The First Casualty
In Flanders in June 1917, a British officer and celebrated poet is shot dead, killed not by German fire, but while recuperating from shell shock well behind the lines. A young English soldier is arrested and, although he protests his innocence, charged with his murder. Douglas Konig, formerly a...
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In Flanders in June 1917, a British officer and celebrated poet is shot dead, killed not by German fire, but while recuperating from shell shock well behind the lines. A young English soldier is arrested and, although he protests his innocence, charged with his murder. Douglas Konig, formerly a detective with the London police, soon discovers that both the evidence and the witnesses he needs are quite literally disappearing into the mud that surrounds him.
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Format: paperback
ISBN:
9780552773362 (0552773360)
Publish date: May 1st 2006
Publisher: Transworld Publishers
Pages no: 419
Edition language: English
"The First Casualty" takes its title from the truism that the first casualty of war is truth. The novel is a pursuit of truth on multiple levels: the truth about the killing of British Officer well-known for his poetry, the truth about the British soldiers' experience during World War I, the truth...
This is a surprising subject and quality of book from Ben Elton. I've not read any of his writings, and this wasn't what I expected from his public persona. Douglas Kingsley is a detective in Scotland yard during WW1. He's also currently in court, on the charge of refusing to join the army to fight ...
My second Ben Elton and while it was better than the first book I read - [b:Blind Faith|2164457|Blind Faith|Ben Elton|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320483062s/2164457.jpg|2346268] - it isn't saying much as Blind Faith was a mere '2 Star' read for me. This was not a bad book, but I thought that it co...
Less farcical than some of his other books, I guess the subject matter does not warrant such treatment. A good easy read though. Very last episode of Blackadder Goes Forth.