The Princeling of Nanjing

Hamilton’s eighth novel (after 2014’s The King of Shanghai) in his series featuring Ava Lee, a Chinese-Canadian forensic accountant and a major investor in the PÖ fashion line, requires patience from readers. The book’s slow, lengthy start is filled with introductions to the large cast, meandering backstory digressions, and more details about how to organize a fashion show than anyone outside the business needs to know. After all that,readers finally learn the crux of the story. The princeling of the title is Tsai Lian, governor of Jiangsu, one of the largest and wealthiest provinces in China. The Tsai family controls everything that goes on there—including land sales, permits, and licenses. Now they are pressuring Ava’s old friend Xu to get into the manufacture and sale of illegal drugs. If he refuses, they can destroy his legitimate business. Ava brings all her accounting skills and media contacts into play in her plan to fight the Tsai family. The tension in this book is personal and political; readers looking for heart-stopping action and thrills should look elsewhere. (May)