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Ava Lee #7
The King of Shanghai
The seventh novel in the Ava Lee series finds Ava getting caught up in the election for the chairmanship of the Triad Societies.
Ava steps into her new business with May Ling Wong and her sister-in-law, Amanda. On a trip to Shanghai, Ava meets with Xu, a young man Uncle had been mentoring and who is also the head of the Triad in Shanghai. Xu makes an audacious business proposal that she and May are compelled to consider. Meanwhile, separately and privately, he confides to Ava that he intends to run for the chairmanship of the Triad Societies and attempts to recruit her as his adviser and confidante.
Against her will, Ava becomes enmeshed in Triad warfare and her future is threatened . . .
384 pages, Paperback
First published December 25, 2014
34 people are currently reading
632 people want to read
About the author
Ian Hamilton
27 books350 followersIan 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
May 4, 2017
The best yet in the Ava Lee series! This is the first novel of a new life direction for Ava Lee, after the death of her dear elderly mentor Uncle, where her career as a venture capitalist is about to take off. She is looking forward to less stressful circumstances, (Good luck, Ava!) bolstered by an up front business partnership in Three Sisters with May Ling and Amanda Lee, relationships carried forward from the previous books in the series.
One skill which Ian Hamilton has really not mastered well is how to introduce Ava Lee, from book to book, as the series expands. He continues to insist on listing her peculiarities- her favourite clothing, the Bak Mei marshal arts, the moleskin notebooks etc.- and giving more back story than required in the beginning chapters. He eventually works the same facts into the novel later throughout the story, more incidentally, but it is like he can't stop himself from his clumsy beginnings. It is the one part of the series which I have to grit my teeth over- the awkward repetition similar to my Bobbsey Twin days- but I know that I can skim past quickly and get into the pearl of the oyster really quickly, if I simply bear with Hamilton's now signature flaw.
Once through that rigamarole, the novel picks up nicely and begins to set up the scene for what will branch into Ava's very interesting adventure with Xu, Uncle's young Triad protéger from Shanghai. At the half way point, the novel hits full speed and Triad bosses, gang rules, subterfuge, strategy, soldiers and Ava Lee zoom into action. Ava has a chance to demonstrate her talents in a way that until now have been only piecemeal smatterings in previous books, and it is kind of thrilling to watch her take command.
It is definitely a 5 star Ava Lee spree, and I'm racing for the next one.
One skill which Ian Hamilton has really not mastered well is how to introduce Ava Lee, from book to book, as the series expands. He continues to insist on listing her peculiarities- her favourite clothing, the Bak Mei marshal arts, the moleskin notebooks etc.- and giving more back story than required in the beginning chapters. He eventually works the same facts into the novel later throughout the story, more incidentally, but it is like he can't stop himself from his clumsy beginnings. It is the one part of the series which I have to grit my teeth over- the awkward repetition similar to my Bobbsey Twin days- but I know that I can skim past quickly and get into the pearl of the oyster really quickly, if I simply bear with Hamilton's now signature flaw.
Once through that rigamarole, the novel picks up nicely and begins to set up the scene for what will branch into Ava's very interesting adventure with Xu, Uncle's young Triad protéger from Shanghai. At the half way point, the novel hits full speed and Triad bosses, gang rules, subterfuge, strategy, soldiers and Ava Lee zoom into action. Ava has a chance to demonstrate her talents in a way that until now have been only piecemeal smatterings in previous books, and it is kind of thrilling to watch her take command.
It is definitely a 5 star Ava Lee spree, and I'm racing for the next one.
August 26, 2017
Ava is finally able to recover from the death of Umcle, her mentor and business partner, who earlier in life was head of the Triads and Hong Kong underworld. With her two Chinese partners in Three Sisters, they are considering two major new business investments, when Uncle's other protégée wants to become a silent partner. The, Ava becomes involved in a leadership dispute among the Triads, as tensions and violence escalate. Ava's ability to remain cool and detached, her unconventional lifestyle, her one-of-a-kind family, and the Chinese culture make this series special.
