This is book one in the Special Agent Alexandra Martel series. (Not actually a series yet, but according to Goodreads will be one.) Special Agent Martel is an Army vet. If I have ever read anything like this, I can't remember it. It kind of gave me 'The Blacklist' vibes. I don't know what to say aside from I enjoyed it and will be keeping an eye out for the next book.

Better late than never - thank you to NetGalley for the ARC! There is a new operator in town and she has quite the attitude. Special Agent Alex Martel is a go-getter. She has a particular set of skills behind the scope of a rifle that she plies when her nation requires it. Fans of heavy hitters like Don Bentley, Brad Thor, and Jack Carr will want to add this debut novel to their “To-Read” list! Five big stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced audio copy and ebook copy.

"Perfect Shot" by Steve Urszenyi was a really enjoyable book! It was my first time reading a book by this author, and now I'm eager to read more, especially since it's part of a series. The book is about a talented female sniper named Special Agent Alexandra Martel, and let me tell you, she's really impressive.

Basically, the story follows Special Agent Martel, who works for Interpol as an FBI Agent, as she embarks on an important mission. Let me just say, the book starts off with a lot of excitement! There are car chases and helicopter rides that are described so vividly, it feels like you're right there in the action. And trust me, there are many surprising twists and turns that take you to different interesting places like Russia, Istanbul, London, and Paris. Special Agent Martel, with the support of the CIA, FBI, and Interpol, is on a mission to stop terrorists and save the world. This book really keeps you on the edge of your seat, always wondering who's really behind the terrorist attack.

One thing I really loved about this book is the great variety of characters, the thrilling action, and the well-crafted plot. Special Agent Martel, our main character, is really intelligent, strong, and brave. But you know what? She didn't start off as a sniper, she used to be a medic, and that adds a compassionate side to her character. As a fan of spy books, I have to say, "Perfect Shot" really impressed me. It's accurate and engaging, especially when compared to other books in the same genre.

Honestly, I highly recommend this book, and the fact that it's part of a series? That just makes me even more excited. With its amazing characters, gripping storyline, and all the action and suspense, this book is truly captivating. By the way, I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, and these opinions are completely my own, no strings attached.

Solid debut thriller through and through. Steve has a knack for speedy character development that gets you caring without slowing down the plot. Alex Martel is a pistol, capable yet vulnerable, a woman determined to the do the right thing no matter the personal cost. I'm looking forward to her future adventures!

From the blurb, this sounded like a book I’d love. A female CIA special agent who is also a sniper? Sign me up! Unfortunately, I had a very disjointed reading experience. The first half was very clunky with lots of military acronyms and over explanations. It was hard to stay connected with the story. Thankfully, the second half was significantly better and read quickly. 2.5 stars, rounded up.

What a heck of a debut from an author with the personal and professional background to add more than enough authenticity to keep thriller fans engaged. Steve Urszenyi is a name to remember.

Perfect Shot by Steve Urszenyi
Special Agent Alexandra Martel #1

Hooked on page one and reeled in a bit more with each page read ~ Couldn’t put it down!

What I liked:
* Alexandra “Alex” Martel: widow, ex-military sniper, special ops experience, FBI Special Agent, on loan to Interpol, strong, resilient, lethal, strategic thinker, puzzle solver, follows her gut, dependable, someone I would want on my side
* Caleb Copeland: CIA branch chief developing a unique team of operators that Alex would be perfect for, experienced, dedicated, patriotic, capable, survivor, warrior, knowledgeable, lethal, interesting
* Beginning to know and care about characters that I hoped would make it through the book alive so that I can read more about them in future books
* The plot, pacing, settings, and writing
* That acronyms, agency names, military equipment, and technical information were well enough defined for me to follow without getting bogged down while reading the story
* The twists and turns
* Being thankful that there are people dedicated to keeping the world safe
* Being able to thoroughly dislike the bad guys and hope they would be vanquished
* The conclusion and lead into the next book of the series
* Reading a debut novel that is well written by an author I see great promise for

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Thinking about how warped some thinking can be and how it leads to such evil plots, plans, and deeds

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

This debut novel is a great spy/action thriller that follows FBI Special Agent Alex Martel as she tries to outwit and out shoot the perpetrators of the theft of a US nuclear weapon. On loan to Interpol, she is working with Caleb, a CIA agent, who wants her to be part of his select team.

