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.

If you are looking for an action filled thriller, look no further. FBI agent Alexandria Martel is currently working with Interpol in the Netherlands on an operation to stop the sale of nuclear materials. At its’ completion she is notified of her fiend Krysten’s death in London. She was an MI5 agent working undercover and was killed in a traffic accident. Martel, however, is suspicious of the circumstances and heads to London to look into it. Before her death, Krysten sent Martel a cryptic letter with clues that tie the theft of a nuclear weapon in Turkey with a planned attack. On Martel’s arrival, she is attacked by Russian agents.

Caleb Copeland is the head of a special CIA unit who hopes to recruit Martel. He involved himself in the Netherlands operation and followed Martel to London, arriving in time to save her. He is careful in his recruitment approach. They work well together, but he questions her judgment when it comes to Krysten. Martel believes that she was pointing to an attack in Europe. Her letter, however, revealed a personal history that made her information suspect. Caleb is acting on information pointing to an attack in the U.S. Martel trusts her own instincts and puts her career and her life in jeopardy to find the truth. A stolen nuclear weapon, the revelation of a traitor in their midst and a Russian colonels’ plan to destroy the Western alliance keeps Martel and Caleb on the move and the tension high. This is the first book in a new series. I can not wait to see where Steve Urszenyi takes his characters next. I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House - The Dial Press or providing this book or my review.

Great debut novel that kept my interest throughout; really enjoyed the plot and story pacing in this book. A realistic plot about a stolen nuclear warhead is something that I’ve always thought possible. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series and find out the next adventure for Agent Martel

Alex Martel has put her days on the battlefield behind her. Before stepping away, Martel had earned a reputation as one of the most renowned and decorated Army snipers.

Alex, now an FBI special agent on loan to Interpol, must fall back on her Special Ops skills when she learns that an old friend, an MI5 officer, has been killed under mysterious circumstances and a global nuclear threat is imminent. She's pulled back into the dangerous world Alex left behind: a world where some people fear her, some want to recruit her, and everyone seems to like her dead because she is a threat to the people behind a dangerous conspiracy. Everything isn't as it seems.

The story takes place in various locations, from London to Turkey and on to Paris. There is a lot of action behind the scenes, but most of the action for the reader is in the last thirty percent. Before then, we got abundant technical military/government agency talk throughout the book with short action scenes, which made it hard for me to stay connected with the story.

The story is at its best when there is action. I found the downtime hard to get through. There was a lot of dialogue that felt disjointed and choppy at times. The book is relatively long, and by sixty percent through, I still didn't know what was going on.

It was hard to connect to Alex, but as this will be a series, Maybe the author intended the first book to be her origin story. I will read the second book because I'm curious about the author's direction for the series.

I want to thank St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of The Perfect Shot in exchange for an honest opinion.

Special Agent Alex Martel is a sniper and a good one. This book was filled with lots of action but not a lot of character development. I don't think this was a book for me after all. I like more about characters and this tended more for action. As things unfolded I felt I was just along for the ride and didn't see twists coming at all. For someone who can read and picture the action better than I can it would be more enjoyable.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital copy.

Perfect Shot is the beginning of a new series featuring the skills of Alexandra Martel. Alexandra has just finished doing what she does best, thwarting disaster with her skill as a sniper and black ops when she finds out a friend in the same profession is missing. As she uncovers a horrible plot to destroy she finds the answers to her friend's disappearance. She must risk all using her wits, talents, and skills to save many.
This first novel is a thriller. A good read for those who love stories about women as the lead characters and thrilling world-changing events that are stopped by them. Thanks to #NetGalley#PerfectShot for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thus is one intriguing and fast paced debut novel with super hero characters, conspiracies too terrifying to contemplate and just the right amount of back and forth snark and sarcasm. Urszenyi portrays his protagonist, Alexandra Martel, as many faceted, complex with extraordinary intelligence and logic. Her counterpart is a CIA operative who is equally talented, operating in the shadows, and he wants Alex, but to what purpose. So wow, wow, wow - the heroine knows how to use her skills, knows how to shoot, knows how to fight, and is fiercely loyal. Her back story is filled with accolades, commendations and heartbreak. Thrown into one conflict after another, it seems as if her next fight might be her last. She lives by the mantra “Here I am. Send me?” She is dedicated to making the world a better place and if a few bad guys have to die she feels no remorse.

This book kept moving and changing with a plot that was completely believable. The threats and evil have become commonplace and recognizable. The ending was so frustrating, acknowledging that is precisely how things go down within government agencies. There just has to be another installment of Alexandra Martel coming and I can’t wait.

Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for a copy.

I thoroughly enjoyed this new to me author’s debut novel. It kept me on the edge of my seat and trying to turn the pages as fast as I could to see what was going to happen next. I can’t wait to see what more this new author is going to bring for us.


I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of Steve Urszenyi’s debut novel PERFECT SHOT.

