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Gabriel Allon #3
The Confessor
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 expendable...
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 expendable...
416 pages, Paperback
First published February 24, 2003
About the author
Daniel Silva
116 books9,967 followersDaniel Silva was born in Michigan in 1960 and raised in California where he received his BA from Fresno State. Silva began his writing career as a journalist for United Press International (UPI), traveling in the Middle East and covering the Iran-Iraq war, terrorism and political conflicts. From UPI he moved to CNN, where he eventually became executive producer of its Washington-based public policy programming. In 1994 he began work on his first novel, The Unlikely Spy, a surprise best seller that won critical acclaim. He turned to writing full time in 1997 and all of his books have been New York Times/national best sellers, translated into 25 languages and published across Europe and the world. He lives in Washington, D.C.
Series:
* Michael Osbourne
* Gabriel Allon
Series:
* Michael Osbourne
* Gabriel Allon
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,655 reviews
March 30, 2018
"He wanted to be a statesman when what the world needed most was a priest."
I tore thru this novel. Read it in a day or so. This is the third novel in Mr. Silva's Gabriel Allon series, and the best of the three so far. Don't get me wrong, this is not great literature. However, it is decently written, has a great premise that has some basis in historical fact, and brings together facets of the Jewish state, the Holocaust, and the Vatican. There is a lot of hay to be made from those ingredients.
When it comes to thriller's Mr Silva is one of the best I have come across for pacing. I found this text less eye roll inducing than its predecessor, although it is just as formulaic as the first two. But if the formula works for its intended purpose is there a need to redo it? A Jewish spy has to save the Pope from those within the Church who would hurt him. Come on...that's fun.
I will continue to read through the series. I guess that says enough.
I tore thru this novel. Read it in a day or so. This is the third novel in Mr. Silva's Gabriel Allon series, and the best of the three so far. Don't get me wrong, this is not great literature. However, it is decently written, has a great premise that has some basis in historical fact, and brings together facets of the Jewish state, the Holocaust, and the Vatican. There is a lot of hay to be made from those ingredients.
When it comes to thriller's Mr Silva is one of the best I have come across for pacing. I found this text less eye roll inducing than its predecessor, although it is just as formulaic as the first two. But if the formula works for its intended purpose is there a need to redo it? A Jewish spy has to save the Pope from those within the Church who would hurt him. Come on...that's fun.
I will continue to read through the series. I guess that says enough.
May 8, 2021
Daniel Silva's The Confessor, #3 in the Gabriel Allon series, is another better than average spy thriller. Mixing fact with fiction, Silva researches, questions, imagines and finally creates a story that stimulates and entertains. And I think that's why I like this series as much as I do. I was going to call it my guilty pleasure, but hell, i don't feel guilty.
Gabriel Allon, renowned art restorer and reluctant agent for Israeli intelligence is called in to investigate the murder of Benjamin Stern, a Jewish history professor and friend of Gabriels. He learns that Stern had been commissioned to write a book, a very revelatory one, that if finished and published could shine a new light on the Holocaust, creating a shit storm in its wake.
Intricately plotted, with a multitude of characters, from spies, assassins and journalists to nuns, cardinals and the supreme pontiff himself, the story crisscrosses Europe and ventures into the very heart of the Vatican.
Educational, enlightening, entertaining, I look forward to more Gabriel Allon
3.75 stars
Gabriel Allon, renowned art restorer and reluctant agent for Israeli intelligence is called in to investigate the murder of Benjamin Stern, a Jewish history professor and friend of Gabriels. He learns that Stern had been commissioned to write a book, a very revelatory one, that if finished and published could shine a new light on the Holocaust, creating a shit storm in its wake.
Intricately plotted, with a multitude of characters, from spies, assassins and journalists to nuns, cardinals and the supreme pontiff himself, the story crisscrosses Europe and ventures into the very heart of the Vatican.
Educational, enlightening, entertaining, I look forward to more Gabriel Allon
3.75 stars
March 19, 2013
I don't normally go for thriller spycraft fiction, but I confess I am totally addicted to Silva's spy novels about an Israeli assassin/spy and part-time art restorer named Gabriel Allon. The first book was written in 2000 and the latest in 2012 and in that time span, Silva draws a geopolitical arc starting with Nazi wartime crimes and the complicity of the Vatican and the Swiss in Nazi wartime looting. Then to the Palestinian conflict, Black September and the rise of Islamic fundamentalism. And after that, the end of the Cold War and the emergence of the Russian oligarchs. After that, 9/11, the war on terror, and the Arab Spring. Even the IRA had some chapters devoted to it. Probably the only incendiary current event not touched is North Korea, but that's because Gabriel Allon is a Europhile at heart.
I read all 12 books completely out of sequence but it wasn't a problem as each stood on its own. In fact, by reading the books completely out of order, I had the added pleasure of discovering the genesis of relationships between various characters after bonds were formed later on in the series.
Gabriel Allon is way sexier than James Bond.