The action is non-stop. The writing is edge-of-the-seat. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and hope to follow Alex as she uses her skills in other adventures.

A really good story from start to finish. You follow special agent Alexandra Martel in her travels around Europe taking out and looking for the terrorists. You also get her back story along the way which just adds to the story and you see the skills she has is more than just shooting. I found this to be a very good book from start to finish with a lot of action and was able to finish it in a few hours. Good characters and very much worth the read.

Timely and complex thriller focusing on a female decorated sniper now working with the FBI and Interpol in Europe. When a close friend from MI5 is killed, Alex gradually uncovers a conspiracy that really heats up when a nuclear warhead goes missing. Old connections and a CIA agent intent on recruiting her enable her to unravel the mystery while staying alive. Fast moving plot with lots of daring action, and interesting characters with a good bit of depth. All the details hold together in what makes for an excellent thriller in what looks like a new series. I will keep my eyes open for the next one. Highly recommended.

Special Agent Alexandra "Alex" Martel has had a remarkable career in the U.S. Army - as a medic and as a well-decorated sniper. Now she works for the FBI and is currently on assignment, loaned to Interpol when she learns of the death of a friend, an MI5 agent, who died under mysterious circumstances. Alex feels a duty to investigate her friend's death and partners with a CIA agent (who is actively trying to recruit her) to dig deeper into the circumstances around the woman's death.

Their investigation takes them around the globe and puts them in danger at every turn. Alex's reputation has made her a target for everyone who might be considered a terrorist. Alex will need to defy direct orders for her own superiors when she strongly believes she knows where a stolen nuclear warhead has been placed. No one seems to take her 'hunch' seriously but if it should detonate, it would kill millions and wreak havoc internationally for decades. She'll risk her career, and her life, to find and disable the bomb.

I haven't read a lot of modern thrillers - for no particular reason - and when I saw this, and that it was a first book in a proposed new series, I decided to take the plunge.

I thought that there was a nice development of the two main characters (Alex and the CIA agent Caleb). There could be a romance blooming here, but right now in this first book it's not much more than a hint of possibilities (and the end of the book promises even more potential for Alex).

The fact that our protagonist is female is really great. But I would say that I didn't sense anything here that was specific to her gender - in other words, is it important that Alex is a woman? Not yet. "Alex" could have been male and it wouldn't have changed anything (other than that hint of romance ... maybe).

The action moved swiftly and the last quarter of the book was a true page-turner.

There were moments that kept this from being best seller material, despite the thrill ride. For instance, early in the book we have this:

"Nyet," replied Alex, all but exhausting her Russian vocabulary. "But she apparently thought me a better friend than I was."
"It's a pity we don't realize such things until it's too late."
"Da," agreed Alex, realizing her knowledge of working Russian was quite extensive after all.

Seriously?! This Special Agent thinks that "Nyet" and "Da" indicate an extensive knowledge of Russian?! Then I'm a freaking linguist!

This was a fun read and I think more excited to read the next volume than I was with this.

Looking for a good book? Perfect Shot is the first book in a new, international thriller series by Steve Urszenyi. A female protagonist offers some exciting new possibilities, though Urszenyi doesn't capitalize on it just yet.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this book and hope that this is a start to a new series. I did love that it didn't turn mushy and into a love story at the end. It was action packed with strong leading women in the military.

I both read and listened to Perfect Shot, so thank you to Minotaur and Recorded Books for this opportunity in exchange for my honest opinion. I wanted to like this book more than I did, but there are many good things about it that make me want to see where the series goes. I liked the character of Alex because girls can be badass ex-sniper FBI agents, too. and the action was pretty good Caleb was a little smarmy, but we'll see where that goes. My problem with the book itself was that there was an overabundance of minutia around random things, mainly the military gear, that pulled me away from the story and bogged down some of the quieter parts. My problem with the audio was that, with this badass female character in play, the narrator seemed to read her as an overwrought, over-emotional girl instead of a capable tough girl. I do appreciate the publishers above for giving me early access and look forward to seeing where Urszenyi takes Alex from here.