Ian Hamilton deserves a U.S. publisher.
Ian Hamilton deserves a U.S. publisher.
April 26, 2015
Hamilton continues to thrill us with his unique angle on business dealings in Asia, this time in China. While there is always something to learn in Hamilton’s take on international business, this time we are treated to very well-financed business women negotiating new ventures in and around Shanghai. Ava Lee finds herself involved with Uncle’s old contacts in the Triads and takes some time away from her own concerns to straighten out the tangle of Triad relations in the region leading up to the vote for a new Chairman of Triads across Asia.
Particularly realistic is the description of the Shanghai Triad’s business plan: making, distributing, and selling around China knock-offs of Western products. The PRC government like the Taiwanese government before them currently turn a blind eye to copyright infringements, looking after their own self-interest in keeping employment and disposable incomes high. Ava undergoes a complicated calculus deciding whether or not to cooperate with Xu, leader of Shanghai’s Triad, given the illegal nature of his business. After an early morning visitation from the ghost of Uncle, she decides to ride that beast. Very quickly she becomes embroiled in their internecine warfare.
What I loved about this particular addition to the series is how Hamilton manages to once again to keep the series fresh by remaking the wheel on which Ava Lee, financier and businesswoman, is forged. Her close colleague, Uncle, is dead and when Ava has finished grieving (one month in Toronto essentially alone and unbothered by anyone else’s demands), she gets on a flight to Shanghai eager to turn the page from the financial fraud investigations she’d done previously. She’s now keen to invest in businesses of her own choice and although she flies to Shanghai with clear boundaries and standards defined, she quickly jettisons those safeguards in favor of more risk once on the ground.
Hamilton always surprises me with the direction of his narrative and the development of character. He gives some thought to how this careful, clever woman might experience the ordinary humiliations of daily life in Hong Kong and places her, dripping with sweat after a run in Victoria Park, crushed among fellow passengers in a crowded rush-hour bus for three agonizing stops, during which time she suffers the imprecations and haughty looks of her fellow passengers. This completely believable and ordinary scenario brings the controlled Ava back to earth and sisterhood.
An interesting feather of a sideline with which Hamilton teases us is the introduction of Richard Bowlby of the law firm Burgess and Bowlby in Hong Kong. Bowlby, a gweilo knowledgeable about Asia, sounds self-deprecating and funny on the telephone when speaking with Ava, making her laugh! Hamilton has her canceling several appointments with him, seeming to provoke Bowlby's ire. This standard thread in romance novels feels like a come-on by Hamilton and he manages it skillfully. Perhaps we’ll see another side to Ava in the future.
As the day-to-day work involved in managing a large investment fund begins to dawn on Ava, she clearly is dreaming of ways “to get her life back.” Near the end of this novel we see her doodling her way to a new reporting structure, hoping to find ways to jettison some of the hands-on responsibility of management. Ah, yes, how to keep the income and lose the responsibility is something top managers have been struggling with since time immemorial. I look forward to seeing how she manages it.
Hamilton clearly seems to enjoy writing this series and I admit to continued admiration for what he has been able to do. I love reading these novels because of the realistic descriptions of business scenarios, locations, and for the element of surprise in character development. Hamilton doesn’t detail Ava’s backstory in this seventh in the series, but moves directly into her new life as a venture capitalist. While there is less discussion of what Ava eats for dinner, something I admit to a healthy interest in, we learn that she quite likes white burgundy and pinot grigio to unwind. Unwind? Perhaps even Ava finds her constant effort to stay poised a strain.
Now that I know this book series is being planned as a TV miniseries, I can’t help but imagine ways this dialogue-heavy addition to the series could play out on film. Can it be shot on location in Asia or will green screens have to do? It makes for fascinating mental exercise. I can’t wait to see what’s next. Now that Hamilton has created insatiable demand, he has to manage supply, something he and the Triads have in common. So far he's managed wonderfully.
