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The Confessor Audiobook
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(4.00) - 5,893 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
From the author who “ranks among the best of the younger American spy novelists” (The Washington Post) comes a stunning thriller of ancient and modern betrayal. Munich: The writer Benjamin Stern entered his flat to see a man standing there, leafing through his research, and said, “Who the hell are you?” In answer, the man shot him. As Stern lay dying, the gunman murmured a few words in Latin, then gathered the writer’s papers and left. Venice: The art restorer Gabriel Allon applied a dab of paint carefully to the Bellini, then saw the boy approaching, a piece of paper in his hand. It would be about Stern, he knew. They would want him to leave right away. With a sigh, the Mossad agent finished his work, then began to pack his brushes. Vatican City: The pope known as Paul VII—“Pope Accidental,” to his detractors—paced in his garden, thinking about the things he knew and the enemies he would make. He believed he understood why God had chosen him for this job, but the road in front of him was hard and exceedingly perilous. If he succeeded, he would revolutionize the Church. If not, he might very well destroy it—and himself. In the weeks to come, the journeys of all these men will come together, following a trail of long-buried secrets and unthinkable deeds, leaving each one forever changed. Intrigue will dominate their lives and death stalk their paths, all of them in the shadow of the Confessor. Filled with rich characters, remarkable prose, and an intricately woven plot suffused with surprise and intensity, this is an uncommonly powerful work by a new master of the art.
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"Having read the first 3 books in Silva's Gabriel Allon series, I can see that the writer follows a very specific formula. It is a winning formula - all three have been great, intelligent reads - but a formula nevertheless. The conspiracy, the guy, the girl (toned down here thankfully), the evil assassin, the twist (unique in every one). Not complaining, I liked all three books and will finish the series at some point. But being such a huge fan of his "The Unlikely Spy" novel (seriously one of the best thrillers I've ever read), I guess I was just expecting a little more. Hopefully more of the Allon novels will buck the trend."
— Jake (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Accomplished…Elegantly written…A compelling piece of fiction, one that manages to be both superior entertainment and a hard look at serious issues.”
— Washington Post -
“A shrewd, timely thriller that opens the heard of the Vatican…Many scenes of thumping action, passionate words, hot pursuit, and cold revenge…It’s a different kind of thrill than you might expect from a commercial thriller, but it certainly leaves a tingle.”
— Chicago Tribune -
“Silva writes thrillers that are intelligent and action-packed. In…Gabriel Allon, he has invented a compelling character and put him in an enthralling plot.”
— Rocky Mountain News -
“Another riveting tale.”
— Pittsburgh Post-Gazette -
“One of those rare books that sweep you into forgetting to eat or sleep. Daniel Silva has now indisputably joined the ranks of Graham Greene and John le Carré.”
— Washingtonian -
“Provocative historical revelations will keep readers enthralled.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“Utterly compelling…Silva’s searing portrait of a church under siege by its own corrupt bureaucracy and corporate publicity machine is particularly resonant. An uncommonly intelligent thriller told with elegant precision.”
— Booklist (starred review) -
“Silva, who here loads new excitement into the word thriller, will touch nerves with this hypothetical exploration of the Church’s silence on these topics. The Vatican, Venice, and Munich are perfectly drawn, as the settings for these dark acts of ambition, greed, and revenge, as are the characters, whom you’d scarcely believe live only on the page.”
— Library Journal -
“Another polished and entertaining thriller from the prolific Silva…powered by steady pacing, keen detail, and a strong, ironic finish.”
— Kirkus Reviews -
A shrewd, timely thriller that opens the heart of the Vatican.
— Chicago Tribune -
“Daniel Silva has now indisputably joined the ranks of Graham Greene and John Le Carré.
— The Washingtonian -
“Utterly compelling...uncommonly intelligent.
— Booklist (starred review) -
Accomplished…elegantly written…a compelling piece of fiction, one that manages to be both superior entertainment and a hard look at serious issues.
— The Washington Post -
“Provocative historical revelations will keep readers enthralled.
