The Wild Beasts of Wuhan

Ava Lee #3

by Ian Hamilton

In The Wild Beasts of Wuhan, Uncle and Ava are summoned by Wong Changxing, "The Emperor of Hubei" and one of the most powerful men in China, when he discovers that the Fauvist paintings he recently acquired are in fact forgeries.

Ava uncovers a ring of fraudulent art dealers and follows their twisted trail to Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Dublin, London, and New York. But the job is further complicated by Wong's second wife, the cunning and seductive May Ling, who threatens to interfere in Ava's investigation.

Will Ava find the perpetrators and get the Wongs' money back? Or will May Ling get to them first . . .

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Crime, Canada, Mystery Thriller, Adventure

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Ian Hamilton has been a journalist, a senior executive with the federal government, a diplomat, and a businessman with international links. He has written for several magazines and newspapers in Canada and the U.S., including Maclean's, Boston Magazine, Saturday Night, Regina Leader Post, Calgary Albertan, and the Calgary Herald. His nonfiction book, The Children's Crusade, was a Canadian Book of the Month Club selection.

Reviews

[☘Misericordia☘ ⚡ϟ⚡⛈⚡☁ ❇️❤❣ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another adding to this stylish series. I just love with how much detail and thoughtfulness the story goes.
Now I'm officially a fan of Ms Ava Lee and Mr Ian Hamilton's writing.

Still I can't help myself mentionng a bit of funny idiosyncrasy about this book: Ms Lee is an accountant. This is punctuated by a certain repetitiveness of her mundane choices, namely the stuff she wears and the drinks she drinks.

In this installment Ms Lee is still depicted as one of the most Starbucks VIA instant coffee-loving persons under the moon:
1/ She made herself a cup of Starbucks VIA instant coffee and collected the South China Morning Post that was waiting for her at the door.
2/ She rolled out of bed, boiled water in the hotel kettle, and made her first Starbucks VIA instant coffee of the morning.
3/ She quickly made a Starbucks VIA instant coffee, downed it, brushed her teeth and hair, put on her running gear, and headed downstairs.
4/ She boiled water in the kettle at the bar and made a Starbucks VIA instant coffee.
5/ She made herself a Starbucks VIA coffee, downed it quickly, put on her running gear, and headed downstairs.

And oh boy, does she love her pumps:
1/ When she put on a bit of makeup, let her black, silky hair hang loose or wore it swept up with one of her collection of clasps and hairpins, and slipped on a slim-fitting skirt with a pair of black leather Cole Haan heels, she turned heads — male and female.
2/ It was almost noon when she walked out of the Ocean Terminal with her Brooks Brothers bags and another from Cole Haan with a pair of black leather pumps.
3/ Ava chose the black cotton slacks and the more modest Cole Haan pumps, and offset the dark palette with her new pink Brooks Brothers shirt.
4/ She chose her pink Brooks Brothers shirt and the black linen slacks, completing the outfit with her black leather Cole Haan pumps.

Aaand her Brooks Brothers which are definitely the winner here:
1/ “There’s a Brooks Brothers store in Tsim Sha Tsui,”
2/ The Brooks Brothers store was on the third floor of the Ocean Terminal.
3/ Ava had been dressing in Brooks Brothers for years. The crisp, tailored look fit the image she wanted to project as an accountant, as a serious professional.
4/ There were four Brooks Brothers stores in Hong Kong, but Ava knew from previous trips that this one was the largest and had the best selection of women’s clothing.
5/ It was almost noon when she walked out of the Ocean Terminal with her Brooks Brothers bags and another from Cole Haan with a pair of black leather pumps.
6/ Ava chose the black cotton slacks and the more modest Cole Haan pumps, and offset the dark palette with her new pink Brooks Brothers shirt.
7/ The other women eyed Ava, in her pink Brooks Brothers shirt and black slacks, with either suspicion or disdain.
8/ She stepped out of the shower and towelled herself off, then put on her blue-and-white pinstriped shirt and her cotton Brooks Brothers slacks.
9/ She dressed, the second Steinum sweater going over the black Brooks Brothers shirt.
10/ She put the black Brooks Brothers shirt and cotton slacks in the first bag, and in the other the laundry bag from Aalborg with her running gear.
11/ She pulled a Steinum sweater over her T-shirt and Brooks Brothers black linen pants and headed downstairs and out onto the High Street. (right after she got the VIA Starbucks down, yep :))
12/ She put on her black Brooks Brothers shirt and cotton slacks, fixed her hair with the ivory chignon pin, and even put on a little makeup.
13/ She put on the blue-and-white pinstriped Brooks Brothers shirt, her black linen slacks, and her alligator heels.
14/ She chose her pink Brooks Brothers shirt and the black linen slacks, completing the outfit with her black leather Cole Haan pumps.
15/ She packed a fresh set of clothes: a midnight-blue shirt with an Italian collar she had bought during her previous trip to London, a white Brooks Brothers button-down shirt, a clean pair of black Brooks Brothers slacks, and a light tan pencil skirt that came just above the knee.
Yay, definitely the winner to any ad-fest!

