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Available
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Publication
Putnam Adult (2003), Edition: First Edition, 416 pages
Description
Fiction. Suspense. Thriller. HTML:Dark secrets are revealed in Vatican City in this Gabriel Allon thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Daniel Silva. In Munich, a Jewish scholar is assassinated. In Venice, Mossad agent and art restorer Gabriel Allon receives the news, puts down his brushes, and leaves immediately. And at the Vatican, the new pope vows to uncover the truth about the church�??s response to the Holocaust�??while a powerful cardinal plots his next move. Now, as Allon follows a trail of secrets and unthinkable deeds, the lives of millions are changed forever�??and the life of one man becomes expe
User reviews
LibraryThing member rosalita
Gabriel Allon, our favorite art restorer/Israeli assassin, is back, this time on the hunt for the killer of one of his former colleagues in Israeli espionage. Benjamin was a professor working on a mysterious book at the time of his murder, and Gabriel suspects the killing was an attempt to keep the
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book from being published. The investigation takes him from Munich to Rome to Venice France and back again, as his findings threaten to expose some explosive secrets of the Catholic Church. The plot is complicated and heavy with conspiracy as usual, as well as the copious amounts of gore you can expect when the main character is a professional assassin. Perhaps a little heavy-handed, which keeps it from rising to the level of previous entries in the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member AnnieMod
Sooner or later most of the thriller series that are not domiciled in a single location or country end up with a Vatican/secret society installment. Silva's series had always been a prime candidate for that - and that is exactly what this third novel is.
Meet Mario Delvecchio, a 51 years old
The Italian master is Gabriel Allon, an assassin for the Israeli secret services. Ari Shamron, his ex-boss, knows how to pull the right strings and before long the art is (temporarily) abandoned and Gabriel is racing across Europe. And the pursuit takes him from Rome to London and from France to Germany. Somewhere along the line, he ends up with half of the police force of Europe trying to get him (for various reasons), discovers a secret Catholic society that had been instrumental in some of the decision made by the Popes and meets a Pope - who turns out to be an interesting character. Of course there is a lot more - a beautiful woman, an assassin and an old secret from the early days of WWII.
When I read a book from this series for the first time, I was not sure if I really want to read a series about an assassin. But it somehow works - Allon is not perfect but he does not pretend to be; he kills because it is his job - and he pays the price for it. This book is not an exception (including almost managing to die) and the story is as compelling as the previous two in the series. The plot should not have worked - it is so overused that I was not sure I can read one more book on the topic without being bored. And yet it works - partially because the Jewish and Catholic faith had been the historical counterparts in a long war; partially because Silva can write. Including managing to pull a surprise ending when you do not expect it - one that is not necessarily needed but without it, the book will be incomplete - even if I would not have thought so if it was not there at all.
I can see the end of this book changing some things in the fictional world of Gabriel Allon. I will be interested to see how Silva handles that going forward. And I wonder if we will meat the Pope again - the pair of a Jewish assassin and a Catholic Pope sounds like someone's dream (or nightmare for some people) but the two men are very similar in a lot of ways.
Overall another great book by Daniel Silva.
Meet Mario Delvecchio, a 51 years old
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restorer in Venice, working on a Bellini altarpiece and being his usual lonely self, even when the team that is restoring the rest of the church. Until he gets some news from Munich arrive that is - a friend of his is killed and it seems like the book he had been writing is missing. The Italian master is Gabriel Allon, an assassin for the Israeli secret services. Ari Shamron, his ex-boss, knows how to pull the right strings and before long the art is (temporarily) abandoned and Gabriel is racing across Europe. And the pursuit takes him from Rome to London and from France to Germany. Somewhere along the line, he ends up with half of the police force of Europe trying to get him (for various reasons), discovers a secret Catholic society that had been instrumental in some of the decision made by the Popes and meets a Pope - who turns out to be an interesting character. Of course there is a lot more - a beautiful woman, an assassin and an old secret from the early days of WWII.
