Dr. Steven Dunbar Books In Order

Publication Order of Dr. Steven Dunbar Books

Dr. Steven Dunbar is a series of award-winning novels by Ken McClure, a British novelist from Edinburgh Scotland. The first novel in the Dr. Steven Dunbar series of novels was “Donor” that was first published in 1999 to critical acclaim and much popularity. After the first novel became such a huge success, the author went on to publish nine more titles in the series with the last one being the 2013 published “The Secret”. The series of novels are medical thrillers featuring ex Special Forces medical doctor Steven Dunbar, who uses his medical knowledge to resolve a range of medical threats and infractions. Ken McClure the author of the series practiced medicine for many years before he become a novelist, and hence he uses a lot of his knowledge and experience in medicine in writing the “Dr. Steven Dunbar” series. The popularity of the series has been driven by the fact that it is not only detective thriller mysteries, but also a medical science type of series that includes references to science. The series of novels has over the years been translated into over twenty languages, and is available right across the globe. With the series gaining popularity with each new release, the novels in the series were optioned by Veche in Russia, Moreeni in Finland and one of the oldest publishers in Macedonia. McClure typically travels all across the world in conducting his research for the novels in the series.

The lead character in the series is a Dr. Steve Dunbar, a leading member of the Sci-Med Inspectorate. The Sci-Med Inspectorate is a top-secret intelligence agency charged with the investigation of crimes that are linked to science in general and medical science in particular. The Inspectorate is based out of London and is a branch of the Home Office thus making Dr. Dunbar a government employee of some sorts, even though the organization tends to be semi-independent. As a medical doctor and scientist, Dunbar is charged with investigating a range of possible medical infractions, contaminated vaccines, research subjects let loose, genetically modified crops, and the threat of biological terrorist attacks among others. His work sees him investigate medical malpractice that threatens public safety, as well as try to find solutions to emerging medical threats. In his role as researcher and investigator, he frequently has to work under a disguise to infiltrate dangerous facilities full of persons that would do anything to keep their nefarious activities secret or out of sight of the authorities. Dunbar is for the most part a believable character driven by a need to do good for his society regardless of the consequences to himself. While the man himself seems to be unlucky in love and romance, he has a good heart and will do anything to protect his society from any medical and scientific threats.

The Dr. Steven Dunbar series of novels are some of Ken McClure’s best novels. The novels start at a good clip and pack some interesting characters, though the pace does slow down a little bit at times. The series of novels are best compared to Agatha Christie adventures even as the novels are more contemporary with the characters using modern appliances such as mobile phones. Nonetheless, most of the characters in the series are likable with the lead and several other characters that he encounters having that dry wit that makes it almost impossible to not laugh out loud. In many ways, the novels move away from contemporary thriller writing tradition by refusing to get graphic for the sake of it, even though there are several instances of grisly sequences. The first third of the Dr. Steven Dunbar series is often a description of a crisis that becomes a nightmare. Things then calm down to fool the reader and even Dunbar the lead into thinking the crisis is over. McClure then uses the following third to deal with some development or situation that is in some way unconnected to the original developments seeming like a subplot that turns out to be central to the entire arc of the original story. The novels will then use the last third in making deductions and realizations, as the different subplots converge into one as the lead character doctor Steven Dunbar races against time trying to outdo the bad guys and stop and catch them if he can.

“Donor” the first novel in the Dr. Steven Dunbar series of novels is one of the best medical thrillers you could ever read. After Amy Chapman gets a renal failure diagnosis, Sandy and Kate her distraught parents start the desperate search to find a donor for their daughter. A friend recommends the Ecosse Medic medical facility in Glasgow Scotland as her best chance at getting a kidney transplant. But suddenly, many former patients of the hospital are discovered to have died in terrible circumstances. Dr. Steven Dunbar a former Special Forces medic swings into action trying to uncover just what is happening at the facility. He soon discovers that the doctors have been obtaining bad kidneys from the black market and putting them into patients putting their lives at risk. Delving deeper in his investigations he learns that the doctors are not only using faulty kidneys, they are in fact transplanting animal kidneys into humans, while taking out their patients’ hearts. The compelling novel will leave the reader heartbroken with its gross depiction of the corruption and heartlessness of some callous people in the medical profession.

“Deception”, the second novel in the Dr. Steven Dunbar series of novels is a fascinating medical thriller that sees the doctor face up to some of the worst criminals to date. A young boy is playing beside a canal in a small hamlet of Edinburgh when a rat attacks him. The village has bigger problems in that a new genetically modified crop has been introduced into nearby fields without proper testing and licensing. Steven Dunbar of the Sci-Med Inspectorate is sent in to investigate if the crop has anything to do with the unusual rat attack. His investigations soon uncover that the rat incident, which is just one of several reported in Edinburgh, may be as a result of the genetically modified strain. Could the crops have some gene modifying traits that are making rats bolder and more vicious? However, his questions are not taken well by some powerful and dark forces behind the GM crops, who would do anything including kill, to stop the doctor.