:) Now this is just plain funny and goes to say how deeply the brands have permeated everywhere. :)

[DeB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 3 in the Ava Lee series... I'm addicted! It has been a tremendously long time since I've gobbled up one book after another, and found so much enjoyment in the variety in the plots.

This time Ava is off into the world of art fraud, and travelling to Iceland and England, as well as a province of mainland China. A kingpin in Wuhan has "lost face" buying this fake art, and Uncle features again, this time as the old village connection prevails to use his influence to seek retribution. This time round, Ava's martial arts skills are less necessary than her forensic accounting skills, and we even get to go shopping with her in Hong Kong while she updates her upscale wardrobe!

Nothing goes smoothly, as usual, which is the delight of this series, and I keep reading on tenterhooks to discover how Ava will unravel the messes she finds herself in and outwit the bad guys, and save the day. Asian Canadian Nancy Drew for adults - heheh!

Book four is on request... only one copy in my library, and I'm second in line so it could be a month before I'm off on another Ava Lee adventure, but for sure, I'll be glad to meet her again.

4.5 stars.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been quite a few years since my last Ava Lee adventure, but everything came back very quickly, and in the end I enjoyed this one more than the last. This time the cool-as-a-cucumber forensic accountant is investigating a high stakes art fraud and it was this subject matter, on top of the usual characteristics that make this series fun, that drew me in. Ava knows very little about fine art, so initially she's not sure about taking on the case, but she's a quick study and before we know it she's gone past the point of no return. Lucky for her would-be clients! With $74M at stake, they need Ava's help.

The fun part that I referred to above is Ava's aspirational luxe lifestyle. Brand names and wine prices litter the pages in between the flights that would make anyone's head spin. In this book Ava travels from Curaçao to Hong Kong to China, then on to Denmark, the Faroe Islands, London and New York with a sidetrip or two back to her home base in Toronto. All in the space of a week or so. Phew! Despite the lifestyle, this lady isn't all glam though - I had a little smirk on my face every time she made herself a cup of Starbucks instant coffee (ergh), which was pretty frequently.

But overall it is these details that set this series apart. The mystery here is satisfying and there's a bit of set-up for the next instalment, which I intend to read sooner rather than later.

[Lance Charnes · Rating 3 out of 5]

While we're used to cozy mysteries led by such unlikely sleuths as quilters and cats, we usually expect our less-cozy mysteries to have protagonists with more qualifications for the job: cops, ex-cops, PIs, and the like. But there's a growing sub-genre featuring crime-busting accountants. David Dodge, active in the 1940s, may be the father of this sub-genre. Other authors who've played in this pool include Dick Francis ( Risk ), Gail Farrelly, Marshall Jevons, Colleen Cross and Ashley Fontainne. More to the point, there's also Ian Hamilton, whose series heroine Ava Lee makes her third appearance in The Wild Beasts of Wuhan.