I read all 12 books completely out of sequence but it wasn't a problem as each stood on its own. In fact, by reading the books completely out of order, I had the added pleasure of discovering the genesis of relationships between various characters after bonds were formed later on in the series.
Gabriel Allon is way sexier than James Bond.
June 7, 2018
Very terrific! This series does well with the exploration of wounds of people through history and the deception and violence used to keep the past buried. As a Catholic, I felt particular empathy with this particular case of Allon’s. My view of the Holy See has always been one of benevolence, and although I always knew that it had some skeletons in its closet, it was never something I went out of my way to read up on. Although this was fiction, it was in a way pretty eye-opening and introduced me to a newer perspective on the Church. A magnificent series!
November 28, 2025
This is an almost perfectly plotted spy thriller. I enjoyed the incorporation of art and Vatican history. The characters get more depth with each subsequent book in the series.
May 20, 2015
Excellent Intellectual Intrigue - 4
Gabriel Allon is not the typical spy and assassin. I have enjoyed the intelligent tone of these books and the complex political, social and racial matters the stories discuss. The third installment of the series continues in this vein.
I enjoyed this nearly as much as the last book in the series but the subplot and resolution of the story was far too similar to the previous installment. Because of this, the book lost a star in my rating. Additionally, there has become a pattern in the stories of new love interests with each subsequent book. After a while this will become tiresome. Here's to hoping that does not happen.
Early in the book we learn that underlying intrigue in the story will focus on secrets in the Vatican. Ever since the Da Vinci Code, everybody and their dog has written a story dealing with the catholic church and their lies/cover ups and secrets. For what its worth, this book was published one year before the Dan Brown novel. That said, the involvement of the Catholic Church in the story is much different that the recent novels and deal with real, historical issues between the Jews and the Catholic Church. Here is an excellent
Gabriel Allon is not the typical spy and assassin. I have enjoyed the intelligent tone of these books and the complex political, social and racial matters the stories discuss. The third installment of the series continues in this vein.
I enjoyed this nearly as much as the last book in the series but the subplot and resolution of the story was far too similar to the previous installment. Because of this, the book lost a star in my rating. Additionally, there has become a pattern in the stories of new love interests with each subsequent book. After a while this will become tiresome. Here's to hoping that does not happen.
Early in the book we learn that underlying intrigue in the story will focus on secrets in the Vatican. Ever since the Da Vinci Code, everybody and their dog has written a story dealing with the catholic church and their lies/cover ups and secrets. For what its worth, this book was published one year before the Dan Brown novel. That said, the involvement of the Catholic Church in the story is much different that the recent novels and deal with real, historical issues between the Jews and the Catholic Church. Here is an excellent
December 8, 2016
I admire Mr. Silva's writing more with every novel he pins that feature Gabriel Allon. I realize I have not appreciated them all the same, but that's because some are better than others. 9 of 10 stars
September 8, 2019
Book 3 in Gabriel Allon series.
An interesting tale concerning the Holy Roman Catholic Church’s involvement, or lack there of, in the treatment of the Jewish people during the 2nd World War.
After a period of some 50 years after the wars ending the, now, newly appointed Pope has decided to make available all the highly secret and highly damaging files pertaining to the Church’s involvement in the Jewish solution during WW2.
This decision does not go down well with the far right of the church who now feels that this threat to the good name of the church must be removed and are prepared to go to great lengths to achieve this aim.
People start dying; not least of them is a highly regarded Jewish academic. The Israeli intelligence agency wants to know why and to that end Gabriel Allon is summonsed from his art restoration work in Venice to get to the bottom of it.
What unfolds is a story of supreme corruption from within the Vatican. Death is in the air for the Jewish academic is not the only casualty there is also two dead priests and a dead nun.
As Gabriel Allon closes in on the cancer with the Vatican, a hired assassin is closing in on Gabriel, which makes for thrilling reading.
In an ironic twist the Israeli Intelligence Agency now finds itself desperately trying to protect the life of the Pope.
A really entertaining spy type thriller and I gave it a 4 star recommendation.
An interesting tale concerning the Holy Roman Catholic Church’s involvement, or lack there of, in the treatment of the Jewish people during the 2nd World War.
After a period of some 50 years after the wars ending the, now, newly appointed Pope has decided to make available all the highly secret and highly damaging files pertaining to the Church’s involvement in the Jewish solution during WW2.
This decision does not go down well with the far right of the church who now feels that this threat to the good name of the church must be removed and are prepared to go to great lengths to achieve this aim.
People start dying; not least of them is a highly regarded Jewish academic. The Israeli intelligence agency wants to know why and to that end Gabriel Allon is summonsed from his art restoration work in Venice to get to the bottom of it.
What unfolds is a story of supreme corruption from within the Vatican. Death is in the air for the Jewish academic is not the only casualty there is also two dead priests and a dead nun.
As Gabriel Allon closes in on the cancer with the Vatican, a hired assassin is closing in on Gabriel, which makes for thrilling reading.
