What do you think?
Rate this book
Ava Lee #0.5+1
The Water Rat of Wanchai + The Dragon Head of Hong Kong
Get the very first book in the wildly popular Ava Lee series, which includes the prequel — The Dragon Head of Hong Kong
In the first electrifying book of the series, Ian Hamilton introduces us to Ava Lee — the smartest, most stylish heroine in crime fiction since Lisbeth Salandar. Ava Lee is a young Chinese-Canadian forensic accountant who works for an elderly Hong Kong–based “Uncle,” who may or may not have ties to the Triads. At 115 lbs., she hardly seems a threat. But her razor sharp intellect and resourcefulness allows her to succeed where traditional methods have failed.
In The Water Rat of Wanchai, Ava travels across continents to track $5 million owed by a seafood company. But it’s in Guyana where she meets her match: Captain Robbins, a huge hulk of a man and godfather-like figure who controls the police, politicians, and criminals alike. In exchange for his help, he decides he wants a piece of Ava’s $5 million action and will do whatever it takes to get his fair share . . .
Featuring the Prequel: The Dragon Head of Hong Kong
523 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 18, 2014
14 people are currently reading
92 people want to read
About the author
Ian Hamilton
27 books351 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
Read
March 15, 2017The Hook - When a book comes highly recommended by two of your GR friends in close succession, how can one resist? I was particularly intrigued that The Water Rat of Wanchai features a Canadian forensic accountant, Ava, Lee, who visits alluring locales in her business. There are several books in the Ava Lee Series with the latest just published in January, The Couturier of Milan.
Thank you Deb and Trish for a fine recommendation.
The Line - ”It always took her a day or two to adjust to Central foot traffic—the jostling, the pushing, everyone eager to get to the next corner, where they could wait in a throng before shuffling along to the next intersection, their pace dictated entirely by the mob around them.”
The Sinker - When I led book groups at our library it was always my suggestion that members talk about what they liked about a book first before any bashing began. I’m going to put my own advice aside and get this out of the way.
My GR friend Trish asked me to forgive Hamilton and therefore Ava for the namedropping of clothing labels. Sorry but this drove me insane. I think it’s because I’m so unfashionable and the names were repeated so often that I was irked. However, I did get a clear picture of what Ava Lee looked like when she was conducting business and what she wears for her daily runs. She is professionally and smartly dressed in quality clothing that consists of pencil skirts or black cotton pants, and long-sleeved button down shirts in a variety of colors. Want to know where she buys her clothing? You’ll have to read the book.
The edition I read includes the Ava Lee prequel, The Dragon Head of Hong Kong. This provides a solid introduction and character profile along with background on Ava’s journey into forensic accounting and her very first case. Though Ava is a resident of Toronto, these first two books find her journeying to Hong Kong, Bangkok and Guyana to conduct her business of money recovery.
I had a ball following Ava to these countries. I’ve never been to Guyana and frankly I don’t’ think it will be on my life list. I have visited both China and Bangkok and was delighted with how well the culture and hubbub of these highly populated locations is vividly written. If you’ve never visited either you are certain to get a good picture of the people, the food, the customs, weather, housing, some politics, the sheer largeness of these foreign locales. I truly felt like I was walking the streets once again, though there were neighborhoods that Ava visited that were not on my itinerary.
By this novel Ava has partnered with “Uncle”, a term of respect for this eldery gentleman who initially offers advice and funds her venture. They make a fine team, balanced in spirited youth and an elder wisdom. Ava practices a form of Kung-fu I had never heard of called Bak-Mei, traditionally taught “one on one: father to son, teacher to student’”. Her proficiency in this ancient martial art allows Ava, a 5’ 3”, 115 lb. to even the odds between herself and her opponents.
“It’s a very old, very Chinese—Taoist in fact. It has never caught on in the Western world because it isn’t pretty and it can’t be made into a sport. It’s perfectly functional, designed to inflict damage. And it can be lethal when applied to the extreme.”
Ava is a coffee drinker. Her impatience and hate of waste would not allow the time to brew and she prefers the taste of instant, sachets of Starbucks VIA, to be exact. This hate of waste doesn’t keep her from owning an Audi A6 while most of her needs are within walking distance of her million-dollar Toronto condo. It’s little details like this that win us over to Ava Lee even if at times the plot is delightfully improbable.
All in all, a good start to a series with many fans. I’m in.
Thank you Deb and Trish for a fine recommendation.
