Portrait of a Spy

A Novel

By: Daniel Silva

Narrated by: Simon Vance

Length: 11 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

Haunted by his failure to stop a suicide bomber in London, Gabriel Allon is summoned to Washington and drawn into a confrontation with the new face of global terror. At the center of the threat is an American-born cleric in Yemen who was once a paid CIA asset.

Gabriel and his team devise a daring plan to destroy the network of death - from the inside - a gambit fraught with risk, both personal and professional. To succeed, Gabriel must reach into his violent past. A woman waits there, a reclusive heiress and art collector who can traverse the murky divide between Islam and the West. She is the daughter of an old enemy, and together they form an unlikely and dangerous bond.

Set against the disparate worlds of art and intelligence, Portrait of a Spy moves swiftly from the corridors of power in Washington to the glamorous auction houses of New York and London to the unforgiving landscape of the Saudi desert. Featuring a climax that will leave listeners haunted long after the final words, this deeply entertaining story is also a breathtaking portrait of courage in the face of unspeakable evil - and Daniel Silva's most extraordinary novel to date.

©2011 Daniel Silva (P)2011 HarperCollins Publishers

Not the Best Silva

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I wanted to go again through the whole series in order. This book was NOT a waste of time, but it was somewhat choppier than the other stories (it was probably the involvement of the Americans).

What was most disappointing about Daniel Silva’s story?

There were places when the story seemed to make big leaps without transitioning, and times when the events seemed contrived. There were still interesting turns and intrigues, though.

EXCITING READ

THE STORY KEPT YOU INTERESTED AND INVOLVED. THE CHARACTERS WERE REALISTIC AND WELL CHARACTERIZED. WOULD RECOMMEND OTHER STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR.

Poor Narration

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

The book, YES! The narrator, NO...not for this series. There was very little distinction between the various characters or even by gender. After the first chapter you should know which character is speaking, not so with Mr. Vance.

Would you be willing to try another one of Simon Vance’s performances?

Only after listening to a sample.

Impeccable jihadist creditentials!

Meet Nadia; a wealthy Saudi heiress with impeccable jihadist creditentials! Silva is incredible. He also writes with unquestionable credibility

different narrator

the voices that were used by the narrator were much different then before. It was a little hard to get used to it first. Overall it's a great story and I really enjoyed the book

My heart beat fast

The story of Rena is unforgettable. My heart beat fast when Nadia was in danger. There’s lots of reality in the narrative.

Absolutely Brilliant

Loved them all. This was a great reward , a great read - much like the others. Difficult to put down

Acceptable, but declining

As with any author, over time, books generally seem to live off tangents and sound more concocted. I like the narrator, and Silva's books are good. However, its a step down, and is consistent with a decline from the first in this series.
I recommend it, but its no stellar.

Worth Getting Used To

Simon Vance’s voice and style took a few hours to get used to. But eventually, I enjoyed his performance. The spy detail was excellent.

another "10" for Silva

once again Allon comes thru in another blockbuster book
just when you think you know what will happen Silva throws a curve