Particularly realistic is the description of the Shanghai Triad’s business plan: making, distributing, and selling around China knock-offs of Western products. The PRC government like the Taiwanese government before them currently turn a blind eye to copyright infringements, looking after their own self-interest in keeping employment and disposable incomes high. Ava undergoes a complicated calculus deciding whether or not to cooperate with Xu, leader of Shanghai’s Triad, given the illegal nature of his business. After an early morning visitation from the ghost of Uncle, she decides to ride that beast. Very quickly she becomes embroiled in their internecine warfare.
What I loved about this particular addition to the series is how Hamilton manages to once again to keep the series fresh by remaking the wheel on which Ava Lee, financier and businesswoman, is forged. Her close colleague, Uncle, is dead and when Ava has finished grieving (one month in Toronto essentially alone and unbothered by anyone else’s demands), she gets on a flight to Shanghai eager to turn the page from the financial fraud investigations she’d done previously. She’s now keen to invest in businesses of her own choice and although she flies to Shanghai with clear boundaries and standards defined, she quickly jettisons those safeguards in favor of more risk once on the ground.
Hamilton always surprises me with the direction of his narrative and the development of character. He gives some thought to how this careful, clever woman might experience the ordinary humiliations of daily life in Hong Kong and places her, dripping with sweat after a run in Victoria Park, crushed among fellow passengers in a crowded rush-hour bus for three agonizing stops, during which time she suffers the imprecations and haughty looks of her fellow passengers. This completely believable and ordinary scenario brings the controlled Ava back to earth and sisterhood.
An interesting feather of a sideline with which Hamilton teases us is the introduction of Richard Bowlby of the law firm Burgess and Bowlby in Hong Kong. Bowlby, a gweilo knowledgeable about Asia, sounds self-deprecating and funny on the telephone when speaking with Ava, making her laugh! Hamilton has her canceling several appointments with him, seeming to provoke Bowlby's ire. This standard thread in romance novels feels like a come-on by Hamilton and he manages it skillfully. Perhaps we’ll see another side to Ava in the future.
As the day-to-day work involved in managing a large investment fund begins to dawn on Ava, she clearly is dreaming of ways “to get her life back.” Near the end of this novel we see her doodling her way to a new reporting structure, hoping to find ways to jettison some of the hands-on responsibility of management. Ah, yes, how to keep the income and lose the responsibility is something top managers have been struggling with since time immemorial. I look forward to seeing how she manages it.
Hamilton clearly seems to enjoy writing this series and I admit to continued admiration for what he has been able to do. I love reading these novels because of the realistic descriptions of business scenarios, locations, and for the element of surprise in character development. Hamilton doesn’t detail Ava’s backstory in this seventh in the series, but moves directly into her new life as a venture capitalist. While there is less discussion of what Ava eats for dinner, something I admit to a healthy interest in, we learn that she quite likes white burgundy and pinot grigio to unwind. Unwind? Perhaps even Ava finds her constant effort to stay poised a strain.
Now that I know this book series is being planned as a TV miniseries, I can’t help but imagine ways this dialogue-heavy addition to the series could play out on film. Can it be shot on location in Asia or will green screens have to do? It makes for fascinating mental exercise. I can’t wait to see what’s next. Now that Hamilton has created insatiable demand, he has to manage supply, something he and the Triads have in common. So far he's managed wonderfully.
December 28, 2014
Yeah...I may have read this in between Christmas dinner courses.
I think this might be my favorite installment of the series so far. Ava Lee is the modern feminist I've been wanting to read. She's competent, inteligent, and makes no concessions playing in the world of international business. Ava is a Chinese Canadian forensic accountant who specializes in chasing down bad debts accrued in white collar business schemes, often involving a south east Asian component.
In this seventh installment, we see the series taking a shift in directions, before it can fall into the pit fall most series succumb to: repetition. Ian Hamilton deftly shifts Ava's focus away from debt towards the less adventurous (and less dangerous) business ventures of the company she now shares with two friends. However, Ava has a hard time keeping her life mundane and is quickly pulled into a far more dangerous series of business arrngements.