In an ironic twist the Israeli Intelligence Agency now finds itself desperately trying to protect the life of the Pope.
A really entertaining spy type thriller and I gave it a 4 star recommendation.
December 27, 2019
A Great Thriller
A fast paced story of Vatican intrigue, with the Pope and other lives hanging in the balance.
Great characters that are easy to relate with. Accurate in Roman Catholic detail.
This is the best of the series thus far.
A fast paced story of Vatican intrigue, with the Pope and other lives hanging in the balance.
Great characters that are easy to relate with. Accurate in Roman Catholic detail.
This is the best of the series thus far.
June 25, 2026
Thriller dosmilero típico, de esos con conspiraciones, sociedades secretas y el Vaticano como tema de cajón. Conforme iba leyendo me dio la impresión de que ya lo había leído alguna vez y es bastante posible, puesto que solía ser muy fan de este tipo de libros en aquella época.
Pese al tiempo transcurrido desde su publicación, sigue cumpliendo con darnos acción, intriga y mucho entretenimiento. Sin embargo, también es verdad que el autor resulta muy insistente en exponer su ideología, victimizando o villanizando según su conveniencia y resulta chocante.
Pese al tiempo transcurrido desde su publicación, sigue cumpliendo con darnos acción, intriga y mucho entretenimiento. Sin embargo, también es verdad que el autor resulta muy insistente en exponer su ideología, victimizando o villanizando según su conveniencia y resulta chocante.
May 13, 2019
This is another excellent entry in the Gabriel Allon series. As always, there is a holocaust-nazi connection but this time the Vatican is also involved in it. I was getting the Day of the Jackal vibes when I was reading it.
January 14, 2026
Since I don't keep track of the quantity of books in a series I've read, suffice it to say that I've enjoyed many of these. Silva is a skilled mystery author whose grasp of pacing, plots and suspense is unrivaled as is the creation of Gabriel Allon, master spy, art restorer and assassin.
When compared to others, this is one of the few whose plot is predictable and tedious with an equally disappointing outcome. Put simply while Allon is restoring an alter piece, the Office contacts him about the disappearance of a long time friend and renown investigative journalist. Upon arrival Gabriel finds he's been murdered and learns he'd been working on an eye opening story that threatened a secret Vatican organization known as Crux Vera.
As typical in the series we're taken from Venice to Rome, and numerous other locations as Allon launches the murder investigation. The B plot is associated with the head of Vatican security whose involvement in Crux Vera results in hiring an assassin known as the Leopard to take out Allon and potentially the Pope. Similar to some others in the series, the plot illuminates a fictional story of how the Vatican shielded Nazi's and supported the genocide of Jews.
While mysteries are low on my preference list, I felt pacing was lackluster as well as the plot. That said, of all in the series I've read, I'd recommend you select later episodes where the plots and pacing are superior to this. Writing is art and individual tastes vary
When compared to others, this is one of the few whose plot is predictable and tedious with an equally disappointing outcome. Put simply while Allon is restoring an alter piece, the Office contacts him about the disappearance of a long time friend and renown investigative journalist. Upon arrival Gabriel finds he's been murdered and learns he'd been working on an eye opening story that threatened a secret Vatican organization known as Crux Vera.
As typical in the series we're taken from Venice to Rome, and numerous other locations as Allon launches the murder investigation. The B plot is associated with the head of Vatican security whose involvement in Crux Vera results in hiring an assassin known as the Leopard to take out Allon and potentially the Pope. Similar to some others in the series, the plot illuminates a fictional story of how the Vatican shielded Nazi's and supported the genocide of Jews.
While mysteries are low on my preference list, I felt pacing was lackluster as well as the plot. That said, of all in the series I've read, I'd recommend you select later episodes where the plots and pacing are superior to this. Writing is art and individual tastes vary
July 24, 2009
an outstanding Gabriel Allon story from 2003 ... worth re-reading ... as always, Silva addresses real issues in his fiction, in this case, the actions of the Catholic Church during the Holocaust and their continued refusal to open their archives to disclose what Pope Pius XII ready did and said. Both Pius' behavior and the closing of the archives are a disgrace according to Silva, and I concur.
ps ... This is also the story where Gabriel meets Chiara.
ps ... This is also the story where Gabriel meets Chiara.
October 18, 2017
Daniel Silva's third novel in his Gabriel Allon series takes place mainly in Rome, where a new (fictional) Pope has plans to reveal the complicity between the Catholic Church and the Nazis during WWII as regards the Final Solution. It is a gripping and well-written thriller.
I am enjoying this series because it gives me insight into the Jewish point of view, at least as regards the Israeli secret service. Truthfully, as I have learned in the many spy thrillers I have read, the secret service of any nation at any time is about as reliable as the governments of the countries served. Dirty deeds and assassinations, carried out in the interests of power and domination, not always based on completely accurate intelligence or good foresight, make for moral ambiguity by the bucketload.