When I read a book from this series for the first time, I was not sure if I really want to read a series about an assassin. But it somehow works - Allon is not perfect but he does not pretend to be; he kills because it is his job - and he pays the price for it. This book is not an exception (including almost managing to die) and the story is as compelling as the previous two in the series. The plot should not have worked - it is so overused that I was not sure I can read one more book on the topic without being bored. And yet it works - partially because the Jewish and Catholic faith had been the historical counterparts in a long war; partially because Silva can write. Including managing to pull a surprise ending when you do not expect it - one that is not necessarily needed but without it, the book will be incomplete - even if I would not have thought so if it was not there at all.
I can see the end of this book changing some things in the fictional world of Gabriel Allon. I will be interested to see how Silva handles that going forward. And I wonder if we will meat the Pope again - the pair of a Jewish assassin and a Catholic Pope sounds like someone's dream (or nightmare for some people) but the two men are very similar in a lot of ways.
Overall another great book by Daniel Silva.
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LibraryThing member Olivermagnus
The Confessor by Daniel Silva is the third installment in the fictional adventures of the reluctant Israeli agent Gabriel Allon. Working as art restorer Mario Delvecchio, Allon is called one more time into service to investigate the mysterious murder of his friend Benjamin Stern. As the
At the Vatican, the new pope vows to uncover the truth about the church's response to the Holocaust. Powerful forces, especially the secret society known as the Crux Vera, within the Roman Catholic Church are not happy about the Pope’s initiative and are willing to go to great extremes in order to stop it. Gabriel is pulled into the internal struggle through his investigation which takes him around Europe, discovering the hidden secrets of the past.
This novel is also thought provoking. What was the church’s role during the Holocaust? The story and characters are gripping and I was drawn in from the beginning chapter. The author is very accomplished in presenting his story in an interesting and tightly wrapped manner. I consider the Gabriel Allon series to be one of my very favorite and one I consistently preorder because they just keep getting better and better. I've read the entire series but am currently listening to them in audio, impeccably narrated by John Lee.
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investigation progresses, Allon discovers that Stern has been working on a book, that once published would cause a scandal in the Vatican and do great harm to the Roman Catholic Church. At the Vatican, the new pope vows to uncover the truth about the church's response to the Holocaust. Powerful forces, especially the secret society known as the Crux Vera, within the Roman Catholic Church are not happy about the Pope’s initiative and are willing to go to great extremes in order to stop it. Gabriel is pulled into the internal struggle through his investigation which takes him around Europe, discovering the hidden secrets of the past.
This novel is also thought provoking. What was the church’s role during the Holocaust? The story and characters are gripping and I was drawn in from the beginning chapter. The author is very accomplished in presenting his story in an interesting and tightly wrapped manner. I consider the Gabriel Allon series to be one of my very favorite and one I consistently preorder because they just keep getting better and better. I've read the entire series but am currently listening to them in audio, impeccably narrated by John Lee.
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LibraryThing member utbw42
Another outstanding entry in the Gabriel Allon series by Silva. The history of the Catholic church and its position during the Holocaust made for a fascinating read interwoven with Silva's characters. Great ending too.....
LibraryThing member skinglist
As I felt with Angels & Demons, it's incredibly odd to be reading this book after the death of Pope John Paul II, especially since I think the comments on Lucchesi being a caretaker pope have matched what some have had to say re: the new pope, whose name, I'm ashamed to say, I don't even recall.
As
"'But I was here,' Shamron said with conviction. 'I was always here. And I remember it all.'" I have no idea why, but that got Guns 'n' Roses' (yes, their cover, not the Stones' original recording) version of 'Sympathy for the Devil' in my head. Doesn't fit the plot at all, but it went through my head and stuck.
This book also raised some interesting questions. Yes, it's a novel but the fact remains that the church didn't take much action during the holocaust, which is pretty sad. Whether they truly helped Eichmann escape to Argentina, I don't know, but if they did, I think it's horrible that they aided a known war criminal.
I actually preferred this one to the various Dan Brown books because while it dealt with Crux Vera as a 'secret society' the book didn't get bogged down in conspiracy theories and CV functioned as a part of the story without BEING the story.
As for the end, both with them catching up with the Leopard and Carlo Casagrande's suicide, I was ambivalent. I understood to some extent why the latter had to happen, but I almost wish neither had, I prefer open ended endings.
