At a glance
A Time to Kill
Legal thriller
A Time to Kill
In small-town Mississippi, Black father Carl Lee Hailey kills the two white men accused of brutally attacking his young daughter. Young attorney Jake Brigance agrees to defend him, knowing the trial will inflame racial hatred, threaten his family, and test a legal system whose participants do not face equal danger. Courtroom strategy unfolds alongside intimidation and violence as the community argues over whether an understandable act can also be legally justified. Intense and provocative, this legal drama suits readers prepared for sexual violence, racism, and vigilantism who appreciate moral dilemmas, Southern settings, and trials shaped as much by history and identity as by evidence.
Paired for this story
Jump to the pours ↓Southern Sweet Tea + Blackberry Old Fashioned
Choose your bookseller
Find the Book
Print retailers offer a search when an exact edition is unavailable. Kindle links open a specific edition. Audiobook links may open an edition or a search.
Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Book Bartender earns from qualifying purchases. Bookshop.org links also earn us a commission on qualifying purchases. Your price is not affected. Read the full affiliate disclosure.
No surprises at chapter twelve
Content notes
Child sexual assault, racism, strong language, and graphic violence
Alcohol-Free Pour
Southern Sweet Tea
A familiar Southern glass for a difficult courtroom story.
What you'll need
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.How to mix it
- Stir simple syrup and lemon juice into chilled tea. Serve over ice.
- Garnish: Lemon wheel.
- Glassware: Highball glass.
Shop glassware & tools
We earn a commission from qualifying purchases through these Amazon links, at no extra cost to you.
Highball glass ↗Cocktail Pour · 21+
Blackberry Old Fashioned
For adults of legal drinking age. Please drink responsibly.
Blackberry adds a lush fruit note to a bourbon Old Fashioned, with bitters keeping it sharp.
What you'll need
- 2 oz bourbon
- 1/4 oz blackberry syrup ↗
- 2 dashes aromatic bitters
- Ice
Shop the spirits 21+Search Total Wine for Bourbon · 21+ ↗
How to mix it
- Stir bourbon, blackberry syrup, and bitters with ice for 20 seconds. Strain over one large ice cube.
- Garnish: Fresh blackberry and orange peel.
- Glassware: Rocks glass.
Shop glassware & tools
We earn a commission from qualifying purchases through these Amazon links, at no extra cost to you.
Rocks glass ↗Set up the bar cart
Shop the Barware
Find the glasses and tools for your next pour.