Andy McNab's Books | Crime Books

Biography

Abandoned at Birth

Steven Billy Mitchell — more usually known by his pen-name Andy McNab — didn’t have the most promising start to life. In December 1959, he was found in a Harrods’ bag on the steps of Guy’s Hospital, Southwark, London. He was adopted and raised in Peckham, where he had a disjointed education, attending nine different schools in seven years. Despite aspirations to become a tube driver or a panel beater, he pursued a career in petty crime, dabbling in burglary and stealing car radios. He even tried “tipping over Portaloos so I could nick the occupants’ handbags”. (Compleat Sean Bean)

Eventually, he was arrested and found himself in juvenile detention.

“I was no criminal mastermind – I burgled the same block of flats repeatedly and was always going to end up getting caught.” (The Guardian)

Life in the Army

On his release at the age of sixteen, he joined the British Army, enlisting with the Royal Green Jackets. Whilst in the forces, his world changed for the better. He read his first book at the age of seventeen — “Janet and John – Book 10” — and read anything he could lay his hands on from then on. At the same time, he killed his first man during a skirmish in the troubles in Northern Ireland.

“I remember vividly the first time I had to kill someone to stay alive. I was a 19-year-old soldier in Keady, South Armagh, and my patrol stumbled across six I.R.A. soldiers preparing for an ambush. When the shooting started, they were just 20 metres away from my patrol. I was scared, very scared.” (Wikipedia)

McNab joined the S.A.S., where he learnt about counter-terrorism, covert surveillance, demolition, target elimination, and V.I.P. protection. He and his platoon were parachuted into Iraq to track and disrupt Scud missile movements during the Gulf War. A shepherd boy saw them and alerted the Iraqi military. The Iraqis killed three patrol members during the ensuing chase, one escaped to Syria and McNab, and three of his comrades were captured and tortured.

Writing Career

After leaving the army, McNab released a hugely popular account of his ordeal — B r avo Two Zero. Whilst publicising the book, McNab kept his face hidden to prevent identification. He has remained in the shadows ever since. Surprisingly McNab followed up what everybody thought would be a one-hit-wonder with a stream of thrillers about “deniable” government activity. His chief protagonist, Agent Nick Stone, becomes entangled in murderous activity, all at the bequest of the British and American governments. He has also written a series of books aimed at teenagers — Boy Soldier.

Style

Andy McNab’s books are action-packed and full of technical details, giving the reader the impression that the stories are in many ways real. His experience shores up his style. But therein lies the question. Are his stories authentic? The book that propelled his career as an author — Bravo Two Zero — was roundly criticised as a fabrication, and many dispute his story about the death of a member of the I.R.A.

Fact or Fiction?

Are Andy McNab’s books based in reality or complete hooey?

In his defence, he is bound by a confidentiality agreement to share his books with the Ministry of Defence before publication and still goes to great pains to keep his face out of publicity shots for fear of reprisals from the I.R.A.

Perhaps his stories are far closer to the truth than anybody in Whitehall would admit. Or maybe it is all a clever ruse to sell books. The only way to find out is to try one and see.

“I look at it as a medium of entertainment. You can get too precious about your stuff.” (The Occasional Book Witch)

Read more at the author’s Facebook page.