• Booklist Reviews : Booklist Reviews 2023 February #2
  *Starred Review* After years of living a reclusive life, iconic actress Kitty Karr dies, leaving her estate to the St. John sisters, the daughters of her former sitcom costar. As it turns out, the connection between the two families runs deep, back to Jim Crow–era North Carolina. Growing up, biracial Mary Magdalene is encouraged to experiment with passing for white. When Mary graduates from high school, her mother gives her a one-way ticket to Los Angeles and a new life as a white woman. Mary—renamed Kitty Karr—secures a job at a movie studio, and her talent and intelligence catapult her career. Kitty learns that there's a community of women in Hollywood who are not only passing but using their newfound white privilege to support Black Americans. But passing for white is fraught with danger during an era of segregation, and Kitty is forced to give up her beloved daughter, who is born with dark skin. While the story spans two time periods, Kitty is the star throughout the book. Paul's debut is a riveting, often heartbreaking tale that explores race, privilege, and celebrity in America through the eyes of a one-of-a-kind character. Readers of Taylor Jenkins Reid and Piper Huguley will be enthralled. Copyright 2023 Booklist Reviews.

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.