Amazon.ca Best Books: Editors' Pick, 2011, Commended, The Water Rat of Wanchai.
Quill and Quire Book of the Year, 2011, Commended, The Water Rat of Wanchai.
CBC Bookie Awards: Mystery and Thriller, 2012, Short-listed, The Water Rat of Wanchai.
Arthur Ellis Award: Best First Novel, 2012, Short-listed, The Water Rat of Wanchai.
"The Water Rat of Wanchai is a solid and exciting read and a great start to the series."
- Editorial Eyes
"The desperate situations in The Water Rat of Wanchai are what keep the pages turning, but what will keep readers coming back to the series is Ava Lee."
- Buried in Print Blog
Few heroines are as feisty as The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’s Lisbeth Salander, but Ian Hamilton’s Ava Lee could give her a run for her money . . . Gripping . . . [Ava is] smart, gutsy, and resourceful.
- Stylist UK
. . . enjoyable . . . [Ian Hamilton] creates a terrific atmosphere of suspense.
- Quill & Quire
The Water Rat of Wanchai delivers . . . [it] feels like the beginning of a crime-fighting saga . . . [a] great story told with colour, energy and unexpected punch.
- Hamilton Spectator
Readers will discern in Ava undertones of Lisbeth Salandar, the ferocious protagonist of the late Stieg Larsson's crime novels . . . irresistible . . .
- London Free Press
In the age of Lisbeth Salander, it's not hard to see why Hamilton's jet-setting heroine is so appealing.
- National Post
Ava is unbeatable at just about everything. Just wait for her to roll out her bak mei against the bad guys. She's perfect. She's fast.
- Toronto Star
. . . one of the most engaging female leads I've had the pleasure of reading about in quite a while . . . an absolute page-turner that's difficult to put down.
- Inside Halton
If the other novels are half as good as this debut by Ian Hamilton, then readers are going to celebrate. [. . .] This is a terrific story that's certain to be on the Arthur Ellis Best First Novel list this year. Even better news is that the next three novels in the series are already written and ready to print. Ava Lee is going to be chasing the accounts for a long, long time.
- Globe and Mail
. . . a book about a forensic accountant that has tension, suspense and action. [. . .] When the central character looks like Lucy Liu, kicks like Jackie Chan and has a travel budget like Donald Trump, the story is anything but boring. [. . .] I look forward to the next one.
- Montreal Gazette