McNab writes military and espionage thrillers drawing on technical knowledge of tactics and operations. His novels feature protagonists navigating dangerous intelligence scenarios and combat situations. The New Recruit series follows young soldiers entering the military world, combining action with coming-of-age elements. McNab's fiction emphasises procedural realism and tactical detail, creating immersive narratives of intelligence work and military operations. His stories are propulsive, with high stakes and credible scenarios. Readers seeking action-driven narratives grounded in authentic military tradecraft gravitate towards his work for its insider perspective on military life and intelligence operations.