Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen, welcomed Steve Urszenyi back to the bookstore, and introduced Ryan Pote to the store. Urszenyi’s new book is Blood Oath. Pote’s debut is Blood and Treasure. Unfortunately, those of us in the virtual audience missed out on the bourbon from Four Branches. Watch the event to hear about the bourbon. At least we can order the books through the Webstore. https://store.poisonedpen.com/
Here’s the summary of Blood Oath.
In this action-packed thriller, Special Agent Alex Martel’s fight becomes personal when her father is abducted by rebel forces.
In the heart of Africa, CIA Special Agent Alexandra Martel’s safari with her father spirals into a deadly game of betrayal when he is kidnapped by rebels. Suddenly, her peaceful Serengeti vacation transforms into a desperate race against time. As the general is held by local rebels, Russian mercenaries and Chinese MSS operatives descend on East Africa, all hunting the military secrets locked in her father’s mind.
Alex assembles an elite team to navigate the treacherous terrain, but complications arise when her CIA boss, Caleb, shows up unexpectedly, stirring feelings she’s tried to bury since her husband’s death. As competing forces close in, Alex uncovers betrayals stretching from the Serengeti to the highest levels of global intelligence. Trust becomes as scarce as water in the African savanna.
With enemies converging from all sides, Alex must embrace her darkest instincts to save her father. But in a world where allies become enemies, and nothing is as it seems, how much of herself is she willing to sacrifice to honor the bonds of blood?
Steve Urszenyi is the critically acclaimed author of Perfect Shot and Out in the Cold. A former paramedic and police tactical medic specializing in SWAT and special operations, Urszenyi brings extensive real-world experience to his writing. His debut novel, Perfect Shot, earned nominations for three prestigious literary awards, including the International Thriller Writers Best First Novel, and Publishers Weekly hailed him as “a writer to watch.” When he’s not crafting intricate international thrillers, Urszenyi enjoys touring on his Harley-Davidson motorcycle, hiking wilderness trails, and capturing the world through his camera lens. He resides in Toronto with his wife, Lynne.
Here’s a debut, Blood and Treasure.
The destruction of the International Space Station and the discovery of an ancient scroll are inextricably intertwined in this debut crossover thriller from a former Navy helicopter pilot.
The International Space Station suddenly loses contact with Earth. When a NASA tech devises a way to restore the feed, the images that come through are unfathomable: a scene of terrible violence, the crew unresponsive, droplets of blood hovering in zero gravity. But which of the astronauts on board would have done such a thing? And why?
Off the coast of Mozambique, former special ops pilot and current treasure hunter Ethan Cain sees something he can’t believe: an object shot out of the heavens plunging deep into the Indian Ocean. When he goes to investigate, it becomes even less intelligible. A space capsule has crashed into the sea, and inside is a woman—alone, unconscious, and injured. Ethan knows he must save her. What he doesn’t know is who she is, how she got there . . . or why she’s the only survivor of a killing spree conducted 254 miles up in the sky.
Ryan Pote is a twelve-year veteran Navy helicopter pilot who was part of a joint interagency special operations task force deployed throughout Central and South America. He was medically separated after sustaining injuries during an emergency landing. Ryan currently works for the Department of Defense. Before his time in the Navy, he worked as a scuba diving instructor in Hawaii and as a microbiology lab tech conducting algae-biofuels research. He holds a master’s degree in history from Ashland University. He lives with his wife and children in New England.
Enjoy the conversation.