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“The characters in The First Casualty by Ben Elton are,...”

written by gavinorr on 03/12/2005

Good Points
Easy enough to read, doesn't have a hundred red herrings, although the mystery is secondary to the story of a conscientious objector forced into the trenches, and so forced to face the realities of a war he does not consider himself part of. Elton conveys the horrors of trench warfare in an almost reporting style, which blunts the point to some extent (I would guess on purpose).

Bad Points
None to speak of, not that it is a perfect book, but there is nothing in it which detracts from the entertainment of the read.

General Comments
The characters in The First Casualty by Ben Elton are, while stereotypical, and so not entirely believable, are suitable vehicles to carry the story forward.

The management of the separate stories of the two main characters (detective and victim) until they join (about a quarter of the way through the book) is well done.

The solution to the mystery is well presented and, unlike many mysteries, the rest of the story is not simply a tidying up of loose ends, perhaps because the mystery is not the main reason for the story.