Rather than starting to go stale or taking Ava in a direction that fans might not like, The King of Shanghai breathes even more life into the series and makes me very excited to see what one of my all time favorite heroines does next.
Highly recommend this series and book for fans of thinking heroines!
I think this might be my favorite installment of the series so far. Ava Lee is the modern feminist I've been wanting to read. She's competent, inteligent, and makes no concessions playing in the world of international business. Ava is a Chinese Canadian forensic accountant who specializes in chasing down bad debts accrued in white collar business schemes, often involving a south east Asian component.
In this seventh installment, we see the series taking a shift in directions, before it can fall into the pit fall most series succumb to: repetition. Ian Hamilton deftly shifts Ava's focus away from debt towards the less adventurous (and less dangerous) business ventures of the company she now shares with two friends. However, Ava has a hard time keeping her life mundane and is quickly pulled into a far more dangerous series of business arrngements.
Rather than starting to go stale or taking Ava in a direction that fans might not like, The King of Shanghai breathes even more life into the series and makes me very excited to see what one of my all time favorite heroines does next.
Highly recommend this series and book for fans of thinking heroines!
November 8, 2014
omg!! read in one sitting. I want to read the rest of them all now. Ian, I know that you are writing as fast as you possibly can. But, a bit more faster PLEASE!! Sincerely, Ava Lee's No. 1 fan.
March 8, 2025
It's nice to return to a series I liked and find a thoroughly enjoyable read. Ava Lee is recovering from Uncle's death and starting a new business. But one cannot really escape the past. When Shanghai Triad leader Xu asked for her help, she gets drawn back into murky business. Ava is still strong and smart as ever. I like the interactions between the different characters. The story strands are interwoven very well. We are also given a look into the world of venture capitalists and Triad members.
May 26, 2015
The seventh in the Ava Lee series, this was the least riveting and least enjoyable of all the books I've read - and I've read all but one in the series. Ava Lee, forensic accountant who retrieves "lost" investments for her clients has reached a milestone in her personal and professional life. It's the beginning of a new chapter in her life while still being attached to the past. Approached by her "Uncle's" protege Xu, who is based in Shanghai, she and her business partners are put in the position of evaluating a business offer from Xu - an offer that will put them in the firing line of being supporters of Xu, head of the Shanghai Triad who intends to run for the chairmanship of the Triad across the Far East. Slower paced and not as intriguing as all the other books, this was the least compelling and interesting of all the Ava Lee books I've read, all save this one, which I've enjoyed immensely. Well, I guess Ian Hamilton is allowed one bust for me. Don't let this review turn you away from this series -- Ava Lee is a kick and I highly encourage readers to go for it. They are well worth the read.
September 20, 2016
Triads and trying times!
Ava is entering a new stage of her life without Uncle. I miss him, as does Ava, and certainly as does Sonny. Sonny is not quite as well kempt and a tad overweight as Ava discovers when she flies to Shanghai to meet with her business partners May Ling Wong and Amanda, Ava's sister-in-law .
Ava's relationship with her new business partners continues to allow story expansion, as does her developing relationship with the triad leader most like Uncle, Xu.
Xu is looking to becoming the new Triad chairman and he wants Ava's help.
Once more a brilliant addition to the series.
I am looking forward to Ava's future.
A NetGalley ARC
(1st reading 2015 Sept 10)
Ava is entering a new stage of her life without Uncle. I miss him, as does Ava, and certainly as does Sonny. Sonny is not quite as well kempt and a tad overweight as Ava discovers when she flies to Shanghai to meet with her business partners May Ling Wong and Amanda, Ava's sister-in-law .
Ava's relationship with her new business partners continues to allow story expansion, as does her developing relationship with the triad leader most like Uncle, Xu.
Xu is looking to becoming the new Triad chairman and he wants Ava's help.
Once more a brilliant addition to the series.
I am looking forward to Ava's future.
