Daniel Silva

Moscow rules

Sarah Sammis

Moscow Rules is the eighth book in the Gabriel Allon series by Daniel Silva. Allon is a art restorer and former Israeli Mossad agent. In this book Allon's attention moves from historical crimes to a present day case involving arms sales to al-Quaeda.

The choice of topic is an interesting follow-up to last week's Booking Through Thursday question. As I stated in my answer, I haven't shied away from books involving modern day terrorists. Nonetheless, Deb's question did sit in the back of my mind as I read Moscow Rules.

Coming into a series eight books in and with a change of direction, it's difficult to gauge the success of the book. The first hundred pages or is so focused on establishing the segue with the last book and setting up the change of direction. The actual plot involving a forged Mary Cassatt and a wife's betrayal of her arms dealing husband doesn't come into play until the halfway point of the novel. A four hundred page mystery shouldn't be one hundred pages of "in the last episode" followed by another hundred pages of teaser for the current plot.

Moscow Rules is a run of the mill international thriller. The second half is tighter and faster paced than the first half. It reminds me at times of a novelization of a James Bond film by someone who had never read the Ian Fleming novels.

The entire list of books in the series is:

 1. The Kill Artist (2000)
 2. The English Assassin (2002)
 3. The Confessor (2003)
 4. A Death in Vienna (2004)
 5. Prince of Fire (2005)
 6. The Messenger (2006)
 7. The Secret Servant (2007)
 8. Moscow Rules (2008)

Moscow rules

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