The Heist

By: Daniel Silva

Narrated by: George Guidall

Length: 12 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

Gabriel Allon, art restorer and occasional spy, searches for a stolen masterpiece by Caravaggio in number-one New York Times best-selling author Daniel Silva’s latest action-packed tale of high-stakes international intrigue.

Sometimes the best way to find a stolen masterpiece is to steal another one....

Master novelist Daniel Silva has thrilled listeners with 16 thoughtful and gripping spy novels featuring a diverse cast of compelling characters and ingenious plots that have taken them around the globe and back - from the United States to Europe, Russia to the Middle East. His brilliant creation, Gabriel Allon - art restorer, assassin, spy - has joined the pantheon of great fictional secret agents, including George Smiley, Jack Ryan, Jason Bourne, and Simon Templar.

Following the success of his smash hit The English Girl, Daniel Silva returns with another powerhouse of a novel that showcases his outstanding skill and brilliant imagination, and is sure to be a must-listen for both his multitudes of fans and growing legions of converts.

©2014 Daniel Silva (P)2014 HarperCollins Publishers

Wonderful, entertaining read!

Just what you would expect from Daniel Silva and Gabriel Allon, another captivating spy story set in today's turbulent geopolitical climate.

Art History and intrigue

Art history comes alive, real heroes and heroines, a no-nonsense presentation of very real current issues, this novel has it all. Consistently Daniel Silva allows us to understand the reality of radical terrorism on people of all faiths and status. One wishes to visit the beautiful cities and towns as described in this intriguing, inspiring thriller. The excellence of narrator, George Guidell enhances the experience, especially for those who require audible reads due to vision difficulty.

Potential lost

George Guidall, one of a kind, can really make almost anything amazing.

I liked the plot and story and I understand the idea behind creating a foundation from earlier episodes to set the stage. But I am once again frustrated and even offended by the large volume of direct and extended "cut and paste" used by the author. Having been overwhelmed by this strategy of "recycled filler" in an earlier work of this author, I am saddened to find myself in the situation once again.

Great Thriller

Great read, lots of intrigue. I couldn't wait to see what was happening next.Very timely with all the current world affairs. Well done! Superb story!

Couldn't keep my attention

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

If you have time to really pay attention. This one just didn't keep my attention. I'm a passive listener often listening while I driving or working in the yard. This one was hard to follow.

Gabriel heads into new territory

Would you consider the audio edition of The Heist to be better than the print version?

I don't know

What did you like best about this story?

That Gabriel is going to other areas and that he apparently is going to have kids now?

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

made me smile

Any additional comments?

Anxious for the next story

Disappointing ending

Too Many characters and international scenes…too many for me to keep track of. I enjoyed most the dialogue. Did not like the 2 torture scenes, tho brief. Disappointed at how plot ends… 8.2 billion for 1 life?

A hunt for a Caravaggio

I decided to read this book when I saw the name of the artist as Caravaggio. I had read a biography of him last year and have kept my eyes open for more information about him. I have made a point of looking for his paintings whenever I go into an art museum. I saw one of his paintings in the Art Museum in St. Louis, Mo and another in the De Young Museum in San Francisco, Ca. Apparently this is a series about Gabriel Allon who is an art restorer, investigator and Israeli intelligence operative. There was some information about various techniques to restore art which I found most interesting and a discussion of various famous paintings and art heist. The book also covered a bit about the famous paintings taken from the Jews during WWII and the hunt for them.

The plot has Allon helping a friend by trying to recover a Caravaggio painting. While on his search he discovers multiple murders, and a tie to a brutal Arab dictator who is paying for stolen art work. Silva has created Allon as a complex personality, which makes him more believable. The book is not just a spy thriller but also an art history novel. There is lots of intrigue, insight and suspense. The only down side is the commentary about current situation in the Middle East but it was well done and worked easily into the story. The author provided us with a nice travelogue as the story moved from London to Lake Como to Venice on to Vienna and then to Jerusalem.

I enjoyed the book it was an easy read and kept my attention. The book was narrated by the Audie Award winner George Guidall. The Audie Award is the audio book industries equivalent to the Oscar.

So so

This was my first Silva novel and will probably be my last. Had a really hard time finishing this book though I had previously enjoyed stories about the art world. Perhaps this was a bit to political for me...not sure. I hung in because George Guidall is one of my favorite performers and I was hoping to care a bit about the characters.....never happened.

the title says action, the book does not

What did you like best about The Heist? What did you like least?

The story was interesting enough and the plot had some twists but overall the Heist lacked spark and zip. It dragged a bit too much for this listener

What didn’t you like about George Guidall’s performance?

The narrator was not dramatic and lacked in depth of feeling though the story didn't leave him much.

Any additional comments?

The promotion about the book offered something different than the book itself.