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Sharpshooter
A mission gone horribly wrong.
A vicious killer who will stop at nothing.
Two women on the run for their very lives.
After 9/11, an experimental branch of the U.S. government has been tasked with the mission of proactively putting a stop to terrorism. They have sent a team to eliminate a financier responsible for funding the worst of these organizations. Everything is going according to plan.
Until it’s not.
The team is ambushed, and when the mission is looking its darkest, it goes from bad to worse. Former Marine scout sniper Seven Michelis is a black ops sharpshooter now injured and on the run for her life. Peace Corps volunteer Dr. Jenny MacKenzie defies good sense and sets out to help a stranger in need. What she finds is something else entirely.
From the rugged foothills of the Andes through the dense forests of the Amazon river basin, Seven and Jenny fight to survive the perils of being hunted through Bolivia by a killer hell bent on homicide. Who can they trust, and what fresh hell awaits them if and when they make it home? Will they survive long enough to explore their growing attraction?
Words: 160,000
A vicious killer who will stop at nothing.
Two women on the run for their very lives.
After 9/11, an experimental branch of the U.S. government has been tasked with the mission of proactively putting a stop to terrorism. They have sent a team to eliminate a financier responsible for funding the worst of these organizations. Everything is going according to plan.
Until it’s not.
The team is ambushed, and when the mission is looking its darkest, it goes from bad to worse. Former Marine scout sniper Seven Michelis is a black ops sharpshooter now injured and on the run for her life. Peace Corps volunteer Dr. Jenny MacKenzie defies good sense and sets out to help a stranger in need. What she finds is something else entirely.
From the rugged foothills of the Andes through the dense forests of the Amazon river basin, Seven and Jenny fight to survive the perils of being hunted through Bolivia by a killer hell bent on homicide. Who can they trust, and what fresh hell awaits them if and when they make it home? Will they survive long enough to explore their growing attraction?
Words: 160,000
509 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2014
17 people are currently reading
314 people want to read
About the author
Leslie Murray
4 books15 followersLeslie Murray was born in Flint, Michigan, to Canadian parents. She was the youngest of five children, and according to them the most spoiled by far. According to her, it was well deserved. She spent her younger years playing the flute in band, skateboarding, jumping ramps on her bike and participating in sports of every kind. She never owned a Barbie.
As a teen, Leslie moved to Texas with her family and quickly discovered the dangers of the jalapeno, South Padre Island sunburn, and fishbowl sized margaritas.
She spent her college years at Texas Christian University (Go Frogs!) where she majored in Journalism. This led to a career as copywriter and eventually creative director in the print advertising/marketing industry.
Leslie's debut novel, Sharpshooter, was released by Sapphire Books Publishing in the fall of 2014.
She lives in South Florida with her partner of 26 years and her tenacious West Highland Terrier.
As a teen, Leslie moved to Texas with her family and quickly discovered the dangers of the jalapeno, South Padre Island sunburn, and fishbowl sized margaritas.
She spent her college years at Texas Christian University (Go Frogs!) where she majored in Journalism. This led to a career as copywriter and eventually creative director in the print advertising/marketing industry.
Leslie's debut novel, Sharpshooter, was released by Sapphire Books Publishing in the fall of 2014.
She lives in South Florida with her partner of 26 years and her tenacious West Highland Terrier.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
September 18, 2018
“Sharpshooter”, should really have been titled “Sniper”. I don’t know why that bugs me so much, but it does. Seven is a Scout Sniper.
MCs Seven and Jenny are soul mates, and their linkage works terrifically in the book. Jenny takes awhile to accept her sexual attraction to Seven, because she’s convinced she’ll lose her family if she’s gay. Jenny’s friend Dan gives great advice that’s often difficult to accept: “follow your heart”.
The first 20% of the story dragged on a bit for me. At times it felt like I was listening to a documentary, droning on with boring amounts of details that didn’t advance the characters or the story. But once the shooting starts, the story and the relationship between Seven and Jenny move along very nicely.
The killers hunting Seven as they try to escape Bolivia were portrayed very well; I don’t think I will ever visit Bolivia, thank you!
Once Seven and Jenny make it back to the States, the level of adventure slowed and the focus became trying to identify which politician(s) and/or military person(s) were corrupt and responsible for the attack in Bolivia. This part of the story was weaker than the escape from Bolivia; other books have done a better job portraying government corruption and black ops.
There’s lots more talking about feelings and occasional kissing than serious action, but happily we are treated to a bit more than fade-to-black action once or twice.
Overall, I think the book would have benefited from being a bit shorter. With over 15 hours of audio, there are plenty of places that could have been edited down to keep the story moving quicker. I rate the meeting again and escaping Bolivia part 4.5*, and the action in the United States as 2.75*, and I rate the book overall as 3.5, rounded up for goodreads to 4*.
MCs Seven and Jenny are soul mates, and their linkage works terrifically in the book. Jenny takes awhile to accept her sexual attraction to Seven, because she’s convinced she’ll lose her family if she’s gay. Jenny’s friend Dan gives great advice that’s often difficult to accept: “follow your heart”.
The first 20% of the story dragged on a bit for me. At times it felt like I was listening to a documentary, droning on with boring amounts of details that didn’t advance the characters or the story. But once the shooting starts, the story and the relationship between Seven and Jenny move along very nicely.
The killers hunting Seven as they try to escape Bolivia were portrayed very well; I don’t think I will ever visit Bolivia, thank you!
Once Seven and Jenny make it back to the States, the level of adventure slowed and the focus became trying to identify which politician(s) and/or military person(s) were corrupt and responsible for the attack in Bolivia. This part of the story was weaker than the escape from Bolivia; other books have done a better job portraying government corruption and black ops.
There’s lots more talking about feelings and occasional kissing than serious action, but happily we are treated to a bit more than fade-to-black action once or twice.
