[arc review]
Thank you to Minotaur Books for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Perfect Shot releases November 14, 2023

Debut novel and first in a series, we meet Alexandra Martel, who is a FBI Special Agent on loan to Interpol. She’s currently part of a team in the Netherlands, and their mission is to intercept and secure nuclear weapons while determining the motives, targets, and threats that this group poses.

Simultaneously at play, we have a CIA agent who is trying to recruit Alex, as well as Russian’s who are deliberately misdirecting Alex’s team.

<i>Perfect Shot</I> is action packed and in theory it should have been something I loved, but the execution wasn’t quite there for me.
I found that there was just a little too much going on at once with all of the characters, country locations, and agencies/organizations.
Additionally, it’s very weighed down with a lot of technical language.

The ending sets up for a follow up book nicely without leaving the reader with a major cliffhanger.

This is a fascinating look at FBI Special Agent Alex as she battles the "bad guys" in a plot involving the transfer of nuclear materials that are initially "deposited" at the bottom of a river in the Netherlands. The novel moves from there to London, to Russia and involves an entire cast of characters that are dedicated to whatever cause they believe will keep their country safe from harm. But of course Alex emerges as the true heroine as she is eager to do her job and will stop at nothing to do what's best without regard for her personal safely. Lots of great action and adventure, and although I'm not usually a fan of military maneuvers, this novel has kick-ass women whom I loved!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

One of my most favorite things is finding a brand new character and discovering the emergence of one of the best. It is books like this one that is my reward for that search. Alex is one badass broad, she's a tough sniper who doesn't miss and somehow she's neck deep in the theft of a nuclear bomb right after a dear friend dies. Alex is a soldier who lives most in the middle of a battlefield. She fights hard and doesn't take shit from anyone, whether it's her various bosses or the CIA asshole who's trying to recruit her. When you're the best everyone wants you on the job, maybe. This is very well written and thought out. The female characters aren't ninja assassins, everyone takes their lumps, superheroes need not apply. This book works because of the supporting cast, Alex carries the load but her back up is top notch and they are colorful and always covering her six. I don't usually read female lead action series because it's not combat real for the most part. But this struck my fancy and I'm now ready for more about Alex and her team. This is the second female lead novel I've picked up recently and I'm happy to see these characters are being written better for fans of the genre. As long as the plots and action stay this tight I'm in for however long Alex keeps kicking ass.

My thanks to Net Galley and St Martin's press for allowing me to review this.arc.

Strong female protagonist sniper with.missing nuclear warheads makes and interesting plot mix. I liked this but was not wowed. A bit too much going on.

Author Steve Urszenyi's debut novel, Perfect Shot, is a promising indication of a great future in the book business. He employs a female lead, Alexandra Martel to take us through the action, of which there is plenty. The author is good at action scenes. Unfortunately, he cannot resist writing every detail that a scene might call for, even though it slows the story down. And I can see his temptation to educate us on the finer points of a missing nuclear bomb, but they left me cold. I didn't need to know such detail.
The novel builds to a spectacular finish, again all well-written by the author. One has to suspend belief to enjoy it, but it's worth the suspension!
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

4.5 rounded up
Strong female character. Well written debut and looking forward to next book in series. A big thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

Perfect Shot by Steve Urszenyi is about Special Agent Alex Martel a decorated Army sniper. She is relentless and lethal. Now working for the FBI on loan to Interpol, Alex must follow clues left by a friend, who was murdered, to try and stop a nuclear warhead from detonating. She must use all of her Spec Ops skills to survive and recover the nuclear weapon. I enjoyed this book but did get a little bogged down in some of the details.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's press for my review copy of this book.

PERFECT SHOTis the first in a new series with a female protagonist out to save the world. Author Steve Urszenyi has written some absolutely great scenes that are taut and exciting and then placed them in a book that is far less so. The dialog is just nowhere near as good as the action and drags down the story. Overall the bad guys in this book are Russians, which is timely enough, but feels just a tad worn. Hopefully, the problems are easy to fix and the next book flows better. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Review of Uncorrected Digital Galley

In the Netherlands, FBI Special Agent Alexandra Martel, on loan to Interpol and serving as a liaison to the Dutch National Police, helps stop the theft of nuclear material intended for sale to members of the Islamic Levant Front. Little did they know that the theft was designed as a misdirection while others completed plans for another attack.

When Alex learns of the mysterious death of a friend, MI5 officer Krysten Gosling, her investigation uncovers a conspiracy involving the theft of a nuclear warhead. Can Alex thwart their nefarious plan?

=========

First in the Special Agent Alexandra Martel series, readers meet Alex as she uses her sharpshooter skills to stop a theft of nuclear material. Strong characters, a complex plot, and non-stop action all work together to pull readers into the telling of this espionage tale from the outset.

Realistic characters and actions keep the narrative believable as the unfolding story brings unexpected surprises. A strong sense of place anchors the narrative as events have the characters traveling around the globe.

I received a free copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
#PerfectShot #NetGalley

I don't read a lot of military themed thrillers, but one thing immediately appealed to me about this one - the heroine, Special Agent Alexandra Martel.
From the outset, I declared her a badass. As the title suggests, one of her many talents is her perfect shot. But she is more than an excellent markswoman. She is also intuitive, vigilant and brave. Reasons why she is so highly regarded in a "man's world". Also, I liked that the male author didn't try to glorify her in any way beyond her skills. It made sense given the storyline.