Ava's a Hong Kong-born, Toronto-raised forensic accountant who specializes in finding and recovering money lost to fraud by people who have reasons not to engage the police. She works for Uncle -- who may be connected to the Triads -- and takes a cut of what she extracts from the scammers. In this episode, she's called on to figure out who sold megawealthy Wuhan kingmaker Wong Changxing over $70 million in forged Fauvist paintings (the titular "wild beasts," as the Fauvists were known to 19th-Century art critics). Her hunt takes her most of the way around the world as she pieces together the plot. (If your around-the-world mystery-reading challenge includes the Faroe Islands, this book's for you.)

Ava's acceptable if not overly engaging company. She's smart and capable, pretty much always comes out on top, is an experienced globetrotter, and is (of course) beautiful enough for nearly all the men she runs across to come on to her. Not that it does them much good: she likes girls, a fact that makes no essential difference in her character other than the gender of the person she chooses for the obligatory one-nighter partway through her travels.

This is a straightforward follow-the-money story that Ava solves in a fairly straightforward way. If you like lots of twists and turns in your mystery plots, you won't really find them here. The art-forgery angle is interesting and you'll learn a few things about the art market. However, the criminal machinations aren't all that opaque, and Ava unearths them through doggedness rather than brilliant leaps of deduction, risky B&E, or applications of physical force. Just as in TV cop shows, the perps mostly fess up with minimal hesitation. A lot of her progress comes courtesy of Uncle's guanxi, or clout. No matter where she goes, Ava's able to get doors opened and cooperation extracted through a phone call to Uncle, who apparently has nearly limitless reach as well as the ability to work as fast as Ava's nonstop travel schedule. In retrospect, it all seems awfully easy. Ava spends more time in transit or in the shower (say what you will about her, she's impressively clean) than she does detecting.

The back-cover copy promises something like a thriller -- Ava is "alluring but deadly," there are "dangerous criminals," and "this is one scam that could get her killed," -- but you won't get anything like that. The greatest physical threat Ava faces is from a group of drunken Russian fishermen, easily disposed of. Even the touted "massive web of corruption" is oversold. Save for some adult language and the lack of recipes, this could be a cozy.

The Wild Beasts of Wuhan isn't a bad read if you ignore the back cover and go into the novel with the proper expectations. It's a mild-mannered mystery in which the deadliest weapons are cell phones and laptops and the greatest existential threats to Our Heroine are jet lag and airline food. You get to watch Ava put the pieces together, and if you pay attention, maybe you can solve the puzzle before she does. If that appeals to you, there are six installments in this series. I may read another of these sometime...perhaps in an airplane, where Ava spends most of her time.

[Skip · Rating 4 out of 5]

I happen to like this series about Ava Lee, a Canadian forensic accountant of Chinese descent. Her business partner (Uncle) and she visit with a successful businessman in Wuhan to find out that he and his primary wife (#2) have been duped into buying $75 million of forged Fauvist paintings. Ava is afraid of retribution but is cajoled by May (wife #2) to help. Following a thin trail that winds through Hong Kong, Denmark, the Faroe Islands, London, and NY, Ava is a world class sleuth and is forced to educate herself about the art world. The secondary characters in Hamilton's work are usually colorful and entertaining, but Ava's family and love life are tiring and repetitive.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book in this series that I have read and I've really enjoyed all of them. The main character, Ava Lee, is a forensic accountant, which means she gets people money back that has been stolen, embezzled etc. In this book, the client is a Chinese billionaire who has spent $100 million dollars on an art collection, only to find out that most of the paintings are fake. It's Ava's job to recover as much of that money as she can.

I realize that this probably doesn't sound too exciting, but there is more to Ava than meets the eye. As well as being beautiful and intelligent, she is also a master of several martial arts. At one point in the book, she has a disagreement with three drunk Russian seamen. You can use your imagination.

The only problem I have with the book is that at times the author conveys too much detail. What she is wearing, what she is eating, what flight she is taking (and she takes quite a few flights). And the book is pretty much an advertisement for Starbucks Via instant coffee. It must be mentioned by name that she is drinking one at least eight times. But other than these couple of quibbles, a very enjoyable book. I am a big fan of art, and like reading about art forgeries etc. so that made the book even more enjoyable for me.

Oh, and the book ends with a small cliffhanger, no doubt so that will encourage you to get the next book in the series. But I'm already going to do that, so that's ok.

[CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian · Rating 1 out of 5]

Maybe it’s just me, but when I pick up a novel featuring a Chinese-Canadian lesbian protagonist written by a straight white man my guard is immediately up. So I admittedly came into The Wild Beasts of Wuhan with quite the critical eye.
It’s not that I didn’t like the ass-kicking and sleuthing part of this novel for what it was, but the queer and feminist problems I had (including how it deals with sexual assault, lesbian gender, capitalism, and trans women) overshadowed any enjoyment I felt. It wouldn’t be hard to combine the parts of this novel that work with some more thoughtful queer and feminist politics; in fact, I know there are other novels that do this. Why can’t this one?

See my full review here:
http://caseythecanadianlesbrarian.wor...

[Polly · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Wild Beasts of Wuhan was quite a fascinating foray into the world of art forgeries, Fauvism in particular! (I had to Google that.)
However, I’m now pretty tired of all the product placement!! I don’t care that Ava Lee likes to start her day with an upmarket brand of instant coffee(?!) or that she has expensive tastes in high end tailored shirts and suits. Nor do I care that her bag and cufflinks have matching logos (I presume they do!) or that she ends up buying swanky sweaters from the Faroe Islands for her bff, Mimi, and current girlfriend, Maria.
I feel the endless insertion of what Ava buys and wears detracts from the plot.
I’m so heartily fatigued and put off by this aspect that I’m not sure I can handle another. And that would be a shame as Ava Lee is a cracking good character!

[Rusalka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Urgh. I hope this is a blip, but this installment of Ava Lee was very much one long sponsored instagram post by a brand ambassador. It repeated itself over and over. It also had an unfortunate dose of "woman who is written by a man". I promise, gentlemen, that 9 times out of 10, we don't sit around in our hotel rooms in our "panties" (a horrid word), particularly if we have trackies in our suitcase.

Where the first one had these tendencies, by this third book these problem parts had ramped up and started to take over the fun. And that's sad, as I really liked the fun.

I think I have the next two in the series so will keep going for those, but the series is going to have to pivot pretty damn quickly on it's Cole Haan pumps or black alligator high heels, whether you expensed them or not.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a sucker for this series. I don’t know why it is, but I admit a fascination with the heroine, Ava Lee. I love knowing where she is staying in the capitols of Europe and Asia, what she eats, where she exercises. She is more disciplined than I am, which I admire, and it is interesting to see what someone driven can accomplish in a day with unlimited funds and a sense of vengeance.

Author Hamilton never seems to lose sight of where Ava is in the day. Ava catches planes like other people catch taxis, and almost every day is a new country, a new time zone, a new set of circumstances. But neither the author nor our heroine ever gets confused about what time it is in Hong Kong where her partner, the revered “Uncle”, resides.

In this third in the series, Ava chases down art forgers in Ireland and the Faroe Islands for her clients in Wuhan, China. Then, in London and New York, she finds the dealers to whom the forgers sold their paintings. But this time she blunders a little. She goes into the case with less information than she needs to force a settlement, and has to backtrack, get more information, and then re-engage. This is more like us ordinary mortals, who occasionally hit stumbling blocks. I didn’t like to see her fail, but it is nice to know she is not completely invulnerable.

Another twist in the story is that Ava’s clients do the unforgiveable: they become involved with her resolution of the case. She exacts her revenge for that, too, which keeps us wondering to the end. All in all, Hamilton adds complexities to his protagonist’s cases that he must unravel throughout the story. Seeing how Ava will decide to manage the issues she faces is what makes this series delectable.

During the course of this investigation, Ava has a casual one night stand with a hotel manageress. I wondered about that—whether or not it rang true. As I read on, I shrugged it off. It could be possible. She seems entirely her own woman. I wouldn’t dare say what she would or wouldn‘t do. I have a feeling she and Hamilton are going to continually surprise me throughout this series.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 3 of the Ava Lee series and I still really like her. She is still kick-ass. This time she is tracking art forgers. I'm not big on art so it's interesting to learn about how art are sold and how forgeries could be made.
We also see more of her relationship with her family and with Uncle.
Some parts are getting repetitive, such as the emphasis on what brand of clothes and shoes Ava wears. Maybe because Asians are more brand-conscious? (I'm Asian-Canadian and have noticed my relatives in Asia are quite brand-conscious.) Or, is it to show Ava's need for order and consistency? She is an accountant, after all.