Overall, I think the book would have benefited from being a bit shorter. With over 15 hours of audio, there are plenty of places that could have been edited down to keep the story moving quicker. I rate the meeting again and escaping Bolivia part 4.5*, and the action in the United States as 2.75*, and I rate the book overall as 3.5, rounded up for goodreads to 4*.
January 16, 2019
Lots of action and memorable characters in Seven, Jenny and the evil sociopath Maria. This story was as entertaining as any mainstream action adventure even with the many references to hair and eye colour hinting at fanfiction roots in the Xena universe. The romance is saved for the latter third of the novel and it’s worth the wait.
A pleasure to read.
A pleasure to read.
April 11, 2019
Excellent
I just loved this book. Everything about it is amazing. Extremely well written. I loved that author described every details about the characters including their past. I usually hate flashbacks but here I liked it.
I loved both the MCs but Seven was my favourite. Seven and Jenny were childhood friends. When seven's father killed, she and her mother move away. Years later Seven is a sniper and Jenny is a doctor and they meet again in an unfortunate situation and together they fight for their life.
We get to peek in to most of the character's mind and its really good to know what's going on in their head. There is lots of action. And I really do love a book with ruthless psychopathic killer who is also a woman.
Romance is great too. Its not that slow but took a little time to build up because they have to stay alive first. Anyway I loved the book and will read it again.
I recommend this to all action thriller book lovers.
I just loved this book. Everything about it is amazing. Extremely well written. I loved that author described every details about the characters including their past. I usually hate flashbacks but here I liked it.
I loved both the MCs but Seven was my favourite. Seven and Jenny were childhood friends. When seven's father killed, she and her mother move away. Years later Seven is a sniper and Jenny is a doctor and they meet again in an unfortunate situation and together they fight for their life.
We get to peek in to most of the character's mind and its really good to know what's going on in their head. There is lots of action. And I really do love a book with ruthless psychopathic killer who is also a woman.
Romance is great too. Its not that slow but took a little time to build up because they have to stay alive first. Anyway I loved the book and will read it again.
I recommend this to all action thriller book lovers.
March 4, 2015
This book is very enjoyable...if you love romances. Despite the seriousness of the blurb, a good deal of the book is spent on developing the romance. But that doesn't mean action/adventure fans are terribly shortchanged, because the book is twice as long as the usual lesfic, making for enough detail, plot and action to satisfy our craving for suspense and thrills.
Seven is a scout sniper. Her weapon of choice is a big, badass sniper rifle. Her targets are whoever the government deems kill-worthy. On a mission that should have been almost routine, everything goes FUBAR. Shot and bleeding out, she has resigned herself to death. But a nosy and stubborn doctor would have none of it...
The book starts out in the past with an excellent prologue. When we catch up with our sniper heroine Seven in the present, we're hit with a longish info dump that, while efficient in bringing us up to speed, is a little too heavy handed on the narration and had just a tad too much hero-worship (e.g. Rambo Seven). Once you get past that little hill, the action and suspense picks up quickly, and doesn't stop until it gets effectively derailed by would you believe, the romance. :) I would normally find the interruption annoying, but, the slow-burn romance is actually very well done. The leads have got great chemistry, as evidenced by their delightful teasing banter. Their opposite personalities play off each other wonderfully--dark and brooding assassin vs bubbly, feisty doc--almost the same dynamic as Xena/Gabrielle (same hair too. Is this an ex-fanfic or uber?). This is all well and good, except that an entire village of heavily armed goons, thugs and one seriously crazy killer are after them. This is where the plot starts to veer into silly-Hollywood-movie territory. What happens next requires a major suspension of disbelief. Multiple ones even. Rants aside, I must admit it does make for a very action-packed second act, but this book was doing so well up to this point, I was kinda hoping it would hold up all the way. Also, the mood changes so drastically when the book shifts to romance mode that when I remember the dire straits the ladies are in, I wanted to reach into the book and slap them into reality. :)
Anyway, when I mentioned slow-burn romance, I mean really slowwwwwww-burn. Both ladies spend many, many pages vacillating, second-guessing, hand-wringing--the uncertainty and nervousness is endearing, up to a point. But it gets a bit exasperating after the umpteenth chapter, and also considering these two gals aren't exactly wallflowers when it comes to going for what they want in life. But in love, they are apparently clueless. :) Still, with a little patience, lesfic romance lovers will thoroughly enjoy these moments and all the sexiness that comes after. ;)
This is not to say the last third of the book isn't exciting. Romance while on the hunt. For me, its a more well-balanced execution than the earlier romance-on-the-run. No more over-the-top silliness, though there are some detours that probably wouldn't have survived word for word an editor's sword. The plotting is tense but realistic. Loose ends are tied up, but not all in pretty little bows, more like, gnarly knots. And everything's topped off with a fancy flourish--some readers may cringe--but romantics will love it.
To sum it up, the book's got great characterizations, sparkling dialogue, exciting if not very realistic plot. There's lots of humor, lots of loving...and lots of killing too. The pacing could be better. A little more stringent editing on the romantic side as well. But I had great fun! And thanks for not splitting the book in two.
4.75 stars
P.S. The helicopter scene had me in stitches. The seriousness/absurdity of it was priceless. I wanted to kill Jenny and hug her at the same time. Best. Scene. Ever.!!
Seven is a scout sniper. Her weapon of choice is a big, badass sniper rifle. Her targets are whoever the government deems kill-worthy. On a mission that should have been almost routine, everything goes FUBAR. Shot and bleeding out, she has resigned herself to death. But a nosy and stubborn doctor would have none of it...