A NetGalley ARC
(1st reading 2015 Sept 10)
November 15, 2018
The Triad Years
Book # 7, in the Ava Lee series
This series is a huge entertainment hit for me and really love Ava Lee she is a brilliant, sexy and formidably martial arts-trained forensic accountant and she is always propelled into a fast-paced suspense, always far away in exotic locales and her adventures always includes a rich cast of characters both dangerous as well as lovable. I never get tired of her escapades. No worries if you did not read the previous books you will fit right in if you start here.
The seventh novel in the Ava Lee series finds Ava getting caught up in the election for the chairmanship of the Triad Societies. Xu, who was Uncle’s protégé wants to invest $150 million into her firm, and he assures her he didn’t gain the money from gang-related activity…..at the same time, Xu is trying to get voted in as the top dog of the Triad, and only has one serious competitor.
This story did not disappoint and if you are curious about the power of China, the unorthodox Ava Lee mystery is both enlightening and delightful to read. The prelude introduces us to the galloping Chinese fashion world of knock-offs and the insatiable appetite for affordable designer clothes. Then Mr. Hamilton soon put the fashion world to the backburner and refocuses the narrative on the relationship between Xu and Ava Lee.
The plot is well structures and what moves the story along is how the characters are decked in a hybrid of exoticism and the modernity of China. Ava Lee sexual orientation does not come to play here as it did in other novels although there is a subtle sexual tension between Xu and Ava Lee throughout the novel. Of course this ambivalence reflects the skill of the author in keeping us hooked for more.
With “The King of Shanghai” Ian Hamilton has done it again. He has another great chapter in the series with a thriller aspect that has kept me turning the pages.
Book # 7, in the Ava Lee series
This series is a huge entertainment hit for me and really love Ava Lee she is a brilliant, sexy and formidably martial arts-trained forensic accountant and she is always propelled into a fast-paced suspense, always far away in exotic locales and her adventures always includes a rich cast of characters both dangerous as well as lovable. I never get tired of her escapades. No worries if you did not read the previous books you will fit right in if you start here.
The seventh novel in the Ava Lee series finds Ava getting caught up in the election for the chairmanship of the Triad Societies. Xu, who was Uncle’s protégé wants to invest $150 million into her firm, and he assures her he didn’t gain the money from gang-related activity…..at the same time, Xu is trying to get voted in as the top dog of the Triad, and only has one serious competitor.
This story did not disappoint and if you are curious about the power of China, the unorthodox Ava Lee mystery is both enlightening and delightful to read. The prelude introduces us to the galloping Chinese fashion world of knock-offs and the insatiable appetite for affordable designer clothes. Then Mr. Hamilton soon put the fashion world to the backburner and refocuses the narrative on the relationship between Xu and Ava Lee.
The plot is well structures and what moves the story along is how the characters are decked in a hybrid of exoticism and the modernity of China. Ava Lee sexual orientation does not come to play here as it did in other novels although there is a subtle sexual tension between Xu and Ava Lee throughout the novel. Of course this ambivalence reflects the skill of the author in keeping us hooked for more.
With “The King of Shanghai” Ian Hamilton has done it again. He has another great chapter in the series with a thriller aspect that has kept me turning the pages.
July 30, 2022
I enjoyed this book a lot. Continuing on with the new characters and storyline.
Also plenty of surprises.
Also plenty of surprises.
November 15, 2020
Twas a novel about meetings. And emails. Ava is usually James Bond but this time she was all business. There was paperwork. And SO MANY MEETINGS!!!
December 6, 2017
This book was just okay for me. Overall it was pretty fast paced, and went by pretty quickly. However, it wasn't that memorable. (Full disclosure. I realized I never posted the review for this book and can't find it in the folder where I normally save reviews on my computer. Oops.) So what do I remember? It was a good mystery story and pretty fast paced as books in this genre normally are. I hadn't read the previous books in the series, though. Normally this doesn't inhibit my understanding or enjoyment of a book. Perhaps if I had read earlier titles in the series I would have felt more attached to the characters.
