Book · 2004 · Fiction
A Time to Kill
A Jake Brigance Novel
- mentions
- 9
- people
- 4
- podcasts
- 5
- episodes
- 6
- recommendations
- 0
His first novel was called A Time to Kill. And he was inspired to write that novel because he witnessed the harrowing testimony of a 12-year-old in 1984.
What they say about it
- Writing the first novel“he wrote A Time to Kill first”3
The best things said about it
And as I was writing the time to kill my first novel, which is a tough book to write, tough book to read, tough book to get through, I wanted something and that would be more fun to write and read.
John Grisham The Mel Robbins Podcast · Oct 2026 He wrote A Time to Kill first and he could not give that book away.
Jack Carr My First Million · May 2024 The thing about it, I wrote too much. The time to kill, once it was typed, was almost a thousand pages. Oh, my gosh. Yeah, another lesson, okay.
John Grisham The Mel Robbins Podcast · Oct 2026 Thought of that John Grisham story about he wrote A Time to Kill first and he couldn't give that book away and then he writes The Firm.
Jack Carr Modern Wisdom · Jun 2023 Where and when it comes up
Mentions per year
How it comes up
Most mentions, by podcast
4 people who brought it up
Why people recommend it
A Time to Kill by John Grisham is a bestselling legal thriller about a racially charged murder trial in Mississippi that explores profound themes of justice, revenge, and prejudice. Mel Robbins discussed the author's iconic legal thrillers and debut novel on The Mel Robbins Podcast, noting that Grisham was inspired to write it after witnessing the harrowing testimony of a twelve-year-old in 1984. John Grisham appeared as a guest on the podcast to describe the immense difficulty of writing his first novel, mentioning that the initial manuscript grew to nearly a thousand pages before he sought to write something more fun for his next project. Ross Douthat mentioned the book on Interesting Times while comparing Grisham's legal fiction to classic plays by Shakespeare. Jack Carr discussed Grisham's early career struggles on My First Million and Modern Wisdom, highlighting that the author could initially not give away his debut manuscript before finding massive success with The Firm.
Every mention
Jack Carr He wrote A Time to Kill first and he could not give that book away. 3
“He wrote A Time to Kill first and he could not give that book away.”
“thought of that John Grisham story about he wrote A Time to Kill first and he couldn't give that book away and then he writes the firm and we've had a John Grisham novel every year”
“I knew that hey John Grisham he wrote a time to kill first and he couldn't give that book away and then he wrote the firm”
John Grisham And as I was writing the time to kill my first novel, which is a tough book to write, tough book to read, t… 3
“And as I was writing the time to kill my first novel, which is a tough book to write, tough book to read, tough book to get through, I wanted something and that would be more fun to write and read.”
“The thing about it, I wrote too much. The time to kill, once it was typed, was almost a thousand pages. Oh, my gosh. Yeah, another lesson, okay.”
“And that was the origin of a time to kill.”
Mel Robbins He has written some of the most iconic and award-winning legal thrillers ever. The firm, the pelican brief,… 2
“He has written some of the most iconic and award-winning legal thrillers ever. The firm, the pelican brief, the client, the rainmaker, runaway jury and a time to kill.”
“And his first novel was called A Time to Kill. And he was inspired to write that novel because he witnessed the harrowing testimony of a 12-year-old in 1984.”
Ross Douthat That lets us tell that we should be reading Hamlet before or distinct from reading the firm or a time to ki… 1
“That lets us tell that we should be reading Hamlet before or distinct from reading the firm or a time to kill because Hamlet.”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
Other mentions (2: passing, ad reads, own books)
“So, you know, the firm I think at the time it probably was the firm went back to a time to kill then it had to the client and then I picked up several other oh pelican brief.”
“it was like a time to kill you know every room I go into another brick the thighs in and I literally went through the house and then ran right out”