The book starts out in the past with an excellent prologue. When we catch up with our sniper heroine Seven in the present, we're hit with a longish info dump that, while efficient in bringing us up to speed, is a little too heavy handed on the narration and had just a tad too much hero-worship (e.g. Rambo Seven). Once you get past that little hill, the action and suspense picks up quickly, and doesn't stop until it gets effectively derailed by would you believe, the romance. :) I would normally find the interruption annoying, but, the slow-burn romance is actually very well done. The leads have got great chemistry, as evidenced by their delightful teasing banter. Their opposite personalities play off each other wonderfully--dark and brooding assassin vs bubbly, feisty doc--almost the same dynamic as Xena/Gabrielle (same hair too. Is this an ex-fanfic or uber?). This is all well and good, except that an entire village of heavily armed goons, thugs and one seriously crazy killer are after them. This is where the plot starts to veer into silly-Hollywood-movie territory. What happens next requires a major suspension of disbelief. Multiple ones even. Rants aside, I must admit it does make for a very action-packed second act, but this book was doing so well up to this point, I was kinda hoping it would hold up all the way. Also, the mood changes so drastically when the book shifts to romance mode that when I remember the dire straits the ladies are in, I wanted to reach into the book and slap them into reality. :)
Anyway, when I mentioned slow-burn romance, I mean really slowwwwwww-burn. Both ladies spend many, many pages vacillating, second-guessing, hand-wringing--the uncertainty and nervousness is endearing, up to a point. But it gets a bit exasperating after the umpteenth chapter, and also considering these two gals aren't exactly wallflowers when it comes to going for what they want in life. But in love, they are apparently clueless. :) Still, with a little patience, lesfic romance lovers will thoroughly enjoy these moments and all the sexiness that comes after. ;)
This is not to say the last third of the book isn't exciting. Romance while on the hunt. For me, its a more well-balanced execution than the earlier romance-on-the-run. No more over-the-top silliness, though there are some detours that probably wouldn't have survived word for word an editor's sword. The plotting is tense but realistic. Loose ends are tied up, but not all in pretty little bows, more like, gnarly knots. And everything's topped off with a fancy flourish--some readers may cringe--but romantics will love it.
To sum it up, the book's got great characterizations, sparkling dialogue, exciting if not very realistic plot. There's lots of humor, lots of loving...and lots of killing too. The pacing could be better. A little more stringent editing on the romantic side as well. But I had great fun! And thanks for not splitting the book in two.
4.75 stars
P.S. The helicopter scene had me in stitches. The seriousness/absurdity of it was priceless. I wanted to kill Jenny and hug her at the same time. Best. Scene. Ever.!!
December 29, 2019
Listened to this one. Narration was ok but not great. The story started interesting enough but then turned long (audio is 15hrs) and unbelievable. Author tied all loose ends so that was appreciated. 3.25
February 19, 2015
Very enjoyable book. It has as much intrigue and suspense as any blockbuster movie with very well done character building and a sweet romance. The relationship between Seven and Jenny is very cute from the childhood friendship to the tender romance. The budding romance is paced perfectly, I never thought to myself 'wow, that was quick' or 'get on with it', it's just right. I look forward to more from this author.
April 3, 2017
This is an okay read. The story definitely has a lot going on, action and romance-wise. There were some funny moments like the helicopter scene and the author really thought out the back stories and motivations for each of the characters. The two leads have chemistry and they work well together. There were parts that kept me guessing and had good twists.
I think I'm in the minority of not loving the story, though. A lot of other readers obviously loved the book, so chalk this up to personal preference.
What held the book back for me were a few things. First, it took until about the 30% mark of the book for the two love interests to meet as adults. This was too long for me. I just wanted them to start their adventure together already.
Second, there is a LOT of information in this book. What I mean by that is that the author lets us into the head of nearly every character and most characters have a fairly big back story and each character gets time, as in their own chapters or a good amount of dialogue or flashbacks. For me, I didn't want to know this information or even need to know it. Staying with just a few characters and trimming some of this out would've been my preference.
The last item that kept me from loving the book is that the tone of the story vacillated between dark and urgent to carefree to too dramatic (like a cheesy element, perhaps). I won't go into too much but one example of an odd change in pace is that the character Jenny is anti-violence, sees two guys get killed after being nearly killed herself, is being chased through the countryside by a psychotic villain with an army of assassins but she's chatting in conversation with her old friend for a good amount of time as if on a casual hike. These types of moments struck me as odd. I kind of wish the darkness and urgency would've stayed and then be interspersed with the comical moments like the helicopter scene.
So, overall, an okay read. Some good and some not so good. Others clearly loved it so make up your own mind.
I think I'm in the minority of not loving the story, though. A lot of other readers obviously loved the book, so chalk this up to personal preference.
What held the book back for me were a few things. First, it took until about the 30% mark of the book for the two love interests to meet as adults. This was too long for me. I just wanted them to start their adventure together already.
Second, there is a LOT of information in this book. What I mean by that is that the author lets us into the head of nearly every character and most characters have a fairly big back story and each character gets time, as in their own chapters or a good amount of dialogue or flashbacks. For me, I didn't want to know this information or even need to know it. Staying with just a few characters and trimming some of this out would've been my preference.
The last item that kept me from loving the book is that the tone of the story vacillated between dark and urgent to carefree to too dramatic (like a cheesy element, perhaps). I won't go into too much but one example of an odd change in pace is that the character Jenny is anti-violence, sees two guys get killed after being nearly killed herself, is being chased through the countryside by a psychotic villain with an army of assassins but she's chatting in conversation with her old friend for a good amount of time as if on a casual hike. These types of moments struck me as odd. I kind of wish the darkness and urgency would've stayed and then be interspersed with the comical moments like the helicopter scene.
So, overall, an okay read. Some good and some not so good. Others clearly loved it so make up your own mind.
September 13, 2015
Just excellent and I loved it.
