Ava returns to Toronto with her lover, Pang Fai, to introduce her to the city, her mother, her mother’s friends and her friends. It is a relaxing visit until her best friend in high school, Mimi, tells her of her father-in-law, Phil Gregory, losing all his money in a fraud scheme and committing suicide.
It has been a very skilful fraud involving Graham Muir. Gregory had met him when he started attending Harvest Table Bible Church, a mega-evangelical church. Muir established an investment fund, Harvest Investment Fund, that only accepted investments from church members. Over $30 million was invested. Suddenly all the money is gone. Muir created funds in 4 provinces which renders any investigation very difficult. They are bankrupt and he is bankrupt while living comfortably on his wife’s inherited millions.
It takes no persuasion for Ava to decide she will pursue the money. While she no longer needs to earn money through debt collection she has the lawyer for the defrauded sign the usual agreement she had used with Uncle. She is to keep 30% of any amount collected.
She swiftly learns the money went to Amsterdam. The lawyer in Canada had been unable to get further than the first stop for the money.
She hires Jacob Smit again. The clever little investigator takes her to meet members of the Jain community in Antwerp who have become leading diamond brokers. Integrity and honesty and trust govern their relationships. They will share information if they were used in a fraudulent scheme.
Until reading the book I had not known of the extensive diamond business in Antwerp.
Eventually the search takes her to Singapore. She finds her contacts in the triads of mainland China and Hong Kong are of limited help. The Singapore government has crushed the triads in Singapore. The ability to detain those arrested withouot charge indefinitely was used against the triads. One leader was held 12 years without charge until he died in prison. It is explained to Ava that while the Western World believes in law and order Singapore believes in order.
The Diamond Queen of Singapore sees Ava’s vast network of connections that extend around the world. She carefully and continually cultivates guanxi (the Chinese word for relationships based on favours and trust). She strives to maintain relationships.
In The Diamond Queen of Singapore her triad connections continue, even expand.
There is a touch of violence but the use of menace was far more intimidating.
The money of bad guys and bad girls cannot disappear when Ava goes after you.
At the same time Ava’s relationship with Pang Fai is deepening and Ava is being drawn into the movie industry with a powerful story deserving to be made into a movie.
The Diamond Queen of Singapore was a welcome return to the early books in the series when Ava was using her accounting skills. The later Ava Lee books are easy reads building on what has happened in the earlier books of the series.
****
It's very good to hear Ava is back to the forensic accounting she does so well, Bill. And I do like the way she's made (and makes use of) connections all over the world. It's funny you should mention the Antwerp diamond trade. I'm only seen it mentioned a couple of times in books I've read, and it's a fascinating industry. I'm glad to hear, too, that there's less reliance in violence in this story. Ava can take care of herself, which is great - I like her strength - but I like the other sides of her better, if I can put it that way.
ReplyDeleteMargot: Thanks for the comment. I like the other siders better too. What makes her unique is intelligence and determination not being able to physically confront villains.
Delete