The First Shall Be Last Audiobook By Joe Charles Ellis cover art

The First Shall Be Last

Preview

Try for $0.00
Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The First Shall Be Last

By: Joe Charles Ellis
Narrated by: John Chester
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $19.95

Buy for $19.95

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

The First Shall Be Last is both a poignant love story and a realistic portrayal of the brutality of war.

Two young lovers separated by war cling to hope and sanity by exchanging passionate letters. As Howard heads to his first battle on the Pacific island of Peleliu, Helen fulfills her call to duty by working at a local factory. They soon discover they have more to worry about than the elite Japanese forces deeply entrenched on the island. One of Howard's platoon members, Judd Stone, seeks revenge against a black stretcher bearer by the name of Josiah Jackson. Howard fears Stone may go to any length to get what he wants, even murder.

Sixty years later, Reverend Byron Butler enters the hospital room of an old Marine who wants to confess a dark secret. But Butler can't discover the whole truth until he investigates other leads - Helen and Howard's letters, Josiah Jackson's son, and a mysterious footlocker. Known as the "forgotten battle," Peleliu marked the first time segregated black troops mixed with white Marines on the front lines. The integration wasn't mandated. It was attributed to the ferocity of the battle as black soldiers aided the wounded.

The novel is based on the memoirs of James E. Ellis, the author's father.

©2012 Joe C. Ellis (P)2017 Joe C. Ellis
Island Fiction War Suspense Mystery
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

What listeners say about The First Shall Be Last

Average customer ratings

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.