As it turns out, a controversy has been raging for years in real life between the Catholic Church and Israel as to the role of the Vatican in forwarding the aims of Hitler's Third Reich. The official line of the Church, to this day, is a denial of any complicity in the Holocaust while certain Israeli officials work to expose it.
Naturally, Daniel Silva has told the Israeli side of the story. Given that the persecution of Jews has gone on for centuries, I am inclined to believe his version. Read it and decide for yourself if you are interested.
I am enjoying this series because it gives me insight into the Jewish point of view, at least as regards the Israeli secret service. Truthfully, as I have learned in the many spy thrillers I have read, the secret service of any nation at any time is about as reliable as the governments of the countries served. Dirty deeds and assassinations, carried out in the interests of power and domination, not always based on completely accurate intelligence or good foresight, make for moral ambiguity by the bucketload.
As it turns out, a controversy has been raging for years in real life between the Catholic Church and Israel as to the role of the Vatican in forwarding the aims of Hitler's Third Reich. The official line of the Church, to this day, is a denial of any complicity in the Holocaust while certain Israeli officials work to expose it.
Naturally, Daniel Silva has told the Israeli side of the story. Given that the persecution of Jews has gone on for centuries, I am inclined to believe his version. Read it and decide for yourself if you are interested.
July 31, 2018
Thousands of Jews were saved from the Holocaust by Catholic priests, nuns, and laypeople who, out of the goodness of their hearts, offered safe harbor and protection at the risk of being caught and killed by roving gangs of Nazis. These were people simply following their hearts. Imagine, however, the dramatic turn in history if the Catholic Church, as led by the Vatican, had issued an official decree to all Catholic parishes to open their doors to Jewish refugees. Imagine if the opposite had happened: the Vatican decreed that Jews must be turned away or, worse, reported to the nearest Nazi authorities.
The truth is, in some ways, far worse. The Catholic Church made no official decrees either way. The Vatican essentially did nothing, favoring a policy of closing their eyes and ears to the Holocaust in the hopes that it would all just go away.
This is the premise of Daniel Silva’s 2003 novel “The Confessor”, the fourth book in his series featuring his extremely human hero, Gabriel Allon, a former Israeli spy now turned art restorer who is reluctantly called back on occasion to do jobs that no other operative is willing or able to do.
The plot: When a Jewish college professor named Stern is murdered in his home in Munich, Allon is sent in undercover to investigate. Stern was, like Allon, an Israeli agent, so Allon immediately doubts the veracity of the official police report. The crime scene was made to look like a hate crime perpetrated by Nazi skinheads, but Allon suspects something more.
His investigation eventually leads him to an old church in the countryside that may have played a vital role in the war. Allon discovers links to both Germany and Vatican City, a conspiracy that, if discovered, would have ramifications for both Catholics and Jews around the world. Standing in his way are assassins that are part of a secret society within the Catholic Church, one that is so secret it is considered a myth.
If you think this sounds familiar, it’s because it has eerily similar earmarks to Dan Brown’s novels, “Angels & Demons” and “The Da Vinci Code”, both of which were published prior to Silva’s novel (2000 and 2003, respectively).
Apparently, Brown opened the door for a whole slew of books that were highly critical of, and in some cases, downright unfairly vicious towards, the Catholic Church. Arguably, some would say the church deserved the criticism.
In the case of Silva’s novel, the criticism is valid. Although it is fictionalized, the issues the book raises are issues that the church are still dealing with---the “neutrality” of the church during World War II, the actions (or inactions) of then-Pope Pius XII, the heroic actions of thousands of Catholics but the equally horrific Anti-Semitic and Nazi-sympathetic actions of many other Catholics. Silva is not trying to cruelly excoriate the church. He is merely pointing out an inconvenient truth that many Catholics within the Vatican hierarchy would like to see swept under the rug.
As always, Silva’s book is suspenseful, action-packed, and thought-provoking.
The truth is, in some ways, far worse. The Catholic Church made no official decrees either way. The Vatican essentially did nothing, favoring a policy of closing their eyes and ears to the Holocaust in the hopes that it would all just go away.
This is the premise of Daniel Silva’s 2003 novel “The Confessor”, the fourth book in his series featuring his extremely human hero, Gabriel Allon, a former Israeli spy now turned art restorer who is reluctantly called back on occasion to do jobs that no other operative is willing or able to do.
The plot: When a Jewish college professor named Stern is murdered in his home in Munich, Allon is sent in undercover to investigate. Stern was, like Allon, an Israeli agent, so Allon immediately doubts the veracity of the official police report. The crime scene was made to look like a hate crime perpetrated by Nazi skinheads, but Allon suspects something more.
His investigation eventually leads him to an old church in the countryside that may have played a vital role in the war. Allon discovers links to both Germany and Vatican City, a conspiracy that, if discovered, would have ramifications for both Catholics and Jews around the world. Standing in his way are assassins that are part of a secret society within the Catholic Church, one that is so secret it is considered a myth.
