dˈʌnənt stˈɑːɹɾᵻd ɹˈaɪɾɪŋ ɪn hɜː lˈeɪt twˈɛntiz, fˈɜːst wɪð ɐ fɹˈɛnd, wɪð hˈuːm ʃiː pɹədˈuːst tˈuː pəlˈɪɾɪkəl θɹˈɪlɚz ænd ɐ fˈaɪvpˈɑːɹt bˌiːbˌiːsˈiː wˈʌn dɹˈɑːmə sˈɪɹiz θˈɪn ˈɛɹ, stˈɑːɹɹɪŋ kˈeɪt hˈɑːɹdi, nˈɪki hˈɛnsən ænd klˈaɪv mˈɛɹɪsən, bɹˈɔːdkæst ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi ˈeɪt bᵻfˌoːɹ ɡˌoʊɪŋ sˈoʊloʊ.
Dunant started writing in her late twenties, first with a friend, with whom she produced two political thrillers and a five-part BBC1 drama series - Thin Air, starring Kate Hardie, Nicky Henson and Clive Merrison, broadcast in 1988 - before going solo.