[Dlmrose · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Joey Comeau · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best of the series so far, I think. The detective work is fun, and the book continues to include charming "lifestyle porn" ala Entourage. In the last book, we saw some of the benefits of her Uncles connections, and so it was very satisfying to see the other side of that coin in this book - the consequences of those connections, and the things she can't control. The books are getting more thoughtful as they go along, if you can get past the Starbucks Instant VIA references every ten pages.

As a side note, has anybody here even HAD Starbucks Instant VIA? I don't know if trying it would make me more or less annoyed by the constant product placements. I guess it would depend on how earth-shatteringly good the coffee is. Maybe I'll write my next review with a focus on how frustrating it is that Hamilton talks so much about characters and mysteries when I want to hear more about the wonderful and delicious coffee that changed my life!

[Kaija · Rating 2 out of 5]

Account Ava Lee is chasing down an art forger/the organizer of an art forgery. So, why isn't this book better?

Well, for starters, this is a great example of "men writing women". Did you know Ava's breasts are perky, and big? Unlike most other Asian women? Oh, and she spends a lot of time in her bra and panties - insert eye roll here. Interestingly, the author never once mentioned how big the bulge was on any of the main male characters pants.

The story is only ok. There's way to much time talking about how she dresses/undresses (men writing women again . . . ), and too much product placement. Otherwise, it's an ok story. I think the author should try writing his character as a guy to see if he would write the same way about a male character.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ava Lee is hot. Ava Lee is Chinese. Ava Lee is Canadian. Ava Lee is gay. Ava Lee is an accountant who knows martial arts. She's a formidable person and one you want on your side. Who knew accounting could be so thrilling? We start out on a family vacation in Curacao when she has to leave for a hot job. It's off to China, then Britain, Denmark, Ireland, and even the Faroe Islands-a two week blur of travel as she connects the dots on a $70 million dollar scam involving forged art. She's a master of style and reading people too. When her clients try to manipulate her she is ready for them. Looking forward to reading all the books in this series.

[Ellen Roseman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read all three Ava Lee mysteries published so far and liked this one the best so far. Lots of insight into art counterfeiting. Lots of moral dilemmas for Ava. Too much dropping of brand names, but it's lessening. Author has four or five more to come, including one set in Shanghai. I'm looking forward to reading them, since they combine sleuthing, numbers and business quandaries.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is my first time choosing a book based upon the audio book narrator (Jennifer Ikeda). I really enjoyed this and will listen to more of the Ava Lee series (you may have doubts, but an accountant as protagonist works!!). I'm exploring and trying to find my reading sweet spot in the big wide world of mysteries. This was a good one.

[Buchdoktor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ava Lee bricht die Familienkreuzfahrt der Lees in die Karibik ab, um auf Onkel Chows Drängen einen Auftrag des unvorstellbar reichen Ehepaars Wong anzunehmen. Da Wong ein Gefährte Onkel Chows aus Wuhan ist und Ava ausdrücklich anfordert, bleibt ihr keine andere Wahl. Die Wongs haben beim Kauf gefälschter Gemälde rund 100 Millionen Dollar eingebüßt. Mit ihrer bewährten Methode ‚Folge dem Geld‘ spürt Ava der Herkunft der verdächtigen Gemälde nach. Die entscheidende Frage ist, wer profitierte von dem Deal und wo ist das Geld geblieben. Ein echtes Gemälde hinterlässt eine nachvollziehbare Spur, wenn es verkauft, ausgestellt oder begutachtet wird, aber auch eine Fälschung kann nicht unbemerkt gehandelt werden. Avas Ermittlungen führen sie u. a. nach London, Dänemark und auf die Faröer Inseln, ein für sie völlig neues Terrain. Verblüfft stellt sie fest, dass sie bei ihrem letzten Auftrag in London einen nachhaltigen Eindruck hinterlassen haben muss und die damals geknüpften Beziehungen nun nutzen kann. Die Begegnung mit den Wongs und ihrem rücksichtslosen Machtanspruch machen Ava deutlich, dass guanxi, das Netz gegenseitiger Verpflichtungen, kein Wunschkonzert ist.