If you think this sounds familiar, it’s because it has eerily similar earmarks to Dan Brown’s novels, “Angels & Demons” and “The Da Vinci Code”, both of which were published prior to Silva’s novel (2000 and 2003, respectively).
Apparently, Brown opened the door for a whole slew of books that were highly critical of, and in some cases, downright unfairly vicious towards, the Catholic Church. Arguably, some would say the church deserved the criticism.
In the case of Silva’s novel, the criticism is valid. Although it is fictionalized, the issues the book raises are issues that the church are still dealing with---the “neutrality” of the church during World War II, the actions (or inactions) of then-Pope Pius XII, the heroic actions of thousands of Catholics but the equally horrific Anti-Semitic and Nazi-sympathetic actions of many other Catholics. Silva is not trying to cruelly excoriate the church. He is merely pointing out an inconvenient truth that many Catholics within the Vatican hierarchy would like to see swept under the rug.
As always, Silva’s book is suspenseful, action-packed, and thought-provoking.
November 3, 2013
I think it's interesting how each book treats one subject important to the world's (or Europe's) Jews and/or modern-day Israel. The last one was about the Swiss banks' role in and after the Holocaust and its plundering of Europe's Jews (along with the Nazis' physical elimination of them), this one about the Vatican and Pope Pius XII. I also liked the general plot of this one, although there are some parts I find a bit hard to believe in. They're details, but still annoying. Like, towards the end, when the two assassins get away on a motorcycle. Hard to believe they'd waste time on changing the driver only in order to have "less important character" ride on the back so that she could be killed instead of "more important character", who was made to drive the bike... of course, it serves the plot, but it makes no sense.
And again, not enough detail in the final chapter, when "most important assassin" gets his due. How did Gabriel find him? Did I miss something? I want to know. Spy novels should be like good caper movies: lots of details, no unsolved "how did they do that" questions, they don't need to be realistic, but I need to believe in the story within its own fictional universe. Sometimes, Silva fails in the latter. Shame, because with a bit more working-out, making his novels perhaps 50 pages longer, he'd earn an extra star from me.
It's still decent entertainment, and the characters are enjoyable, although the "yet another beautiful girl falls in love with Gabriel Allon" theme is getting a bit old now. He's not James Bond. I want to see HIM fall in love with a girl who doesn't want him. Or something. Just give me something I can't guess on first sight.
And again, not enough detail in the final chapter, when "most important assassin" gets his due. How did Gabriel find him? Did I miss something? I want to know. Spy novels should be like good caper movies: lots of details, no unsolved "how did they do that" questions, they don't need to be realistic, but I need to believe in the story within its own fictional universe. Sometimes, Silva fails in the latter. Shame, because with a bit more working-out, making his novels perhaps 50 pages longer, he'd earn an extra star from me.
It's still decent entertainment, and the characters are enjoyable, although the "yet another beautiful girl falls in love with Gabriel Allon" theme is getting a bit old now. He's not James Bond. I want to see HIM fall in love with a girl who doesn't want him. Or something. Just give me something I can't guess on first sight.
March 8, 2015
Terceiro Allon
Livro número três da saga de Daniel Silva, utilizando os predicados do seu antecessor, focado naquilo a que se propõe, sem divagações excessivas.
Recorre-se de um enclave extremamente explorado, quiçá ao quase ponto de exaustão, mas de alguma forma afasta-se dos lugares comuns. Talvez por isso, para mim, tenha resultado numa leitura agradável com (esporádicas) passagens surpreendentes.
Não será certamente o melhor livro de Gabriel Allon, nem tão pouco o seu pior. Cumpre.
Apenas um homem destroçado poderá ser um verdadeiro restaurador (de arte).
Nota: 3.5/5.0
Livro número três da saga de Daniel Silva, utilizando os predicados do seu antecessor, focado naquilo a que se propõe, sem divagações excessivas.
Recorre-se de um enclave extremamente explorado, quiçá ao quase ponto de exaustão, mas de alguma forma afasta-se dos lugares comuns. Talvez por isso, para mim, tenha resultado numa leitura agradável com (esporádicas) passagens surpreendentes.
Não será certamente o melhor livro de Gabriel Allon, nem tão pouco o seu pior. Cumpre.
Apenas um homem destroçado poderá ser um verdadeiro restaurador (de arte).
Nota: 3.5/5.0
January 19, 2017
Daniel SilvaInteresting and very informative; a current day Israeli agent tracks the killer of a close friend and colleague, uncovering the sins of The Vatican during WWII. A fictional story with factual history. The story is not so much an indictment of the Vatican, but a revelation of how any religion can put politics and greed above the church's (any faith's) mandate.
May 8, 2019
Another really good entry in the Gabriel Allon series. This starts with the murder of one of Gabriel’s friends and The Office’s desire to find out why. It ends up revolving around the Catholic Church and it’s “involvement” with Nazi Germany during WWII. A very interesting story. I will have to do some research about the subject. We also meet Gabriel’s future wife Chiarra. A really well written book. I will continue this series.
