Fans of Gabriel Allon are in luck as he returns for the 25th time in AN INSIDE JOB, a thrilling new case that he has no desire to solve.

After a brilliant career as an Israeli spy, Gabriel has earned a quiet retirement in Venice doing what he loves: restoring art. His beautiful wife, Chiara, runs Tiepolo Restoration Company for whom he now works. Theirs is a peaceful, happy life, shared with their two precocious children. Of course, the peace of daily living never lasts long. One day, Gabriel comes across the body of a woman floating in one of Venice’s canals. He recalls seeing her in a café not long before. Her identity leads to another discovery, a newly found Leonardo da Vinci in the Vatican archives. But now the painting has gone missing.

"Gabriel Allon is at the top of his game in AN INSIDE JOB.... There’s no question that Gabriel will be back. Daniel Silva would face the wrath of his readers if he dared forsake his greatest character."

Gabriel would like nothing more than to continue his restoration work on the Titian in the Dorsoduro basilica. He has a deadline approaching. However, pressure to help solve the murder and find the lost masterpiece is coming from many sides, not the least being the Pope himself. Luigi Donati happens to be an old friend of Gabriel’s, which makes refusing a request from him tougher yet. So Gabriel dusts off his spy skills in an effort to recover the stolen da Vinci. But first, he does what he currently does best: produces a copy of the painting that will fool even the experts. Once that’s done, he puts together a team to run a scam on the thieves and switch his fake for the real thing.

Well, that all may sound simple, but it most definitely is not. It will take immaculate timing, not to mention elaborate planning. The right people must be put in place for all of it to work. Their opponents reward mistakes with deadly consequences. Gabriel brings in some old friends from the art world, including Julian Isherwood and Oliver Dimbleby, and a number of others highly skilled at deception. Their scheme has the backing of many in high places, but if it fails, the da Vinci may be lost again for all time. And the murder may go unsolved.

A parallel trouble lurks inside the Vatican. The Pope wishes to clean out the corruption that has been rampant for years. That means going up against powerful factions, people who have grown accustomed to living well and enjoying the benefits. Taking them down could lead to war within the Church, along with more scandal. This should not be Gabriel’s problem. He isn’t Catholic. But Donati is his friend, and Gabriel believes in putting things right. So the battle between good and evil wages within the ranks of the Vatican as Gabriel toils to return the masterpiece to its rightful home. It’s not a bloodless war.

Gabriel Allon is at the top of his game in AN INSIDE JOB. He wears the hat of husband, father, art restorer, friend and spy. As one who enjoys Gabriel immensely, it’s good to see him come out of retirement to once again show off his incredible cunning in the world of espionage. And it’s also a pleasure to see his soft side as he plays the role of dad. There’s no question that Gabriel will be back. Daniel Silva would face the wrath of his readers if he dared forsake his greatest character.