The Line - ”It always took her a day or two to adjust to Central foot traffic—the jostling, the pushing, everyone eager to get to the next corner, where they could wait in a throng before shuffling along to the next intersection, their pace dictated entirely by the mob around them.”
The Sinker - When I led book groups at our library it was always my suggestion that members talk about what they liked about a book first before any bashing began. I’m going to put my own advice aside and get this out of the way.
My GR friend Trish asked me to forgive Hamilton and therefore Ava for the namedropping of clothing labels. Sorry but this drove me insane. I think it’s because I’m so unfashionable and the names were repeated so often that I was irked. However, I did get a clear picture of what Ava Lee looked like when she was conducting business and what she wears for her daily runs. She is professionally and smartly dressed in quality clothing that consists of pencil skirts or black cotton pants, and long-sleeved button down shirts in a variety of colors. Want to know where she buys her clothing? You’ll have to read the book.
The edition I read includes the Ava Lee prequel, The Dragon Head of Hong Kong. This provides a solid introduction and character profile along with background on Ava’s journey into forensic accounting and her very first case. Though Ava is a resident of Toronto, these first two books find her journeying to Hong Kong, Bangkok and Guyana to conduct her business of money recovery.
I had a ball following Ava to these countries. I’ve never been to Guyana and frankly I don’t’ think it will be on my life list. I have visited both China and Bangkok and was delighted with how well the culture and hubbub of these highly populated locations is vividly written. If you’ve never visited either you are certain to get a good picture of the people, the food, the customs, weather, housing, some politics, the sheer largeness of these foreign locales. I truly felt like I was walking the streets once again, though there were neighborhoods that Ava visited that were not on my itinerary.
By this novel Ava has partnered with “Uncle”, a term of respect for this eldery gentleman who initially offers advice and funds her venture. They make a fine team, balanced in spirited youth and an elder wisdom. Ava practices a form of Kung-fu I had never heard of called Bak-Mei, traditionally taught “one on one: father to son, teacher to student’”. Her proficiency in this ancient martial art allows Ava, a 5’ 3”, 115 lb. to even the odds between herself and her opponents.
“It’s a very old, very Chinese—Taoist in fact. It has never caught on in the Western world because it isn’t pretty and it can’t be made into a sport. It’s perfectly functional, designed to inflict damage. And it can be lethal when applied to the extreme.”
Ava is a coffee drinker. Her impatience and hate of waste would not allow the time to brew and she prefers the taste of instant, sachets of Starbucks VIA, to be exact. This hate of waste doesn’t keep her from owning an Audi A6 while most of her needs are within walking distance of her million-dollar Toronto condo. It’s little details like this that win us over to Ava Lee even if at times the plot is delightfully improbable.
All in all, a good start to a series with many fans. I’m in.
May 16, 2019
The entire series is great. Reading them in order is helpful!
February 7, 2024
How exciting to have found my next obsessive read! Ava Lee is a young Canadian forensic accountant with family in Hong Kong who specializes in retrieving stolen money. The first two installments in this series are fun and smart: colorful characters conducting their adventures (or misadventures) across far-flung venues. So ready for the next chapter(s).
July 26, 2016
It kept me entertained. Some scrapes Ava Lee gets into then out of are a little like a Bond movie. But it was an interesting summer read
May 27, 2017
Disappointing. The introductory novella was all right, but two thirds of the way through the main novel I realized I just wasn't enjoying this. I wanted it to be an interesting mystery about forensic accounting, but it was primarily about staying in hotels, eating out, punctuated by bouts of violence and more profanity than I'd think necessary.
The heroine is a lesbian Mary Sue who is not just beautiful, but irresistible to straight men, has perfect proportions (she is dismissive of unfortunate girls with long torsos), rich, skilled at an obscure martial art which has been kept secret for generations, and can generally convince everyone to do her bidding without much effort or apparent charm.
And rather than the interesting accounting techniques I was hoping for (yes, I'm aware how that sounds) she gets money by kidnapping and threatening. I'm reminded of the Patricia Cornwall books where the protagonist is pretty objectively awful, but I don't think the author realizes that, and I'm always surprised the books maintain an audience--I mean, I'm all for an unpleasant main character, but only when that's the authors intent ... it's hard to take all the laudatory statements from peripheral characters about the wretch at the centre.
Not fun for me.
(For me 1 star is dreadful, no redeeming features, 2 star = disappointing, 3 is average, it's okay but nothing to get excited about (if there's glimmers of promise seek out a later book by the same author), 4 stars is really good, basically enjoyed it all with few quibbles, and 5 is for absolute favourites, pretty much perfect books. I seem to mostly read 4s, so am probably good at picking what I think I'll like).