January 8, 2021
เรื่องย่อ ตัวเอกของเรื่องคือ เกเบรียล อัลลอน สายลับอิสราเอลที่มีอาชีพนักบูรณะงานศิลปะบังหน้า
อยู่มาวันหนึ่งเบนจามิน สเติร์น เพื่อนของเกเบรียล อัลลอน ถูกฆ่าตาย เนื่องจากกำลังเขียนหนังสือเล่มหนึ่ง
เกเบรียล เลยต้องสืบว่าเกิดอะไรขึ้นกับเพื่อนของเขา เพื่อนของเขากำลังเขียนหนังสือเกี่ยวกับอะไร และใครที่เป็นคนฆ่าเพื่อนของเขากันแน่
มีช่วงหนึ่งที่เราได้ฟัง Readery Podcast ตอนที่คุณทราย เจริญปุระ มาเป็นแขกรับเชิญ และแนะนำหนังสือชุด เกเบรียล อัลลอน เลยรู้สึกอยากลองอ่าน แล้วบังเอิญเจอหนังสือ บาปนักบุญ ซึ่งเป็นเล่ม 3 ของชุดนี้ที่ห้องสมุดใกล้บ้าน เลยลองยืมมาอ่าน
ตอนแรกก็กังวลว่าจะอ่านเข้าใจไหม เพราะไม่ได้เริ่มอ่านตั้งแต่เล่มแรก พอได้ลองอ่านก็ตามคาดตัวละครค่อนข้างมีเยอะ แล้วแต่ละบทก็จะมีการสลับประเทศไปมา
แต่พออ่านไปเรื่อย ๆ ก็เริ่มเข้าใจ สำหรับเราในช่วงแรก ๆ รู้สึกว่าเรื่องดำเนินค่อนข้างช้า แต่พออ่านผ่านไปสักประมาณ 60 เปอร์เซ็นต์ก็รู้สึกว่าสนุกขึ้น เริ่มดำเนินเรื่องเร็วขึ้น คิดว่าถ้ามีความรู้เกี่ยวกับเรื่องชาวยิว น่าจะอ่านหนังสือเล่มนี้ได้ถึงฟีลมากขึ้น
อยู่มาวันหนึ่งเบนจามิน สเติร์น เพื่อนของเกเบรียล อัลลอน ถูกฆ่าตาย เนื่องจากกำลังเขียนหนังสือเล่มหนึ่ง
เกเบรียล เลยต้องสืบว่าเกิดอะไรขึ้นกับเพื่อนของเขา เพื่อนของเขากำลังเขียนหนังสือเกี่ยวกับอะไร และใครที่เป็นคนฆ่าเพื่อนของเขากันแน่
มีช่วงหนึ่งที่เราได้ฟัง Readery Podcast ตอนที่คุณทราย เจริญปุระ มาเป็นแขกรับเชิญ และแนะนำหนังสือชุด เกเบรียล อัลลอน เลยรู้สึกอยากลองอ่าน แล้วบังเอิญเจอหนังสือ บาปนักบุญ ซึ่งเป็นเล่ม 3 ของชุดนี้ที่ห้องสมุดใกล้บ้าน เลยลองยืมมาอ่าน
ตอนแรกก็กังวลว่าจะอ่านเข้าใจไหม เพราะไม่ได้เริ่มอ่านตั้งแต่เล่มแรก พอได้ลองอ่านก็ตามคาดตัวละครค่อนข้างมีเยอะ แล้วแต่ละบทก็จะมีการสลับประเทศไปมา
แต่พออ่านไปเรื่อย ๆ ก็เริ่มเข้าใจ สำหรับเราในช่วงแรก ๆ รู้สึกว่าเรื่องดำเนินค่อนข้างช้า แต่พออ่านผ่านไปสักประมาณ 60 เปอร์เซ็นต์ก็รู้สึกว่าสนุกขึ้น เริ่มดำเนินเรื่องเร็วขึ้น คิดว่าถ้ามีความรู้เกี่ยวกับเรื่องชาวยิว น่าจะอ่านหนังสือเล่มนี้ได้ถึงฟีลมากขึ้น
July 6, 2011
“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 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. However a new era has arrived in the Vatican, a new Pope has been chosen who has set his sights to “clean house” and setting the Church’s WWII record clean by opening the Vatican Secret Archives.
As you can imagine, the powerful forces, especially the secret society known as the Crux Vera, within the Roman Catholic Church are none too happy about the Pope’s initiative and are willing to go to great extremes in order to stop it. Allon is pulled into the internal struggle through his investigation which takes him around Europe, discovering well hidden secrets of the shameful past.
As I have come to expect from Daniel Silva, this book is well written, well plotted and the characters are fantastic. Each book occurs in the Silva universe with recurring characters (from other series) , have several layers of intricacies and thoughts, as well as smaller stories which the reader has to keep track of in the fast pace which the book is told.
This novel is also thought provoking – what was the church’s role during the holocaust?
