A Time to KillA Time to Kill
Score Classic
What it's about
In Clanton, Mississippi, a 10-year-old girl is attacked by two remorseless young men. Her Black father takes justice into his own hands, and the mostly white town must reckon with what follows.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It's a gripping legal drama about race and justice in the South.
You'll love it if you liked
To Kill a Mockingbird
The Lincoln Lawyer
The Pelican BriefGood to know
It deals with a violent crime against a child.
By the numbers
- Readers52 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller30 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #318 of the 623 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #577 of the 924 classics we rank
- #1831 of the 3,057 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping
More by John Grisham
The Pelican Brief
The Widow
The Client
The RainmakerIf you like this, read next
The Godfather
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The Day of the Jackal
Crime and Punishment
The Pillars of the Earth
In Cold BloodExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is A Time to Kill worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #1,831 of the 3,057 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 66.3 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is A Time to Kill about?
In Clanton, Mississippi, a 10-year-old girl is attacked by two remorseless young men. Her Black father takes justice into his own hands, and the mostly white town must reckon with what follows.
How long does it take to read A Time to Kill?
About 13 hours (502 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after A Time to Kill?
If you liked it, try To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly or The Pelican Brief by John Grisham.