The heroine is a lesbian Mary Sue who is not just beautiful, but irresistible to straight men, has perfect proportions (she is dismissive of unfortunate girls with long torsos), rich, skilled at an obscure martial art which has been kept secret for generations, and can generally convince everyone to do her bidding without much effort or apparent charm.
And rather than the interesting accounting techniques I was hoping for (yes, I'm aware how that sounds) she gets money by kidnapping and threatening. I'm reminded of the Patricia Cornwall books where the protagonist is pretty objectively awful, but I don't think the author realizes that, and I'm always surprised the books maintain an audience--I mean, I'm all for an unpleasant main character, but only when that's the authors intent ... it's hard to take all the laudatory statements from peripheral characters about the wretch at the centre.
Not fun for me.
(For me 1 star is dreadful, no redeeming features, 2 star = disappointing, 3 is average, it's okay but nothing to get excited about (if there's glimmers of promise seek out a later book by the same author), 4 stars is really good, basically enjoyed it all with few quibbles, and 5 is for absolute favourites, pretty much perfect books. I seem to mostly read 4s, so am probably good at picking what I think I'll like).
May 26, 2018
The adventure, travel, plotting and pacing worked well for me - it was tight and straightforward, and I read it quickly. I also have the second book in the series and I'll go on to read that since I have it, but I suspect that's where I'll stop, unless a few things that got on my nerves change.
The things that got on my nerves: Yes, Ava is gay, but no, not really. Honestly, she's a lesbian as seen through a straight man's gaze. (as an actual lesbian, I feel qualified to comment on this). The one conversation she has with another lesbian, in a bar, is just...silly. It makes me question whether Hamilton has ever had an actual conversation with an actual lesbian. But maybe this improves over the course of the series.
It's also worth noting that Ava has very little interaction with other women, period. Her best friend and sister get mentioned, but she never talks to them and we learn nothing about them. Her mother is somewhat more present. And there are two momentary, irrelevant interactions with other women that I can think of. That's it.
The other thing that got on my nerves, in both the prequel and the novel, is the fatphobia. Fat characters are bad guys or lazy or stupid, they are all ugly, and just, ehhh. There are a lot of good books to read out there. I was initially excited to find out about a kick-ass Canadian female lead in a mystery series, bonus that she's lesbian, but actually not so much.
Again, maybe things change as the series goes on. I'll read the next one and check out the reviews of later books in the series.
The things that got on my nerves: Yes, Ava is gay, but no, not really. Honestly, she's a lesbian as seen through a straight man's gaze. (as an actual lesbian, I feel qualified to comment on this). The one conversation she has with another lesbian, in a bar, is just...silly. It makes me question whether Hamilton has ever had an actual conversation with an actual lesbian. But maybe this improves over the course of the series.
It's also worth noting that Ava has very little interaction with other women, period. Her best friend and sister get mentioned, but she never talks to them and we learn nothing about them. Her mother is somewhat more present. And there are two momentary, irrelevant interactions with other women that I can think of. That's it.
The other thing that got on my nerves, in both the prequel and the novel, is the fatphobia. Fat characters are bad guys or lazy or stupid, they are all ugly, and just, ehhh. There are a lot of good books to read out there. I was initially excited to find out about a kick-ass Canadian female lead in a mystery series, bonus that she's lesbian, but actually not so much.
Again, maybe things change as the series goes on. I'll read the next one and check out the reviews of later books in the series.
October 10, 2022
From the Goodreads Blurb: The Water Rat of Wanchai, Ava travels across continents to track $5 million owed by a seafood company. But it’s in Guyana where she meets her match: Captain Robbins, a huge hulk of a man and godfather-like figure who controls the police, politicians, and criminals alike. In exchange for his help, he decides he wants a piece of Ava’s $5 million action and will do whatever it takes to get his fair share . . .
Interesting locations, especially Guyana and the British Virgin Islands. Robbins and his brother are great villains, and Ava manages to get herself in some tight situations.
THE DRAGON HEAD OF HONG KONG also works well in terms of location, plot and characters, and it establishes the relationship between Ava and Uncle, a relationship that, I assume, will be a bit factor in future books in the series. I wondered if super-rich world of the Chinese movers and shakers would be too off-putting but Ava's character and the plot action kept me diverted from the social issues.
