Goodreads Choice Awards Book Club discussion

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.

Vicki and I are switching our January 28th read from one that won to one that was a nominee (so we can read all the winners with the group)

We'd love anyone wanting to get this one read to join us!!

Good plan, Trisha! :) This one sounds good too.

I think this one will be a winner (pun intended). Hoping for a GOOD read!

Haha, agreed, Vicki!

I have this one on my list too. So I am planning on joining here as well.

It'll be fun to have you ladies join us. :)

I am now officially behind!

hahah!!! you've been doing great! Your first time behind in almost 2 months!!

I'm started but had to finish 2 others first - so I'll work on this one and love, theoretically today 😊😁

I’m confused. How are you behind? The date on this one says you’re starting tomorrow.

Because Trisha and I actually planned the 25th so that’s what I had. Plus I am behind on my goal.

Oh! Got it. That makes much more sense now.

I pushed back my library hold to finish another book. When it comes around I will join you.

11 chapters

Kitty (view spoiler)[ wow, she seems larger than life. I wonder how she'll tie into the story of the two little girls (Lillian and Mary) because I assume she does
it must be hard to be without her. I feel bad for Elise (hide spoiler)]

Elise (view spoiler)[ I like Elise. she's in a tough position, though, and I can't even begin to imagine what it must be like to deal with that kind of fame

it IS tacky to have a halloween/birthday party so close to the memorial though. Yikes.

I wonder if we'll find out that Rebecca's family (grandma) ties back to these 2 girls too. Or if it's Elise's grandma. I'm not sure how the two stories connect yet (hide spoiler)]

20 chapters

(view spoiler)[ wow, okay so now we know
I wonder if Rebecca's mom is Emma.

I know now that Mary is Kitty Karr. She's worked hard to make it in this business. It must be so scary, anxiety inducing, the think about being caught.

It was awful - I was so mad - that Emma would send around those awful rumors about her. To lie about the history she had at the company. She barely kept Kitty safe.

I wonder where this goes from here. It sounds like the photographer knows Kitty's secret now. I wonder if this will change how the family feels or if they know. I wonder how the world will handle it. and those that knew her when she first moved (hide spoiler)]

31 chapters

(view spoiler)[ wow, so I wondered if they were her kids and grandkids. how heartbreaking she could never tell them

I wonder how Kitty's husband handled it. I just can't imagine he would accept her (and how much better she was at writing and acting). I wonder if she hid it.

I like that this chunk spent more time in the past instead of going back and forth (hide spoiler)]

Ch 11

(view spoiler)[ we are on the road so it’s difficult to text on my phone in the car so all I’m going to say at this point is I like the friendship that Lillian and Mary have built, and at this point, I am preferring Mary’s POV to Elise’s. I also feel like the sisters rivalry and their relationship amongst each other seems very realistic, and I like that aspect of the book. (hide spoiler)]

Ch 20

(view spoiler)[OK, now it makes more sense to me. I wasn't sure about Kitty and that connection, etc. but now I am more interested in her story because she is Mary. I love it.

What Emma did was awful. After all, they are "sisters." I don't care for her too much at this point.

I'm sad that they feel the need to be other than who they truly are. (hide spoiler)]

finally done

(view spoiler)[ I don't know if Kitty would have wanted her to tell the truth about Kitty and how they were related
but I like that Elise made her own decision after she did a lot of research.

I was so glad Nate accepted their daughter.
(hide spoiler)]

Ch 31

(view spoiler)[ I guess I understand Hazel wanting to protect Mary, but for her to not even want to talk to or write Mary is just too much and overboard. (hide spoiler)]

Finished

(view spoiler)[The book reminded me of a movie I saw way back when it first came out in 1959, called Imitation of Life. It had a profound effect on me and is one of few movies I've remembered throughout the years. It included Lana Turner, Sandra Dee (at 16), and Susan Kohner (at 18). The plot was about a white woman and her very blonde daughter who meets a black woman who has a black child that passes as white. If you ever get the chance to watch it, it's worth the time. (hide spoiler)]

Trisha wrote: "finally done

I don't know if Kitty would have wanted her to tell the truth about Kitty and how they were related
but I like that Elise made her own decision after she did a lot of research.

I wa..."

LOL Looks like we were both commenting at the same time and we said one of the same things. :)

oooh Thank you!! I'll have to check out that movie!!

I hope you are having fun on your vacay!!

Thank you. We got to watch our Niners win so it’s the Super Bowl next! 😂

Thank you. We got to watch our Niners win so it’s the Super Bowl next! 😂

Ok, I have this one on audio.
Both of you read much more (and faster) than me, but i will read your spoilers when I get there.

Yay! I hope you love it!

I hope you enjoy the book, Vicki.

I am at about 30% now.
It is slow for me.
It isn't about anything. I hope something start to happen soon.
I think the narrator is very good though.

I am at 44% and the end of chapter 15.
It definitely has picked up for me. Unfortunately my hold is ending. I am going to try to renew, but I think someone is waiting for it so I will have to put another hold and wait for it.

I now know that (view spoiler)[Kitty is Mary! I was wondering how they would connect. It was interesting how the mother's had been working on this for their daughters for so long to try to give them a better future.

I also am preferring the older narrative vs the modern narrative.

I am waiting to see how Kitty became connected to Elise. (hide spoiler)]

Ok, I finally got.the book back and finished .
I agree with all your spoilers. It is hard to think about how much has changed, yet still stayed the same.
The second half was better than the first and the past was more engaging than the present.
(view spoiler)[i did appreciate how Nate accepted his daughter and the love it showed he had for Kitty. I wasn't expecting that. (hide spoiler)]