But the biggest kicker is that the story wasn't very memorable. This isn't just an issue with reviewing a year after finishing the book either. I felt the same way about the book at the time of reading. I actually restarted the book after getting a few chapters in and putting it down. Although, I do have to say that my grandmother was extremely ill at the time I started this book, so the unmemorable factor and the constant stopping and restarting may say more about my own mental state at the time than anything to do with this novel.
I think I need to reread this book. As it stands, The King of Shanghai isn't a bad book by any means. It simply didn't hold my attention as I thought it would, or was as memorable as I wished it was. As my local library tends to carry just about every mystery series ever created, I will probably start at book one in the series and see how I feel about The King of Shanghai at that point.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
But the biggest kicker is that the story wasn't very memorable. This isn't just an issue with reviewing a year after finishing the book either. I felt the same way about the book at the time of reading. I actually restarted the book after getting a few chapters in and putting it down. Although, I do have to say that my grandmother was extremely ill at the time I started this book, so the unmemorable factor and the constant stopping and restarting may say more about my own mental state at the time than anything to do with this novel.
I think I need to reread this book. As it stands, The King of Shanghai isn't a bad book by any means. It simply didn't hold my attention as I thought it would, or was as memorable as I wished it was. As my local library tends to carry just about every mystery series ever created, I will probably start at book one in the series and see how I feel about The King of Shanghai at that point.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
August 24, 2018
Found the 7th book in the Ava Lee series in a 'bundle' ebook including the 7-8-9 books in this series. Was a bit confused at first looking at the book and thinking I may have actually read it, but then realized that the saga of the House of PO carries through about three books.
This book covers the beginning of a new arc in Ava's career and life. It's a set up for much of the coming work with Three Sisters company, and includes some transition from her work with Uncle for so many years. As with the other books, there is a lot of tension, fear, action, and Sonny. I do really enjoy his character. Lots of moving around through China and other nearby areas. Can't say how many times I thought "NOOOOO! Don't go in there!" hahaha Feels good to be almost entirely caught up with the series. There may be some novella(s) I haven't read, maybe one other book.... Something to look forward to.
This book covers the beginning of a new arc in Ava's career and life. It's a set up for much of the coming work with Three Sisters company, and includes some transition from her work with Uncle for so many years. As with the other books, there is a lot of tension, fear, action, and Sonny. I do really enjoy his character. Lots of moving around through China and other nearby areas. Can't say how many times I thought "NOOOOO! Don't go in there!" hahaha Feels good to be almost entirely caught up with the series. There may be some novella(s) I haven't read, maybe one other book.... Something to look forward to.
November 21, 2016
Ava is in a funk after the death of her mentor and boss, a shadowy figure of the Hong Kong underworld. She is excited by the prospect of a new business venture with two women who were former clients. She flies to Shanghai to look at some business investment prospects when she is once again confronted by affairs from her former employer. The next thing she knows she is in Hong Kong and mediating a dispute among the Triads. Ava continues to show her poise and superior judgment when faced with one challenge after another as well as attempts on her life. Lots of traveling and intrigue in this one.
June 14, 2017
Whenever I'm looking for a fast and exciting read, I check out the next Ava Lee book. This one started a bit differently than the others because Ava is now working with her friends in the Three Sisters venture capital company making deals but of course, she was soon involved in dealing with feuding Triads in Hong Kong. Things quickly start heading in the usual direction for Ava but she manages to hold her own. An enjoyable exciting read! (I'm glad to see that Ava finally doesn't always need to drink Starbucks' Via instant coffee but there is still a lot of brand name dropping with her wardrobe! LOL)
January 1, 2016
With the first books in this series the Triad connections were very subtle, they were mostly inferred and Ava had nothing to do with any of it. This book changes that drastically, not only are the connections highly visible but Ava is right in the middle of the action, as per usual.
I definitely miss Uncle in this story. There have been several additions to the cast of characters but none of them replaces Uncle, they're good characters but, at the moment at least, it rather feels like Ava could use someone to talk to and there is no one in that position.