A doctor and a sharp shooter, an extraordinary duo. There is plenty of action, suspense, humor and a lot of romance. I fell in love with Jenny and Seven, both gorgeous and independent women. You feel the strong connection between them. It had several good twists and turns. I loved the flashbacks, the dialogues and the dynamic settings. I could not put it down. I just had to known what happens next. This was a very excellent story and I recommend it highly to everyone.
A doctor and a sharp shooter, an extraordinary duo. There is plenty of action, suspense, humor and a lot of romance. I fell in love with Jenny and Seven, both gorgeous and independent women. You feel the strong connection between them. It had several good twists and turns. I loved the flashbacks, the dialogues and the dynamic settings. I could not put it down. I just had to known what happens next. This was a very excellent story and I recommend it highly to everyone.
February 1, 2017
Wow. Just wow. This was an incredible read. Best proposal *ever*. Add to the fact that it's Uber X/G which makes it a little more amazing. Could not possibly recommend this book enough.
January 27, 2019
THIS BOOK WAS ABSO-BLOODY-LUTELY BRILLIANT!!! What a phenomenal story that kept me on the edge of me seat the whole time!! I couldn't swipe the pages fast enough, it was so thrilling and exciting! I couldn't believe it! I still don't know why something tapped on me shoulder one day, out of the blue, urging me to read this but blimey! So glad I didn't ignore and dismiss that mad notion! And Sheena's view that this is one of the best lesfic books? I. Concur. Leslie Murray. What a brilliant writer and storyteller! Trust me, this book is a MUST-READ!! I enthusiastically recommend it!
The Prologue itself hooked me in. 1987. An intro to our protagonists, Sev and Jen. A connection. A bond. A very unusual, different kind, which I never came across in lesfic before but oh-so refreshingly authentic. That fated moment in time during that year invoked so much emotion in me as I read that I simply fell in love with both characters. Murray's astoundingly expressive narrative captured the very essence of Sev and Jen's world, their states of mind and their unexplained affinity. Murray's emotionally captivating description of both of their inner psyche, Jen's, in particular, because of her maturity beyond her years, was just incredible. Jen's soul deeply resonated in me.
Fast forward to 2003. Post 9/11. The story began.
Full commentary here... In Bugs' Own Words
The Prologue itself hooked me in. 1987. An intro to our protagonists, Sev and Jen. A connection. A bond. A very unusual, different kind, which I never came across in lesfic before but oh-so refreshingly authentic. That fated moment in time during that year invoked so much emotion in me as I read that I simply fell in love with both characters. Murray's astoundingly expressive narrative captured the very essence of Sev and Jen's world, their states of mind and their unexplained affinity. Murray's emotionally captivating description of both of their inner psyche, Jen's, in particular, because of her maturity beyond her years, was just incredible. Jen's soul deeply resonated in me.
Fast forward to 2003. Post 9/11. The story began.
Full commentary here... In Bugs' Own Words
February 7, 2015
Sharpshooter had it all - action, adventure, suspense and romance. It was a far cry from the 'light and fluffy' books I usually read. I'm glad I decided to take a break from the norm, otherwise I would've missed out on this diamond in the rough.
This was a lengthy novel, approximately double the average book length, yet I didn't realize how quickly the pages were turning as I immersed myself in the story.
It's hard to fathom this book is the author's first published work. It certainly didn't read like a debut novel. The characters, their professions and the scenery were well researched and the storyline drew this reader in from the beginning. I felt like I was there every step of the way, heart pounding with each twist and turn, dodging bullets and running for my life along with our leading ladies. Would we ever be safe?
Yes, it may have been a little far fetched at times, but, after all, this is a work of fiction and I loved every moment of it.
Bravo! Ms Murray, Bravo! I look forward to reading your future work.
PS - outstanding Epilogue! One of the best I've read.
This was a lengthy novel, approximately double the average book length, yet I didn't realize how quickly the pages were turning as I immersed myself in the story.
It's hard to fathom this book is the author's first published work. It certainly didn't read like a debut novel. The characters, their professions and the scenery were well researched and the storyline drew this reader in from the beginning. I felt like I was there every step of the way, heart pounding with each twist and turn, dodging bullets and running for my life along with our leading ladies. Would we ever be safe?
Yes, it may have been a little far fetched at times, but, after all, this is a work of fiction and I loved every moment of it.
Bravo! Ms Murray, Bravo! I look forward to reading your future work.
PS - outstanding Epilogue! One of the best I've read.
August 9, 2016
Jenny and Seven are best friends in childhood. When Seven's father is killed in the line of duty her mother moves them away. Years later Seven becomes a sniper for the DHS. While on a mission things go horribly wrong and she is gravely injured, lost in the jungle she struggles to survive. Meanwhile Jenny has become an idealistic Dr. working for the Peace Corp. Her assignment is in a first aid camp deep in the Bolivian countryside on land owned by a ruthless drug lord. When Jenny finds Seven near death she hides her from those who are hunting her. Now things are too dangerous for both of them and they must run for their lives. The odds are stacked against them before they even start. Can they escape or are their foes too powerful?
Sharpshooter is an intense thriller. I've had it on my TBR list for awhile now and have been saving it for a reward. I knew the story was going to be good but I didn't know just how good it was!! I was hooked in the prologue and stayed interested the whole way through. It is a long novel but that didn't stop me from staying up most of the night to read it because I just did not want to put it down.
The writing is wonderful both from the story aspect and the technical side. It is truly one of the best action/adventure/thriller book I have come across. I want to gush on and on about the story but I do not want to give anything away. Its full of suspense, mystery, dedication and devotion, murder, violence, lust... pain and pleasure and finally, finally it will let you breathe again. It kept me on the edge of my seat, fidgeting and fussing in anticipation as I read. The story would get intense and fast and I'd bite my nails then it would have some more peaceful areas before winding back up into tension city again. Its one of those books where you get done reading and when you close the book you can't believe the world has remained the same.
