Best-selling author Daniel Silva joins Midtown Reader to talk new thriller
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He rivals John Le Carre’ and Ian Fleming as the best spy novelist of all time. What makes New York Times best-selling author Daniel Silva unique? Great storytelling. A background in Middle-East journalism. Top-sourced reporting. And Gabriel Allon.
Silva returns to Midtown Reader bookstore virtually on July 21 with his latest Allon thriller, "The Collector," published by HarperCollins.
The 23rd entry in his best-selling series, featuring Israeli spy and art restorer Allon and his team of operatives, is notable not only for its fast-paced and future-predicting narrative: “He’s not just a brilliant intelligence operative, he's one of the world’s finest art restorers,” says Silva of Allon. “I try to avoid the conventions of the genre whenever possible. And Gabriel’s essential appeal lies in two very different sides of his character.”
"The Collector" takes Allon, retired Chief of Israel intelligence, on a search for one of the world’s most valuable missing paintings during which he connects with a beautiful art thief in the process. Silva’s newest addition to the series, Ingrid Johansen, is a cybersecurity pro who is also a computer hacker and master thief. She’s likely to be a recurring character in future Allon novels.
Silva confesses to being “jealous” of Allon now living and working in Venice as an art restorer. “For all the obvious reasons — namely, the food, the scenery, and the art — Venice is a spectacular setting for a series. If the truth be told, I’m quite envious of my character.”
Why write about a real heist and a missing Vermeer painting?
“Fascination, I suppose, but mainly anger.” This year, the largest Vermeer exhibition in history will be featured at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. However, The Concert, the lost painting featured in Silva’s novel, won’t be included. Stolen from the Gardner Museum Boston in March of 1990, several paintings remain missing.
The thieves “robbed successive generations of the ability to see the works in person, to experience their beauty, to feel their emotion and power,” Silva laments.
Though a missing Vermeer is not the only challenge in this latest adventure. In "The Collector," the painting is part of a much larger conspiracy, involving a nuclear weapon built during apartheid by South Africa’s white-minority government. Allon’s effort to locate the missing Vermeer becomes a race to stop a nuclear conflict between Russia and the West.
Tallahasseeans are familiar with Silva, who visited Temple Israel in 2017 and continues to support Midtown Reader and other independent bookstores by insisting on indie bookstore inclusions in his annual book tours.
“I love Midtown Reader. It represents the best in independent bookstores — a warm and welcoming place for the community that encourages reading for all ages,” Silva says. “Every town deserves and needs an indie bookstore,” continues Silva. “There is nothing better than being surrounded by books and the people who love them.”
Book lovers will be happy to know that Silva’s legendary writing process hasn’t changed – long-hand, yellow legal pad, and Mirado black warrior pencils.
If you go
What: Daniel Silva Virtual Book Tour for The Collector
When: 8 p.m. Friday, July 21; via Zoom
How: midtownreader.com ; One ticket provides Zoom access and a signed book ($32)
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Best-selling author Daniel Silva joins Midtown Reader to talk new thriller
