At an exclusive private school in Switzerland, mystery surrounds the identity of the girl who arrives each morning in a motorcade. She is believed to be the daughter of a wealthy international businessman. Her father is actually Khalid bin Mohammed, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia.
Once celebrated for his daring social and religious reforms, Khalid is now reviled for his role in the murder of a dissident journalist. When his 12-year-old daughter is kidnapped, he turns to Gabriel Allon, an art restorer, and the director of Israeli intelligence for help.
As always, Silva weaves a complex and multi-layered plot, filled with twists and turns. Fans of his novels will be pleased with the return of many characters from other books in the series.
The author incorporates real-life events into his narrative, in this case drawing inspiration from the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. What sets Silva apart is his ability to balance the tension with art references.
While The New Girl was an engaging page turner, I didn’t care for it as much as the other 18 books in the series. Nonetheless, I love how the author adds art references to soften the tension. His author’s notes are among the best out there. If you are a fan of the thriller genre, begin with the first book in the series, The Kill Artist. It’s worth diving into the world Silva has created. 4 stars.