It is said that "a policeman’s lot is not a happy one." For Daniel Silva’s series protagonist Gabriel Allon, neither is that of a spy. Portrait of a Spy, the 11th book in the Gabriel Allon series, offers an unflinching depiction of an often glamorized profession. HarperCollins will release this novel the United States on July 19, 2011.
Gabriel Allon, who has spent much of his life as an agent for Israel’s Mossad, has announced his retirement from the spy game, intending to live a peaceful life in Cornwall pursing his profession as an art restorer. A suicide bomber who targets London’s Covent Garden alters that decision.
Aware of two deadly bombings that have already cost innocent lives in Paris and Copenhagen, Gabriel tries to stop a similar act in London. His heroic attempt fails, though, when police officers prevent him from shooting the terrorist.
Gabriel’s guilt over the subsequent tragedy makes him all the more susceptible to pleas from Ari Shamron, the legendary leader of Israeli Intelligence, to take on a new assignment in Washington. The CIA wants Gabriel to locate and eliminate Rashid al-Husseini, an American-born cleric living in Yemen who is considered the mastermind behind the recent attacks.
To succeed in this mission, Gabriel enlists an unlikely recruit to his cause. Nadia al-Bakari is the daughter of a Muslim extremist whom, years earlier, Gabriel had killed. Nadia, though, is more moderate in her own political beliefs. She has also inherited her father’s fortune and has added to it through her own financial skill.
Nadia’s wealth is pivotal to the plan Gabriel devises to locate Rashid. He wants Nadia to convince her father’s former associates that she is willing to continue his funding for their cause. Gabriel will then track the flow of money to its ultimate destination – which he is certain will be Rashid.
Daniel Silva’s Gabriel Allon series differs significantly from other espionage novels in its insistence on showing the life of the spy as one of detailed planning and calculated risk rather than one of incessant intrigue and danger. This is evident in the care with which Gabriel gathers his crew to plan the operation against Rashid and the frustration he experiences when changes in the Washington political climate suddenly take control of the mission away from him.
Portrait of a Spy marks Silva’s return to the topic of Arab terrorism at a time when developments in the Middle East are undergoing rapid change. Yet part of the realism that underlies Portrait of a Spy comes in its recognition that these changes will not necessarily mark the end of hostilities. As Gabriel reminds a Washington official, what they are involved in is "a forever war."
Followers of this series will no doubt be pleased to learn that Universal has acquired the screen rights to Silva’s Gabriel Allon books. According to an April 1, 2011 article on Deadline New York Jeff Zucker will produce the future film and Silva himself will be executive producer.
FTC disclosure: A review copy of this book was provided by its publisher, HarperCollins.
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