Product Description 'Steven was aware that his breathing had become rapid and shallow and that cold sweat was forming on his brow. Not for the first time in his life real fear was coming to call and this time there could be only one outcome; he was going to die a painful death.'
When a top research institute is broken into and vandalized, the police believe that it is animal rights activists taking things a step too far. That is until they discover one of the institute's eminent scientists, Tim Devon, brutally murdered.
Dr. Steven Dunbar, working for the Sci-Med Inspectorate, an elite government agency, is sent to investigate. A few of the dead scientists' research animals have also gone missing and top level authorities are strangely obsessed with hunting down and killing the purportedly harmless animals. Was the attack on Devon and the institute really the work of extremist activists or is something far more sinister going on?
Encountering excessive security measures enforced by unknown authorities, Dunbar realizes that those who might hold the keys to the mystery are not prepared to help him, and those who have unleashed it will stop at nothing to fulfill their apocalyptic ambitions.
Alone in a race against unspeakable tragedy, the ex-Special Forces medic must imagine the unthinkable - and all he knows is that, when the storm breaks, it'll already be too late…
Customer Reviews: Mcclure does it againOctober 11, 2007 Bucksteddy(Scotland) 2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This is a great read and it makes the reader REALLY think about terrorism, 'shutting the stable door ....' as John Macmillan head of Sci-Med says. This is another in the Steven Dunbar series and I was unable to put it down. I am always amazed by Ken McClures foresight only weeks after this was published we had the incident at Pirbright. The prologue is enough to make your hair stand on end.!
It's the Bird flu thrillerOctober 5, 2007 L. Cerruti(NY) 5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Another cracking read from Ken McClure, the master of the medical genre. I read Robin Cook's "Critical" recently and was left disappointed, but "The Lazarus Strain" is the usual fast read that's typical with McClure. I read that Ken McClure is to the medical world what John Grisham is to the law. Ha! ... well there were no lawyers here but plenty of doctors.
In the prologue, McClure sets out the terrifying possibilities of a repeat of the flu pandemic of 1918 that swept the world and killed 40 million. Move that on to now, with avian flu (so called bird flu) and a "breakout" from a secure lab facility. Mix in a plan to use the virus as a weapon and you have the cocktail of another medical action thriller with Dr Steven Dunbar!
If you like medical thrillers, I'd definitely recommend this bird flu thriller.
Have your Tamiflu handy...October 3, 2007 ellen(Atlanta, Georgia USA) 7 out of 7 found this review helpful
Ken McClure was brought to my attention and am I glad - It will not be my last read of his - McClure's Prologue to The Lazarus Strain sets us on edge by reminding us the last flu pandemic in 1918 had more victims than 'in the Great War itself and more than died of bubonic plague'...
millions and millions of victims.
The scary part of this book is the reality of the threat of another pandemic - another wave of influenza we will have little power to fight.
While some deny the possibility, there are persistent news articles stating the countries are bracing for an onslaught...
A top research institute, the Crick, has been broken into and a top scientist killed - Even worse, monkeys who have been used for experimentation have escaped...and they are attacking...
Enter the dashing Dr. Steven Dunbar, who works for the Sci-Med Inspectorate - it is an elite organization that investigates medical emergencies - the James Bond of doctors...
Dr. Dunbar soon realizes this was not a random event, the target is to unleash a pandemic the likes civilization hadn't seen in 90 years. It is a race against time to unlock the mystery and save this chemical terrorism from happening.
It is a scary premise, and unfortunately, with the threat of terrorism always near, a frightening possibility.
It is an excellent book, and I look forward to reading more Ken McClure -