For the purposes of our two Read-aloud Lists, we are counting this volume as two books. THE DRAGON HEAD OF HONG KONG was book #51 on our 2022 Read-alouds List and book #40 on our Read-alouds With Lutrecia List. THE WATER RAT OF WANCHAI was #52 and and #41 on those same lists.
Interesting locations, especially Guyana and the British Virgin Islands. Robbins and his brother are great villains, and Ava manages to get herself in some tight situations.
THE DRAGON HEAD OF HONG KONG also works well in terms of location, plot and characters, and it establishes the relationship between Ava and Uncle, a relationship that, I assume, will be a bit factor in future books in the series. I wondered if super-rich world of the Chinese movers and shakers would be too off-putting but Ava's character and the plot action kept me diverted from the social issues.
For the purposes of our two Read-aloud Lists, we are counting this volume as two books. THE DRAGON HEAD OF HONG KONG was book #51 on our 2022 Read-alouds List and book #40 on our Read-alouds With Lutrecia List. THE WATER RAT OF WANCHAI was #52 and and #41 on those same lists.
March 15, 2021
went from a "wow this might be my new favorite!
*Lesbian character where her story line isn't her being a Lesbian or related to trauma
*Canadian (Toronto Specifically)
*turns tropes its head
*political
*made me really hungry **bonus**
etc...etc..and it went to "i need this to be over now" about the second half, it was like he was running out of steam but felt like he had to keep going to the point that it was a half assed attempt at mustache twirling level of evil and it was like 'please stop' I was actually looking forward to a potential new favorite author but this one is just mediocre at best, at least this novel id anyway. I might look inti more of his work, but I am in no hurry to do so.
*Lesbian character where her story line isn't her being a Lesbian or related to trauma
*Canadian (Toronto Specifically)
*turns tropes its head
*political
*made me really hungry **bonus**
etc...etc..and it went to "i need this to be over now" about the second half, it was like he was running out of steam but felt like he had to keep going to the point that it was a half assed attempt at mustache twirling level of evil and it was like 'please stop' I was actually looking forward to a potential new favorite author but this one is just mediocre at best, at least this novel id anyway. I might look inti more of his work, but I am in no hurry to do so.
July 26, 2022
So many things to love about this book: Ava Lee - a bond-like forensic accountant (but not as cringey), a Canadian perspective, international travel, great action and suspense. I'd recommend reading The Dragon Head (this is the prequel) before embarking on this series. This particular edition had both.
August 11, 2022
Good books. The anti-fatness is strong with this author. A man writing from a woman’s point of view leaves a bad taste knowing she wouldn’t objectify and judge sexual partners the same way. It takes you out of the fantasy. However, you can get past it and enjoy the story for what it is; a fun beach book to help you get a tan.
August 7, 2017
This was an entertaining 'light' read. My rating for this book is really 2.5. I may pick up the next one in the series at another point in time but I think that readying multiple books in the series in a row may feel a bit mounotonous.
September 15, 2019
A great first novel in the Ava Lee series. Another daring adventure to regain stolen money. Combines the roles of superhero, thriller, cultural icon, and travelogue as Ava travels from Hong Kong, to Bangkok, to Guyana and the British Virgin Islands, home to Toronto.
August 8, 2021
A decent, entertaining travel mystery. I had some misgivings that the character and plot would be too much of a "real housewives of Toronto" style glorification of yuppie consumerism, but I ended up being absorbed by the plot nonetheless.
September 4, 2022
International intrigue, plenty of cat n mouse, fast paced. Wasn’t sure about starting this series… my librarian suggested it. I’m hooked! Will move on to book two.
The only thing that annoyed me was that the editing was a bit shoddy… lots of spelling errors. Those tend to jump out at me.
The only thing that annoyed me was that the editing was a bit shoddy… lots of spelling errors. Those tend to jump out at me.
May 15, 2019
These are going to be SO much fun!!
May 22, 2020
This book started a little slow, but I guess it had to establish the foundation for what lay ahead. I must say, it finished with a bang. I am looking forward to the next book.
March 4, 2022
Loved it
July 25, 2022
I really enjoy Ava Lee. She's really cool.
April 15, 2023
4.5 stars.
Recommended by my sister!
Recommended by my sister!
October 9, 2023
Early Ava more interesting in that there is a breath of uncertainty and freshness
November 14, 2023
A good mystery in new locales. I enjoyed it.
November 1, 2025
Ein solider Krimi, spannend und ungewöhnlich im Gebiet der forensischen Buchhaltung mit weiblicher Protagonistin. Zieht sich dann doch etwas zu lang hin.
