Good read - Rated 
Although Grisham's first novel is not as powerful as The Firm and The Chamber, I enjoyed reading it. That was already a good start for this talented author.
An insight into the wacky american legal system - Rated
Another gripping read from Grisham (although it's his first so perhaps it shouldn't be 'another'). Its an interesting tale with a good insight into the wacky way the American legal system works - which seems rather convoluted.
The setting and the characters seem somewhat dated now, but I suppose that's fair as it was written in the 80s, but some of the characters' opinions do rather grate - even those of the characters who you are supposed to identify with. The cast of the novel don't seem to have been thought through from the start, as some seem to drop in for a few chapters and then get forgotten about, while others are mentioned, vanish, and then reappear once you've forgotten who they are.
It's definitely got the feeling of a first novel, but it's a substantial size and the story keeps progressing, even when you can't see how it can possibly fill the rest of the book. I would like to have had a little more detail at the end - it all seems rather rushed, and there is a key scene that I would like to have seen played out rather than just heard about second hand at the end.
All in all, a good idea, but a little rough around the edges. Not unmissable this time, but certainly paving the way.
Rambling on, Mr Grisham - Rated 
'it rambles..but I wouldn't change a thing' so sayeth Mr Grisham in his own Introduction to this book. Well he's half right because boy does this book ramble and it's easy to see why it was rejected so long for publication. Only after The Firm was this so-called 'debut' novel 'rediscovered'.
The first 75 pages are stonking but the next 350 will challenge your will to continue living. During these endless sheaves of paper I nearly ruined my holiday by gnawing my own arm off. Then at last the trial arrives amidst enough stereotypical characters to start your own Book Club.
The basis for the verdict is so bad as to make you despair - think a sort of seance in the Jury Room. Grisham cannot resist displaying every single piece of legalese he has ever picked up in his career and forcing it into this book regardless. It's such a shame after such a rip-roaring start and the latter is the only reason to give it two stars and not one.
Dodge this one unless you are a Grisham collector.
A great debut - Rated
I've been reading crime fiction for a while now and it's common knowledge that John Grisham is considered one of the best, so it was only a matter of time until I picked up his debut novel 'A Time To Kill'. Amazon has a pretty healthy review of the synopsis and even offers an exerpt from the book so I wont delve into too much of the plot as all you will need to know can be found there.
This is a very good debut book, an awfully good book debut or no debut and deserves to be read if you are a fan of the genre. The legalese and courtroom scenes are a pleasure to read, the length though abundant is well paced and never fails to lose its speed. The main characters are described beautifully and theres a cast of endearing supporting characters. The way Grisham describes the southern town invaded by black protestors and the imminent threat of the Ku Klux Klan is astounding. You feel as if your in Clanton, living, breathing and being part of the infamous Carl Lee Hailey trial.
I highly recommend this book, you will not be sorry.
A Visceral Look at Small-Town Justice in an Imaginary South - Rated 
A Time to Kill is not for those with weak stomachs. In his first novel, John Grisham holds nothing back in describing man's inhumanity to man. If you like reading about violence that would make those with weak stomachs miss a meal, this is your book.
The premise of the book is a thought-provoking one: How would a Southern small town treat a crime by an African-American perpetrated with malice aforethought that it would have permitted a white southerner to get away with?
The book's best qualities are exploring the roots of racial prejudice.
For those who like legal thrillers where there's some action, this is far more than your usual courtroom drama. It comes closer to the kind of taut threat that permeated To Kill a Mockingbird. The only difference is that Grisham conjures up an intersection in time between the old and new South that never happened.
I found that the book was predictable in its over-the-top treatment of what would have made for good drama. But the extreme situations weakened the plot by making it seem unlikely. I suspect it was a writing method used to be sure that those who didn't know about the old South would appreciate the delicate nature of the emotions involved.
If you want to get a sense of how far Grisham has come, read this book and then The Client. Fortunately, Grisham learned how to back off from writing over the top and has become an excellent novelist.
You'll keep turning the pages of this book. I doubt if very many people put it down unfinished.
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