When word gets to Israeli intelligence that terrorists are plotting to destroy the Vatican they turn to one of their own to stop the carnage. In The Messenger we are once again reunited with our favorite Israeli special agent. Although exhausted from his last assignment involving another terrorist threat, Gabriel Allon doesn't see a way out of accepting this next job. After coming under scrutiny by French authorities for a bombing that occurred during the showdown with his last antagonist; he can either hide in his homeland the rest of his life or accept a desk job. This discovery of pictures on the computer of a now dead operator within al-Qaeda has opened a third door for Allon, and he waltzes on through.
Having sounded the alarm to his friend in the Vatican, Monsignor Luigi Donati, he travels to Italy. Neither man realizes that the trap is already set. The holy walls have already been penetrated by those who would see its destruction. Combing slowly through the clues and evidence, Allon and his fellow intelligence agents carefully piece together the terrorist plot. With the major player appearing to be Abdul Aziz al-Bakari things get even more complicated. He is an art collector, politically connected, rich and considered untouchable by their allies in the west.
Allon takes on the task the CIA asks of him. Find al-Bakari, become part of his organization and bring him down. With his background in the restoration of art and help from art curator Sarah Bancroft, he sets out to stop the threat. Traveling from London, across the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean, they find themselves in a struggle for their lives. With friend and teacher, Ari Shamron critically injured by the very group he is hunting; Allon will need all of his skill and ingenuity in order to break the most powerful terrorist he has come up against.
While working as a journalist for CNN, author Daniel Silva penned his first novel which quickly became a bestseller. He has not looked back since. After introducing part-time spy and art restorer Gabriel Allon in his fourth novel, the hero showed up in nine more books and quickly became popular with readers. Born in Michigan, Silva met his wife Jamie Gangel while reporting on the war between Iran and Iraq. With his books published in over 30 languages, he is considered by many to be one of America's leading authors of spy novels.
"Very interesting read. I had never read Silva before, but his writing style is very good, and the plot engaging. Although a work of fiction, there is some underlying truth in that Silve presents in the book, which he describes more fully in the postscript."
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Sera (4 out of 5 stars)