The Messenger

The Messenger, by Daniel Silva

In his ninth novel and sixth in his series featuring Gabriel Allon, Silva shows that he is still writing top-notch political thrillers that can easily engross the reader. In The Messenger, an attack by a Saudi-backed terrorist group on the Vatican not only causes hundreds of civilian deaths, but gravely injures the Pope. Gabriel Allon, the art restorer who also happens to serve the Israeli government as an assassin, is recruited to find the perpetrators of this terrorist action. Interestingly enough, Allon's art expertise becomes a key resource in finding the person that was the mastermind of this crime. What makes Silva's books so intriguing is his timeliness of topics and the absolutely realistic style of writing. Allon's searching out and eliminating this threat to world stability echoes the headlines from current newspapers and well as current events. The Messenger is highly recommended for those who have enjoyed Silva's other books as well as an introduction to the world of Gabriel Allon for those who have not read any of Daniel Silva's books.
-Roy