Daniel Silva’s The Messenger is working the same side of the street as Angels & Demons. There’s an attack on the Vatican, a nifty caper to insert an agent into a terrorist network, and best of all, plenty of art history. To lure a key figure of the terrorist network who’s an art collector, the Good Guys find a previously unknown Van Gogh painting as bait. To add to the allure, a beautiful art historian is placed in the caper to further distract the evil art collector. Silva works in broad strokes. His hero is both an expert in art restoration and killing. Most of the characters are cardboard. But the action is swift and the insights into the machinations of the art world prove intriguing. This is a perfect beach book. GRADE: B
Silva is a superb writer and I’m betting (and based on your review) that it’s a wonderful read. But I may pass because I’m burnt out on films and books dealing with the Vatican and ancient mysteries hidden in forgotten locales etc. Then again, I love art…
If you’re a Van Gogh fan, Silva provides a plausible back story about finding one of his missing paintings.
Husband’s a fan of his books. Just enough references to something substantive to carry him along.
Silva blends in enough sub-plots involving the art gallery world and Big Money art collecting to spice up a run-of-the-mill spy thriller tailor-made for beach blanket reading.
My mother is a huge fan of Silva’s, which may be why I’ve never read him as yet.
Just kidding. One of these days I will.
I’ve had several Silvas in my reading stack for years. I finally got around to reading one. Silva is VERY pro-Israel.