One of the Greatest Mysteries of our time…

Most Wanted – Press Release Jun 30, 2009

A fast paced spy thriller in pursuit of the world’s most wanted terrorist.

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 … Even more puzzling is how he resurfaces in audio and video recordings with such uncanny timing, just when we are all beginning to wonder if he has finally been eliminated by the security forces or died from chronic kidney failure. US Intelligence has been after him for such a long time that it brings into question their effectiveness, or do they have a darker and more sinister agenda?

Most Wanted is an epic story 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 heroic escapes through the Arabian Desert, the warm waters of the Caribbean and the steamy Amazon jungle.

Most Wanted is an impressive debut for Mark McHugh as a thriller writer and has already won the coveted Editors’ Choice award from the publisher—iUniverse—the on demand publishing arm of Barnes and Noble.

A rousing spy thriller; with great moments of adventure, exoticism, intrigue, and romance … it evokes the style of le Carre and Fleming

iUniverse Editorial Board

Mark McHugh is a British businessman who lives with his Brazilian wife, and young family at their beach house in North-East Brazil. During his extensive international career, he has worked in seventy different countries and lived on four continents. In Most Wanted he draws resourcefully from his experiences. He offers many unique insights into the different cultures depicted in the book and vividly describes the settings from first hand knowledge.

For further information please contact the author at markmchuge@aol.com or on his international direct line +1 832 632 4423

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Wadi Bashing

In the early stages of the spy thriller—Most Wanted—we find our heroes driving hard, “wadi-bashing”; pursuing the world’s most wanted terrorist through the most spectacular landscapes on the Arabian peninsular. The chase through Yemen plays out against the backdrop of rugged mountain scenery; dotted with unique architecture; and interspersed with green verdant terraces and lush oases.

 

The trail takes them northward into Sada province, home to lawless Yemeni tribesmen armed to the teeth.  The tribes in this region have a different culture, are fiercely independent and for many years they have taken to kidnapping foreigners. Hostages were typically taken to pressure the government; mainly to free clan members from jail and were then generally released unharmed. However, more recently the tribesmen have developed stronger links with a resurgent Al Qaeda and tourists are now strongly advised to avoid Yemen.

Descending the mountain passes towards the largely uninhabited border area with Saudi Arabia, our fugitives make their getaway skirting the edge of the Empty Quarter, where the rocky terrain gives way to massive rolling sand dunes. This is the true Arabian Desert. Driving skills are critical to navigate in this territory, as the unwary can quickly lose a shock absorber or become trapped deep in the sand. Rescue is not usually close at hand either, as only the occasional Bedouin inhabit this desolate, barren land. Traditionally smuggling of contraband into and out of Saudi has been one of the main economic activities in the region. The Saudis found it very difficult to control illegal imports and in recent years have become concerned to stop the infiltration of terrorist groups, seeking to carry out attacks in Saudi Arabia. A network of sandbags and pipelines, three meters high, filled with concrete and fitted with electronic detection equipment was constructed in 2000, in an attempt to curb the penetration of the border. After Yemeni protests work was stopped in 2004. Somehow it is difficult to imagine that such measures would deter a stubborn tribesman never mind a trained insurgent.

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Yemen’s Drug Habit

By mid morning most Yemeni’s have been to the market to buy quat. Quat is a relatively soft drug; a naturally occurring amphetamine and a stimulant. Chewing quat lasts the rest of the day and is a bizarre ritual. It involves rolling masticated foliage into a ball in one cheek. Its main physiological effects are to keep you awake in a state of heightened awareness together with a dry mouth, despite the constant chewing. A recent survey estimated that over eighty per cent of the adults in Yemen chew regularly.

The quat habit is a bit like chewing a rose bush, but without the flowers and the thorns. Most Yemenis appear as if they have a cheek deformity and are spaced-out from midday to midnight. The most repulsive part is when someone spits out the used up ball at your feet. Moreover, it makes an ugly sight if a Yemeni ever smiles at you as they all have stained teeth from chewing.

But most chose to ignore the more serious consequences; especially the impact on productivity and the economy. Sadly, it condemns most Yemenis to lifelong poverty. 

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