For someone who has just started reading thrillers,this book might seem totally exciting. But alas.! I'm not one of them. On the book cover there is a compliment by Daily mail,saying 'a cross between Jason Bourne and James Bond'. But Gabriel Allon didn't deserve such a high praise. He isn't much active or shrewd. He is a bit better than the usual spy heroes,but that's all. He doesn't seem to have that class or style that a unique hero needs. I don't understand why the author wasted 500 pages when the whole story could've been told in some 200 pages. Disappointed. My 8th Daniel Silva/Gabriel Allon novel and 10th in the series and is not a bit stereotyped! In fact this is in the same gene and dna - heart stopping international spy thriller! Only change in this novel is that Gabriel doesn't get taken hostage and neither does he get beaten up by the wrong guys/terrorists like in almost all his other 9 novels. There is not final bloodbath in the climax where neither Allon or the villain bleeds or gets shot. After last 2 novels which deals with Russian problems with Israel, this one starts with a lost painting which Allon tries to rescue after being stolen from another restorer who Allon knew from Venice's Umberto Conti days. It leads to the usual plot of Holocaust money being stolen and a Swiss multi-billionaire building his empire on that stolen money. And to make things worse, the Swiss businessman is selling Iran with all the machinery needed for Iran to go nuclear power! And since Iran's target is to wipe Israel out, Allon comes in to save the situation.Some old ideas of recruiting a person to infiltrate the Swiss businessman's network, teaching the agent all the intelligence jingo, executing of plans and finally winning the battle is the story. It may sound similar on ideas, but rest assured, like all Allon/Silva novels, this is also an edge of the seat thriller and you would spend sleepless nights till you finish this.Loved it, can't wait to get onto the next Allon book!
What do You think about Den Engelske Pige (2010)?
A terrific thriller wrapped in historical events with intriguing, complex characters - a great read.
—apelton
I enjoy this series...will keep reading it. Good spy thriller...not predictable...
—Tyler
