Author Linda Ward's historical novel 'Last Breath, First Day' immerses readers in first-century Israel, where Roman oppression, religious expectations, and longing for the promised Messiah shape the lives of two men searching for answers. Published by Lucid Books, the novel follows Menashe and Sethur as their intersecting stories explore how grief, ambition, and the desire for freedom can carry people far from their beginnings and toward encounters they never anticipated.
Menashe, the son of shepherds who raise lambs for Temple sacrifice, becomes consumed with vengeance after a brutal attack on his village claims the lives of its infant boys, including his baby brother. His pursuit of retribution draws him into the ranks of the Zealots, where his longing for justice becomes entangled with violence, even as he repeatedly crosses paths with a man some believe is the Messiah.
Sethur, the son of a respected Pharisee, longs to escape the religious demands that have defined his upbringing. Drawn by wealth, pleasure, and independence, he enters the politically charged world of Herod Antipas's court, only to find himself implicated in the murder of a prophet and forced to confront the consequences of his choices.
Ward's research provided the foundation for the novel. "My research has given me the opportunity to learn and write about people who intersected the life and times of Jesus, some we know very little about and some who are well known and have left their own mark on history," Ward says. As whispers about Jesus of Nazareth spread throughout Judea, Menashe and Sethur move toward a final encounter that brings their stories together at a consequential moment in biblical history.
Ward develops the fictional lives of two unnamed scriptural figures, inviting readers to consider the experiences, motivations, and struggles of people whose stories receive little attention. "The two main characters of this story, Menashe and Sethur, come from very different backgrounds and have lived very different lives," Ward says. Through those contrasting perspectives, 'Last Breath, First Day' invites readers to examine the difference between the freedom people pursue and the forces that ultimately govern their choices. Menashe's grief clouds his judgment, while Sethur's rejection of religious constraints leads him into another world of manipulation and moral compromise, creating questions about justice, hypocrisy, responsibility, and redemption.
Ward's passion for storytelling grew alongside her 23-year career as an elementary school teacher in private Christian and public schools in El Paso, Texas. Helping children discover reading and develop their own voices encouraged her to pursue the creativity she had recognized in herself since childhood. "As I grew and matured as a teacher, teaching students to read and understand the power of words became my passion," Ward says. "They inspired me to spend more time on my own desire to write more and be as creative as they were."
Following her children's books, 'Jesus in the Manger' and 'I Spy With My Boxer Eye,' Ward's move into historical fiction fulfills a lifelong writing dream. Drawing inspiration from the Bible and historical novelists including Francine Rivers and Kristin Hannah, she hopes her work encourages readers to explore the people and circumstances surrounding familiar biblical events. "When they read or re-read their Bibles, they will want to dig deeper also into the people, places, times and events that surround the life of our Savior," Ward says.
The novel combines Ward's love of history with her interest in the choices that shape individual lives. Through Menashe and Sethur, she invites readers to look beyond familiar names and consider how an encounter with Jesus might challenge everything a person believes about justice, freedom, and hope. The book's release adds a new voice to the genre of biblical historical fiction, offering readers a narrative that probes the human motivations behind well-known scriptural settings.
