demonstrating her own.”
“Don’t exaggerate,” Ava said, and then turned back to Xu. “There’s champagne and other drinks and food on the terrace if you want some.”
“I am sorry, but I cannot stay.”
“Suen told me you have visitors from Nanjing.”
“I do, and I have to take them to dinner.”
“You’re coming to the launch tomorrow?” May asked.
“That is still the plan, and I will be bringing the manager of our main clothing factory with me. His name is Wu.”
Ava couldn’t help but notice how intently May was staring at him. For his part, Xu seemed detached, and his face, as well as being gaunt, looked weary. “May, I do not mean to be rude, but I have to leave soon and I would like a word alone with Ava, if you do not mind.” Xu spoke so softly that Ava wasn’t sure she had heard him correctly.
“No, of course not,” May said. Nearby, Amanda and Gillian were still greeting people as they arrived. May went to join them.
Xu looped his arm through Ava’s and gently led her away from the door.
“What’s this about?” she asked.
“When the reception is over, could you possibly join me at the restaurant where I am taking my guests?” he said.
His question surprised her, and it showed.
“I am sorry for dropping this on you so suddenly.”
“Is it a business dinner? I wouldn’t want to get in the way.”
“It is not supposed to be about business, and even if it is, you are never in the way.”
“They won’t find it strange that you invited a woman?”
“That is one of the reasons I would like you to come. I was told a few minutes ago that Pang Fai is going to be there.”
“The actress?”
“Yes.”
“I love her work,” Ava said. “I must have seen ten of her films, and I don’t think there’s anyone better at drama. But she’s so famous. What’s she doing at your dinner in Shanghai?” She saw his brow crease ever so slightly. “Oh, Xu, I hope that didn’t sound rude. You must know what I mean. It is Pang Fai, after all.”
He smiled. “She is the girlfriend — or at least a friend — of the main guy in Nanjing.”
“He must be wealthy.”
“He is, and powerful.”
“Would I know him?”
“His name is Tsai Men. His father is the governor of Jiangsu.”
“I’ve never heard of him.”
“There is no reason why you should h
ave.”
Ava hesitated. The idea of arriving late at a dinner party held little appeal, but she was intrigued by the prospect of meeting one of China’s biggest movie stars. “Xu, I have no idea when this reception will be over, and I can’t leave early.”
“Come whenever you can. I have made a reservation at Capo. It is next door, on the fifth floor of the Yifeng Galleria. You can walk.”
“Capo? That doesn’t sound Chinese.”
“It is Italian. That is where he always wants to go, even though he never orders anything Italian. He says they have the best fresh oysters and steak in Shanghai.”
Ava shook her head. “Xu, I’m not sure —”
He squeezed her arm gently. “I do not care when you come. Knowing Tsai, it will be a long night anyway.”
“And look at the way I’m dressed.”
“You look stunning. I have been with Pang Fai before, and believe me, she does not dress down. You will fit right in.”
“Okay, I’ll be there,” she said, giving in to his persistence.
“Thank you.”
“But arriving in the middle of dinner is going to look odd. How will you explain it?”
“I will tell them you were at a reception.”
“And how are you going to introduce me?”
“As my girlfriend.”
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The King of Shanghai is the seventh book (not counting the novella The Dragon Head of Hong Kong) in the Ava Lee series, and it seems that with each book there are more and more people to thank for their assistance and encouragement.
Sarah MacLachlan and her team at House of Anansi Press continue to provide tremendous support. So my thanks to her and to Barbara Howson and her sales team, Laura Meyer on the publicity side, and Carolyn McNeillie, a digital whiz.
As always, this book owes much to my editor, the great Janie Yoon. She doesn’t particularly like the word collaboration, and she may be correct that our working relationship falls a bit short of being exactly that. But it’s close nonetheless, and it’s amazing how often we’re on the same wavelength when it comes to identifying gaps and weaknesses in manuscripts.
My agents, Bruce Westwood and Carolyn Forde, are two of my earliest manuscript readers, and their support and input have been unfailing. Many a miserable writing day has been brightened by talking to them. It’s much appreciated.
My rather large family continues to beat the drum for the books, and I know we wouldn’t have had success without them. I love them all.
Last, there are some individuals who made direct contributions to The King of Shanghai. I want to thank Robin Spano and Farah Mohamed for their editorial input. Vincent Yin very generously reviewed my Chinese references and word usage and made sure they were accurate. And Carrie Kirkman, whose day job is CEO of Jones New York in Canada, took the time to educate me about the business of fashion.
IAN HAMILTON is the author of seven novels in the Ava Lee series: The Dragon Head of Hong Kong: The Ava Lee Prequel, The Water Rat of Wanchai, The Disciple of Las Vegas, The Wild Beasts of Wuhan, The Red Pole of Macau, The Scottish Banker of Surabaya, and The Two Sisters of Borneo. The Water Rat of Wanchai was the winner of the Arthur Ellis Award for Best First Novel, an Amazon.ca Top 100 Book of the Year, an Amazon.ca Top 100 Editors’ Pick, an Amazon.ca Canadian Pick, an Amazon.ca Mysteries and Thrillers Pick, a Toronto Star Top 5 Fiction Book of the Year, and a Quill & Quire Top 5 Fiction Book of the Year.
ABOUT THE PUBLISHER
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 forensic 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
“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 small, 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 . . . 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 absolu
te 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”