The characters are amazing. Seven is so bad ass, like a hardcore former Marine should be. Jenny in spite of having a gentler side is no damsel in distress either. They are both tough women who need each other to get through the ordeals they face. They face many and just omg wow!!! I felt happy for them and so scared as they faced the danger and drama of finding their way home.... The people and settings are beautifully described, so much so that I felt like I was a part of the story. I could almost hear the birds in the jungle and feel the heat in the air. Its wonderful. I also loved how the ending played out. So often books don't give enough story at the end to give good closure. This book is not one of those, there was plenty of story left after the danger but before the end of the tale. I just adore this book and hope you will too!
Sharpshooter is an intense thriller. I've had it on my TBR list for awhile now and have been saving it for a reward. I knew the story was going to be good but I didn't know just how good it was!! I was hooked in the prologue and stayed interested the whole way through. It is a long novel but that didn't stop me from staying up most of the night to read it because I just did not want to put it down.
The writing is wonderful both from the story aspect and the technical side. It is truly one of the best action/adventure/thriller book I have come across. I want to gush on and on about the story but I do not want to give anything away. Its full of suspense, mystery, dedication and devotion, murder, violence, lust... pain and pleasure and finally, finally it will let you breathe again. It kept me on the edge of my seat, fidgeting and fussing in anticipation as I read. The story would get intense and fast and I'd bite my nails then it would have some more peaceful areas before winding back up into tension city again. Its one of those books where you get done reading and when you close the book you can't believe the world has remained the same.
The characters are amazing. Seven is so bad ass, like a hardcore former Marine should be. Jenny in spite of having a gentler side is no damsel in distress either. They are both tough women who need each other to get through the ordeals they face. They face many and just omg wow!!! I felt happy for them and so scared as they faced the danger and drama of finding their way home.... The people and settings are beautifully described, so much so that I felt like I was a part of the story. I could almost hear the birds in the jungle and feel the heat in the air. Its wonderful. I also loved how the ending played out. So often books don't give enough story at the end to give good closure. This book is not one of those, there was plenty of story left after the danger but before the end of the tale. I just adore this book and hope you will too!
April 25, 2015
I gotta tell ya, I loved this book! Great mix of friendship (not just the main characters), military, drugs, foreign countries, a psycho chick, and a slow build romance WITH sex scenes! Take notice lesfic authors...this is the kind of stuff we readers love! Thank you Leslie Murray Author, for sharing your gift with us!
March 14, 2015
A very entertaining book with a perfect mix of romance and action.
August 9, 2019
I really wanted to see how this book ended or I would have put it down unfinished. There were just to many eye-rolling moments. I liked the chemistry between the two main characters but that was about it.
November 3, 2014
Ex Marine scout sniper, Captain Seven Michelis, is now a top notch black ops sharpshooter with an impressive record. The US government branch she’s currently working for is tasked with putting an end to terrorism. Unfortunately, her current mission to eradicate a financier who has been bank rolling terrorist groups goes horribly wrong. The team are ambushed and Seven is injured and running for her life.
Doctor Jenny MacKenzie is a Peace Corps volunteer. There is a surprise in store for them both when Jenny meets and helps the badly injured Seven. Jenny and Seven end up on the run trying to survive the dangers of Bolivia and a cold blooded killer who will leave no stone unturned to find them both.
With no idea who they can trust, their lives are fraught with danger. Even if they manage to reach home, what awaits them, or who awaits them? The attraction between the two women is intense, but will they survive long enough to see where it leads?
This debut book is without a doubt a blockbuster. The well written story is a mixture of danger, adventure, excitement, intrigue and romance all perfectly portioned out so that one does not overshadow the other. Primarily this is an adventure story, but there is a tender sweet romance integrated in with it. The book was a touch on the slow side to begin with, but it soon picked up pace and clipped along nicely. Once the story picked up pace, it was a roller coaster ride of ups and downs, twists and turns. Although the book is lengthy, I couldn’t put it down until exhaustion overcame me. Even then I was up early to get stuck into to it again. It’s an edge of the seat page turner right the way through.
Both main characters are strong women in different ways. Seven is the tough guy, at the top of her game. Jenny is more feminine, strong and an excellent doctor. Together they make a formidable pair, complementing each other with their different strengths. There is a wealth of secondary characters interspersed throughout, all enhancing the story in their own ways. They are all fully formed, multi-layered and essential to the story. The scenic settings are so vividly described I felt as though I was living the story with the characters. A true sign for me of good penmanship.
I’m looking forward to reading more from Leslie Murray in the future. A sequel would be nice too.
Doctor Jenny MacKenzie is a Peace Corps volunteer. There is a surprise in store for them both when Jenny meets and helps the badly injured Seven. Jenny and Seven end up on the run trying to survive the dangers of Bolivia and a cold blooded killer who will leave no stone unturned to find them both.
With no idea who they can trust, their lives are fraught with danger. Even if they manage to reach home, what awaits them, or who awaits them? The attraction between the two women is intense, but will they survive long enough to see where it leads?
This debut book is without a doubt a blockbuster. The well written story is a mixture of danger, adventure, excitement, intrigue and romance all perfectly portioned out so that one does not overshadow the other. Primarily this is an adventure story, but there is a tender sweet romance integrated in with it. The book was a touch on the slow side to begin with, but it soon picked up pace and clipped along nicely. Once the story picked up pace, it was a roller coaster ride of ups and downs, twists and turns. Although the book is lengthy, I couldn’t put it down until exhaustion overcame me. Even then I was up early to get stuck into to it again. It’s an edge of the seat page turner right the way through.
Both main characters are strong women in different ways. Seven is the tough guy, at the top of her game. Jenny is more feminine, strong and an excellent doctor. Together they make a formidable pair, complementing each other with their different strengths. There is a wealth of secondary characters interspersed throughout, all enhancing the story in their own ways. They are all fully formed, multi-layered and essential to the story. The scenic settings are so vividly described I felt as though I was living the story with the characters. A true sign for me of good penmanship.