I struggled to get into this book for a few reasons:
1) I started with the audiobook, but the narrator was so annoying. Her narration of Alex is fine, but she does all of these male “accents” which were difficult for me to get through. By the time I tried the ebook, the narrators voices were stuck in my head and the book was unsalvageable.
2) I got very lost in the acronyms
3) Military action doesn’t seem to be my thing, but I really don’t know why…

It’s really too bad because I tend to like action books with female protagonists, but this just didn’t do it for me. Maybe it’s a right now thing…

*4.5 Stars On My Instagram Account*

"Do or do not. There is no try."

You quote Yoda you got my attention. Perfect Shot, Special Agent Alexandra Martel #1, by phenom debut author Steve Urszenyi is an attention grabber from the first page to the last word. Not only does it overachieve as a globetrotting mystery thriller with CIA and MI5 operatives, but has the most awesome kickass female warrior.

Alex earned her reputation as a revered sharp shooter sniper. She has saved the lives of many soldiers but now works as an FBI Special Agent on loan to Interpol. Just as she's winding down from a high octane opening chase scene where she meets the flirtatious CIA operative Caleb, who has plans for them to be permanent partners and not just out in the field, a nuclear weapon is stolen.

The biggest twist: that's not the main mystery plot. While tracking down the nuclear weapon, Alex gets word that her MI5 friend Krysten was killed in a car accident but Alex knows it was murder. With clues left in photos, wine bottles and computer codes, Alex fights for the truth only to find out everything has been a lie.

It's unbelievable this thriller is a debut novel. It is a non stop page turner. I also listened to the audiobook with the remarkably talented voice actress Cynthia Farrell. She captured the whip smart snappiness of Alex, and conquered different accents from British to Russian to various American accents. She should be a speech advisor for multi language performances.

I hope there are many more Alex (and Caleb) stories to come. Netflix should option it now. This writer took a shot and hit the bullseye.

I received a free copy of this book/audiobook from the publishers via #netgalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Special agent, Alexandria Martel is known for her well-deserved reputation as a tough decorated army sniper. She now is working as an FBI agent, and is on loan to interpol when she learns an old friend a MI5 officer has been killed. After learning about this, she sets out to find what happened to her old friend. This story has interesting characters and the plot is fast paced and suspenseful.

Special Agent Alex Martel served her time in the military as both a medic and a sniper. She excelled in both arenas. As an FBI agent attached to Interpol she is charged with finding a missing Nuke only to find blockades at every turn. Toss in the fact that there are nefarious characters that are set on killing her Alex has her work cut out for her. This is a good novel - I struggled a bit with the jumping around and felt that piece could be smoother. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the read.

Perfect Shot is Steve Urszenyi's is the first installment in the authors Special Agent Alexandra Martel series as well as his debut novel. Alex has seemingly put her days on the battlefield behind her. Charming and disarming, relentless and lethal, she has earned a reputation as one of the most renowned and decorated Army snipers and combat medics in the service of her country before stepping away. As the story is filled with action, and suspense, you should be ready right on the opening chapter as Alex and her team race to stop an alleged Islamic terror group from exchanging special nuclear material.

The suspense continues when Alex, now an FBI special agent on loan to Interpol, as well as a member of ISA (Intelligence Support Activities Unit), learns that an old friend she met a few years earlier, has been killed under mysterious circumstances, she’s pulled back into the dangerous world she left behind. A world where some people fear her, some want to recruit her, and everyone seems to want her dead. Especially the Russians who are once playing puppet masters. Alex, of course, wants to take a look and at least ensure everything is being done to find the killer and the reason for her death.

Following a trail of clues left behind by the dead woman, Alex pieces together a terrifying conspiracy that only escalates when a US nuclear warhead out of Turkey goes missing. Dodging death at every turn, she reluctantly joins forces with a CIA officer named Caleb Brand, who belongs to a secretive unit called ACCT (Advance Counter terrorism & Counter Proliferation Team), but he has plans of his own for her—and will stop at nothing to achieve them. Chasing the truth through the streets of London and bustling Turkish markets to the underbelly of Paris, Alex is unrelenting in her pursuit of justice.

But so are her enemies in Russia who seem to pop up every where. As as the clock ticks down to a major peace summit taking place in Paris, and the world edges closer to doom, she must fall back on her Special Ops skills to stop the unthinkable. She must wade through a litany of both people who want to kill her, people who want to betray her, and people who are desperate to have her on their side. She thought her life as a sniper was over but with stakes this high, she must use whatever means necessary to render the world safe. Not matter where she turns, there seems to be danger at every corner.

*Thoughts* I normally begin reviews of books like this by saying you should expect to suspend reality in order to read this book. However, as a debut novelist, the author really did his due diligence and research. He has made Alex a likable character as well as someone you can easily root for because she has been through so much. It is easy to scoff at the idea of a female sniper, but if you look back on history, some of the best snipers in the world were women. There are allegedly, don't quote me, 9 current Women snipers in the US Army.

I have no issue with Russia once again being the villains, after all, they literally invaded Crimea and Ukraine without any reason. Russia are the boogeymen of my generation having lived through the cold war. We know what they are capable of because they have both the GRU and FSB playing shenanigans with our military, or CIA, NSA, and our most important infrastructures. The ending of this book was both expected, and not. Alex has to make some career defining choices that will leave her in an untenable position going forward. I look forward to the next book in this series.