The First Casualty by Ben Elton

The First Casualty by Ben Elton

Flanders, 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. young English soldier is arrested and, although he protests his innocence, is charged with the murder. ouglas Konig is a conscientious objector, previously a detective with the London police, now imprisoned for his beliefs. He is released and sent to France in order to secure a conviction. Forced to conduct his investigations amidst the hell of The Third Battle of Ypres, Konig soon discovers that both the evidence and the witnesses he needs are quite literally disappearing into the mud that surrounds him. Ben Elton's tenth novel is a gut-wrenching historical drama that explores some fundamental questions- What is murder? What is justice in the face of unimaginable daily slaughter? And where is the honour in saving a man from the gallows if he is only to be returned to die in a suicidal battle? As the gap between legally sanctioned and illegal murder becomes ever more blurred, Konig quickly learns that the first casualty, when war comes, is truth.

BEN ELTON's career as both performer and writer encompasses some of the most memorable and incisive comedy of the past twenty years. In addition to his hugely influential work as a stand-up comic, he is the writer of such TV hits as The Young Ones, Blackadder and The Thin Blue Line. Elton has written three musicals, The Beautiful Game, We Will Rock You and Tonight's the Night and three West End plays. His internationally bestselling novels include Popcorn, Inconceivable, Dead Famous and High Society.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780552773362
ISBN 10	0552773360
Title	The First Casualty
Author	Ben Elton
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Transworld Publishers Ltd
Year published	2006-05-03
Number of pages	448
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.