I’m looking forward to reading more from Leslie Murray in the future. A sequel would be nice too.
July 24, 2019
I was tossing between giving this two stars and three... and clearly three stars won. I liked the story. I liked the bit of history regarding Seven and Jenny's childhood.
The thing that I found hard to like was the dialogue between the characters itself... some of the jokes and stuff were just so over the top it had me rolling my eyes, and pardon me for saying so, but in the heat of the most intimate moments I'm sharing with my partner... I'm not going to stop to tell her how amazing our connection is 'cause that's fucking weird. Say it AFTER mmmmkay.
So yes, I did like the story... the gist of it. The betrayal and how Seven brought Tak to justice was genius whatwith the family honour stuff and all that other good stuff.
The thing that I found hard to like was the dialogue between the characters itself... some of the jokes and stuff were just so over the top it had me rolling my eyes, and pardon me for saying so, but in the heat of the most intimate moments I'm sharing with my partner... I'm not going to stop to tell her how amazing our connection is 'cause that's fucking weird. Say it AFTER mmmmkay.
So yes, I did like the story... the gist of it. The betrayal and how Seven brought Tak to justice was genius whatwith the family honour stuff and all that other good stuff.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2023
OK - I'm going to be the outlier here and say that this book really didn't work for me.
Sharpshooter reads like a Xenaverse reincarnation fic that hasn't aged well. The characters are quite literally extruded from the show, fromGabrielle's Jenny's aversion to killing, her "emerald eyes", "petite frame" and "strawberry blonde hair" to Xena's Seven's special battle cry, "muscular thighs", "towering physique", "chiselled cheekbones" and "pale blue orbs". It's all there.
What isn't there is any kind of character development that would have let these two leads stand on their own. Murray tells, rather than shows, and there is a lot of supplemental exposition. Without this, we wouldn't know what the characters are thinking at all times. Clearly.
Now before you think that I'm hating on this book because it's a Xena-Gab fest, I'm not. The Xenaverse was the wild west of fan fiction and has produced some fantastic authors, from Radclyffe to Melissa Good. In fact, Melissa Good's adaptation of Gabs in Partners - Book One was really cool and worth a read - it's like Gabrielle-meets-Chobits in a Battlestar Galactica style universe.
So why the one star?
This book gets progressively ickier as the plot wears on. That would be fine, if it had been the author's intention in an ironic kind of way, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't. Spoilers below:
1. It starts with Seven's headcanon in Chapter 17
2. Then there's Seven's mother Catherine
3. And finally there's Takeo's ethnicity.
The thing is, I don't think the author intended for any of these things to be awkward. And I'm not sure whether that makes me want to laugh or cry, but I sure as hell can't recommend this book. Sorry.
Sharpshooter reads like a Xenaverse reincarnation fic that hasn't aged well. The characters are quite literally extruded from the show, from
What isn't there is any kind of character development that would have let these two leads stand on their own. Murray tells, rather than shows, and there is a lot of supplemental exposition. Without this, we wouldn't know what the characters are thinking at all times. Clearly.
Now before you think that I'm hating on this book because it's a Xena-Gab fest, I'm not. The Xenaverse was the wild west of fan fiction and has produced some fantastic authors, from Radclyffe to Melissa Good. In fact, Melissa Good's adaptation of Gabs in Partners - Book One was really cool and worth a read - it's like Gabrielle-meets-Chobits in a Battlestar Galactica style universe.
So why the one star?
This book gets progressively ickier as the plot wears on. That would be fine, if it had been the author's intention in an ironic kind of way, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't. Spoilers below:
1. It starts with Seven's headcanon in Chapter 17
2. Then there's Seven's mother Catherine
3. And finally there's Takeo's ethnicity.
The thing is, I don't think the author intended for any of these things to be awkward. And I'm not sure whether that makes me want to laugh or cry, but I sure as hell can't recommend this book. Sorry.
February 25, 2022
I feel very conflicted about this book, some things about it I loved, some things about it I thought were mediocre, and some really rubbed me the wrong way.
At its core, I really liked the romance the author built, I thought the characters were interesting and engaging, and their relationship was wholesome and (I thought) well-developed. I also appreciated in the relationship department that despite being largely set in a Don't Ask, Don't Tell-era military situation, and being a coming-out story for one of the two leads, internalised homophobia is not really a factor here at all. I appreciated that.
There were also times I didn't like the writing style- maybe it's just me but I found the author used phrases like "the young woman" too often, and I found it downright jarring when she described Seven along the lines of "the brave woman." In the last case, too much tell and not enough show for me.
The thing that really irked me about the book is the portrayal of the world, how it (usually doesn't) affect the characters. Ok background: the book is set in 2003 in Bolivia. Seven is a black ops assassin for the American government and an ex-marine sniper, Jenny is a Peace Corps doctor working hard to make a better world. This should (and to an extend does) put them at odds with one another, and dealing with this is one of the main thrusts of the book. However, the conflict is portrayed as piss-simple, and is resolved without much problem. The conversation essentially goes:
Hell, I don't care if not all of this is covered of course, my problem is that none of it is and the book feels far more empty for it.
Another example: it's revealed fairly early on that Jenny's family are deeply conservative and homophobic. She struggles with this for approximately 15 seconds, and it is literally never mentioned again. Their potential hatred does not affect Jenny, she never misses them, she makes no move in the story to come out to them. Nor does any of this bother seven beyond the initial conversation.
