Water Rat of Wanchai An Ava Lee Novel

In Ian Hamilton's The Water Rat of Wanchai, we meet forensic accountant and martial arts expert Ava Lee in her early days working for the mysterious businessman Uncle as they track down large sums of money that have disappeared. One of Uncle's longtime friends has requested help for his nephew, who needs to recover five million dollars from a business deal that went sideways. Ava steps in and immediately is off on a global hunt for the missing money that has her dodging shady characters.

On a journey that takes her from Seattle to Hong Kong, Bangkok, Guyana, and the British Virgin Islands, Ava encounters everything from the Thai katoey culture to corrupt government officials. In Guyana she meets her match: Captain Robbins, a godfather-like figure who controls the police, politicians, and criminals alike. In exchange for his help, Robbins decides he wants a piece of Ava's five million dollars and will do whatever it takes to get his fair share.

“Cutting edge crime novels.”—BBC.com

“Hamilton makes each page crackle with the kind of energy that could easily jump to the movie screen.”—Rachel Kramer Bussel, Penthouse

“Formidable...Ava Lee is unbeatable at just about everything....Shes perfect.”—The Toronto Star

“Ian Hamilton really knows his stuff, offering intriguing insights into a secret world and a heroine as fascinating as she is fierce. A fantastic read, I cant wait for the next one.”—Simon Lewis, author of Bad Traffic

“Slick, fast-moving escapism reminiscent of Ian Fleming.”—Booklis