
Historical fiction
Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?
We love supporting debut authors. Congrats, Crystal Smith Paul, on your first book!
Get your first book for just $5 with code SPOOKY at checkout.
Join today.We love supporting debut authors. Congrats, Crystal Smith Paul, on your first book!
One woman’s decision to pass as white reverberates through generations in this riveting exploration of race and fame.
400+ pages
Social issues
Movieish
Glamorous
A multigenerational saga that traverses the Jim Crow South, the glamour of old Hollywood, and the seductive draw of present-day showbiz as secrets split a family tree into Black, white, and something in between.
When white silver screen icon Kitty Karr Tate dies and bequeaths her multimillion-dollar estate to the three Black St. John sisters, it prompts questions.
A celebrity in her own right, Elise St. John would rather focus on sorting out Kitty’s affairs than deal with the press. But what she discovers in one of Kitty’s journals rocks her world harder than any other brewing scandal could—and between a cheating fiancé and fallout from a controversial social media post, there are plenty. And if this isn’t enough, her Vogue shoot has been complicated by the arrival of Jasper, a handsome and knowing photographer who may offer Elise a chance at her most authentic pose yet—if she can defy her publicist, plan Kitty’s memorial, and figure out how she really feels under the harsh gaze of the paparazzi, the public. The discovery that her longtime neighbor and mentor was her grandmother, a Black woman who had been passing for white for over sixty years, threatens to expose a web of unexpected family ties, debts owed, and debatable crimes that could, with one pull, unravel the all-American fabric of her sisters and those closest to them.
Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? is a sprawling tale that explores the celebrity machine, the burdens of being Black, the privileges gained by fading to white, and the power that family secrets have to erode and complicate the lives of future generations.
Saturday morning, October 28, 2017
Elise never went to sleep, and she wasn’t the only one. Her father was tucked away in his musical bunker. Her mother was pacing, hidden deep in the labyrinth, but every so often Elise could hear her feet kicking up gravel. Situated steps from the back porch of the St. John estate, the labyrinth was constructed of leafy green hedges and rose bushes that increased in height and girth further into the maze.
It was cloudy, and the only light was from the spokes of the Ferris wheel. It sat low on the fourth tier of their property, so only half of it was visible from the house. It was a gift, given to her mother more than two decades ago by a French director courting her for a film she ultimately declined. Her mother thought it was an eyesore but kept it for the sake of good conversation. Visitors likened it to a giant dream catcher, fitting considering that what and who lay behind its presence mirrored the collected, albeit programmed, wants of many. It was a symbol of celebrity, a club into which everyone wanted entry—a partition between gods and mortals. From the Perch, Elise did feel somewhat godly.
Not meant for sitting, the six-by-six wooden landing was situated below the apex of Elise’s childhood home. Suspended amid the canopy of the thick sycamore branches, it was hidden from those on the ground but had an enchanted bird’s-eye view of the four-tiered grounds and the entirety of Los Angeles below the hill upon which the St. John estate sat. That week it was Elise’s refuge.
Sequestered for a week already, Elise found her stress now was compounded by her sisters’ pending arrival. Physical proximity would force the closeness that only a shared childhood could bring. Everything had changed overnight, and she didn’t know how to pretend with them that it hadn’t. Elise could mimic emotions she didn’t feel on command but had no ability to express the ones that were true.
She stayed on the Perch until her 6:00 am alarm for her workout, mandatory for her anxiety management. That morning she finished the entire hour and still felt unsettled.
Before I even opened this book, I was intrigued. Who wouldn’t be with the title: Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? No, I had not heard about Kitty Karr, but from that moment, I wanted to meet her. After just the first few words of the opening chapter, I was drawn into the lives of Kitty Karr and all who knew and loved her as they came together to celebrate a life well-lived.
Wait . . . Kitty was dead? But I wanted to meet her. Then quickly, I realized that Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? was both a compelling contemporary story and brilliantly written historical novel—it doesn’t get any better than that.
The story of Elise St. John and her entire family captured me from the beginning with the kind of familial dysfunction that comes when you mix glamorous Hollywood, sibling rivalry, and mother issues. Then, the author took me back almost ninety years into the Jim Crow South where a struggling Black mother would do anything to give her fair-skinned daughter a better chance in life.
Of course I knew those two worlds would come together. I just couldn’t figure out how. And then when they collided, the stakes were raised even higher. The twists, the turns, the secrets, and the numerous gasp-out-loud moments; I loved every page of this fascinating, multigenerational family saga. This scintillating debut has pushed Crystal Smith Paul to the top of my must-read authors list.
Layne B.
Worthington, OH
Loved the timeline of this novel, and the relationships were really beautiful. The harsh realities of “passing” in American society were brutal, crucial plot points to giving this book so much heart.
Kaitlin T.
Millbury, MA
This was a book I won’t forget. It touched upon issues in our country’s history I had never considered before. I loved how the perspectives in the story all came together. I couldn’t put it down.
Christine P.
kings park, NY
This is a little gem. Kittys backstory and survival in LA was riveting. She finds her footing, purpose, allies and thrives but at what cost? Such a deep complicated journey generationally felt today.
Shreya K.
Fishers , IN
I witnessed a raw hunger & powerful determination of a woman striving to give her everything to her community in a manner she deemed feasible. In doing so kitty only inspired me to act and not judge!!
Brandi G.
Smyrna, GA
I loved this story so much. I devoured it in 2 days. The past scenes of Kitty were my fav. I love the world that was built. It gave me a knew lense to look at people who were passing in a diff. light