We know that no action was taken and the Vatican did open its archives several yeas back to six scholars who found the lack of documentation available astounding (the Vatican vilified the three Jewish scholars without mention of the three Catholic scholars – all of whom came to the same conclusions). There are a few pages in the end where Mr. Silva touches upon this subject which are well worth reading and an excellent addition to the book.
“The Confessor” had me gripped from beginning to end, a fantastic story. The whole plot around the Crux Vera didn’t bog down the book and Silva did well by staying away from conspiracy theories.
For more book reviews and bookish thoughts please visit http://www.ManOfLaBook.com
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 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. However a new era has arrived in the Vatican, a new Pope has been chosen who has set his sights to “clean house” and setting the Church’s WWII record clean by opening the Vatican Secret Archives.
As you can imagine, the powerful forces, especially the secret society known as the Crux Vera, within the Roman Catholic Church are none too happy about the Pope’s initiative and are willing to go to great extremes in order to stop it. Allon is pulled into the internal struggle through his investigation which takes him around Europe, discovering well hidden secrets of the shameful past.
As I have come to expect from Daniel Silva, this book is well written, well plotted and the characters are fantastic. Each book occurs in the Silva universe with recurring characters (from other series) , have several layers of intricacies and thoughts, as well as smaller stories which the reader has to keep track of in the fast pace which the book is told.
This novel is also thought provoking – what was the church’s role during the holocaust?
We know that no action was taken and the Vatican did open its archives several yeas back to six scholars who found the lack of documentation available astounding (the Vatican vilified the three Jewish scholars without mention of the three Catholic scholars – all of whom came to the same conclusions). There are a few pages in the end where Mr. Silva touches upon this subject which are well worth reading and an excellent addition to the book.
“The Confessor” had me gripped from beginning to end, a fantastic story. The whole plot around the Crux Vera didn’t bog down the book and Silva did well by staying away from conspiracy theories.
For more book reviews and bookish thoughts please visit http://www.ManOfLaBook.com
January 5, 2021
Me confieso fan absoluta de esta saga protagonizada por Gabriel Allon.
La mezcla entre el espionaje, el thriller, los hechos históricos reales y la parte ficcionada crea una novela difícil de abandonar, más aún si todo esto lo aderezamos con un protagonista carismático, tan duro como inteligente y herido, con su pasado, sus traumas y ese otro trabajo como restaurador de arte que termina de darle el toque distintivo.
Muy fan.
La mezcla entre el espionaje, el thriller, los hechos históricos reales y la parte ficcionada crea una novela difícil de abandonar, más aún si todo esto lo aderezamos con un protagonista carismático, tan duro como inteligente y herido, con su pasado, sus traumas y ese otro trabajo como restaurador de arte que termina de darle el toque distintivo.
Muy fan.
January 14, 2016
I couldn't finish this book!! Hope his other books are better. Waste of money!
While the Vatican was officially neutral during the war, Pius XII maintained links to the German Resistance, used diplomacy to aid the victims of the war and lobby for peace and spoke out against race-based murders & other atrocities. A pre-war critic of Nazism, Pius XII lobbied world leaders to avoid war.
While the Vatican was officially neutral during the war, Pius XII maintained links to the German Resistance, used diplomacy to aid the victims of the war and lobby for peace and spoke out against race-based murders & other atrocities. A pre-war critic of Nazism, Pius XII lobbied world leaders to avoid war.
March 13, 2017
Always enjoy this author for the page turning story (I read 1/2 of it today). It's not going to win literary awards but I enjoy learning more about the character Gabriel Allon and his cover as an art restorer. Interesting story focusing on the involvement of the Catholic Church in WWII and the persecution of the Jewish population in Italy. I have read the latest books in this series and now return to the beginning. Looking forward to reading the next one in the series.
February 10, 2014
I have read almost all of Daniel Silva's books and this would be my least favorite. The first 150 pages are tough to get through because you expect the plot to take off and it doesn't.
I think Silva was so determined to expose the Catholic Church's failings during the Holocaust that his plot was derailed. Try any other Gabriel Allon book. Skip this one. You can live without it.
I think Silva was so determined to expose the Catholic Church's failings during the Holocaust that his plot was derailed. Try any other Gabriel Allon book. Skip this one. You can live without it.
October 23, 2014
Segunda guerra mundial, o extermínio dos judeus e o papel da igreja católica em tudo este contexto, será este o cenário de mais um livro de Daniel Silva e do tão conhecido restaurador de arte israelita, Gabriel Allon. Como sempre são livros com muita acção e mistério que nos prendem deste a 1ª página
September 5, 2021
Yep, I had read this book previously, I knew for sure when Gabriel met Chiara in Vienna. I didn't remember how it ended, so maybe it didn't make a big impression, but I still enjoyed it.
