Perfect Shot is the debut novel from Steve Ursenyi.

"Special Agent Alexandra Martel is an FBI agent on loan to Interpol. She's also a former sniper and combat medic. She finds out a former friend and MI5 agent has been killed and heads to London to investigate. Soon she's involved in a stolen nuclear missile and Russian state sposored terrorism."

Debut novels are sometimes hit-or-miss. I like the premise of this one. It's really good when Ursenyi is writing action scenes. The rest of it needs some editing and fine-tuning. There are several passages with overexplaining. I don't need four pages on how a nuclear trigger works. The beginning is clunky with no pace. And there are numerous plot holes. (Just shook my head) The ending is a wild one, though.

I think there's potential here but this one falls a little short. If spy/action/thrillers are your jam, you may still enjoy this one.

Perfect Shot has nonstop action, a gripping plot line and a tough, gritty female protagonist. This is one heck of a debut novel for Steve Urszenyi.

When Special Agent Alexandra (Alex) Martel learns that her old friend, Krysten, has been killed under mysterious circumstances, she gets special permission to investigate. She learns some things about her old friend that call into question what Krysten was really up to. Alex finds herself being tailed by Russians and needing to constantly be vigilant lest she herself becoming the next target.

When Alex finds out through encrypted code sent to her by Krysten, right before her death, that a nuclear bomb was stolen, Alex gets herself assigned to that investigatory team. Alex’ instincts are always spot on and she forges onward to the bitter end.

I love a good story that features a strong female character and I was completely enthralled by Alex. This is a fantastic thriller and I can’t wait for the sequel. Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy. This 5-star book is due to hit bookstores on November 14, 2023. All opinions are expressly my own.

Literally holding my breath… WOW!!!
This book will have you flipping the pages so fast to see what happens. This was my first book by Steve Urszenyi, but it won’t be my last! Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Perfect Shot Steve Urszenyi
Really enjoyed this story. Fantastic female lead. She is independent, introspective and committed to defending her country. Awesome debut. Looking forward to more.
#PerfectShot #SteveUrszenyi #MinotaurBooks #NetGalley

*Sigh* I've come to the harsh realization that I don't particularly like military and/or special ops novels. Unlike police procedurals, military ops novels have a ton of acronyms that I'm not familiar with. And in the case of the Perfect Shot novel, there were so many acronyms with more letters than a can of alphabet soup. I struggled from the get-go and it became a futile and frustrating exercise in notetaking. I felt that all of the acronyms took away from any enjoyment I might have had with the overall narrative. I do realize, however, that the acronyms are a mainstay of any military op story so I am probably just not a reader that can assimilate and retain all of that military jargon.

I did like most of the characters. And I did enjoy the interaction between the main character of Alex and Caleb. But the characters just couldn't keep me engaged enought to enjoy the story.

Though I normally read to at least 33% of a novel before giving up, I just couldn't get past 25%. It just seemed like an endless sea of acronyms that I couldn't sail through. An unfortunate one star DNF.

I received a DRC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

Fast paced and one that I couldn’t put down. Grab this and prepare for a roller coaster that you won’t want to get off.

Amazing first novel. I was hooked from the start and loved the characters. A lot of unexpected twists. For fans of Carr, Flynn, etc, but with a great female protagonist for a change. Can’t wait for the next one!

A action packed military spy thriller with a strong, tough main character, Special Agent, Alex Martel.
Perfect Shot is full of intrigue, mystery, intense action and suspenseful moments.
Looking forward to reading more books in the Alexandra Martel series.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is a pulse pounding and action packed story. Alex is an FBI agent and ace sniper. Caleb is a CIA agent. The two must work together to stop a nuclear catastrophe. The plot is filled with international intrigue and misdirection as they look for clues as to who the bad guys are. The author gives great descriptions of the places they travel to and the characters they encounter that allow the readers to immerse themselves in the action taking place. The action swings to different setting and the author ensures that the reader never loses sight of where they are to be focused. This is a wonderful beginning to the series and I can’t wait to see what great adventures Alex and Caleb get up in the future.

You have a love a great debut thriller featuring an highly-trained woman sniper an FBI Special Agent on loan to Interpol, and who’s both smart and a bad-ass. Alexandra (Alex) Martel learns that a former MI5 British intelligence female colleague with whom she bonded as one of only a few women as at conference has died, and she’s been sent a photo that may contain clues to her possible murder. Alex travels to see her friend’s apartment and uncovers clues about an impending nuclear plot by the Russians, but her superiors pay her no heed. That is until a Russian team steals a nuclear warhead from a U.S. Air Force base in Turkey.

In the meantime, Caleb Copeland, a high-level CIA officer along for an opening operation in the Netherlands, observes Alex in action as a sniper and wants to recruit her to a highly secretive, top-level team fighting international crime. Alex finds him mysterious but pays him no heed until they need to pair up to go on the hunt for the missing nuclear bomb: which appears to be headed to a disrupt a global peace summit in Paris.

The action and danger keep ratcheting up until your pulse is racing as Alex races from London to Turkey to the catacombs of Paris to find the bomb.

Bring on Alex’s next adventure!

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an advanced reader’s copy.

Rich well-developed characters and a fast-moving story line leaves you breathless and at the edge of your seat in this high-octane action thriller. With his vivid and down to earth writing style the author makes his protagonist, Alexandra Martel, come to life. This fast paced and action-packed story grabs you from the first page and keep you on the edge of your seat right to the last page. I could not stop reading this book once I started and now, I am anxious to read the other books from this series!

Thank you to the NetGalley and St Martin’s Press who provided me with a copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Special Agent Alexandra (Alex) Martel is on loan to INTERPOL from the FBI when a thermonuclear bomb goes missing off of an American Air Force base in Turkey. Was it the Turks? The Russians? A terrorist organization? That's what Alex and her CIA work mate (she says he's not her partner) Caleb have to find out.

On top of that, Alex's friend in the intelligence community has died, and Alex thinks that was no accident. Can she get to the bottom of her friend's death, and together with Caleb, find the nuke before it's detonated?

What a ride this book was! Steve Urzenyi writes action scenes that make this book nearly impossible to put down. As others have said, there's a lot of acronyms in this book, but I don't think that was necessarily an issue. Many of them you'll only see once or twice. There's a lot of technical information/ jargon here, too, but I think it lends authenticity to the story. The author has clearly done his research and knows his stuff.

Alex is a great character, and I can't wait to see how she develops. Hopefully, Caleb continues to develop in further titles by the author because he's kind of a jerk. The scenery descriptions were so vivid that it felt like I was watching yhis unfold on the big screen. If you're a fan of espionage, military thrillers, or edge of your seat action, you don't want to miss Perfect Shot!

In stores November 14.

My appreciation to Saint Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, author Steve Urzenyi, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

FREE ARC from Netgalley

Okay, not sure the writer has much if any experience with women in SF or the FBI 'loan' program.

I know it is a thriller, written for enjoyment, but if you get thru the first helicopter impossible shot from the lone girl in camo that ends up on the news and blah, blah, blah. You got to base this a little on the real world.

Sorry bro, moving on here.

I'm sure to be the odd one out - the only one who didn't finish this fast paced novel that starts with a literal bang. Thriller fans might enjoy the exploits of Alex Martel, a decorated soldier turned FBI agent turned global hunter of bad guys but it was all too much for me. I struggled to find a connection with her- the personal got lost in all the noise. And it's as implausible as can be. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I'm all in on strong female protagonists but this was exhausting. It will however, make a terrific movie. Over to others.

An edge of your seat roller coaster ride. Alex is an FBI agent that is working for Interpol. She tries to stop some men from selling nuclear material and ends up chasing them all over the countryside. Everyone is impressed with her daring moves. Then she gets word that a friend of hers has been killed in England. While investigating things, some Russians come after her and she has to kill several of them. She realizes that she didn't really know her friend after all. As she puts things together, she realizes that it is all connected. She is being recruited by a CIA agent, Caleb, who keeps popping up wherever she is. Then a nuclear missile is stolen, and Alex ends up in Turkey. Alex and Caleb uncover some more Russian moles. Alex is ordered back to the States and finally puts the pieces together and knows that she needs to be in Paris. She is sure that is where the missile is. Will she put her career on the line for a hunch? She just knows that she has to be in Paris, but it could end her career.

What a powerful start for a debut novel! Perfect Shot,/i> by Steve Urszenyi is the first book in the Special Agent Alexandra (Alex) Martel series and is a combination of a political thriller and an espionage thriller. Alex, a decorated Army sniper is now an FBI special agent on loan to Interpol. From dangerous criminal groups in the Netherlands to the death of an old friend, Alex begins to put together clues left behind pointing to a conspiracy that becomes dire when a nuclear warhead is stolen. She reluctantly joins forces with CIA agent Caleb Copeland. This thriller takes Alex to London, Turkey, and Paris as she unravels the clues.

Alex loves action, is a problem solver, trustworthy, intelligent, and courageous. She’s a strong warrior protagonist who believes in justice, duty, and honor, and she feels satisfied when she halts a threat. Caleb has a calm and casual façade, but he is confident, effective, and lethal. I enjoyed their banter and want to know where it will go in the future.

With exciting action scenes and a couple of surprises, the story kept me captivated from beginning to end. The riveting plot moves at a sizzling pace and the tension level was high throughout. Nearly everyone had agendas and the novel features deception, betrayal, espionage, power, and more. This book felt like it could happen all too easily. Real-world issues were incorporated into the story that added an extra layer of suspense. Do we have an Alex ready to save the world?

Overall, this tense and exciting thriller keeps the reader on an emotional rollercoaster, quickly turning pages with the hope that the world will be safe. This was an excellent start to what I hope will be a long high-octane and dynamic series. I can’t wait to read the next book featuring Alex.

St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books and Steve Urszenyi provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for November 14, 2023.

Perfect Shot by Steve Urszenyi is the first in an outstanding new series featuring Special Agent Alexandra Martel.
This action filled debut was a stellar read and I can’t wait for book two.
This book was amazing! The story was written in such a way that I could visually imagine each scene and thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Alexandra Martel.
I found myself instantly gripped once I’d started reading and I only got more engrossed the further I got into the book.
It is solid, quick reading and won’t disappoint.
Once you get in to the story, you can’t put the book down. I really enjoyed the story and look forward to more in this series.
If you’re looking for a great read with a badass female character and lots of action then look no further than this book.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Minotaur Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Perfect Shot by Steve Urszenyi is a debut novel.
The main character is Special Agent Alexandra Martel, who was in the military and is a sniper
Now an FBI agent on loan to Interpol in Europe.
When an old friend is killed, she goes all out to solve the murder.

I enjoyed the story. The story was good – a little long winded by the author – telling us every little thing that was going on. The action was the best part – Alex showed that as a sniper and woman she is a force to be reckon with.
This is the first book and the author wanted to be sure we got all the background. If he tightens up his story and writes the part of the storyline without action a little better - try the book --

Steve Urszenyi draws on his working career and expertise to write this engaging, fast paced thriller featuring the extraordinary FBI special agent Alexandra Martel, a woman with experience as a medic, a decorated military sniper, and a charismatic and determined personality. Martel's expertise lies in guns and tactical operations, and it all begins with her in Europe, in the Netherlands taking part in a dangerous mission run by Chief Inspector Dijk. The aim is to stop the sale of nuclear materials to Islamic terrorists at all costs. There is nail biting tension as events do not pan out exactly as planned but Martel is incredible in action, showcasing her sniper skills. She ends up with Caleb in a helicopter, who not so surprisingly is impressed by her personally and professionally, but he has an agenda of his own.

Martel goes on to learn that her friend, Krysten, a MI5 agent is dead in circumstances that have her heading to London, but it turns out to her consternation that Krysten was not who she appeared to be, apparently a Russian spy, but does this negate the encrypted information she has received? Martel's gut instinct is to believe her, she has Russians following and shooting at her. New York is facing threats, she chooses to not follow orders, leaving her isolated as she prioritises the leads she thinks are significant, but at what cost to her career? Finding herself facing obstacles and gun fights, Martel chases the truth and justice in Turkey and Paris, having to rely on her well honed expertise and any other possible means at her disposal to counter the deadliest of threats.

Urszenyi has created a memorable action fuelled character in Alex, operating and battling in a world that is normally seen as the preserve of men, and likely to appeal to a wide range of readers within the crime and thriller genre. I have to say if there was one thing that really got to me here, it was the neverending use of acronyms, it really got in the way of fluid storytelling, which was a shame. Otherwise, this was a tense and compelling reading, it is a great beginning to what promises to be a wonderful series. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

An interesting and action-packed debut.

There's much to like about PERFECT SHOT, and Urszenyi has penned a novel that fits firmly within its genre - he sits comfortably alongside authors like Kyle Mills, Jack Carr, Gregg Hurwitz, et al.

The story is well thought-out, the characters are interesting and mostly well-rounded. The author's writing, though, sometimes felt a little belaboured or just a bit much. It felt like nothing was left to the reader - absolutely everything is described and explained, sometimes unnecessarily. I understand that the genre almost insists on every technical detail about every piece of gear, for example, but for the main we don't *really* need to know *everything*, do we? As a result, the pacing felt off.

If the author can tighten up his prose and pacing, then this series will have some serious legs on it. It shows a lot of promise. Just don't think it's quite there yet.