“A very wise man once told me that hope is not an acceptable strategy when lives are at stake.”This is the 11th novel in Mr. Silva’s Gabriel Allon series, and although some of the books are formulaic, I find if I read one every so often I don’t get too annoyed with it.In “Portrait of a Spy” Silva has strong words for a Europe that he clearly thinks has been foolish in its handling of Islamic terrorism. I have noticed calling out of Europe pops up in a couple of his book thus far. This book was p...

This is another spy novel in the Gabriel Allon series. It is excellent, like all the others in the series. My only complaint is that it is starting to feel a little repetitious. Here again, Allon sends a willing female into the lion's den of a known terrorist. The purpose is to make an identification of the terrorist mastermind, in order to ensure that the correct person is assassinated. Here, the terrorist uses some of the same confusion-causing tactics as in at least one of the other books. On...

Yesssssss! Another Gabriel Allon book.I wonder how Silva will top himself this time. The last two were the best in the series. Untoppable?

I have enjoyed all of the Gabriel Allon books but this is one of my favorites. I like that the main character uses the restoration of famous art to atone for the things that he has to do for his country. The events in Daniel Silva's books are very relevant to current affairs which makes his books very believable. BTW - I have read the series out of order and I still enjoyed it.

*Rating* 4*Genre* Thriller*Review*Gabriel Allon is known around the world as the angel of vengeance, and an international operative who has worked for the Israeli Intelligence machine called the Office, since 1972. He is a man who will stop at nothing to see justice done even if it puts his own life at risk. After the events that occurred during The Rembrandt Affair, Allon has finally decided to retire from the Office. He is living the quiet life in Cornwall, England as an art restorer along wit...

A pretty typical Gabriel Allon story. He starts out minding his own business, then something triggers a reaction or a situation comes up that needs his expertise, he organizes an almost perfect operation that seems infallible, something goes wrong, he almost dies, but comes through in the end. Then there's the strong bias against the terrorists who cause all the problems for no reason other than historic hatred of Israel, a purely innocent country who does nothing to provoke them.Now, don't get

Silva again justifies my claim that he is today's best writer of international intrigue. He is to our world of jihad what Ludlum and Le Carre were to the cold war -- unrivaled. Not only does he write "ahead of the headlines" but imbues this struggle with courage and character in the face of unspeakable evil. Unlike Clancy and Flynn, Daniel Silva writes of a world which is more complex and nuanced than a testosterone tempest.His lead is Gabriel Allon, an art restorer and at-large agent of Israeli...

Is it my imagination or have I read this book before. Actually, I have not, but the plot is nothing to write home about. Its not that I am tired of Silva's ability to write because he still remains a great read, but the plots are a tad tired, and the characters are looking a little frayed around the edges.I liked the book, but its too similar. Formulaic in the extreme.Silva may be a master of espionage, but his stories are depressingly the same.

This is the 11th Gabriel Allon novel from Silva, and it is very good. At the same time, when you've done ten previous titles in a series, then it's easy for things to start to seem repetitive and derivative of previous outings, and that's once again the problem here. The last time around, the problem was surmounted by a particularly good plot line, but this one takes a bit of a step back on the plot front, making the more formulaic aspects of things more noticeable. Perhaps some of it is because...

Another good Silva thriller. So far, he seems able to keep adding new wrinkles to his set of characters and issues. Silva has a unique way of building tension even when you suspect what is about to happen. This one had some plot surprises. Silva's descriptions of places and great art is also as excellent as always.

I am resuming reading Gabriel Allon after a break where I was reading only indie authors for a month. What a relief to come back to something familiar and well written. The story is similar to its predecessors and the beats are the same. But, the book is so much fun that you never get bored.

The perfect companion for a quick cross-country 32-hour round trip (with, of course, some work, a nice dinner, and a little sleep squeezed in too).... I continue to find that Silva's Gabriel Allon series meets my needs - convenient, voluminous serial fiction that keeps me interested and entertained without over-taxing my concentration - when I travel. As for this installment, a few random observations: I enjoyed the title - I admit I didn't see it coming, and that, as a result, I found it somewh...

I read it again! First time, March 2018! So complex and so much depth! I think I only comprehend a fraction of the political machinations. I was clueless as to the one who betrayed Nadia and Gabriel.... quite a lot of cast of characters to keep straight. And, I couldn’t grasp how art played into this one... other than the donations of Nadia’s collection revealed at the end of the book. Hmmm. Obviously, one can not skim or scan! My bad. Even so, Mr. Silva’s writing is politically enlightening how...

Europe is in an economic recession and it is flooded with refugees who cannot speak the language of their new nations and who have difficulty finding work that will pay enough to support their families, or even a single person. In this post 9/11 world refugees inhabit areas around Europe’s cities and some mosques are centers of religious radicalism where young men are recruited to terrorize the West. Portrait of a Spy (Gabriel Allon Series, Book 11) by Daniel Silva deals with an environment we r...

Gabriel Allon, Mossad Officer extraordinaire, has decided to retire from the espionage business. He and his wife, Chiara, nestle into a faintly reclusive life in a small British community. Allon, however, cannot get away from his past. No matter how many paintings he restores, restoring normalcy in his own life escapes him and he finds himself again at the center of terrorism's storm.I love Silva's novels. They were my introduction into the thriller genre, and I look forward to them so eagerly t...

I am a Gabriel Allon fan and love to read these books. As ever, Silva doesn't disappoint as the book opens to bombings across Europe with the threat of violence moving towards the US. A new wave of terrorists has emerged and Israeli assassin/ art restorer Gabriel Allon must step in with his team to find the people responsible. Recruiting billionaire business woman Nadia al-Bakari means Gabriel must confront his past and try to protect Nadia from discovery.I particularly enjoyed the detailed expo...