April 20, 2023
"The Confessor" was run-of-the-mill. Daniel Silva's art restorer/Israeli hit man, Gabriel Allon, went through all compulsories but didn't do enough to distinguish himself to get a perfect 10. And I'm not even the Russian judge. An Israeli historian gets hold of a summary of a meeting that took place in 1942 with clergy from the Vatican and a German group of bigwigs led by Adolf Eichmann. In this meeting an agreement was struck that would allow the Germans to administer the Final Solution - with the Vatican's unspoken acquiescence. A key sticking point is that Pope Pius remain neutral read, silent, and the Vatican won't come to any harm. A summary like this would be devastating to the Vatican even some 60 years later. An ultra right-wing Catholic religious group takes matters into its collective hands and does everything it can to get that document. Even if it means breaking the Sixth Commandment. Which I had to double-check thinking the Sixth Commandment had to do with adultery. Shows where my head's at.
Needless to say the power of the right wing Catholic group reaches to the Vatican and the evil Cardinal who happens to be the Pope's right hand man. And of course the Pope and the Cardinal do not see eye-to-eye and...come on, you've read books like this before by guys like Dan Brown, right? Car chases ending in bloodshed, motorcycle chases in St Peter's Square, shootouts in churches and at the Vatican. I think this was actually written by ChatGPT. I'm not sorry I read "The Confessor". My reading list was developing a soundtrack curated by The Ramones. I Wanna Be Sedated! But I still feel kind of gypped. I must confess, this book didn't rev up my reading list like I hoped it would.
Needless to say the power of the right wing Catholic group reaches to the Vatican and the evil Cardinal who happens to be the Pope's right hand man. And of course the Pope and the Cardinal do not see eye-to-eye and...come on, you've read books like this before by guys like Dan Brown, right? Car chases ending in bloodshed, motorcycle chases in St Peter's Square, shootouts in churches and at the Vatican. I think this was actually written by ChatGPT. I'm not sorry I read "The Confessor". My reading list was developing a soundtrack curated by The Ramones. I Wanna Be Sedated! But I still feel kind of gypped. I must confess, this book didn't rev up my reading list like I hoped it would.
March 24, 2017
Eu tenho sempre um problema com este género de livros e com estes autores a quem eu, carinhosamente, apelido de "Dan Browns" (apenas porque o código foi dos primeiros livros que li deste género). Isto porque são livros que muito dificilmente fogem dos mesmos lugares comuns. Ou seja, depois de se lerem dois ou três do género, acaba por ir tudo parar um pouco ao mesmo.
Mais uma vez com a igreja católica como "vilã", este foi o primeiro livro que li de Daniel Silva e, infelizmente, não terei sido feliz na escolha, penso eu. A história inicialmente torna-se um pouco confusa e mesmo enfadonha porque o autor "cospe" umas personagens atras das outras sem grande exploração das mesmas nem fio condutor. Ao longo do livro a história vai tornando-se mais interessante, até porque o tema (o apoio da igreja à Alemanha Nazi no extermínio dos Judeus) é por si também bastante polêmico.
Gostei de conhecer Gabriel Allon, um anti-herói assassino, um pouco diferente de outras personagens principais deste tipo de livros, mas com parecenças a James Bond e Jason Bourne. A sua história não está muito desenvolvida neste livro, até porque é o terceiro da saga com esta personagem, mas provavelmente terei curiosidade de o conhecer melhor em outros livros.
Provavelmente darei outra oportunidade a Silva.
Gostei, não adorei, nem me tirou o sono (ao contrário do que diz a crítica do washingtonian)
Mais uma vez com a igreja católica como "vilã", este foi o primeiro livro que li de Daniel Silva e, infelizmente, não terei sido feliz na escolha, penso eu. A história inicialmente torna-se um pouco confusa e mesmo enfadonha porque o autor "cospe" umas personagens atras das outras sem grande exploração das mesmas nem fio condutor. Ao longo do livro a história vai tornando-se mais interessante, até porque o tema (o apoio da igreja à Alemanha Nazi no extermínio dos Judeus) é por si também bastante polêmico.
Gostei de conhecer Gabriel Allon, um anti-herói assassino, um pouco diferente de outras personagens principais deste tipo de livros, mas com parecenças a James Bond e Jason Bourne. A sua história não está muito desenvolvida neste livro, até porque é o terceiro da saga com esta personagem, mas provavelmente terei curiosidade de o conhecer melhor em outros livros.
Provavelmente darei outra oportunidade a Silva.
Gostei, não adorei, nem me tirou o sono (ao contrário do que diz a crítica do washingtonian)
March 4, 2023
The one in which Gabriel meets Chiara.
I love the personal story more than the actual spy business.
This is also the one in which Silva goes hard on the Catholic Church. Perhaps deserved. Actually not even perhaps. Wholly deserved. However, the people make the church and I will testify there are some of the most beautiful souls that practice Catholicism. So can we please not throw the baby out with the bath water?
I love the personal story more than the actual spy business.
This is also the one in which Silva goes hard on the Catholic Church. Perhaps deserved. Actually not even perhaps. Wholly deserved. However, the people make the church and I will testify there are some of the most beautiful souls that practice Catholicism. So can we please not throw the baby out with the bath water?
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