Member Review

Gabriel Allon, retired spy and former head of Israeli Intelligence, is leading a peaceful, fulfilling life in Venice as an art restorer, doing what he loves most, along with his adorable family. But crime and intrigue trail him wherever he goes – this time in the form of the battered corpse of a young woman floating in the Grand Canal. Soon, Gabriel finds himself in the Vatican, helping the art squad investigate the theft of a painting from the Vatican vaults that could be a misattributed Leonardo da Vinci. More murders follow, and deeply unsettling truths emerge, requiring Gabriel to employ all his artistic genius and espionage skills, as well as his connections from his previous life – not only to solve the case but to save the papacy itself.

An Inside Job by Daniel Silva, the twenty-fifth Gabriel Allon novel, works in phases, with the initial chapters drawing the reader in, but the plot meandering at times. Gabriel is an immensely appealing character, developed and fine-tuned over decades by Silva. The remaining cast – Gabriel's family, his friends in Rome and the Vatican, and his associates – are also neatly put together. The well-researched trivia about art and the inner workings of the papacy, which Silva peppers the narrative with, are enlightening, and the vivid descriptions of the settings add to the experience. While the narrative moves fast enough, it feels a bit too straightforward and predictable – without much excitement. And the domestic bliss of the Allon family is equal parts amusing and annoying.

To sum up, this Silver Jubilee volume of Gabriel's adventures is a somewhat tamer outing for its illustrious protagonist compared to his exhilarating past exploits, which nevertheless works as a decent thriller, and I would rate it 3.5 of 5.

Thank you, HarperCollins UK, for the digital review copy of An Inside Job in exchange for my honest review.