As
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for the twist in why he wanted to bring the actions to light, I found that amusing. When they first mentioned the little boy asleep in Sr. Regina's lap, I figured him to be someone but for some reason it never clicked that it could be Lucchesi. I smiled when we learnt it though because it was all falling into place. I like it when an author allows that to happen rather than thinking we need a baseball bat to the head to "get" it."'But I was here,' Shamron said with conviction. 'I was always here. And I remember it all.'" I have no idea why, but that got Guns 'n' Roses' (yes, their cover, not the Stones' original recording) version of 'Sympathy for the Devil' in my head. Doesn't fit the plot at all, but it went through my head and stuck.
This book also raised some interesting questions. Yes, it's a novel but the fact remains that the church didn't take much action during the holocaust, which is pretty sad. Whether they truly helped Eichmann escape to Argentina, I don't know, but if they did, I think it's horrible that they aided a known war criminal.
I actually preferred this one to the various Dan Brown books because while it dealt with Crux Vera as a 'secret society' the book didn't get bogged down in conspiracy theories and CV functioned as a part of the story without BEING the story.
As for the end, both with them catching up with the Leopard and Carlo Casagrande's suicide, I was ambivalent. I understood to some extent why the latter had to happen, but I almost wish neither had, I prefer open ended endings.
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LibraryThing member MSWallack
Silva seems to have finally put all of the pieces in place.
LibraryThing member nikitasamuelle
Daniel Silva's Gabriel Allon books are generally good late-night reading on a weekend. While the first half of the book held my interest, I found the denouement abrupt and unsatisfying. It's as if Silva tired of the plot and just wanted to end it. That said, I'll keep reading since I have enjoyed
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the other books in the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member FMRox
Third in Gabriel Allon series we finally get to see some more information about art restoration. However, we are interrupted by Catholicism evil plot to hide WWII treatment of the Jews.
Although, this is a typical fast paced, action packed espionage international series, I'm ready for long rest
Although, this is a typical fast paced, action packed espionage international series, I'm ready for long rest
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after this 3rd novel. The character is sad and flat with no further development. Interesting characters from novels one and two don't return. Romantic interests seem one-sided. The serial plot needs more depth. Show Less
LibraryThing member sergerca
Interesting story but the anti-Catholicism is palpable and grossly misinformed. Looks like Silva read "Hitler's Pope" and didn't question any of it. I'd recommend that he look into the Pave the Way Foundation, a Jewish organization, which, though it didn't set out to, has discovered reams of
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evidence that Pius XII was anything but "Hitler's Pope." Show Less
LibraryThing member indygo88
I'd read a previous Gabriel Allon novel a while back & remember it being a fairly decent read. I could say the same about this one. The story evolves around yet another corruption within the Catholic Church, although also includes the supposed role of this corruption during the Jewish roundup
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during WWII. It was an interesting take, as I'd not really read anything tying these two together before. I listened to the abridged audio, and most of my criticisms may be attributed to that. For me, there were lots of character names that I had trouble keeping track of & I sometimes had trouble remembering if it was a good guy or a bad guy. I was a little disappointed with the climax. The story built up pretty well, but then the climax came all a bit quickly & without so much drama. Again, this may have been due to my reading of the abridged audio. I do think Gabriel Allon is an interesting main character, although character development is sketchy. You get the feeling there's a lot about this guy you don't really know, and it would be nice to see him open up a little. Show Less
LibraryThing member csayban
I have to admit I broke one of my reading rules with The Confessor. Normally, I read a series in order from the beginning. However, The Confessor is the third installment in Daniel Silva’s long running series starring art restorer and sometime Israeli agent Gabriel Allon. Basically it was the
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first in the series that I had on the shelf, and after reading it I very quickly went out and ordered the first two…and all the rest that I didn’t already have waiting on the shelves. Yes, it was that good! Allon writes with a sophisticated style with rich details and deep characters that is missing from most spy craft thrillers. Allon is a troubled agent who wants to put his old life behind him, but he is not cliché. He will be there for his country when the need arises, as it does in The Confessor. The plot is multilayered and unpredictable. The action is intense when it should be without being overdone. Frankly, The Confessor is a perfect example of how to do a thriller the right way. A great story by Daniel Silva and am looking forward to the rest of the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member CMBlaker
Very good. But made me sad to realize the correlation between the Vatican's complacency (at the least!) during WWII & the Holocaust & today's Roman Catholics disillusionment with the Church. Their continuing denials & silence regarding the culpability & errors made during times of world crises, has
The Vatican & Catholic church today are against so many things - birth control, women priests, gay rights, married clergy, abortion, sex education, etc - that as a Catholic, I don't know what they stand for anymore.
