Some of you may disagree with me, but if you’re only going to read one John Grisham novel in your life, make it “A Time to Kill”. It is his first book and, in my opinion, his absolute best. He’s written plenty of other “legal thrillers”, some of them more exciting, some with more scintillating characters. But not one of his other questions wrestles with such a deep moral issue as “Time” does.

At the center of the story is a young black girl who is brutally assaulted by two white men. Her father wants vengence. Does he have a right to kill them? If he does kill them, would that make him the same or even worse than the men who violated his daughter? Can anything ever right the wrongs perpetrated against us? Against our children?

This book would be an excellent choice for parents of teens that want to have a deep discussion about what is right and what is wrong. Read it together and take the time to listen to what your teen has to say about it.

If you like this book (and who wouldn’t?), you’d also enjoy “A Perfect Match” by Jodi Piccoult.

While I love the book, I don’t recommend the movie, which really does a shoddy job of representing the moral questions raised by the book.

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