Readers of crime novels and thrillers are a special breed. They not only have the pleasure of reading their genre through books but also viewing the actions of their characters in television programs. And now that one of the most noted characters is in production to come to the small screen, I figured it was time to introduce myself to Ava Lee via Ian Hamilton’s The Dragon Head of Hong Kong and The Water Rat of Wanchai.
Page 6
“Mr. Lo, even if I can locate the money, how do you expect we’ll get our hands on it?”
His chin slumped onto his chest and he stared at his feet. “I don’t know, but I can’t just do nothing. I can’t leave things the way they are. The pressure at home from my wife and my brother-in-law is going to be unbearable. But I know that if I tell her you’re looking into it, it will buy me some time.
“I honestly don’t know enough about how things operate in Hong Kong and China to be of much help.”
“Please.”
Ava sighed. “Look, I’ll make some phone calls tonight to some people who do know how things work there. I can’t promise you any more than that.”
“So you aren’t saying no?”
“Or yes.”
“That’s good enough.”
How desperate is this man? She thought. “Okay, so we’ll leave it at that. I’ll contact you sometime tomorrow and let you know what I’ve decided to do.”
There is something fresh in the concept of the lead character of Ava Lee. Here we have a detective that doesn’t deal in bodies but chases down unpaid debts by deadbeat liars in exotic locations. ‘Follow the money,’ is the adage of many crime and police plots but here we have an accountant actually chasing money in a tough and rough manner. It is a concept we can all relate to while being whisked away to far-flung corners of the globe.
Pages 212-213
It was a quick ride to the city centre. Their route took them over the Tsing Ma Bridge, six lanes of traffic on the upper deck, rail lines beneath. The bridge always took Ava’s breath away. It was close to a kilometre and half long and soared two hundred metres above the water. The Ma Wan Channel, part of the South China Sea, glittered below in the early morning sun as sampans and fishing boats skirted the armanda of huge ocean freighters waiting to be escorted in Hong Kong’s massive container port.
They slowed when they reached the city proper, caught in the last of the morning rush hour. Hong Kong isn’t a city filled with private cars. Finding a place to park isn’t easy or cheap in a place where office and retail space in rented by the square inch, but there are red taxis everywhere, scurrying like beetles. Sonny drove carefully – too carefully for Ava, but he was a cautious man, maybe even deliberately cautious. It was as if he were restraining his true nature. She had seen this trai in him when he attended mettings with Uncle. He didn’t do that often, but when he did, he remained standing off to one side, his eyes flickering back and forth as he followed the flow of conversation. Ava realized that his body language changed along with the tone of the meeting. If Uncle was having his way, Sonny was placid. Any opposition to Uncle position caused him to tense, his eyes growing dark.
I couldn’t find any new information about the release date of the TV series but I was excited to read that Ian Hamilton has published a new book in the series – THE IMAM OF TAWI-TAWI – this past week. No doubt, as I beging to work my way throught the series of the earlier books, I will enjoying the combination of action, footwork and suspense that Ava Lee finds herself in.
Pages 370-371
“I think he’s about to leave,” she said.
Patrick called a number from his cellphone. “Wake up, boys,” he said.
“See the small guy in the apron?” he said to Ava. “He’s one of our leading drug dealers; does most of the imports. He’s also a friend of a friend. Until now it didn’t occur to me that he might be involved with Seto and Ng. After all this is over I’ll have to ask.”
The trio exited the restaurant and climbed back into the Land Rover. Ava held her breath.
They followed the car as it lumbered two blocks and parked at Eckie’s. Seto and the woman climbed down. Ava saw him say something to Ng, who was still in the Land Rover. The black Nissan was four spots farther along.
Patrick used his cellphone again. “Give them about ten minutes inside and then get Ng,” he said. He reached over and opened the glove compartment. Ava saw a semi-automatic in an shoulder holster and sevral pairs of handcuffs. “We need two sets, I imagine,” he said as he put on the holster.
“I want to tape their eyes and his mouth before we get them in this truck,” she said.
“Just his?”
“Someone has to tell us the entry codes for the gate, and I’m sure the house is protected as well.”
Certainly Ava Lee will transfer well into the small screen but until she does, many of us will continue to read her adventures written by Ian Hamilton. And combo set of The Dragon Head of Hong Kong/The Water Rat of Wanchai are great places to start.
*****
Link to Ian Hamilton’s website
Link to House of Anansi’s website for combo The Water Rat of Wanchai/The Dragon Head of Hong Kong edition
Link to Strada Films website
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