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The Heist A Novel Gabriel Allon Daniel Silva Books

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The Heist A Novel Gabriel Allon Daniel Silva Books

Gabriel Allon is in pursuit of a stolen Caravaggio masterpiece. It all started when Julian Isherwood went to Lake Como to meet with an art dealer, who dealt in stolen artworks, unbeknown to Julian. When Julian arrived at the art dealer's residence, he found him brutally murdered. The General put in charge of the investigation from the art theft squad from Rome, called in Gabriel and made a deal with him. He would keep Julian's name out of the investigation if Gabriel would search for the missing Caravaggio. Gabriel agreed.

The setting for this work moves from place to place, from Venice to London to Geneva to Switzerland to Germany and, of course, to King Saul Boulevard in Jerusalam. Gabriel's pursuit of the Caravaggio shifts to the search for Syrian Muslim terrorists. He gathers his loyal comrades at King Saul Boulevard to assist him in pursuing the Muslim terrorists, and in particular, one Syrian Muslim leader, and the billions of dollars he is hoarding, while his people suffer grievous deprivations; while he tortures some of his Syrian citizens. Gabriel and his team set up a scheme to "borrow" a Van Gogh masterpiece from the famous museum in the Netherlands to entice the Muslim terrorist, who is an ardent collector of stolen artworks. The heist goes smoothly, but to find out how the scheme goes you have to read the book.

"The Heist" is replete with numerous, complex plot developments that delight the reader. This work is beautifully written, and often waxes poetic, which typifies a Daniel Silva work. The action heightens, declines, and then heightens again; yet it reaches an outstanding conclusion. Woven in the early narrative is interesting discourse on the life and times of Caravaggio. Technical discussion, as always, is given on the restoration of a masterpiece, and on the removal of an artwork painted over a masterpiece, which I'm sure is most accurate. All of this holds the interest of the reader.

I sighed sadly when I finished "The Heist," for I know that I won't be able to read a new Gabriel Allon novel for another year or more. Finally, Daniel Silva is one of the best and strongest writers on the literary scene today. Amazon Verified Purchase.


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The Heist A Novel Gabriel Allon Daniel Silva Books Reviews

As a Silva/Allon fan of many years, I thought this was among the best in the series. Typical format--Allon is called away from a restoration project to investigate a brutal murder and to locate a long missing artwork (a Caravaggio altarpiece). All leads point to a thinly disguised Middle Eastern leader and a dirty private bank that launders his immense financial portfolio. The usual team is assembled and goes to work.

The Heist is different from most Allon stories in that very little violence takes place. There is plenty of suspense though.

My favorite aspect of this novel is the insight it provides into the world of stolen art, Middle Eastern politics (Syrian in this case) and European private banks who handle stolen fortunes for international criminals and heads of state. I also enjoyed the travelog element as Allon moves between Italy, Paris, London, Switzerland, Germany and Israel. Most Allon novels provide these elements in various measures, but The Heist does a particularly good job of it.

I heartily recommend The Heist. To say more could be a spoiler.
Well-known spy and art restorer, Gabriel Allon, was in Venice repairing artwork on a Veronese when called upon by General Cesare Ferraro, head of police, concerning the murder of James Jack Bradshaw, in Lake Como, an upscale resort area. Ferraro suspected Gabriel’s longtime friend, English art dealer, Julian Isherwood, as the prime suspect. Unfortunately, Julian is the fall guy. With all expenses paid by an acquaintance, Julian was asked to fly to Italy to view Bradshaw’s artwork.

Bradshaw had a checkered past as a British spy; he secretly smuggled stolen artwork, and sold them to a mysterious collector. According to General Ferraro, included in the stolen paintings was a famous classical painting, Nativity with St. Francis and St. Lawrence, by Caravaggio.

