Mystery series author in festival lineup

“The Couturier of Milan” by Ian Hamilton

Only three weeks remain before The Word On The Street, the Lethbridge Public Library’s annual literary festival. This year marks the seventh anniversary of the celebration and the festival promises to be bigger and better than ever. As part of the event, the library will be hosting a selection of established and emerging authors, storytellers, panel discussions, demonstrations and workshops, live music, and a sold-out marketplace. One of the featured guests at this year’s festival is the award-winning Canadian author, Ian Hamilton.

Hamilton is the author of the Ava Lee series of mysteries, which includes nine novels and an eBook exclusive novelette. His first novel, “The Water Rat of Wanchai,” was the winner of the Arthur Ellis Award for Best First Novel and named best book of the year by Amazon.ca, The Toronto Star, and Quill & Quire, a literary magazine. Hamilton’s works have been nominated for several other awards including the Barry Award and the Lambda Literary Prize.

Hamilton’s novels all feature his chief protagonist, forensic accountant Ava Lee. A ChineseCanadian, Lee, along with her partner and benefactor “Uncle,” take on cases in which their clients have lost tremendous amounts of money. The Ava Lee series spans the entire globe, from Canada to Europe, with much of the action taking place in Eastern Asia, predominantly in Hong Kong, Ava’s base of operations in Asia. The novels are fast paced and full of action as she navigates a world in which the Triad gangs hold enormous sway.

The latest book in the series, “The Couturier of Milan,” continues Ava’s adventures during “The Triad Years” as she branches into new ventures with friends/partners, May Ling and Amanda. Hamilton explores both the high-risk world of fashion and the dark world of organized crime as Ava fights for her company and life. Fans of the Ava Lee series and newcomers alike will enjoy Hamilton’s latest work, as Ava and her team engage in a game of high stakes one-upmanship with the head of a wide-reaching Italian conglomerate backed by the Italian mafia.

Find out more about this fantastic novel and series as Hamilton reads from “The Couturier of Milan,” and then discover the books that Ian likes to read as he participates in a panel discussion, “What Do Mystery Writers Read?” later in the day at The Word On The Street, on Sept. 23.

For more information on this year’s festival, check out our website at