This book poses the U.S. government as the unambiguous good guys (in South America no less, which feels insulting to the intelligence of the reader), and the enemies are just bad people who support evil bad guy terrorists. I found it varying between underwhelming and nauseating. Especially in the wake of the 2019 Bolivian political crisis (where the U.S. sponsored a coup of a democratically-elected leftist government again, replacing them with a far-right government that called the Indigenous satanic, allowed the open killing of protesters by the military and said they would open lithium mining on sacred Indigenous land for the sake of the world market.....), it just feels immoral to me to write the world in this way.
Lastly--and I don't know if I'm 100% correct about this but it certainly felt stereotypical--one of the secondary characters (and his father) are Japanese, and the father is super traditional (or "traditional"), talking about honour, having ancestral samurai swords on the wall. Hell (major central plot spoiler ahead) .Maybe this is just me, I can imagine it possible that some people do champion a sort of neo-Bushido, I'm not knowledgeable enough about right-wing Japanese or Japanese-American politics to know whether or not this is a thing, but it felt off-putting that this was the way that the two Japanese characters in the book were portrayed.
There's other shit like this too, like one of the only native South American people in the book (apart from nameless or near-nameless victims at Jenny's clinic) is this old """mystical""" lady who just sees them eating lunch, and essentially goes up to their table, says Jenny and Seven's relationship is destined to succeed and then leaves. Like, ??? Given everything above, what conclusion am I meant to draw here??? It's all very side-eye inducing, not to mention just bizarre.
I just... ugh. I wanted to love this book. I love longer romances, and mixes of action and romance. I loved the main characters and their dynamic, but there's so much that's just hand-waved, glossed over, (vaguely) racist and (strongly) American imperialist feeling, or even outright not conceptualised at all.
If you want a better book that's kinda similar I'd recommend Aurora's Angel by Emily Noon.
At its core, I really liked the romance the author built, I thought the characters were interesting and engaging, and their relationship was wholesome and (I thought) well-developed. I also appreciated in the relationship department that despite being largely set in a Don't Ask, Don't Tell-era military situation, and being a coming-out story for one of the two leads, internalised homophobia is not really a factor here at all. I appreciated that.
There were also times I didn't like the writing style- maybe it's just me but I found the author used phrases like "the young woman" too often, and I found it downright jarring when she described Seven along the lines of "the brave woman." In the last case, too much tell and not enough show for me.
The thing that really irked me about the book is the portrayal of the world, how it (usually doesn't) affect the characters. Ok background: the book is set in 2003 in Bolivia. Seven is a black ops assassin for the American government and an ex-marine sniper, Jenny is a Peace Corps doctor working hard to make a better world. This should (and to an extend does) put them at odds with one another, and dealing with this is one of the main thrusts of the book. However, the conflict is portrayed as piss-simple, and is resolved without much problem. The conversation essentially goes:
Hell, I don't care if not all of this is covered of course, my problem is that none of it is and the book feels far more empty for it.
Another example: it's revealed fairly early on that Jenny's family are deeply conservative and homophobic. She struggles with this for approximately 15 seconds, and it is literally never mentioned again. Their potential hatred does not affect Jenny, she never misses them, she makes no move in the story to come out to them. Nor does any of this bother seven beyond the initial conversation.
This book poses the U.S. government as the unambiguous good guys (in South America no less, which feels insulting to the intelligence of the reader), and the enemies are just bad people who support evil bad guy terrorists. I found it varying between underwhelming and nauseating. Especially in the wake of the 2019 Bolivian political crisis (where the U.S. sponsored a coup of a democratically-elected leftist government again, replacing them with a far-right government that called the Indigenous satanic, allowed the open killing of protesters by the military and said they would open lithium mining on sacred Indigenous land for the sake of the world market.....), it just feels immoral to me to write the world in this way.
Lastly--and I don't know if I'm 100% correct about this but it certainly felt stereotypical--one of the secondary characters (and his father) are Japanese, and the father is super traditional (or "traditional"), talking about honour, having ancestral samurai swords on the wall. Hell (major central plot spoiler ahead) .Maybe this is just me, I can imagine it possible that some people do champion a sort of neo-Bushido, I'm not knowledgeable enough about right-wing Japanese or Japanese-American politics to know whether or not this is a thing, but it felt off-putting that this was the way that the two Japanese characters in the book were portrayed.
There's other shit like this too, like one of the only native South American people in the book (apart from nameless or near-nameless victims at Jenny's clinic) is this old """mystical""" lady who just sees them eating lunch, and essentially goes up to their table, says Jenny and Seven's relationship is destined to succeed and then leaves. Like, ??? Given everything above, what conclusion am I meant to draw here??? It's all very side-eye inducing, not to mention just bizarre.
I just... ugh. I wanted to love this book. I love longer romances, and mixes of action and romance. I loved the main characters and their dynamic, but there's so much that's just hand-waved, glossed over, (vaguely) racist and (strongly) American imperialist feeling, or even outright not conceptualised at all.
If you want a better book that's kinda similar I'd recommend Aurora's Angel by Emily Noon.
January 6, 2019
Now this is a story that will keep you at the edge of your seat or at the edge of your bed! I went through a gamut of emotions as I followed Seven and Jenny's early friendship and their wild adventure through Bolivia with a psychotic killer stalking them every step of the way. I love everything about this story and I refused to put down my kindle and go to bed because I kept saying I'll only read one more chapter and then I will go to bed, yeah right! This is the first book I've read by this author and trust me, it won't be my last!
June 27, 2019
This was an intense, action-packed thrill ride. Government sniper/all around bad-ass - Seven - and precocious doctor Jenn reconnect under intense circumstances in the jungle of Bolivia.
Kind of a Kim Baldwin meets Tom Clancy, with awesome wlw.
Knocked a point b/c of too frequent use of "girl" by Seven to describe Jenny - they're only 6 years apart and now 31 and 26. Just got weird after a while.
Kind of a Kim Baldwin meets Tom Clancy, with awesome wlw.
