Ava Lee #5: “The Scottish
Banker of Surabaya” by Ian Hamilton. Ava’s mother talks her into meeting with a
Canadian Vietnamese girl who claims to have lost a lot of money. She doesn’t
want to, but to please her mother she talks with the girl and learns that the
Vietnamese community invested thirty million dollars in a bank that might be a
scam. Speaking with Uncle he advises they accept the job, with their usual 30%
fee. Unfortunately, in her early investigation she uncovers Italian mobsters
involved, and this poses problems for them. However, Uncle sees a way to get
their money without the Mafia discovering their involvement, so Ava continues.
Besides, by this time she wants to punish the Scottish banker for a personal
reason. As usual, the novel is smooth reading, and keeps the reader turning
pages to the end.
