Most Wanted Reviews

Here are some unsolicited comments from my readers:

Your novel is a delicious, intriguing, “escape” story. Your Preface made me wish I was on an airplane to somewhere warm and tropical while I was reading.

iUniverse Editorial Board

Congratulations on your book Most Wanted. We have both read it—a great thriller and page turner—it had us absolutely enthralled. It ranks up there with the best. You have comparable talent to other prime authors in this genre, i.e. David Baldacci, Thompson, Patterson and Vince Flynn to name a few. When are you writing the next one?

Margaret and Gerry, Quebec

Well, with a healthy portion of graphic and gratuitous sex, inept and corrupt American politicians wielding unstoppable power around the planet, the book might just win a large audience.

David, Houston

The author’s development of characters, description of places (all of which he seems to have personally visited), dialogues and general story-telling magic keep your adrenalin flowing non-stop. Wow, I just couldn’t put this book down! I highly recommend it to anyone who likes action thrillers…

Fermin, Miami

I completed reading your book this morning. Congratulations, it is a very unusual story and well crafted. It should sell well and I hope that you will write more. I have always enjoyed reading and regularly read many novels… so people like me are indebted to people like you.

Tony, Devon

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Q&A Most Wanted's Author - Mark McHugh

Answers to questions about the background to my novel, will there be a sequel, sexual content and more…

Q: Why did you decide to write about the hunt for Bin Laden? It’s been done before many times.
A: Although his whereabouts is one of the great mysteries of our time and it is a theme which runs through the book, the story is not about Bin Laden. The main plot is about the characters that are chasing Bin Laden and the dangers that they face.

Q: Is it true that you have been to all of the principal settings in the book?
A: I have first hand experiences of most of the Middle Eastern locations - Saudi, Oman, Yemen, Dubai and Egypt. I currently live in NE Brazil and have travelled to the Amazon. I have also been fortunate to have lived and worked in many of the remaining places from Venezuela to Central America, the Caribbean and Russia.

Q: Of all the places you have been what is your favorite and why?
A: It has to be Brazil, as I love the relaxed lifestyle, the climate, the beaches and find that the people really know how to enjoy life.

Q: What is your next novel about, and when will it be published?
A: I am working on a sequel to Most Wanted, which has Nigerian 419 fraud and nanotechnology as themes. I plan for it to be published in 2010.

Q: What inspired you to write?
A: I enjoy the creative process and was curious to see if I had at least one good book in me. My main inspiration was a generation of action movies and novels, which are one of my favorite forms of entertainment.

Q: What is different about your book when compared to the plethora of spy thrillers on sale today?
A: My goal was to produce a well-written modern-day spy thriller, fresh in style and substance. I wanted to write a novel in a popular genre that would have commercial success. I have attempted to steer clear of the formula approach and to develop characters with depth, set against real but interesting backdrops.

Q: Is it true that you wrote most of the book while on airplanes?
A: A significant part of the book was written in 2006, when I was living in the US and traveling to China every month on business. I must have flown nearly half a million miles that year.

Q: Why do you, as an English author, use so many American terms?
A: My use of American terms in Most Wanted is because I have written mainly with American characters and settings, although British terms have been applied where the context demands. I’m not sure how much this matters: almost everyone understands both.

Q: Is the sexual content of your books suitable for young teenagers?
A: This is adult fiction. The sexual content of the story is explicit in parts, but it is intended to be part of the character development and not gratuitous.

Q: How do you pronounce your surname?
A: It is pronounced as Mac + the name Hugh, which sounds like hue, as the gh is silent.

Q: Who are your favorite authors?
A: Among others: John Le Carre, Robert Ludlum, Stephen King and Dan Brown.

Q: Where do you get your ideas for your books from?
A: Most of my ideas come from my extensive world travel, the Internet, and newspapers.

Q: How many books have you sold?
A: To the best of my reckoning it must now be about 200. I am hoping to sell many more…

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Curbing Iran's Nuclear Ambitions

With the re-election of Ahmadinejad there is little prospect of a softening line from Tehran. Curbing Iran’s nuclear ambitions remains a diplomatic conundrum with high stakes for the world. The danger of a nuclear Iran destabilizing an already unstable region and creating a flash point for further Middle East conflict is self-evident. Worse still is the prospect of the US being drawn into another unwinnable war.



The Obama administration seems prepared for rapprochement, after the stalemate created during the Bush years, and is willing to restart negotiations with Iran. Unquestionably, to resolve the impasse some form of dialogue is essential. Yet there are few positive indications from Tehran that a new more constructive approach will yield success.

The fundamental question must be one of motivation—what is the end game for Iran? Is Ahmadinejad truly hell bent on destroying Israel, as many fear from his rhetoric, or is he just playing to the gallery? It is difficult to believe that any sane individual would willfully and recklessly provoke an almost inevitable military response from Tel Aviv.

So what is behind it all … why does Iran willingly continue to suffer sanctions and pariah status on the world stage? Do they require such a clash with the international community to give their regime legitimacy like the North Koreans? Is it a bargaining chip and if so in exchange for what? Perhaps it is an issue of self-determination and the right to develop nuclear energy, as they insist? Whatever the case, it is difficult to believe that the Iranians will be easily diverted from their current course of action.

So, if it really is an issue of a nation state’s right to choose their own path, then arguably it makes better sense to embrace their ambition and let them officially join the nuclear club; at least there will be some possibility of effective international oversight. The head of the IAEA thinks that events have now overtaken strategy. He believes that Iran should now be allowed to undertake limited enrichment but under strict supervision. This approach has been rejected by the US and its allies. The alternative it seems is that we must all continue to sit on our hands and watch the Iranians achieve their goal of becoming a nuclear power with little control over the final outcome.

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Most Wanted Spy Thriller

About the book:
It’s one of the greatest mysteries of our time. Where is he? Where did he go after Afghanistan? How did the world’s most wanted terrorist vanish without a trace? Despite the reward of twenty-five million dollars and an exhaustive global manhunt, he has remained in hiding ever since the terrifying events of 9/11 … at least until now.

Written in the style of the great Cold War spy novels, the adventure starts with a tip-off by a Yemeni government official. Two MI6 agents embark on a dramatic chase across the Arabian Peninsula. Hot on the heels of their high profile target, they quickly discover that nothing is what it seems. The CIA, the Yemenis, the Cubans, the Israelis and Iranian intelligence all pursue competing interests.

The suspense is heightened, as treacherous alliances lead to innocent lives being threatened. The hunters become the hunted. The plot follows their escapes through the deserts of Arabia, the warm waters of the Caribbean and the steamy Amazon jungle.

This fast-paced, entertaining read is full of spectacular settings, an assortment of carefully crafted characters and many unexpected twists and turns. It will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last word.

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Most Wanted Now Available on Kindle

For the truly wired Most Wanted is now available on Amazon Kindle at 20% discount, only $4.80; perfect for those with busy lives that like to do everything on the run.

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