In Daniel Silva's latest thriller featuring art restorer/supposedly retired Israeli spy-assassin, Gabriel Allon, The Rembrandt Affair is a tale of greed, passion, and murder spanning more than half a century, centered on an object of haunting beauty (i.e., a missing Rembrandt painting). The Rembrandt Affair's plot involves retired Gabriel Allon being persuaded to use his unique skills to search for the painting and those responsible for the crime. In typical Silva fashion, his latest book is one of slow-building but non-stop tension and suspense that will keep your eyes glued to its pages. While, on a comparative basis, The Rembrandt Affair does not match some of his other books in providing intense action, it is very successful in providing new dimensions into his already multidimensional, interesting cast of characters, as well as some very thought-provoking insights into Iran's efforts to be a major player in the field of nuclear weaponry. While some reviewers have criticized The Rembrandt Affair for being too formulaic, thus making it somewhat "same-old, same old," my opinion is that Silva's successful formula, which he's used now in most of his thirteen books, is kept fresh and interesting through the topical events and settings on which his books are based -- and this certainly is the case with The Rembrandt Affair. As a matter of fact, Silva's ability to continue to successfully execute his winning formula is at the heart of what makes me consider him to the "gold standard" of thriller writers. For me, there has never been a risk involved in reading a Silva book, with the only unknown being whether the book will be very good or excellent.