It is definitely an unusual situation here that I have actually caught up on all the Daniel Silva books. This was Silva's 20th book in the Gabriel Allon series and it really took a different tack than most. Allon is the art restorer, but also head of the Office for Israeli intelligence. In that position, he really misses the field work.
As the novel begins, Chiara, his wife, arranges for Allon to take some time off and accompany the family to Venice for some R & R. The reader knows that this won't last long and it doesn't as he is summoned to Rome by his friend Archbishop Luigi Donati after the death of the Pope Paul VII. Silva's fictious pope had previously appeared in 3 of his books and owed his live to Allon. What ensues is the mystery surrounding his death, the disappearance of a Swiss Guard, the uncovering of a new Gospel, and the influence that a new organization will have on the conclave of cardinals.
Of course Allon leaves Venice and finds himself teaming up with Donati in solving a complicated plot and what, eventually, is discovered as a series of murders. The action, which is very unusual for an Allon novel, is concentrated between Rome, Obersalzberg, Munich, and Assisi. Having been fortunate to travel to all those places, I was able to visualize the settings. This book was a page turner and presented some incredibly intricate alternative historical scenarios. The description of Rome and the convening of the Cardinals in the chapel were particularly interesting and brought back the memories of being in Rome following the death of Pope John Paul II in 2005 and hearing the bells when Pope Benedict XVI was elected.
Silva loves to bring back his favorites for his novels and The Order is no exception. His children are growing up, Carlo and Veronica Marchese whose tragedy is recollected, and one who figures significantly in the plot line, Eli Lavon. For once, though, Ari Shamron is not among them. In Munich, Gabriel returns to the spot where his son was killed and where his wife was severely injured by a bomb exploding. Obviously edited after the onset of the pandemic, Silva introduces it as an aside in the novel. There is much foreshadowing about Gabriel Allon's retirement from The Office and it saddens me that Silva might be set to end this series.
The role of the Catholic Church in the Holocaust is the major them of the novel and throughout it and antisemitism are addressed. It was interesting to read the Author's Notes and find mention of the Tree of Life Synagogue massacre in Squirrel Hill
The majority of reviews on The Order have been critical, protesting the heresy that it promulgates against the religious tenets of the Catholic religion. In fact many have compared it to a Dan Brown novel such as The DaVinci Code or Angels and Demons. That isn't a bad thing for me. There is a place in my reading for both and I enjoyed the "on vacation" Gabriel Allon and his escapades just fine. Just, please don't let him retire.