I definitely miss Uncle in this story. There have been several additions to the cast of characters but none of them replaces Uncle, they're good characters but, at the moment at least, it rather feels like Ava could use someone to talk to and there is no one in that position.
July 16, 2017
Sadly, not as good as the other books. I fear that Ava entering this new stage in life could be boring. A LOT of dialogue, which I normally like but this time it was just retelling what had already happened in the book. The story line really wasn't that interesting. Too bad. Fingers crossed that the next one is better.
January 29, 2015
I really enjoyed Ava's story since the beginning, the books where always full of action, inquiries...
But in this books... litteraly nothing happens.
As I was really into the bad debt recovery job (I never read something like that) but I can't same the same about 3 sisters.
Sadly I'm not eager to read the next one
But in this books... litteraly nothing happens.
As I was really into the bad debt recovery job (I never read something like that) but I can't same the same about 3 sisters.
Sadly I'm not eager to read the next one
August 3, 2017
Another great entry in the Ava Lee series. I do, however, miss Uncle a lot, as does Ava and Sonny and many others. I do nonetheless look forward to reading the next book. Kudos Ian!!
March 5, 2019
Another well written mystery in the Ave Lee series. It ties together all the people in her life and sets her on a new path after the death of her beloved Uncle.
November 3, 2019
This book has it all: tough, no-nonsense protagonist, exotic locale, entertaining plot, excellent dialogue, well-drawn secondary characters. Though a smidge inferior to "Fate" by this author, The King of Shanghai successfully propels the Ava Lee saga forward as she learns to deal with life after the death of her mentor, "Uncle". On a trip to expand her business interests, Ava Lee gets sucked into a conflict between Triad gangs. She uses her skills as a negotiator and enforcer to push and pull the alpha males around her, leading to an end of the conflict. The story is told from Ava's perspective, and Ian masterfully weaves the primary and secondary plot elements. Ava's personal life intrudes now and then, but only enough to help make her character more interesting. The intelligent dialogue is outstanding, as each character's unique voice moves the story ahead - I think this is the best part of the book. I have never met a Triad member, but I found the conversations intelligent, thoughtful, and believable.
January 27, 2022
Ava Lee was emotionally adrift after the death of her business partner, friend and mentor, Uncle Chow Tung. After four months, she decides to go back to work and flies to Shanghai to join her partners of the Three Sisters venture capital firm. She meets Xu, the head of the Shanghai triad, who had also been mentored by Uncle Chow. Xu asks for her assistance in his run for the chairmanship of the eighteen major Triad gangs in Asia, after investing one hundred and fifty million dollars in Three Sisters.
Ian Hamilton should have let Ava stay in mourning a little longer before writing The King of Shanghai, as this book does not have the intensity of his other books. While there is a bit of action involved with the Triad subplot, this book seems to concentrate on Ava's sleeping problems due to jet lag and unsettling dreams. The reader is left wondering if Ava's consumption of cups of coffee and glasses and bottles of wine may be contributing to her problems. The remainder of her personal time is spent reading e-mails, newspapers and looking for something to watch on TV.
Ian Hamilton should have let Ava stay in mourning a little longer before writing The King of Shanghai, as this book does not have the intensity of his other books. While there is a bit of action involved with the Triad subplot, this book seems to concentrate on Ava's sleeping problems due to jet lag and unsettling dreams. The reader is left wondering if Ava's consumption of cups of coffee and glasses and bottles of wine may be contributing to her problems. The remainder of her personal time is spent reading e-mails, newspapers and looking for something to watch on TV.
August 10, 2023
It’s taken me until the seventh book in the Ava Lee series by Ian Hamilton to write a review because I wasn’t sure what I wanted to say about it. Truthfully I wasn’t totally hooked by the first novel. The premise intrigued me but the writing was clunky. My sister had recommended the series. She encouraged me to persevere and the protagonist was what made me want to. Ava Lee starts out as a forensic accountant who chases thieves who steal large amounts of money from people who can’t afford to lose it. At first she admits to using unconventional means to reclaim the stolen funds but the reader gradually realizes she’s playing for keeps and is more of an antihero even though she doesn’t totally acknowledge even to herself exactly how amoral her values are. By the second book, the plot of each new book is tightly woven, the characters are well developed and the reader is deeply drawn into Ava’s world. The series is addictive and I can’t wait to start each new adventure as soon as I finish the one before.