September 29, 2014
My new series heroine is Ava Lee :D.
To say that Ava Lee is a forensic accountant with secretive (Bak Mei) martial arts skills barely scratches the surface. She’ll break your heart (“Believe me, you’re REALLY not my type.”) and your bank account faster than she’ll break your leg. Add a few quirky personal habits like preferring Starbucks VIA instant coffee to fresh-brewed and a compelling character is born.
Writer Ian Hamilton is great on Toronto and Canadian-Chinese atmosphere and especially on exotic locales. I have no idea whether he has even been to Hong Kong, Bangkok, Guyana and the British Virgin Islands which are the primary destinations in book 1, “The Water Rat of Wanchai”, but the ambiance here feels completely authentic.
All that, plus home base for Ava Lee is downtown Toronto, where she lives in Yorkville and frequents one of my favourite Chinese restaurants (Dynasty) in that neighbourhood.
It is a good thing that Hamilton is as prolific as he is (8 books since 2011) because I’m going to whip through this entire series.
p.s. This is the expanded edition of Book 1 of the series which includes the 150 pg. prequel novella "The Dragon Head of Hong Kong" in which Ava Lee first meets her mentor known as "Uncle".
To say that Ava Lee is a forensic accountant with secretive (Bak Mei) martial arts skills barely scratches the surface. She’ll break your heart (“Believe me, you’re REALLY not my type.”) and your bank account faster than she’ll break your leg. Add a few quirky personal habits like preferring Starbucks VIA instant coffee to fresh-brewed and a compelling character is born.
Writer Ian Hamilton is great on Toronto and Canadian-Chinese atmosphere and especially on exotic locales. I have no idea whether he has even been to Hong Kong, Bangkok, Guyana and the British Virgin Islands which are the primary destinations in book 1, “The Water Rat of Wanchai”, but the ambiance here feels completely authentic.
All that, plus home base for Ava Lee is downtown Toronto, where she lives in Yorkville and frequents one of my favourite Chinese restaurants (Dynasty) in that neighbourhood.
It is a good thing that Hamilton is as prolific as he is (8 books since 2011) because I’m going to whip through this entire series.
p.s. This is the expanded edition of Book 1 of the series which includes the 150 pg. prequel novella "The Dragon Head of Hong Kong" in which Ava Lee first meets her mentor known as "Uncle".
July 28, 2014
I know I am late to the table for this series but it is so good I think others who may have missed these books should know about them. The book is The Water Rat of Wanchai by Ian Hamilton and the edition I read came with a prequel called The Dragon Head of Hong Kong. Both were fantastic stories with great settings, good characters and lots of Chinese food. (How could one go wrong with that trio?) The main character Ava Lee is Chinese Canadian and is a forensic accountant - a very good one as she is called upon to recover peoples missing monies (large amounts!) She has to travel to all sorts of places to track down the missing dough and is great at what she does. If you haven't read Ian Hamilton, you should give him a try!
December 11, 2016
I LOVED this book!!! What a creative and intriguing set of characters, settings and storyline! Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. I absolutely got lost in the world of Ava, and can't wait to read the next one.
I met the author at a writing conference, during a special, informal session. I had the amazing opportunity to learn about his creative process. What a down to earth, extremely interesting man. He wrote the first book in this series to see if he could write a book. The rest is history. So glad I came across him and his works.
I met the author at a writing conference, during a special, informal session. I had the amazing opportunity to learn about his creative process. What a down to earth, extremely interesting man. He wrote the first book in this series to see if he could write a book. The rest is history. So glad I came across him and his works.
July 3, 2014
The Water Rat was solid, although when read with the short Dragon Head, it becomes a 550 pager which is a bit much for a mystery-style book high on detail, low on action. Even by itself Water Rat is probably 50-75 pages longer than it needs to be. Still solid. about a 70 % book, not that you can score a 3.5 here.
January 1, 2017
2.5 stars. I read the novella, but gave up in the first novel. At least 100 pages should've been chopped out of this trot across the globe. Long stretches on everything moving on track--they go on too long before the disruption explodes. Ava's a good character, but she's spoiled by less than tight plotting.
March 21, 2014
Enjoyed the prequel to the Ava Lee series very much; it was interesting to see the beginning of Ava & Uncle's relationship.
April 28, 2015
I love mysteries and Eva is an exciting new character for me. There were a few pointa where the story lagged somewhat, but I was glad to power through to a satisfying ending
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews