** spoiler alert ** 
 I'd give this one *3.5* stars. This was my least favorite of the series, even taking into account that it took the first one over 70 pages to suck me in. The ending for this one is very satisfying. No loose ends, everything went as I had hoped, and that was all a good thing. However, the largest section of the book, the stuff between the start and the end, was just dull, plodding and painful. I had no interest in the extensive history of this secret service, and I sure didn't care how the characters uncovered this information. I did enjoy Figuerola, but she could not save my boredom for so many pages. It is a testament to this series, however, that I kept reading---I HAD to find out what happened. Overall, an entertaining, page-turning (ok, for the most part) trilogy.