An Inside Job

Daniel Silva superbly reprises the twenty-fifth adventure of the iconic Israeli intelligence officer and sometime assassin, Gabriel Allon. His cover story has always involved his supreme talent as an art restorer, a trade he now plies full-time in his beloved Venice. He resides there with his beautiful wife, Chiara, and their adored twins, Raphael and Irene.

Gabriel has been tenaciously working to restore Titian’s The Descent of the Holy Spirit to its natural beauty.

During a coffee break while strolling along the Venetian Lagoon, he notices the body of a young woman floating face down. The Italian police are unable to identify her and request Gabriel’s help in creating a forensic sketch of her face based on her skull X-rays and disfigured features. The murdered woman is soon identified as an American, Penelope Radcliff, who recently completed her art conservator apprenticeship at the Vatican Museum.

Gabriel immediately suspects a connection between her murder and her recent studies at the Vatican.

The pope, His Holiness Luigi Donati, and Gabriel share a deep and trusted friendship forged through Gabriel’s help in several previous sensitive matters. Gabriel is granted permission to initiate a discreet investigation, which soon reveals that an unreported painting is missing from the Vatican storerooms. He surmises this occurred during a suspicious blackout, coinciding with a visit from a mysterious “priest.”

Penelope had reported to her superiors that she suspected a prestigious painting was buried beneath a lackluster Madonna and Child, likely the work of a Raphael imitator. She believed it was a “lost” Leonardo da Vinci. Giorgio Montefiore, a “Leonardo” expert, assessed the painting and cast doubt on its provenance—though he privately suspected it was the real thing. His greed set in motion a criminal conspiracy that led to the murder of not only Penelope but also Montefiore.

Caught in this web of deceit is the nefarious Cardinal Matteo Bertoli, the sostituto responsible for the Vatican’s financial affairs, and his corrupt dealings with illicit bankers and financiers. All paths ultimately lead to the notorious criminal organization known as the Camorra and its Swiss banking arm, which launders vast sums of money. Gabriel must construct a complex plan with multiple moving parts to recover the painting before it is sold and lost forever. This endeavor calls for the help of many of his beloved associates, who admirably reprise their roles in this intricate plot.

Daniel Silva proves once again to be a masterful storyteller as he weaves multiple plotlines together with escalating tension and intrigue. He explores, with no holds barred, the often-corrupt financial dealings of the Vatican and the dark underbelly of the art world. The FBI has documented that 90 percent of all museum heists involve an inside component. This fictional account evokes memories of real historical scandals—such as that of Cardinal Giovanni Becciu, who was convicted of embezzlement and fraud in 2023.

Silva’s denouement explodes with a barrage of bullets that endanger multiple key players in St. Peter’s Square. He remains a master of international intrigue and suspense.

Thanks to HarperCollins Publishers for providing an advance copy of this gem in exchange for an honest review. Already looking forward to his twenty-sixth novel