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created the cynicism of their followers. It is this continuing archaic stance on most modern "political" issues that's caused so many to turn away from the Church. The Vatican & Catholic church today are against so many things - birth control, women priests, gay rights, married clergy, abortion, sex education, etc - that as a Catholic, I don't know what they stand for anymore.
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LibraryThing member buffalogr
Book #3 in the Gabriel Allon series. These books illuminate complex political, social and racial matters--this one around the Vatican's participation in WWII's holocaust. Who knows how much is true and how much is Silva's fiction? It highlight's one Pope's effort to atone for previous sins and the
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conflict within the bureaucracy. There are bad guys and good guys, sometimes hard to keep apart in the audio version. The plot is multi-layered, building at the end to a bland gunfight you knew had to happen. Show Less
LibraryThing member AnneliM
The writer Benjamin Stern is shot to death in his apartment in Munich. His friend Gabriel Allon is sent to find out why. Stern had collected material about a scandal in the Vatican, concerning complicity in the killing of the Jews during World War II
LibraryThing member raizel
The author's note at the end gives some historical background. At one point I was unhappy about what seemed to be an unnecessary coincidence, but it turned out to be the catalyst for the entire story. In other words, everything comes to a satisfying conclusion. Gabriel Allon is a very good
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assassin. I am reminded of the police in Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series, who don't kill people needlessly and happily, but rather kill people needlessly and then agonize about it. Gabriel does try to minimize the deaths of the less guilty, but he does put himself and others in situations that lead to trouble while trying to locate evildoers. Show Less
LibraryThing member Andrew-theQM
What is not to like with a Gabriel Allon book. This is one of my favourite series, and in each one I have read Daniel Silva tells a great, and believable, story. This book has some history, a mixture of intrigue, politics and religion. This one revolves around the Catholic Church, the Second World
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War and the death of an academic in Germany. This leads to an adventure that takes place right across Europe. It grabs you from the first page and never lets you go. I strongly recommend this book and the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member judithrs
The Confessor. Daniel Silva. 2004. I read a later book in this series about Gabriel Allon sometime during the year and decided to start with the first one and read through the series. Gabriel is an art restorer who is also a member of the Israeli secret unit on counter-terrorism. He is in Venice
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working on an altar piece when a Jewish scholar who is working on a mysterious book is killed. Daniel is called away and eventually uncovers a cabal in the Vatican who is trying to control the Vatican and the pope. They were also responsible for selling out the church to the Nazis. The book is fascinating and exciting. However, the bibliographical sources listed in the back are pretty anti-Vatican so take the “facts” about cooperation with the Nazis with skepticism Show Less
LibraryThing member JosephKing6602
An entertaining thriller full of references to the Pope Pius VII's actions during World War II. Lot of characters from Italy, Germany, and Israel. It was credible enough to prompt me to research what the history surrounding how the Pope was silent during the Holocaust. Story includes reference to
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secret societies embedded within the Vatican. This one called 'Crux Vera' which is supposed to analogous to Opus Dei. This is the second book by Daniel Silva that I have read; and ti was good enough to motivate me to see what else he's written. Show Less
LibraryThing member Olivermagnus
The Confessor by Daniel Silva is the third installment in the fictional adventures of the reluctant Israeli agent Gabriel Allon. Working as art restorer Mario Delvecchio, Allon is called one more time into service to investigate the mysterious murder of his friend Benjamin Stern. As the
At the Vatican, the new pope vows to uncover the truth about the church's response to the Holocaust. Powerful forces, especially the secret society known as the Crux Vera, within the Roman Catholic Church are not happy about the Pope’s initiative and are willing to go to great extremes in order to stop it. Gabriel is pulled into the internal struggle through his investigation which takes him around Europe, discovering the hidden secrets of the past.