Ian Hamilton gibt in jedem Band der Serie in kleinen Häppchen Szenen aus der Familiengeschichte der Lees preis. Bei ihrem dritten Auftrag kann Ava sich zwar auf ihre Kompetenzen als Wirtschaftsprüferin verlassen, scheint sonst jedoch auf eine Reihe von losen Fäden zu blicken. Sie ist nicht immer mit ihrem greisen Mentor Onkel Chow einer Meinung und sie scheint sich längst noch nicht entschieden zu haben, ob sie einmal in einer festen Beziehung mit einer Frau leben will. Der Autor arbeitet wie gewohnt effektiv mit Markennamen, so dass er Avas Wirkung selbst nicht beschreiben muss. Offensichtlich mag er Flughäfen, die Skyline von Hongkong - und er versteckt entscheidende Informationen über Avas Liebesleben gern unauffällig in einem Nebensatz.

Ava Lees Auftritte in Europa werden einigen Figuren nachhaltig in Erinnerung bleiben …

Die deutsche Printausgabe ist vergriffen.

[Brigette · Rating 3 out of 5]

52 Book Club - Prompt 51 - Related to the word WILD

In this instalment of Ava Lee's life, she agrees to look into art fraud for some old acquaintances of Uncle. The art fraud was interesting (if perhaps resolved rather quickly) but Ava seemed tentative and unsure of herself for most of the book (until Auntie May Ling makes her mad....) I did lose track of where Ava was in all the airports and hotel hopping.

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am loving this series!

[Alan (the Lone Librarian rides again) Teder · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my 4th in the Ava Lee series in less than one month. That tells you all you need to know about how compelling this series is. Ava Lee is like no forensic accountant you have ever met. She is the James Bond, Reacher and/or Lisbeth Salander (pick your favourite ruthless/relentless hero/heroine) of forensic accounting.

This time the case involves Ava chasing down the dealers and painters behind a forged collection of Fauvist (i.e. French name for the "Wild Beast" painters such as Matisse, Derain, etc. ) paintings sold to a billionaire art collector in Wuhan province in China. Ava is off to Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Dublin, London and New York and back as she pursues the scammers. But the collector and his 2nd wife have more in mind than just retrieving their money, putting Ava in a tight spot between her clients and her mentor/partner 'Uncle'.

If you are as late catching on to this series as I am then I envy you, because you have 7 thrill rides yet to experience (probably an 8th by the time you finish the 7th as, thankfully, author Ian Hamilton is quite prolific).

Bonus points for the introduction to Jóhanna av Steinum sweaters and to the Faroe Islands knitwear industry in general :D

[Lilisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another fun read, this novel which doesn’t tax the brain, is a page turner and is the perfect diversion when reading more intense and serious books. Ava Lee is taking a break vacationing in Curacao with her complicated family when she gets a call from Uncle – her business partner, informing her he needs her investigative services in China. In this third in the series book, Ava is commissioned to investigate how one of the most powerful and richest men of Wuhan was hoodwinked into purchasing several pieces of art that were passed off as authentic masterpieces. The forgeries are brilliant pieces but definitely fake. and Ava embarks on a world-wind trip as she follows the money trail from the Hong Kong, China, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Dublin, Toronto, London and New York City. An entertaining read for sure.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

These books always travel to so many locations, this time from Toronto to China to the Faroe Islands, New York and London.
This story has Ava and Uncle delving into the murky world of art. With little knowledge of this world, Ava is a bit more out of her element than usual and Uncle seems to be overwhelmed by the clients demands.
The author does a good job of showing the differences between the Chinese culture and the Western culture in this one. The misunderstandings created by these is one of the most interesting parts to read.
I assume the obsession with brand names is for a reason but I'm not really understanding what, I'm sure it could be possible to just say that she had a coffee and put on her watch instead of mentioning that it's Starbucks VIA instant and a Cartier but by now it's just becoming a quirk of the books and I barely notice.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I want for Christmas is half stars. This is 3.5 stars.