Special Agent Alex Martel is a former military sniper, now working for the FBI and Interpol. She finds herself in a deadly cat and mouse game with Russian spies who think she knows more than she does about their upcoming plot to set off a nuclear bomb stolen from an American air force base in Turkey. Following clues left for her by a now deceased MI-5 agent she met and became friends with at a security conference, Alex fights to be believed by her superiors and CIA agent Caleb Copeland, who she is teamed up with. Her gut instincts tell her that the Russian threat is real, and the Russians will do everything in their powers to stop her before she can find the bomb. This is a fast-paced action thriller and strong debut for protagonist Alex Martel. I look forward to seeing more books in this series. I would like to thank the publisher, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

When Alex learns a friend has been killed, she’s pulled back into the dangerous world of espionage.

Perfect Shot is the first book in the Special Agent Alexandra Martel series. Alex is charming, lethal, a sniper, and a special agent with the FBI.

This book is action packed, and takes place all over the world. A fast-paced read recommended for fans of spy thrillers with female protagonists.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I cannot get over how well thought out and layered this story was, and I won’t be surprised when someone like Netflix buys the rights and makes one kick ass series out of it! Now to try to wait patiently for the next book to come out, so I can see what kind of butt Special Agent Alexandra Martel kicks next!

Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for providing a free e-ARC of this title in exchange for my review.

This book was offered to me by the publisher, based on my other requests, so not one I looked for. But I'm really grateful for the nudge to read the book because I quite enjoyed it. The main character is a female ex-Army sniper, and I can't think of another serious thriller that featured a female as the main character. It was a great change.

There is some confusion with the military jargon - I know a little, but some of the phrases I did have to look up and that broke up my reading a bit. But all in all, I really enjoyed this one.

3 stars for "I liked it"

. . . ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⋆ ⭒
In some ways this book was exactly what I expected and it surprised me in others, but overall it was a decent read.

First in a series, it follows FBI Special Agent Alex Martel, a highly-trained and expertly skilled sniper, as she investigates the death of an old friend, is pulled into a political tug-o-war, and searches for missing nuclear warheads. Safe to say, it’s definitely an action-packed and fast -paced novel. It truly starts off with a bang, and while it does pull you in quickly, it started so intensely that it almost gave the impression that it was picking up where it had left off, only there was no prequel.

It’s also fully-armed ( pun intended ), with incredible detail in regards to weaponry, procedure, political relations, and tactical information. Reading it, I knew that it wasn’t just well-researched, but that the author must have personal and professional knowledge in these realms, and so I wasn’t surprised when I found out that his author bio lists him as “an expert in chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosives incident response”, as well as having served as a paramedic and police tactical medic. Quite a bit of these technical details were discussed in depth, so plenty of it went over my head, even a little lost in translation at times, but it was interesting nonetheless.

I generally liked the characters, and would likely read the next installment. It was definitely the type of book that I can easy see portrayed in the big screen, and something I might even enjoy watching more than reading, which isn’t usually the case.

~ 👩🏻‍🦰

I thought this was a great book. I love the design of the cover. Steve, like his writing peer Stewart, could totally be writing for Tom Clancy's estate at some point in the future. His writing reminded me so much of Clancy's as far as the ease of reading. The plot was engaging and I thought the presented trade craft was top notch. I liked the interplay between the two main characters.

My only knock is going nucluar first instead of later in series. I liked the reality of the ending. I liked the opening for more .

Reading Steve Urszenyl’s debut novel, PERFECT SHOT, reminded me of watching the Netflix series HOMELAND. PERFECT SHOT is fast paced with lots of storylines. I could definitely see this book being made into a series for one of the streaming stations. The author painted vivid pictures of his characters, and there were several storylines bouncing the main characters into different life-saving situations. Main character, Alexandra (Alex Martel), a trained medic when she was in the service and became a sniper called in to take out bad guys. After the service, she became an FBI agent and is currently on loan to Interpol. On assignment in the Netherlands looking for nuclear material, Caleb a CIA agent wants to recruit her for his team. In the middle of all of this, she finds out that a Krysten, a good friend of hers in England is dead. After arriving in England, she has a whole lot of problems and finds herself being chased. There is definitely not an opportunity to take a break from reading. Perfect Shot is definitely not part of my normal reading. I enjoyed this book immensely and will definitely look forward to the next book in this series. My thanks to St. Martin’s Minotaur for an ARC of this book. The opinions in this review are my own.