Portrait of an Unknown Woman, Daniel Silva
Portrait of an Unknown Woman, Daniel Silva
142 Rating(s)
List: $27.99 | Sale: $18.47
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Portrait of an Unknown Woman
A Novel

Bestseller

Author: Daniel Silva

Narrator: Edoardo Ballerini

Unabridged: 10 hr 16 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: HarperAudio

Published: 07/19/2022


Synopsis

In a spellbinding new masterpiece by #1 New York Times bestselling author Daniel Silva, Gabriel Allon undertakes a high-stakes search for the greatest art forger who ever livedLegendary spy and art restorer Gabriel Allon has at long last severed ties with Israeli intelligence and settled quietly in Venice, the only place where he has ever truly known peace. His beautiful wife, Chiara, has taken over the day-to-day management of the Tiepolo Restoration Company, and their two young children are discreetly enrolled in a neighborhood scuola elementare. For his part, Gabriel spends his days wandering the streets and canals of the watery city, bidding farewell to the demons of his tragic, violent past.But when the eccentric London art dealer Julian Isherwood asks Gabriel to investigate the circumstances surrounding the rediscovery and lucrative sale of a centuries-old painting, he is drawn into a deadly game of cat and mouse where nothing is as it seems.Gabriel soon discovers that the work in question, a portrait of an unidentified woman attributed to Sir Anthony van Dyck, is almost certainly a fiendishly clever fake. To find the mysterious figure who painted it—and uncover a multibillion-dollar fraud at the pinnacle of the art world—Gabriel conceives one of the most elaborate deceptions of his career. If it is to succeed, he must become the very mirror image of the man he seeks: the greatest art forger the world has ever known.Stylish, sophisticated, and ingeniously plotted, Portrait of an Unknown Woman is a wildly entertaining journey through the dark side of the art world—a place where unscrupulous dealers routinely deceive their customers and deep-pocketed investors treat great paintings as though they were just another asset class to be bought and sold at a profit. From its elegant opening to the shocking twists of its climax, the novel is a tour de force of storytelling and one of the finest pieces of heist fiction ever written. And it is still more proof that, when it comes to international intrigue and suspense, Daniel Silva has no equal.

About Daniel Silva

Michigan born author, Daniel Silva has had a most interesting career before he made the decision to follow his dream of becoming a novelist. He left his pursuit of a master's degree in International Relations when he was offered a temporary position with United Press International in 1984 to help cover the Democratic National Convention in San Francisco. He joined UPI later that year as a full time correspondent. His job eventually took him to the Middle East, where he met his future wife, Jamie Gangel who was working as an NBC Today Show Iraq - Iran War Correspondent. They were married in late 1987. Silva returned to Washington, DC, where he accepted a position with CNN.

In 1995, Silva began his writing career in earnest with the instant best seller, The Unlikely Spy. All of his books have been on the New York Times best seller list, and have been published worldwide. His most successful series was about Israeli art restorer, spy, and assassin Gabriel Allon.

Currently, Silva lives with his wife, Jamie, and their children Nicholas and Lily. It is said that Silva frequently takes his children on research trips for his books.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Peter J. Eastwood on July 25, 2022

I have read all of the Gabriel Allon books over the years but like many other authors, John Le Carrè comes to mind, this writer is a victim of his own success. His earlier books were entertaining, often informative and well written. This latest offering is totally spoilt by a weak story line, an abu......more

Goodreads review by Tim on February 08, 2024

Too much fluff!......more

Goodreads review by David on August 28, 2022

While he managed to not get political right out of the box like last year’s book he still laces the narrative with biased, broad brush U.S. political commentary. I’ve enjoyed previous Silva books for their artful story weaving and depictions of people and cultures. Unfortunately he has opted to pain......more

Goodreads review by Christy on August 09, 2022

We get it. You hate Trump and anything you view as conservative. This has long been one of my favorite series and Gabriel is one of top three all-time favorite literary characters, but Silva's political beliefs have overshadowed the plot of the last four books.......more

Goodreads review by Anna on July 13, 2022

Gabriel Allon Again? It is the gift that keeps on giving, isn’t it? It’s easy, stylish storytelling 101 reminiscent of the early detective genre. Reminiscent of Dashiell Hammett and black and white detective movies. The quick jab or two came in the beginning; I was laughing by page 38 at the expense......more