I have been chomping at the bit to get my hands on Daniel Silva’s latest book, “An Inside Job.” I try so hard to read slowly. Alas, it’s impossible.
When Gabriel Allon and his cronies get together, I’m all in. I put all else aside and tuck myself into my office in my reading chair with a do not disturb sign on the door. Ha.
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Over the years, Silva has made Gabriel Allon a household name in the thriller genre. The Allon character is wildly popular and has to be one of the most revered characters of our times, if not the most.
This time, we find Gabriel trying to live a quiet life in Venice with his beautiful wife Chiara and their twins, Raphael and Irene. They inhabit one floor of a large palazzo which overlooks the famous Grand Canal. Gabriel is finally retired as chief of Israel’s secret intelligence service, but is still deeply involved in art restoration. The point here is that his life has taken on more of the art and less of the spying. However, when Capitano Luca Rossetti, an officer with the art squad, asks him to help with a murder investigation… well, you see where this is going.
Jean Lewis
Trouble follows Gabriel and no more so than one morning when he discovers a human corpse in the laguna. And so, we step back into the complicated world of the Vatican and its art world. Prepare yourself. You will not want to put this stunning novel down. You’ll be wowed behind the scenes, inside the Vatican, the Sistine Chapel and the mysterious world of art and the troubled state of finance that pretty much implode throughout this novel. Not to mention a possible Leonardi da Vinci painting, lost and found deep inside the vaults of the Vatican.
Venice is an eerily mysterious and lovely city. Silva is no slouch when it comes to the inner workings of Venice. He oh-so-brilliantly displays Gabriel’s restoration work on some of the most important paintings in the world. Watching him work is transforming. It’s made me truly appreciate the old masters.
Gabriel is beckoned to Rome and the Vatican, where he once again meets up with his friend Luigi Donati, who has become the pope. A more unlikely choice for pope cannot be had. I love Luigi. I am thrilled he has such a large presence in this novel. His escapades themselves are worth the price of the book!
In recent years, I’ve read about and heard rumblings of the troubled finances of the Catholic Church. When you are looking at billions of dollars, there is potential for deception and money laundering. Definitely greed and avarice. When numbers are questioned and cardinals are accused of wrongdoings, the bar is raised higher than ever before. So exciting. So much corruption.
There were so many things I knew so little about the Vatican and how the holy fathers live. I had no idea some of the inhabitants live lavishly. I mean large, expensively appointed apartments and many priceless paintings hanging on the walls in private apartments. Living like kings. Whatever happened to humbleness and piety?
The body discovered in the lagoon is a young girl who worked at the Vatican and may have unearthed a hidden Leonardo da Vinci painting. Imagine the worth. Of course, someone is not happy. A lot of someones. And then we realize the Italian mafia, known as the Camorra, is involved, and all bets are off.
Gabriel is brought into the mix by his friend, the pope. What has become of the painting? It’s gone, and it’s now Gabriel’s job to find it. But not just find it, restore it. You see, this painting was hidden underneath a humble lesser one for years.
For those of you who love the art restoration part of these novels, you will be thrilled! I found myself holding my breath at times as Gabriel painstakingly unveiled what could be the most important painting ever.
If you’ve been to Venice or Rome, you will quickly find yourself reliving your trip. If you haven’t been, you might find yourself booking a flight as soon as possible. Yes, this book is that compelling. It will make your heart pound and fill your senses with the sights, sounds and smells of Italy. What a delight.
Settle into your comfy chair, pour yourself a glass of wine or cup of tea, and prepare to be swept away into the amazing world of Gabriel Allon, Italy, art and mystery.
Several years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Silva while working at Barnes and Noble in Naples. Each summer, I look forward to the next installment of Gabriel Allon’s escapades! ¦
Jean Lewis is a veteran bookseller who visits book clubs throughout Southwest Florida, speaking about the best new books of the season. She lives in Babcock Ranch with her husband, Jack, and their three spoiled cats. Maurice was their Siamese cat who lived to be 22 years old and loved sitting on books. Jean can be reached at www.mauriceonbooks.com.