I liked the story a lot. It was creative and well thought out. The MC is a Chinese Canadian lesbian. I liked the MC for the most part. I found some of her dialogue hard to believe. What I liked most is that I could see the chain of progression as the MC set out to find answers. It was all logically done. I look forward to reading more in this series.


This would have been 4 stars if it weren't for the unnecessary details. I don't really care what color her clothes were or where she bought them. I don't care what color her lipstick was or how she wore her hair. There was a lot of that in this book.

[Kendra · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third Ava Lee novel did not disappoint. Again, she solves a mystery involving a bad debt, this time in the art world. On the whole, the book is less violent than the previous two. Actually, there was more opportunity to follow Ava's analytical process as she delved into old accounting records and found the relevant information. There is a perfect teaser tied into the book that left me wanting more!

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book featuring Ava Lee and Uncle. This time she is investigating art forgery traveling from China to London to Denmark to the Faroe Islands to New York and finally back to Toronto. this is a quieter book with less physical violence as Ava unravels a lengthy trail of deception.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this series the forensic accountant gets herself further enmeshed with dangerous bad actors. There’s a powerful dragon lady and we learn more about what makes Ava tick. This is as if the Accountant the movie was cast with a lesbian Chinese-Canadian rather than Ben Affleck.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid 4⭐️. Editorial oversights persist, however.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the characters and the subject. I am getting very tired of the repetitive fashion descriptions, same thing every book and throughout the book.

[Mark Oppenlander · Rating 3 out of 5]

The third book in the Ava Lee series finds our protagonist dragged away from a family vacation of dubious quality to travel to Wuhan. Uncle has been contacted by Wong Changxing, an extremely wealthy man who has been collecting art to increase his respectability, especially with his Western business associates. Wong is very proud of his collection of Fauvist works, the "wild beasts" of the title. But after discovering that many of the pieces he has acquired over the years are high-quality fakes, Wong and his scheming wife May Ling decide to seek retribution. Uncle and Ava are clear that revenge is not what they do. But they reluctantly agree to see if they can track down some or all of the $70 million that Wong lost to the forgeries.

Ava's path takes her to Hong Kong, Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Ireland, London, and eventually New York City. It is a typical globe-trotting adventure, as she follows the money trail to find out who forged the paintings, who sold and authenticated them, and who was the mastermind behind the entire scheme. As usual, Ian Hamilton provides action and intrigue and way too much product placement. I don't think he has an official sponsorship agreement with Brooks Brothers, Gucci, or Starbucks VIA coffee, but it's hard to be sure. The details seem to be gratuitous, although some reviewers seem to see them as offering a type of hyper-realism and a vicarious thrill; we get to embrace the high-end lifestyle and endless expense accounts of the ultra-wealthy. I confess, it's not something I really crave though.

I enjoyed this installment of the series more than the last. In part, that was because Ava actually gets to be a forensic accountant. She uses her mind and her business acumen far more than her martial arts skills, sexuality, or ruthlessness (although all are present). I also enjoyed the secondary set of themes in this novel: duty, honor, saving face, and the relative merits of revenge are all addressed. Ava realizes that May Ling has different goals for the investigation than she does, and must try to keep her at arm's length to achieve her goals. She has limited success, which leads to a more ambiguous ending. I appreciated the ethical questions raised, and the lack of a completely satisfying resolution.

I also found Ava more vulnerable in this book. As she travels, she corresponds with her sometimes girlfriend, Maria, back in Toronto. It is obvious that Ava fears commitment, while Maria would like their relationship to move faster. I found this a nice contrast to the ass-kicking, hyper-intelligent detective persona that Ava wears in her work. It added a touch of depth and nuance to the character, something I hope that Hamilton builds on in future books.

After the previous entry, The Disciple of Las Vegas, I wasn't sure whether I wanted to continue this series. The Wild Beasts of Wuhan put me back on track, and offered me hope that the series could still grow and improve. It's exploration of Chinese values, and it's incremental development of Ava's character offered promising signs of what could be to come. I will stick with the series for at least one more book.