Knocked a point b/c of too frequent use of "girl" by Seven to describe Jenny - they're only 6 years apart and now 31 and 26. Just got weird after a while.
July 30, 2019
I cannot for the life of me understand why this book has such high ratings. I listened to the audio editon which was 15 hours of listening to Leslie McDonel drone on in a monotone (I used the book to test my ability to persevere by listening to this in 3 weeks) and spent most of it fighting off a headache from all the eye rolling. The book was just one big lesbian cliche. Urgh. I'll never get those hours back.
July 19, 2021
Intriguing Read!! Suspenseful plot that keeps you reading way beyond you bedtime, characters you rally want to meet and totally admire and a writing style that is both engaging and entertaining!! Definitely want more of these characters and this writer!!!! Highly recommend this tale, Five Stars!!!
January 28, 2019
One hell of a ride
Absolutely awesome story of mission gone wrong! The reunite of 2 childhood friends, the run and sweet ending. I could not put this book down.
Absolutely awesome story of mission gone wrong! The reunite of 2 childhood friends, the run and sweet ending. I could not put this book down.
June 14, 2021
a drag. ngl the mood sorta swapped between serious action/thriller and Red (the movie with bruce willis). villains and interested parties feel a bit like caricatures.
January 6, 2025
Now this is solid kick ass book. Very well written. Thrilling, full of action, intricate romance. A doctor that saves lives and a sniper that takes lives. Can't help rooting for both.
March 13, 2019
Excellent, but ... I think this is a book of four stars, but I found a big problem in it. The author based the story in a lot of Latin American's characters and makes them talk in Spanish or so she thinks because they speak like an English speaker would do with a medium level of knowledge.
She used textual translates from English expressions that means nothing in Spanish.
She also used slang in Spanish: For English speakers we Spanish speakers sound all the same, but that is like saying that an English speaker talk the same way that an American or an Australian will do. Or if I'll try to convince you that I'm an English speaker with all the errors I'm sure making writing this.
A Mexican, an Argentinian, a Bolivian, an Spaniard speakers we all talk so different that some times is hard to understand each other, and if you add a Chilean ... well, they don't speak Spanish at all! :p
So, when you try to make us all the same as if it is not important to do it well ... it's insulting. And that pissed me off.
She used textual translates from English expressions that means nothing in Spanish.
She also used slang in Spanish: For English speakers we Spanish speakers sound all the same, but that is like saying that an English speaker talk the same way that an American or an Australian will do. Or if I'll try to convince you that I'm an English speaker with all the errors I'm sure making writing this.
A Mexican, an Argentinian, a Bolivian, an Spaniard speakers we all talk so different that some times is hard to understand each other, and if you add a Chilean ... well, they don't speak Spanish at all! :p
So, when you try to make us all the same as if it is not important to do it well ... it's insulting. And that pissed me off.
May 4, 2016
I was so excited to read this book that I feel I didn't enjoy it as much as if I had started without knowing anything about it.
Let me just state that I don't like uber fiction. I try to like them, but usually don't. It has to do with a feeling of disconnect I get from the story. I don't enjoy how rigid the characters can feel (as in, trying to remain true to their original source) - these authors are great writers, so I guess it's a bit deflating to read about those characters again. I would enjoy these stories more if there were subtle references and none of the mystical-meant-to-be-because-fate stuff, and I get so, so tired of reading about who's eyes are what colour.
I am in the minority, so I tried to review without that skewing my final rating too much.
The action was very good. It had the right amount of violence without being gratuitous and remained tense.
I also enjoyed the in-depth backstories for characters other than the main two - I like that in a book, especially when it comes to the antagonists.
Unfortunately, Seven is pretty much a superhero. I like my heroes a little less perfect at everything, however she's not all swagger and bravado, more humble and quiet which I do like.
There was quite a bit of humour; some really good and some I may not have got/found cheesy.
The romance was sweet, if not slightly drawn out. It's almost insta-love, which is something else I don't enjoy, however the flashbacks really helped flesh this out and were well done.
All in all, a good read with action and romance. The things I didn't like about it are certainly not due to poor writing, but personal preferences.
Let me just state that I don't like uber fiction. I try to like them, but usually don't. It has to do with a feeling of disconnect I get from the story. I don't enjoy how rigid the characters can feel (as in, trying to remain true to their original source) - these authors are great writers, so I guess it's a bit deflating to read about those characters again. I would enjoy these stories more if there were subtle references and none of the mystical-meant-to-be-because-fate stuff, and I get so, so tired of reading about who's eyes are what colour.
I am in the minority, so I tried to review without that skewing my final rating too much.
The action was very good. It had the right amount of violence without being gratuitous and remained tense.
I also enjoyed the in-depth backstories for characters other than the main two - I like that in a book, especially when it comes to the antagonists.
Unfortunately, Seven is pretty much a superhero. I like my heroes a little less perfect at everything, however she's not all swagger and bravado, more humble and quiet which I do like.
There was quite a bit of humour; some really good and some I may not have got/found cheesy.
The romance was sweet, if not slightly drawn out. It's almost insta-love, which is something else I don't enjoy, however the flashbacks really helped flesh this out and were well done.
All in all, a good read with action and romance. The things I didn't like about it are certainly not due to poor writing, but personal preferences.
March 14, 2015
The action story that has it all! Tall, dark and handsome. Crazy lunatic. Car chases. Super big gun. Foreign countries. Secret government organizations. Short, blonde and gorgeous. Good guys. Bad guys and everything in between! Leslie Murray captures all of it in an action packed debut novel that gives the reader a story that keeps the pages turning. I love watching a great action movie and this book was an action movie on paper only with heroines who kicked butt and still got to zoom off into the sunset! I definitely felt like I got my monies worth as Murray took the time to weave the adventure with excellent characters, dynamic settings, and suspense that twisted and turned perfectly.
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