The Red Pole of Macau: An Ava Lee Novel    by Ian Hamilton Order:  USA  Can Picador, 2013 (2013) Hardcover, Softcover, e-Book     Reviewed by Bob Walch Ava Lee is a forensic accountant. What that means is that when money or some other valuable possession goes missing, Ava is called in to find it and restore the money or object to its rightful owner. This often involves a certain amount of persuasion and that's where Ava's partner, Uncle, comes in. Not only is this sixty year old Chinese gentleman her mentor and business associate but his connections as a former member of the triad hierarchy also makes him invaluable when trouble arises. Ava's latest project is connected directly to her own family when her half-brother, a Hong Kong businessman, and his partner become involved in a real estate deal that goes terribly wrong. Not only will the possible financial loss bankrupt the family and destroy their reputations but the criminals involved in the scam have also kidnapped one of the partners and are holding him until even more money changes hands. The story unfolds in both Hong Kong and Macau as Ava hatches a plan to retrieve her half-brother's money and save his partner's life. Obviously she needs some help to do the heavy lifting and that's where Uncle's connections come in. Her adversary is a former Triad enforcer or red pole who is a nasty piece of work. Kao Lok lives in a well guarded, fortress-like compound that Ava must somehow breach if she is to accomplish her goal. Created by Canadian novelist Ian Hamilton, Ava Lee is a bewitching heroine. Not only is she intelligent and fearless but her exotic profession and the company she keeps also gives this new series a touch of international panache since her assignments take her all over the world. Although she has been dubbed a cross between Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone and Stieg Larsson's Lisbeth Salander, this clever young woman is far more interesting and her adventures are more worthy of an action character such as Ian Fleming's iconic 007. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews