Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for the ARC of this novel.

Wow, what a thrill ride! On the plus side, this was a non-stop thrill ride from beginning to end, and the author really knows how to write action scenes. Also, very much found myself rooting for the protagonist Alex Martel, and I look forward to reading her next adventures. I am not familiar with this author, but I think this may be his debut novel. I felt that the chemistry between Special Agent Martel and her CIA handler was not quite there. I also felt that some of the dialogue needs some improvement. But, I nitpick as I raced through this in 2 days. Very good read and look forward to more from this character and author.

Perfect Shot by Steve Urszenyi is a very highly recommended, action packed thriller and the first book in a new series.

FBI Special Agent Alexandra Martel, a former decorated Army sniper and combat medic, is currently on loan to Interpol and in the Netherlands when she learns an old friend, Krysten, an MI5 officer, has been killed under mysterious circumstances in London. Once in London, Krysten left clues that only Alex can follow. It becomes clear that much more is going on and that Alex has a target on her back and there is a larger scheme developing. Along with CIA agent Caleb Copeland Alex is called to Turkey to recover a stolen nuclear bomb.

Action explodes through the Netherlands, London, Turkey, and Paris. Alex is an intelligent, tough, tenacious woman and a good character to feature in the first novel of a new series. Caleb is still a bit of an enigma, but is clearly more than her equal. The two verbally spar, but work well together when threatened, pursued, and the conflict is intense.

The heart-stopping action, dangerous conflicts, espionage, and skirmishes are the main purpose of this thriller and Perfect Shot certainly delivers that globally. All this action makes for an un-put-downable thriller from start to finish. If undercover, global geopolitical action grabs your attention, then Perfect Shot will deliver.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of St. Martin's Press via NetGalley.
The review will be published on Edelweiss, X, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

In one word wow. This is my top 10 book of 2023. Absolutely spectacular.
The plot, the character development, the ending. Just wow.

This is a wonderful debut novel by Steve Urszenyi. And what a debut. I am highly anxious for more from Steve!

And, I have yet another favorite character to add to my list of thriller heros....Alex.

If you like action packed this is a book for you.
This is the kind of book that would make a popular movie. It has a lot of items that are in demand these days. Fast paste, full of action and espionage. Like many of these kinds of books the reality is a bit over the top, but I can say it was a fun read and kept me going till the end.

A strong and promising debut introduces Special Agent Alex Martel- FBI special agent, former sniper, and Army combat medic-- as as a routine raid and an unexpected email set her on the path of a deeply complex plot involving a stolen nuclear weapon, a murdered intelligence officer, and a conspiracy spanning continents. The technical details were good, and I was quite impressed reading them; there was a plot twist I did not see coming that added an entirely new angle to the game; and Alex herself was a strong and compelling character.

That said, it does feel like a debut novel. The prose sometimes felt unpolished, side characters weren't as deeply developed as I would have preferred, and the end of the novel was somewhat underwhelming. Despite being an investigator and having an espionage-mystery element, solving the mystery mostly happened through a combination of off-screen computer assistance and a series of hunches and guesses that I think could have been more satisfying.

However, I did really enjoy the novel, especially the tactical portions and the great game of spies that was being played in the process. Definitely recommending it to fans of NCIS, Don Mann, and Clive Cussler.

As a big fan of thrillers by the likes of Brad Thor, Vince Flynn, and Ted Bell I’m always on the lookout for something new. Well with Perfect Shot author Steve Urszenyi delivers an excellent thriller with a wonderful new character: Special Agent Alexandra Martel. She’s an ex-Army sniper, now FBI agent. Her current mission sets her off on a globetrotting adventure with nuclear threat implications. Yes at the start there is no denying there was a bit of a novelty to having a female lead since so many of these types of thrillers feature male leads, but Alex is legitimately an excellent character who can stand toe to toe with the best of them. Perfect Shot features a tight, fast paced story with serious tension and some great action. I’ll definitely be looking forward to her next mission. I’d like to thank St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Perfect Shot.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R3PTJRG76JI8X9/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

2.5 hearts

Perfect Shot sounded like a great read for me from the blurb. I like strong women, fast paced action, political/ military strategy and I don't have to have romance. Normally, complex details and layers are a bonus. Somehow, this was not the book for me.

Alex Martel is a Special Agent for the FBI on loan to Interpol. She seems to throw her title up to her co-workers as well as other foreign personnel. Yes, some of them are calling her Ms. Martel to demean her. While her deductions about some aspects of the case are savvy, she is not smart in other ways. She knows she's being followed by multiple others and decides to just fight it out rather than having backup or help. It seems like she is trained in guns but a bit less in fighting.

I understand her unwillingness to trust others since many aren't trustworthy which leaves her on her own too often. The untrustworthy are only too happy to point her in the wrong direction or just kill her. She does her own thing regardless of the law or orders she is given. Alex does trust a computer analyst who provides and solves most things for her. In fact, she probably could have sat around and waited for his intel other than finding an initial clue from her dead friend and learning about the nuclear weapon.

I did not connect with the main character Alex or the other characters. I didn't like them. Things Alex did just felt like a bunch of details, and I mostly didn't care. She did manage to kill a lot of enemy agents trying to kill her, and find a US traitor.

I was excited to read Perfect Shot and wanted to love it. Others may enjoy it more than me.

Although I don't read as many political thrillers (Clancy, Thor, Flynn) as I used to because they seem repetitive, Perfect Shot was a great book to scratch that itch. This debut novel stars a fantastic female protagonist Alexandra Martel, a former Army sniper who is an FBI agent, who must travel around the world to prevent a nuclear incident. I wasn't a fan of her travel companion Caleb. I hope that in future books, he becomes a more layered character rather than simply a jerk.
I found the writing and storyline extremely propulsive. I look forward to the next book in the series.
Thanks to #StMartinsPress #MinotaurBooks for this ARC through #NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

FBI Special agent Alexandria Martel is tasked with stopping the terrorist from getting a hold of nuclear material. She is one that will not back down on any occasion. She is great at what she does but unfortunately there is dead bodies a lot of the time. She is the male Jack Ryan. Then in comes Caleb to help her and he is low keyed and it was fun with the banter in between those two.

This book has so much action and plots that it will definitely keep you wanting to see what happens next.

I received this ARC from Netgalley for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The action starts off at full speed from the very beginning and does not let up at all as the story progresses. It's the kind of book that you pick up and can't put down because not only do you need to know what happens, but you're so into the story that you don't realize just how much time has gone by. The blurb uses the word unrelenting, and it's the perfect adjective for the action and intrigue in this book. It's one thing after another in a way that pulls you in and doesn't let go.
Special Agent Alexandra Martel has training and experience that make her one of the best agents at whatever agency she's working for or with. She's smart and capable hidden under a layer of charming and disarming. She's asked to look into the supposedly accidental death of a friend just after she's seemingly randomly attacked on the street, so she takes some days off and heads to London. Except danger is now following her every step and things quickly start to get more complicated.
It's a truly international story as Alex travels from one major city to another in search of answers that only beg more questions. The way that Urszenyi writes makes it feel like it's all plausible and you're following along with an actual agent, which is honestly nerve-wracking if you really think about it.
I am hooked on this author and his character and can't wait to see what could possibly be next for Special Agent Alexandra Martel.

Very happy thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the pulse-pounding read!

4.5 stars

Oh, this is the kind of book that makes you so glad it's the start of a series and that - of course - there is more to come!

Alex is a compelling protagonist, and this book (refreshingly) passes the Bechdel test. This lead is not in the world saving business just to pass the time until she finds some man to save her (rolls eyes forever). She kicks butts happily, she's smart, and most interestingly to me, she's in part on the hunt to discover what happened to another woman and to provide a voice to the otherwise voiceless. Though this latter element is not an overtly featured goal, it still felt like a thoughtful choice to me. This isn't an anomalously smart or capable woman. In this universe, women are expected to be useful, skilled, and effective, and they prove that they are over and over again.

I was fortunate to receive the audiobook and listened to it almost straight through on a long day of chores and meal prep. It held my attention throughout, and I am already looking forward to seeing what kind of trouble Alex can resolve next!

I have to be perfectly honest. I do not ordinarily gravitate toward this type of book. However, I am so glad that I went with my gut and read this one. I was more than pleasantly surprised. Apparently this is Steve Urszenyi's debut novel and, in my opinion, is destined for the best seller list. I loved the characters in this story, especially the main character, Alexandra Martel. Alexandra Martel can be your best friend or your worse enemy. She is a former army sniper, who is highly skilled and highly decorated. She was actually a legend in the ranks of those who knew about her skills. She is now working as an FBI agent on loan to Interpol. Her keen observation skills, as well as her other talents have made her an indispensable part of their team. When a nuclear warhead goes missing, there is no better person for the job. She is not only talented, but she is tenacious and aggressive in her quest for setting things right. This is made even more evident when she gets a tragic message about a friend from her past that sets her spidey senses tingling.

You will be carried into the underbelly of many places I would never dream of being. There is loads of intrigue and suspense which will keep you on your toes. Alex does not know who she can trust, and you will not know who to trust either, but I knew that I would definitely want Alex on my side in the event of a catastrophe. Steve Urszenyi's bio shows a background that is interesting and multi-faceted, and has given him knowledge about things that shine through in his writing. I was hooked from the first couple of chapters. Alex Martel is a fantastic character who is a hero that needs no accolades. She is just doing her job. It indicated that this book #1. This makes me hopeful that we will be seeing more of Alexandra Martel. Even if you do not ordinarily enjoy an international thriller, do not hesitate to buy this book. I promise you will not not be disappointed.

Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

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.