Ava Lee uncovers the secret world of art fraud in the third book in the wildly popular and bestselling Ava Lee series.

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 retrieve the Wongs’ money? Or will May Ling get to them first…

Ian Hamilton is the author of seven novels in the Ava Lee series: The Dragon Head of Hong Kong: The Ava Lee Prequel, The Water Rat of Wanchai, The Disciple of Las Vegas, The Wild Beasts of Wuhan, The Red Pole of Macau, The Scottish Banker of Surabaya, and The Two Sisters of Borneo. The Water Rat of Wanchai was the winner of the Arthur Ellis Award for Best First Novel, an Amazon.ca Top 100 Book of the Year, an Amazon.ca Top 100 Editors’ Pick, an Amazon.ca Canadian Pick, an Amazon.ca Mysteries and Thrillers Pick, a Toronto Star Top 5 Fiction Book of the Year, and a Quill & Quire Top 5 Fiction Book of the Year.

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• Commended, iTunes Store Best Book of 2012

I’m devouring each book as it comes out. I’m impressed with Ava’s character development as the series progresses ... if you want a great read and an education in high-level business dealings, Ian Hamilton is an author to watch.

Toronto Star

[Ava Lee] is definitely a winner.

Saskatoon StarPhoenix

... my favourite new mystery series ... perfect escapism ...

National Post

The Wild Beasts of Wuhan is the best Ava Lee novel yet, and promises more and better to come.

Globe and Mail

The very interesting story puts Lee into the world of international fine art as she tries to find out how a client in China was cheated in some very expensive purchases.

Guelph Mercury

The Wild Beasts of Wuhan is an entertaining dip into potentially fatal worlds of artistic skulduggery.

Sudbury Star

... Hamilton uses Ava’s investigations as comprehensive and intriguing mechanisms for plot and character development.

Quill and Quire

A strong heroine is challenged to discover the details of an intercontinental art scheme. Although Hamilton’s star Ava Lee (The Disciple of Las Vegas, 2013) is technically a forensic accountant, she’s more badass private investigator than desk jockey.

Kirkus Reviews

This book is miles from the ordinary. The main character, Ava Lee is ‘the whole package.’

Minneapolis Star Tribune

A lively series about Ava Lee, a sexy forensic financial investigator.

Tampa Bay Times

Clearly conversant with the art world, Hamilton makes the intricacies of forgery as interesting as a Ponzi scheme.

Publishers Weekly

... fast-paced and very entertaining.

Montreal Gazette

You haven’t seen cold and calculating until you’ve double-crossed this number cruncher. Another strong entry from Arthur Ellis Award–winner Hamilton.

Booklist

An intelligent kick-ass heroine anchors Canadian author Hamilton’s excellent third novel featuring forensic accountant Ava Lee…Clearly conversant with the art world, Hamilton makes the intricacies of forgery as interesting as a Ponzi scheme.

Publishers Weekly