The Heist by Daniel Silva

I haven't read any Silva for awhile, no particular reason, just haven't gotten any in my to be read pile.   This rendition is particularly poignant after having read Zack Love's The Syrian Virgin.  The plight of the Syrian people is the back drop for this thriller.   Gabriel Allon is back once more and surprisingly less violent in this book.

The current events aspect of this book was hard to ignore.   The events in Syria keep grabbing the headlines and one can only hope that there are operations such as this occurring.   I'm struck by the tribal and religious aspects of the middle east violence.   It is difficult for Americans to understand the depths of feeling and atrocity that occur due to differing accents and religions.   I just can't picture Baptists laying waste to Lutheran Synods or good ole' boys attacking the Boston beaneries.   However in the tumultuous kettle of Middle East,  hatred is having a bull market base superficially on tribal and religious differences.  

This book suggests that not only are the obvious reasons from above responsible for the reprehensible regime behavior but that simple old fashion greed is also a major motivating factor.  As an aside,  CBS news mentioned just this week the reputed wealth of Vladimir Putin as a motivating factor for his behavior. 

The book is a fast moving, with good character development and insights into the less savory side of the art world.

I highly recommend.

Site:  http://danielsilvabooks.com/books/the-heist/

 This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.