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pannapark's review against another edition
4.0
Another fast paced, well plotted Ava Lee thriller from Ian Hamilton with a really diverse and believable cast of characters! I’d give The Disciple of Las Vegas 5 stars but I’m not too comfy with the torture or be tortured aspect.
diav's review against another edition
4.0
This book is more exciting than the first, particularly with all the action packed in the middle. Like other readers, I found the bits where the author talks about Ava's clothes and Starbucks VIA obsession repetitive, but it's easy to overlook them.
_rusalka's review against another edition
4.0
After my last read I needed a palate cleanser. Fluffy, light, you know what you are getting into, fun. And that really is what the Ava Lee series seems to be.
Nothing major to work out, although puzzles and mysteries aren't not obvious. Morally grey. Action packed. Little down time due to the insane amount of money that one can throw at business class plane tickets (can't wait to see what happens with Covid). More violent this time than last which doesn't bother me, but I know it does some people.
Forensic account X extortionist good times.
Nothing major to work out, although puzzles and mysteries aren't not obvious. Morally grey. Action packed. Little down time due to the insane amount of money that one can throw at business class plane tickets (can't wait to see what happens with Covid). More violent this time than last which doesn't bother me, but I know it does some people.
Forensic account X extortionist good times.
liberrydude's review against another edition
4.0
Ava Lee plays hardball in this one set in Las Vegas, Vancouver, Manila, London, and San Francisco. Number two in the series and I had read and enjoyed number three. A common theme is the meddling, arrogant client. Last time it was a couple, now it's a Filipino Chinese billionaire. Ava finds that the billionaire's brother in Vancouver gambled over $50 million away in what was initially a land swindle. But there's more. He was gambling online and he was cheated. Not to complicate matters but there's a hit out on Ava, I guess from book one, so she's looking over her shoulder as she does business. Ava quickly realizes what's going on and calls in for reinforcements for strong-arm persuasion in Vegas. It gets violent and dark. Then it looks like it's over but she ends up involved in global politics once she gets to London. Nothing is ever easy for Ava but she gets it done and done well.
lauriejj17's review against another edition
4.0
Truly addictive reading.
I read The Disciple of Las Vegas in three sittings, but it could have easily been one. With these novels, you really get a sense that Hamilton has done his research— and given his background in journalism, he likely has. Every location, from Vancouver to Manila, comes alive. Ava, as usual, is an easy character to root for.
The only thing I struggle with in these books is the excessive brand descriptions. Do we need to know every single time that Ava puts on her Adidas track pants and black Giordano t-shirt and drinks her Starbucks VIA Instant coffee??
(Starbucks: 5
Adidas: 7
Giordano: 8
I counted.)
But this is a small gripe. I'm literally desperate to read more of this series.
I read The Disciple of Las Vegas in three sittings, but it could have easily been one. With these novels, you really get a sense that Hamilton has done his research— and given his background in journalism, he likely has. Every location, from Vancouver to Manila, comes alive. Ava, as usual, is an easy character to root for.
The only thing I struggle with in these books is the excessive brand descriptions. Do we need to know every single time that Ava puts on her Adidas track pants and black Giordano t-shirt and drinks her Starbucks VIA Instant coffee??
(Starbucks: 5
Adidas: 7
Giordano: 8
I counted.)
But this is a small gripe. I'm literally desperate to read more of this series.
eososray's review
3.0
This book takes us from Toronto, to the Philippines, to San Francisco, Vancouver and then spends most of its time in Las Vegas.
For some odd reason the author is obsessed with mentioning the Chanel purse, Cartier watch and Adidas track pants that the character wears; as well as the Starbucks VIA instant coffee she drinks and the bra and panties she must always be wearing or changing. I don't know why it's necessary to keep mentioning them, but there it is.
The rest of the story is really very good. I like that Ava Lee is smart, organized, able to look after herself, an accountant, Chinese and a lesbian. It makes her a very interesting character and offers up many chances for the tale to be nontraditional, both points very much a benefit in its telling.
For some odd reason the author is obsessed with mentioning the Chanel purse, Cartier watch and Adidas track pants that the character wears; as well as the Starbucks VIA instant coffee she drinks and the bra and panties she must always be wearing or changing. I don't know why it's necessary to keep mentioning them, but there it is.
The rest of the story is really very good. I like that Ava Lee is smart, organized, able to look after herself, an accountant, Chinese and a lesbian. It makes her a very interesting character and offers up many chances for the tale to be nontraditional, both points very much a benefit in its telling.
marbles66's review
5.0
In The Disciple of Las Vegas, forensic accountant Ava Lee is hired by the richest man in the Philippines to recover $50 million from a Canadian land swindle. With the billionaire's reputation on the line, she follows the money from Vancouver to Las Vegas, to the Costa Rican accounts of the Moneida, a First Nations band that owns The River, a poker web site.
After uncovering an illegal online gambling ring, she confronts one of the world poker greats, David "The Disciple" Douglas, and his partner, Jeremy Ashton. Meanwhile, Jackie Leung, an old target of Uncle's and Ava's, has made it rich. He wants revenge, and he's going after Ava to get it.
I enjoyed this book as well. There is however a lot of repeat information that I think could be left out. This is a series however the books could be read as stand alones which is why I think there is the repeat of some stuff.
After uncovering an illegal online gambling ring, she confronts one of the world poker greats, David "The Disciple" Douglas, and his partner, Jeremy Ashton. Meanwhile, Jackie Leung, an old target of Uncle's and Ava's, has made it rich. He wants revenge, and he's going after Ava to get it.
I enjoyed this book as well. There is however a lot of repeat information that I think could be left out. This is a series however the books could be read as stand alones which is why I think there is the repeat of some stuff.
ubalstecha's review against another edition
4.0
Ava Lee is back and looking into the disappearance of $50 million from a Chinese-Phillipino business. To find the money, she delves into the world of on-line poker where she uncovers a huge fraud that can be traced to the highest levels of the British Government. Meanwhile, someone she once had to collect money from is out to get his own revenge by taking a contract out on Ava.
Author Ian Hamilton has created a tense second entry into his Ava Lee series. Ava is smart, strong and able to handle herself quite nicely, even when under attack by several men. Not afraid to use violence to get what she is after, Ava weaves her way through the worlds of power and money, then gets into the gutter with the best of them.
Such a good read. Read in one day!
Author Ian Hamilton has created a tense second entry into his Ava Lee series. Ava is smart, strong and able to handle herself quite nicely, even when under attack by several men. Not afraid to use violence to get what she is after, Ava weaves her way through the worlds of power and money, then gets into the gutter with the best of them.
Such a good read. Read in one day!
read_nap_repeat's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
katie_king's review against another edition
3.0
I read a couple of these a year, and I think that's the right number, although I have to admit the title character is growing on me. Escapism with a realistic background, (even if some of the Las Vegas vectors got shifted) and if the players and those who play them sound familiar, you only have to look back about a decade to those online poker houses. Or just look around and see that the some of the same individuals are now hawking cryptocurrency. Plus ca change!