Although Ferraro possessed no proof to indict Julian for Bradshaw’s murder, he pressured Gabriel to find the missing masterpiece to keep his name and Julian’s out of the newspapers. It was unknown that Julian knew the top Israeli spy and sometimes acted on Gabriel’s behalf in clandestine operations. Gabriel wanted to keep this information secret, so he agreed to help Julian.

Gabriel and his wife, Chiara, were expecting their first children, twins. Ferraro promised Gabriel’s wife would be well guarded during his leave. In addition, in a year, Gabriel would advance to Director of the Office in Israel; an agency similar to England’s MI6.

The plot became twofold when Gabriel discovered the missing artwork was being bought as collateral for one of the ruling families in the Middle East and, the banker who purchased the stolen artwork, Waleed al Siddiqi, was a partner in a Weber AG, a private bank in Linz, Austria.

With the help of a French art thief, friends on the Isle of Corsica, MI6, Switzerland, and a constellation of Israeli operatives, Gabriel traveled extensively throughout the Middle East and Europe for this investigation. Through Israeli Financial Investigator Eli Lavon (Herr Adler), Jehan Nawaz, the account manager at Weber AG, was discovered. Eli suspected like him, Jehan feared her boss Waleed al Sidiqqi’s two bodyguards who stood like sentries outside his office.

Jehan was unmarried, thirty-nine, lonely, and although she loved Austria, she lived in what one considered an inherent xenophobic society. One of Gabriel’s operative’s Dina (Ingrid) became her neighbor and friend.

Under a false flag and assumed names, Gabriel and his operatives began a dangerous path that could lead to destruction.

The theme concerned one family dynasty’s murderous rage and brutal force of their people and others, their greed, power, amassed fortunes, hidden monies, and what they used as collateral. In addition, there is the theme of longstanding animosity between the Israelis and Arabs, and how one man proved to save a life overruled an individuals’ ideologies.

My eyes were riveted to this exciting page turner. I particularly liked Gabriel and Nawaz’s character. Silva’s writing is good, stylish, and accessible to all who like mysteries and thrillers.

I gave The Heist five stars.
Gabriel Allon is in pursuit of a stolen Caravaggio masterpiece. It all started when Julian Isherwood went to Lake Como to meet with an art dealer, who dealt in stolen artworks, unbeknown to Julian. When Julian arrived at the art dealer's residence, he found him brutally murdered. The General put in charge of the investigation from the art theft squad from Rome, called in Gabriel and made a deal with him. He would keep Julian's name out of the investigation if Gabriel would search for the missing Caravaggio. Gabriel agreed.

The setting for this work moves from place to place, from Venice to London to Geneva to Switzerland to Germany and, of course, to King Saul Boulevard in Jerusalam. Gabriel's pursuit of the Caravaggio shifts to the search for Syrian Muslim terrorists. He gathers his loyal comrades at King Saul Boulevard to assist him in pursuing the Muslim terrorists, and in particular, one Syrian Muslim leader, and the billions of dollars he is hoarding, while his people suffer grievous deprivations; while he tortures some of his Syrian citizens. Gabriel and his team set up a scheme to "borrow" a Van Gogh masterpiece from the famous museum in the Netherlands to entice the Muslim terrorist, who is an ardent collector of stolen artworks. The heist goes smoothly, but to find out how the scheme goes you have to read the book.

"The Heist" is replete with numerous, complex plot developments that delight the reader. This work is beautifully written, and often waxes poetic, which typifies a Daniel Silva work. The action heightens, declines, and then heightens again; yet it reaches an outstanding conclusion. Woven in the early narrative is interesting discourse on the life and times of Caravaggio. Technical discussion, as always, is given on the restoration of a masterpiece, and on the removal of an artwork painted over a masterpiece, which I'm sure is most accurate. All of this holds the interest of the reader.

I sighed sadly when I finished "The Heist," for I know that I won't be able to read a new Gabriel Allon novel for another year or more. Finally, Daniel Silva is one of the best and strongest writers on the literary scene today. Verified Purchase.