Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?, Crystal Smith Paul
Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?, Crystal Smith Paul
List: $28.99 | Sale: $20.29
Club: $14.49

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?
A Novel

Author: Crystal Smith Paul

Narrator: Ariel Blake, Kineta Kunutu, Lynnette Nicholas

Unabridged: 13 hr 10 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 05/02/2023


Synopsis

REESE'S BOOK CLUB MAY 2023 PICK

A multigenerational saga that traverses the glamour of old Hollywood and the seductive draw of modern-day showbiz

When Kitty Karr Tate, a White icon of the silver screen, dies and bequeaths her multimillion-dollar estate to the St. John sisters, three young, wealthy Black women, it prompts questions. Lots of 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 the fallout from a controversial social media post, there are plenty.

The truth behind Kitty's ascent to stardom from her beginnings in the segregated South 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 the St. John sisters and those closest to them.

As Elise digs deeper into Kitty's past, she must also turn the lens upon herself, confronting the gifts and burdens of her own choices and the power that the secrets of the dead hold over the living. Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? is a sprawling page-turner set against the backdrop of the Hollywood machine, an insightful and nuanced look at the inheritances of family, race, and gender—and the choices some women make to break free of them.

A Macmillan Audio production from Henry Holt and Company.

About Crystal Smith Paul

Crystal Smith Paul attended Spelman College and UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television and received her master’s in journalism from NYU. Her nonfiction writing has appeared in Salon, Jezebel, and HuffPost. She currently works in digital marketing for wellness and beauty brands. Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? is her first novel.

About Ariel Blake

Ariel Blake is a Black and Guyanese (American) theater artist, teacher, abolitionist & birth keeper based in Flatbush, Brooklyn. Her voice can also be heard narrating An Abolitionist’s Handbook by Patrisse Cullors and Raven Leilani’s Luster, among other titles.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Suzi

"Did Hear About Kitty Karr" on Audible was an immersive experience I found hard to put down. The novel delves into the glamorous world of Old Hollywood through the life of Kitty Karr, a dazzling actress whose rise to fame hides a deeper, more dangerous secret. The story is captivating, and the h......more

Sloppy writing. Intense and amazing storyline but writing was just….not good. Disappointed. The Kitty chapters were what saved the book. It seemed like the Elise chapters were an afterthought/rewrite. I found myself going back and forth with pages confirming what I read because it didn’t quite make......more

Goodreads review by Elysa

I enjoyed "Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?" but I didn't love it. The past chapters, especially the ones from Kitty's perspective, were fantastic. There is a point where a ton of characters are introduced, and it gets confusing. Other than that, I was completely hooked and dying to know what happened......more

Goodreads review by Sharon

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? is the debut novel of Crystal Smith Paul. The book tackles tough issues such as slavery, rape, Jim Crow, segregation, and discrimination. The main character, Kitty Karr, passes for White due to her light skin tone. Kitty Karr becomes a famous Hollywood actress who has......more