A Time to Kill

by John Grisham Wynwood Press 1989 Caveat Emptor (Let the buyer beware)

How to Identify the True First Edition of A Time to Kill written by John Grisham and published by the Wynwood Press and a time to rant by me.

I don't think there is a book more misrepresented as a First Edition than the Book Club edition of "A Time to Kill" published by Wynwood Press.  Some sellers constantly write misleading titles stating First Edition and using words like RARE (the Book Club edition is Not rare). Descriptions sound impressive as they write (or copy and paste from the net and each other) and imply that it is one of the "modest 5,000" printing by Wynwood Press, of which, supposedly Grisham sold many from the trunk of his car... They even make it sound like the things that identify it as a book club copy are the First Edition identifiers???? and then say "I'm not an expert" or "I don't know much about books"

The 5 digit-code (black numbers in white box) on the back of the dustjacket are Book Club codes.

Tarrytown means nothing

Mentioning The Firm proves it's a Book Club copy as it wasn't even written in 1989 when the First Edition of A Time to Kill was printed.

Copyright dates are not indicators of printing date. The Book Club edition of A Time to Kill states 1989 and has a blurb referencing The Firm which was published in 1991.

The True First Printing has a sub-title on the front of the dustjacket at the bottom--"A Novel of Retribution"

It has a price of $18.95 on the dustjacket flap

There is NO reference to "The Firm" as it Was Not Yet Written!!

If you are a buyer, please be careful when bidding. Ask questions and do research. You're sitting at a computer with access to the world :) Even though some people really don't know what they are selling, many sellers do know and want to get what the other person got...  I just saw three completed auctions with the exact same photo and exact same description down to the exact same tear in the dustjacket...by three different sellers.

I hope this has been helpful...Thank you for reading my rant...guide..