Told in the third person, the story has several plot lines - a missing warhead, the mysterious death of one of Alex's friends, and some ruthless Russians who tie the other two plotlines together. Most of Alex's colleagues don't see the connections, but her gut instincts prove valuable as time passes.

While there is a hint of an attraction between Alex and Caleb, who works for the CIA and is eager to recruit her, the author doesn't have any fluff in this first installment. It is 99% action, making it a page turner.

If you are a fan of this genre, check this one out!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of Perfect Shot.

I enjoyed Perfect Shot and look forward to the next in the series.

A fast read and a good story. Well written and a great escape for a lazy weekend curled up on the couch.

Steve Urszenyi's "Perfect Shot" ticks off all the boxes for a fast-moving thriller: missing radioactive bomb materials, an ace sniper in main character Special Agent Alexandra Martel, and assorted good guys and bad guys from various parts of the world. All these would generally add up to a very enjoyable spy novel, but Urszenyi has added a twist. At the beginning of the story Alexandra (called Alex) learns of the death of a friend in London she hasn't seen for a while. Something is fishy. The police have called it an accident but Alex is suspicious.

Meanwhile, Alex and an assortment of British, American, and Dutch officials travel from place to place trying to catch up with the nuke thieves. Is a bad actor going to build a bomb immediately and , if so, what is their target?

Alex doesn't always know who to trust. Urszenyi has inserted some characters that had me wondering which side they were on. Usually I was wrong, but that added to the enjoyment of the book.

I highly recommend "Perfect Shot." It is really hard to put down and the plot twists are great.

Alex deserves her own series. I hope she gets one

I had really high hopes of this book, was interested in seeing a female lead in an action book.

Unfortunately, for me the book didn't flow, I didn't like the way it went back to the previous life Alex had, and just found the story a little drawn out, there seemed to be an awful of Russian spies being shot on the streets of London!

I would probably try the author again if he brings out another Alex Martell book, just to see.

Sorry wasn't for me.

Wow! I would have never guessed this is a debut novel. Well-written and very fast-paced action thriller featuring a female protagonist.

Description:
Special Agent Alexandra Martel has put her days on the battlefield behind her. Charming and disarming, relentless and lethal, she earned a reputation as one of the most renowned and decorated Army snipers in the service before stepping away. But when Alex, now an FBI special agent on loan to Interpol, learns that an old friend, an MI5 officer, 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.

Following a trail of clues left behind by the dead woman, Alex pieces together a terrifying conspiracy that only escalates when a nuclear warhead goes missing. Dodging death at every turn, she reluctantly joins forces with a CIA agent, 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 as the clock ticks down and the world edges closer to doom, she must fall back on her Special Ops skills to stop the unthinkable. She thought her life as a sniper was behind her— but with stakes this high, she might be the only person with the perfect shot to render the world safe.

My Thoughts:
Looks like I will be following another series as I really enjoyed this one. Alex Martel makes a great heroine with a strong sense of duty and responsibiity. The book is full of action and I only got bogged down for a short period in technical details (when they are in Thailand military base). The plot is gripping and kept my attention throughout. I would recommend to anyone who likes action thrillers.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on November 14, 2023.

This fast paced, action packed, espionage thriller debut from Steve Urszenyi kept me turning pages late into the night. Unique for this genre of military/intelligence action thriller, the main character is female. Special Agent Alexandra Martel is a kick ass FBI Special Agent who will keep you enthralled throughout. I am excited that this is the beginning of a new series. I can't wait for the next book. Highly recommended for fans of John Gilstrap, Jack Carr or Marc Cameron.

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for an advanced reader copy.

This was a very good book With a lot of twists Thank you to the author publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read for a honest review

I'm glad I had the opportunity to read this book.I like reading the first in a series or the first book by an author. This is a good one on all counts. A strong female hero who is realistic in her adventures and the plot line held up throughout the book. I will read more by him of Alex.

Perfect Shot: Special Agent Martel #1
Steve Urszenyl
This is the first book in a new series by author Steve Urszenyl. In Perfect Shot we meet our hero Special Agent Alexandra Martel. The legendary Army sniper and paramedic is now an FBI Special Agent on loan to Interpol.
This tale begins with an action-packed mission in the Netherlands that doesn’t go as planned. Two of the terrorists managed to escape and take the nuclear material with them. Alex and her teammate, Caleb track the escaping terrorists in a helicopter setting on empty. With her sniper skills in play, she stops the escaping men. It is obvious where Alex’s talents lie but the results are usually bullets flying and dead bodies strewn around, unfortunately, local law enforcement do not appreciate her skills. When Alex receives word that an old friend and MI5 agent is dead, she returns to London. Krysten’s death has been ruled an accident, but Alex has her suspicions.
Perfect Shot is a fast-paced thriller. The characters are well fleshed out. Alex is a strong female lead. The plot is absorbing; I find it amazing author Steve Urszenyl managed to fill this book with so much action, the feeling of suspense looms throughout the tale, attention-grabbing search for clues, details of what it is like to be a sniper, spies, terrorist and espionage. Alex is an impressive character demonstrating, likability, intelligence and self-confidence.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book for review. My reviews are my unbiased opinions.

Alex Martell is an FBI Special Agent assigned to Interpol when we first meet her. Prior to joining the FBI, she was a military sniper. This, an introduction to the protagonists, story takes readers to the Netherlands, London, Turkey and Paris. Alex is following the trail of a missing nuclear bomb and stopping those who stole it. The plot is multilayered and various characters are telling their stories themselves. The action is non-stop and well done enough to be believable. Thanks to Net Galley and Minotaur Books for an ARC for an honest review.