The Red Pole of Macau by Ian Hamilton
This is the fourth book in the Ava Lee series. I like this series, but hadn't been keeping up with it after the first few books. Here, Ava has recently met her oldest half-brother, Michael, when he calls on her for assistance. Michael and his business partner Simon run a chain of noodle restaurants and recently made an investment that involved a share of a real estate development where they would locate a shop. But things haven't been moving along at all, and they just want their money back.
Ava can see the big picture here once she knows more about the situation, and can see how a failure would impact not just Michael and Simon, but also Ava's father and the entire family.
Macau is somewhere that Ava hasn't visited in years and the changes there are dramatic. When she accompanies Michael and Simon to meet the men behind the project, she finds they are more dangerous adversaries than she imagined, and the whole situation is something beyond what she normally would deal with. Even her partner Uncle has reservations.
Given the family considerations, Ava feels she must move forward, but this is a foray that requires connections she doesn't have. When a new friend offers to help, Ava finds herself making new connections and relationships as well.
I liked the strong female characters here, not only Ava, but also May Ling Wong and Michael's girlfriend Amanda Yee. I also liked seeing more into the backgrounds of Uncle's side of the partnership, including the men who work for him, either directly or from time to time.
The book also details how the old Hong Kong triads were structured and what roles the different members played. This plays into the plot in a big way, and gives a sense how the dismantling of a system like this sometimes results in unexpectedly dangerous men who can't be controlled.
We also get a better sense of Ava's family dynamics.
A very enlightening addition to the series on many fronts.
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