The Confessor

THE CONFESSOR by Daniel Silva

If you are a fan of the early books of Robert Ludlum then you are going to love THE CONFESSOR by Daniel Silva. Silva's novel has the same complexity of plot and break-neck pace that Ludlum used to create interest in all of his stories. Like him, Silva starts his story off with a horrendous event and follows its investigation through to completion.

The focal character of THE CONFESSOR is Gabriel Allon, a restorer of paintings. He is busy at work in Rome when he receives word of the death of Benjamin Stern. Stern had been one of Allon's closest friends, and now he is called to investigate his murder. This leads to the revelation that Allon is not only a restorer but also an assassin. He is one of the Mossad's most highly trained and capable agents.

Determining the reason for Stern's death leads Allon on a trail of treachery that goes back to World War II. It was there that some Jews were betrayed or at the least left unprotected by some of their Catholic neighbors. There were also allegations the Pope turned a blind eye to the atrocities the Germans were committing.

This story relates the creation of a unit within the Catholic Church, which operates to protect the sanctity and reputation of the Holy Church. In this "unit" are men who plot and kill with impunity. The current Pope is not aware of these ruthless actions but does know the "unit" exists. He also wants to ask forgiveness for the sins of the Church during World War II. Those in the "unit" do not want this to happen so they plan to assassinate the Pope.

As Gabriel investigates Stern's death he is brought face to face with the evil workings within the Church. Eventually it even becomes his responsibility to protect the Pope.

Each facet of this story is believable and compelling. Allon is a heroic character who is well trained in his field and uses this training to right the wrongs of the world. He is a skilled fighter and a skilled killer but he only acts maliciously to protect the world from evil.

If you like action packed stories that race from one thrill to the next then THE CONFESSOR should be on your bookshelf. Daniel Silva is a talented writer who knows how to grab a reader's attention and hold it for the length of his story.

THE CONFESSOR is published by G P Putnam's Sons. It contains 401 pages and sells for $25.95.