This novel is also thought provoking. What was the church’s role during the Holocaust? The story and characters are gripping and I was drawn in from the beginning chapter. The author is very accomplished in presenting his story in an interesting and tightly wrapped manner. I consider the Gabriel Allon series to be one of my very favorite and one I consistently preorder because they just keep getting better and better. I've read the entire series but am currently listening to them in audio, impeccably narrated by John Lee.
Show More
investigation progresses, Allon discovers that Stern has been working on a book, that once published would cause a scandal in the Vatican and do great harm to the Roman Catholic Church. At the Vatican, the new pope vows to uncover the truth about the church's response to the Holocaust. Powerful forces, especially the secret society known as the Crux Vera, within the Roman Catholic Church are not happy about the Pope’s initiative and are willing to go to great extremes in order to stop it. Gabriel is pulled into the internal struggle through his investigation which takes him around Europe, discovering the hidden secrets of the past.
This novel is also thought provoking. What was the church’s role during the Holocaust? The story and characters are gripping and I was drawn in from the beginning chapter. The author is very accomplished in presenting his story in an interesting and tightly wrapped manner. I consider the Gabriel Allon series to be one of my very favorite and one I consistently preorder because they just keep getting better and better. I've read the entire series but am currently listening to them in audio, impeccably narrated by John Lee.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Picathartes
Daniel Silva is such a good writer, but unfortunately I have read "this story" at least a half dozen times before. If you are into the Vatican and the politics and power plays involving the Catholic Church over the centuries, and in particular its history during WWII and their relations with the
Overall I thought the plot was on the weak side. The book started off really slow because Silva had to set up the story with the Vatican and the ensuing intrigue and it never really took off. Parts are great, but then it would drag again as the pieces and characters slowly worked their way to a conclusion.
What I enjoy most about all the Gabriel Allon novels is the art and restoration, and the Israeli intelligence operations as well as the personnel involved. All of that shines in this book as it does in the others. What I didn’t like was the stereotypical secret society stuff, and the real power brokers, and how good versus evil plays out.
Anyway, that said, I don’t rarely get to read a series of novels in order so I can see how many of the elements I did not like were necessary for his later books, the introduction of the characters and such. And there were two or three really good surprises that I did not see coming so for that I bump it up a half star from average to just above average.
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Jews and the Nazis then you should enjoy this book. I, however, didn’t care for it so much. Oh, and did I mention the secret society? (Yes, another one!)Overall I thought the plot was on the weak side. The book started off really slow because Silva had to set up the story with the Vatican and the ensuing intrigue and it never really took off. Parts are great, but then it would drag again as the pieces and characters slowly worked their way to a conclusion.
What I enjoy most about all the Gabriel Allon novels is the art and restoration, and the Israeli intelligence operations as well as the personnel involved. All of that shines in this book as it does in the others. What I didn’t like was the stereotypical secret society stuff, and the real power brokers, and how good versus evil plays out.
Anyway, that said, I don’t rarely get to read a series of novels in order so I can see how many of the elements I did not like were necessary for his later books, the introduction of the characters and such. And there were two or three really good surprises that I did not see coming so for that I bump it up a half star from average to just above average.
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LibraryThing member Rockhead515
Best one I've read yet.
These just keep getting better and better.
These just keep getting better and better.
LibraryThing member theportal2002
This is a very good book. Conspiracy theories a plenty! I'm going to pickup the other two books in the series. The Kill Artist and The English Assasin!
LibraryThing member JudyGibson
Too Dan Brown-y, conspiracy within the Vatican. High body count of course but none of it seems to matter much. Okay, important redemption theme.
Subjects
Awards
Crime Writers' Association Awards (Shortlist — 2004)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2003
Physical description
416 p.; 6.34 inches
ISBN
0399149724 / 9780399149726