Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?

Robin’s Reviews – 2026

DID YOU HEAR ABOUT KITTY KARR? by Crystal Smith Paul was a captivating story told in two timelines. The story of a star in the Golden Age of Hollywood, this book explores the historical impact of slavery, racism, passing as White, Jim Crow laws, segregation, and discrimination . It spotlights a dark spot in history and the Black American experience.

A multigenerational saga that shifts between the Jim Crow era and the present day as an act of racial violence splits a family tree into Black, White, and something in between.

Book Summary

Kitty Karr Tate, a huge star in the Golden Age of Hollywood, is mixed-race but has skin light enough to pass as White. She hides her background her entire adult life. Then, upon her death, she leaves millions to the St. John sisters, wealthy Blacks who live next door, prompting the question of why.

The earlier timeline shows Kitty growing up as the daughter of a poor maid who works for a rich family. Kitty and her mother experience Jim Crow era injustices. Her mother sees an opportunity to set her daughter up for a better life by passing as White. Kitty struggles between two worlds, trying to fit in. Through the years, she discovers others like her. The higher her rise to fame, the more dangerous it becomes for her secret to get out.

In the modern timeline, after Kitty’s death, Elise St. John sorts through her belongings and follows Kitty’s instructions on what to do with the possessions from her glamorous life. Kitty’s journal explains the truth of her rise from humble beginnings in the segregated South. However, telling her story threatens to implicate other women passing for White whom she had ties with, as well as expose unknown family ties, potential crimes, and decisions made when she was backed into a corner by society’s standards. Meanwhile, Elise, a star in her own rights, is bombarded by social media pressure, paparazzi, and a cheating fiancé.

My Thoughts

The gorgeous cover that came on my version (see photo above) drew me in. I was also excited about the premise of this debut book and wanted to love it, but I give it a 3.5 out of 5.

Kitty’s captivating story of growing up during the Jim Crowe era is the core of the novel. Having two timelines, I wanted the modern story of Elise and her family more developed. In general though, the book felt too long.

It took me a while to get into the book, but once I did, it kept me coming back. The large number of characters introduced were difficult to keep track of. On a positive note, Kitty has a fascinating life filled with difficult choices. Also, the end gives an interesting twist as to why Kitty leaves her inheritance to the St. John sisters.

Crystal Smith Paul’s debut novel is eye opening and gives readers much to chew on. This would be a great book for discussion in a book club. It may leave you wanting to know more about this time period in Hollywood, and it will make you consider the racial struggles many people faced.

DID YOU HEAR ABOUT KITTY KARR? by Crystal Smith Paul was published in 2023. If you are interested in buying a copy, I suggest ordering through Bookshop.org. They help support small, independent bookstores across the country. Order here.

About the Author

Crystal Smith Paul’s author website shares this information about her.

Crystal attended Spelman College, UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television, and NYU’s Graduate School of Journalism.

She explores American family histories, digging deep to uncover truths that shape who we are. Her writing ‘examines the complex intersections of race, identity, and family legacy.’ Discovering a family secret in her mid-twenties led her on a path that transformed her life and understanding of how the past shapes the present. ‘Stories have the power to heal, transform, and connect generations.’

Also worth noting, DID YOU HEAR ABOUT KITTY KARR? was a Reese’s book club pick and a Book of the Month Club pick in May 2023.

If You Like…

If you think DID YOU HEAR ABOUT KITTY KARR? by Crystal Smith Paul sounds interesting, check out my past reviews on these recommendations: The Keeper of Lost Children, The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern, and The Liz Taylor Ring.

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June 8, 2020

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens is one of those books that has stuck with me for weeks after reading it. I recommend this coming-of-age story mixed with a murder mystery.