— Publishers Weekly
Awards
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A 2004 CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Finalist
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A New York Times bestseller
The Confessor Listener Reviews
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Phil Corbett, 3/13/2024
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Marie Claire Zanatta, 12/23/2022
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Bob, 12/9/2022
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" Allon is a restorer, a protector of the Vatican, and working with a Jewish network. Secrets need to be kept and Allon finds ways to get the job done. I liked it! "
— Nancy, 2/18/2014 -
" fun/interesting page-turner...will probably read more Silva books "
— Beth, 2/15/2014 -
" I read these all out of order, i remember this was the first one I read. "
— Daisy, 2/12/2014 -
" The beginning was a little slow, but once the chase began it became really interesting and suspenseful. "
— Kim, 2/8/2014 -
" The writer's style is engaging and beautiful, showing great promise in the first few chapters. Unfortunately, shortly after this we discover that the book is an unoriginal vendetta novel involving Vatican conspiracies (wow! no one's ever tried THAT angle before!). Only recommended if suspense/revenge novels are your thing. "
— Letitia, 2/6/2014 -
" Will those Nazi sympathizers ever learn to adequately cover their tracks? "
— Jen, 1/31/2014 -
" Not quite as good as the other Gabriel Allon books I have read, but still very enjoyable. "
— Hermien, 1/18/2014 -
" My friend loves this author and gave me a slew of this author's paperbacks, and while I ended up reading them all, I always found them to start iwth great intrigue and leave me feeling dissapointed by the end. Add a star if this kind of book is a genre you love "
— Chuck, 1/18/2014 -
" A fast moving, diverting spy/mystery about an art restorer/Mossad agent trying to solve the murder of a Jewish scholar. "
— Susan, 1/10/2014 -
" Not my very favorite Silva, but very entertaining nonetheless. "
— Amber, 1/8/2014 -
" Good suspense and mystery. Interesting twist between 2 faiths. Disappointed with so many typos. "
— Andy, 12/28/2013 -
" Didn't enjoy it as much as the other Allon novels. I had a hard time following it at points because I had a hard time listening to it. "
— Rick, 12/18/2013 -
" The Catholic Church is always a good mystery "
— Susan, 12/12/2013 -
" a good page turner. The evil Vatican plotted with the Germans to support the Holocaust. Meanwhile an Israeli painting restorer in Venice is really a cold blooded spy. Lots of churn. One week to read this baby. A friend recommended this author. "
— Robert, 12/8/2013 -
" Very Good; Continuing character: Gabriel Allon; when a friend is killed in Germany, Allon begins an investigation and finds that everything seems tied to Roman Catholic actions against Jews during WWII, and finds an ally in the Pope. "
— Joe, 11/12/2013 -
" Marvelous, the best Allon book so far. The religious theme is so trivial on books this days that I was a little preocupied about this one. But Silva developed it so damn well that I couldn't leave it. Highly recommended one. "
— Alexis, 8/28/2013 -
" very interesting theories, hmm wonder if that's all they are. certainly gives plausible explanation for why holy pope would allow jews to go to slaughter without ever speaking out against it. conspiracy works for me. "
— Joy, 6/5/2013 -
" Lots of interesting twists and turns in the plot. Third book of the series, and so far the best. "
— Barbara, 12/26/2012 -
" This was my most favorite book of this series! Loved it! Set in the Vatican, friends with the Pope and his closest confidant, Gabriel is stellar in this story! "
— Coll, 8/19/2012 -
" A very entertaining mystery centered around the Vatican's silence about Nazi atrocities. Silva includes the Pope and Vatican hierarchy as characters. "
— Herzog, 7/15/2012 -
" Really liked the Vatican intrigue. "
— Joanne, 6/30/2012 -
" The confessor will take you back to the Nazi Germany & will keep you mesmerised with every page.. It's a good read "
— Akshi, 6/8/2012 -
" Another good one in Silva's series regarding super agent Gabriel Allon. "
— Al, 4/21/2012 -
" Davinci Code knockoff. Reasonably compelling. Quick read. "
— Zach, 4/8/2012 -
" I really liked this Daniel Silva. His newer books are very racy and have some pretty explicit material in them. This one was really clean besides one scene and a few bad words. I liked the story and it kept me guessing. "
— Julie, 2/14/2012 -
" This is a new author for me but I really liked this book. It kept me guessing. "
— Laura, 2/4/2012 -
" This was the first Silva book I ever ran across, and got me reading all the others. This is actually one of the better ones. "
— Jeanette, 11/24/2011 -
" 3rd in the Gabriel Allon series. "
— Dave, 6/12/2011 -
" Gotova i svida mi se radnja :) "
— Hrvoje, 6/7/2011 -
" No blockbuster, but it kept me interested. I always enjoy the settings and other places that Silva takes you and the pace that these books move. "
— Ray, 5/12/2011 -
" This has been a hit series with the Mystery Book club with most participants reading more even after this month. This particular story revolves around the Vatican during the second world war. "
— Margaret, 5/9/2011 -
" I read these all out of order, i remember this was the first one I read. "
— Daisy, 4/25/2011 -
" Think I enjoyed this one the best. Now on to #4 "
— Maryjo, 4/10/2011 -
" This guy can tell a great story. This is an intelligent series. "
— Mailmanr5, 3/25/2011 -
" Fascinating filled with history and controversy as well "
— Richard, 3/15/2011 -
" The first of his books that I read, and still may favorite. This book is great, and the author is also consistently good. "
— Debbi, 3/6/2011 -
" I really like these books - great travel through Europe, lots of Italy, Germany, art, music, suspense... <br/> <br/>The author 'paints' [sorry] a really great picture of the main character and crafts the story really well. I'll definitely read more. "
— Heather, 3/1/2011 -
" A little complicated/slow to start. Many characters were tough to keep straight, but it did really pick up and get interesting. Great discussion for book club on the Vatican and role of church in political situations. "
— Laurel, 3/1/2011 -
" A wonderful insight into Pope Pius XII's complicity in the Holocaust. The hunt is on for the priest who gave safe passage to Nazis. Gabriel Allon once again finds the way to bring to justice those who threaten the State of Israel. "
— Tanya, 1/24/2011 -
" I was intrigued by Gabriel Allon, and art restorer who doubles as an Israeli intelligence officer. "
— Dick, 1/24/2011 -
" I am really enjoying this author and his character, Gabriel, part-time spy/part-time art restorer. I look forward to the next one. "
— Carol, 1/17/2011
About Daniel Silva
Daniel Silva is the acclaimed author of more than two dozen fiction thrillers that have been #1 New York Times bestsellers and Barry Award winners. He is best known for his long-running series starring spy and art restorer Gabriel Allon. His books are critically acclaimed bestsellers around the world and have been translated into more than thirty languages.
About John Lee
John Lee is the winner of numerous Earphones Awards and the prestigious Audie Award for Best Narration. He has twice won acclaim as AudioFile’s Best Voice in Fiction & Classics. He also narrates video games, does voice-over work, and writes plays. He is an accomplished stage actor and has written and coproduced the feature films Breathing Hard and Forfeit. He played Alydon in the 1963–64 Doctor Who serial The Daleks.