Moscow Rules by Daniel Silva
Gabriel Allon Returns in Another Thriller
Moscow Rules, due to be published on July 22 (2008), follows in the very readable tradition of the earlier ten novels featuring Gabriel Allon, an Israeli killer, high-echelon spy, and incongruently, an masterful art restorer. The book starts simply. A Russian print journalist has a message that he will give only to Allon (who happens to be in Tuscany enjoying his honeymoon). When the Israelis are unable to persuade the man to speak with someone else, Allon reluctantly agrees to meet him. He chooses somewhere that's nearby and familiar--St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.
A Simple Meeting
But, of course, the meeting is not as simple as it seemed at first. Although Allon and his team think they have alluded all watchers, the journalist is stabbed with a fast-acting poison and dies in Allon's arms in the middle of the church, the killer nowhere around. The vacation officials and the Israelis are none too pleased. Fortunately, Allon has close ties to the Holy See stemming from an earlier adventure. Worse, they have no idea of the information the newsman died trying to deliver.
Gabriel Allon
Gabriel, bothered by the man's dying trying to meet with him, lets his Israeli bosses talk him into going to Russia to look for answers. He barely escapes with his life after spending two days in a secret Russian prison. He does, however, leave with one clue. With the help of his American CIA connections, it soon becomes clear that they are dealing with an international arms deal, of monumental proportions--a deal that must be stopped.
The fast-paced plot takes Allon and his entourage of spies to St. Tropez, to Switzerland, and other jet-setter locales in the attempt to trap the arms dealer in their "sting." Will they be in time?
Moscow Rules, like the rest of the Allon series, is likeable for two reasons: the complicated and all-too-human Allon, whose brilliant mind shines through the surface every now and again, and for the intricate intelligence tradecraft, the likes of which hasn't been seen since John Le Carre's George Smiley hung up his trench coat.
About Daniel Silva
Daniel Silva is the author of nine previous thrillers, six of which feature Gabriel Allon. Silva was born and raised in Michigan and spent most of his adult life as a foreign news correspondent for UPI and CNN, among others. He left to concentrate on his writing in 1997. Silva is married to NBC journalist, Jamie Gangel. The couple lives in Washington D.C. with their two children.