August 27, 2018
Ava Lee is just about the most unlikely character in modern fiction. In fact, her congeries of abilities are entirely beyond belief: a beautiful Chinese doll who earned her chops as a forensic accountant prepared to kill or disable thugs twice her size, using a deadly form of karate, she also has an unerring business sense and the respect of practically all the shady characters in Asia. And on and on.
This is the worst of the Ava Lee novels, in my view, because it takes far too long - about a third of the book - to get to a plot that's as ridiculous as Ava herself and her supporting cast.
But hey: there's nothing wrong with pure escapist fiction, as long as the reader knows it for what it is.
This is the worst of the Ava Lee novels, in my view, because it takes far too long - about a third of the book - to get to a plot that's as ridiculous as Ava herself and her supporting cast.
But hey: there's nothing wrong with pure escapist fiction, as long as the reader knows it for what it is.
March 1, 2020
Ava is ready to move on to the new phase of her life after the death of her partner, Uncle. She flies to Shanghai to meet with her new business partners about two investments they are considering, and agrees to meet with a former Triad colleague of Uncle's. Before long, the business deals are on the back burner and Ava is up to her eyeballs in a Triad conflict. She does some nice negotiating and I love the loyal relationships that she develops and cultivates with muscle men, but I thought this book was a little sub-par for the series.
July 15, 2020
The weakest to date. As with the other books in the series, pages and pages of excruciating boring detail. Why say "Ava checked her email " when you can turn it into a 4 page essay instead? The story was less interesting than previous instalments as very little of interest actually happens. On the plus side, the product placement has almost disappeared other than frequent mentions of Brooks Brothers. Hopefully this is a sign that the constant product placement in the series so far has finally come to an end.
June 3, 2022
Another exciting adventure with Ava Lee, forensic acct and practically superwoman. Not very realistic, but terribly enthralling. Ava returns to Asia to work with Three Sisters partners May Ling and Amanda on two new ventures, but is sidelined by a dispute between Xu (who had been mentored by Uncle Chow and thus allied with Ava) and Li Kai over the chairmanship of the triads. Ava is understandably dubious about being involved with triads, but winds up getting entangled and threatened, so has no choice but to negotiate with them. Great fun.
January 29, 2023
I decided to give the Ava Lee series another try after enjoying some books a few years ago, however I think I chose the wrong one to restart with. Unfortunately, not much action takes place apart from a couple of quick scenes, which is surprising since the book involves Triad gang warfare. There’s a lot of slow-moving dialogue, setting up of meetings, and shaky business negotiations. Loyalties are tested with millions of dollars, and lives, on the line. Ava is an incredibly badass character, but even she couldn’t save the plot of this book.
April 27, 2018
Another enjoyable Ava Lee story. The internal intrigue of the Triads was interesting if not a bit scary. With Uncle no longer on the scene, the impact of the action was not as dynamic even though Ava once again found herself in dangerous and threatening situations. Like Ava, I am ready for her to move on in her life with Three Sisters. Hamilton may have intended this as a transition for Ava from her past life to her future endeavors.
January 24, 2020
Graciously received free copy from first reads.
Beginning was hard to get through because author goes off into too much detail about things that didn't matter, I found myself skipping paragraphs.
However the book did pick up and was easy to get through from about middle to end.
Ending was ... all that comes to mind is blah... I haven't read any more of the series, so that might have made me enjoy it more.
Beginning was hard to get through because author goes off into too much detail about things that didn't matter, I found myself skipping paragraphs.
However the book did pick up and was easy to get through from about middle to end.
Ending was ... all that comes to mind is blah... I haven't read any more of the series, so that might have made me enjoy it more.
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