I've read every single one of the Gabriel Allon series by Daniel Silva and have always found them thought-provoking and exciting. Perhaps the earlier novels in the series are more out-and-out thrillers, but now that spy/assassin Gabriel Allon is technically retired, rather than focusing closely on international terrorism these books look into the world of the super-wealthy. They're different but I find them just as interesting to read. In this, a professor of art history is murdered in Cornwall and it's assumed that she’s the latest victim of a serial killer being hunted by the police. But there are inconsistencies in that narrative and an old friend of Allon’s asks him for help. It doesn’t take long to discover that the murder victim had been searching for a looted Picasso, and the trail leads Allon across Europe investigating the international art market. There’s all the insatiable greed you’d expect, as well as double-dealing, bribery and tax evasion on an industrial scale. It’s an exciting story and of course, Allon gets to the bottom of it all. Daniel Silva really does know how to write pacy, exciting and interesting thrillers. Review by Cornish Eskimo, Oundle Crime