The Secret Servant (Unabridged) [Audio Download]

The Secret Servant lacks the smoothness and tradecraft of The Messenger, but is a fine suspenseful antiterrorist novel.

The story's main theme is that Europe will become the center of Islamic terrorism. Targets will focus inside the UK, and the Islamic friendly policies of countries like the Netherlands will make that task easier. Many elements of the story are loosely based on factual reports. Mr. Silva has a lot of fun pointing out the hypocrisy employed by the politicians as they seek help from any source in private while denying involvement in public.

As the book opens, Professor Solomon Rossner, a low-profile agent for the Israelis in the Netherlands, is killed. Gabriel Allon, an Israeli assassin whose cover is as an art restorer for Italian Old Masters, is asked to clean out Rossner's files so that his agents can be located and kept active while any secrets remain that way. Gabriel is surprised to be approached by Ibrahim Fawaz, who claims to be the source who foiled a terrorist attack on a passenger plane. Fawaz warns that a terrorist cell has recently left for an unnamed target. Fawaz warns, "Find them . . . Otherwise I'm afraid buildings are going to fall."

Gabriel quickly locates a trail that leads him to London. Once there, his warnings fail to avoid the kidnapping of the American ambassador's daughter, Elizabeth Halton, a talented surgeon. Frustrated to lose her, Allon stays on the trail of the terrorists.

The implications of the kidnapping begin to reverberate throughout the Middle East and Europe.

In Gabriel's personal life, he finds too little time to be with his beloved, Chiara, who worries that Gabriel may not survive.

At the same time, the Israelis want Gabriel to pursue a new direction. Will he be willing to make a change?

The book has several weaknesses that keep it from being perfectly satisfying. The Islamic terrorists are stereotyped so much that they don't come across as real people. The plot is also quite predictable in places. The mismatch between the terrorists and the Israelis provides not much challenge to anticipate.

The plot moves along quite nicely though, so you won't be sitting there bored. You just won't get to experience enough suspense.

An excellent read, well written with a good plot and pace. Certainly made me want to read other titles by this author, who I had not come across before. The plot was believable and the characters were not unreal. Obviously well researched and put together. Very exciting and very much a contender to take the crown from the late Alister Maclean.

I've read the previous Allon novels and I think has to be by far the best.

Originally intrigued by the idea of an Israeli art restorer turned assassin and the problems Jews face abroad, Silva's Allon novels began to be a bit predictable. However, this one is enough of a variation on previous outings to make it that much more enjoyable (a new story with a favourite character is always a pleasure, especially when they take a few unexpected turns).

Personally I found it never let up from start to finish, dealing with the kidnap of a US amabassador's daughter in London to the break neck close.

I give it five stars but I share the disappointment with other reviewers in the stereotype Arab portrayal. To read a thriller from a Palestinian point of view, try Matt Rees's Omar Yussef novels.