Kya’s family has abandoned her in their remote shack in the North Carolina swamp in the late 1960s. This ten-year-old’s struggle to survive in the harsh swamp tugs at the heart-strings, while the reader is also delighted by the marsh’s beauty as seen through Kya’s eyes. Her life is hard, but Kya values the marsh, she understands it, and living a simple life in nature suits her. Most of Kya’s experiences involving the nearby town are negative, so she remains reclusive out of self-preservation. Known as Marsh Girl, no one in town cares about the well-being of this wild child.

Kya grows into a young woman with a natural beauty that catches the eye of two boys from town. Tate Walker gradually earns her trust and friendship until he abandons her to attend college. Kya longs to connect to someone, but being immature both in social norms and in love, Kya get used by Chase Andrews. Then, when Chase ends up dead, Kya becomes the number one suspect.

Where the Crawdads Sing is both a New York Times Bestseller and a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick. Reese loved the book so much, she is going to produce the movie version along with Lauren Levy Neustadter. Fox 2000 owns the rights. It is still too early in the process to know who will be cast in the film or when it might be released, but as of fall 2019, Owens stated the screenplay’s first draft was nearly completed although she couldn’t comment on who was writing it.

February 26, 2020

Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Have you noticed the upswing in movies about musicians over the last few years? The fourth remake of A Star is Born, a fictional story, was released in 2018. Two movies based on real lives, Bohemian Rhapsody (Freddie Mercury and Queen) in 2018 and Rocketman (Elton John) in 2019, also come to mind. Perhaps the market is there because we’re curious about what a rock star life is like. Perhaps we’re amazed at their talent so much that we want to see that they are real people with real struggles, too. Perhaps it’s the nostalgic part that brings us back to our lives in our teens and twenties. Yes, I saw all three movies. So when I heard there was a book out inspired by Fleetwood Mac, I have to admit I was interested.

Although Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Reid Jenkins is fiction, the book is loosely based on the experiences of the band members of Fleetwood Mac and other 70s bands. I have always enjoyed the music of Fleetwood Mac and there’s just something mesmerizing about Stevie Nicks. Her delicious, sultry voice, the carefree gypsy vibe like a breeze that can’t be caught or tied down, and the rebellious girl rock ‘n’ roller fascinate audiences. Yes, we want to know more about the band! But, remember, Daisy Jones and the Six is a fictional story of living in the 70s rock world loosely based on Fleetwood Mac. Be forewarned: you know the saying “sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll.” That is this book. If reading about that world isn’t your thing, that’s fine. This book isn’t for you. If you want a closer look into that world – the ups and downs, the struggles and the big breaks, the insecurities and egos, the choices both good and bad, the friendships and the rivalries – then try it.

Even though I knew the book was fictional, the Fleetwood Mac members came alive to me as I read. At times I believed I could pinpoint that this character or that event was about Stevie Nicks or Lindsey Buckingham, Christine McVie or Mick Fleetwood, as well as John McVie, Neil Finn or Mike Campbell coming through in the story. Other times I wondered if a detail was based on a real event or totally fictional. Reid has a way of making these people and this band seem totally real. You will catch yourself believing it all and then reminding yourself it is a fictional story and band.

Written in a unique style, the book is told through responses to an unseen interviewer, like a rock documentary. I wasn’t sure I would like this technique going in, but rarely did it throw me. As a matter of fact, I enjoyed hearing what one band member said and then hearing another band member with a different perspective or different memory of the same event. It added realism. Although this technique doesn’t allow for inner-dialogue, I found myself sometimes questioning what the person really thought, what they couldn’t or didn’t want to say to an interviewer. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing. After all, that’s how relationships are in real life. It makes us question but perhaps also not be so judgmental since we don’t really know the whole story that makes up a person’s heart. Be prepared to keep an open mind at trying this unique technique in storytelling. It might work for you. It might not.

If you grew up with bands like Fleetwood Mac, you will relate to this story. It’s not necessarily a feel good story, but it is realistic look into the 70s rock world. It doesn’t apologize for the 70s rock experience. It simply lets us peek into the inner circle. Daisy Jones and the Six is a New York Times Bestseller and a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick. Amazon is currently working on a series based on the book.