The Color of a Lie: Chapters 23-30

by Kim Johnson
In this historical novel set in 1955, a Black family moves to a white-only town and begins passing for white, but their life there is threatened when one of them begins to uncover the town's dangerous secrets.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Prologue-Chapter 6, Chapters 7-14, Chapters 15-22, Chapters 23-30, Chapters 31-42
15 words 12 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. interrogate
    pose a series of questions to
    Down the hall I heard a girl’s voice speaking to my mother; I expected to catch a nervous smile from Alex or Ben as my parents interrogated them and their dates.
  2. rendition
    a performance of a musical composition or a dramatic role
    But it wasn’t the rendition by Big Joe Turner, who I’d watched on the show filmed at the Apollo at his release of the song last spring.
  3. relish
    derive or receive pleasure from
    I tried to keep in the same pattern as everyone else, leaving out elements of flair that I’d usually relish doing to compete for girls’ attention back home.
  4. over the moon
    greatly pleased
    She was over the moon, and I was a wreck.
  5. ruse
    a deceptive maneuver, especially to avoid capture
    I avoided his gaze, not wanting to give any clue that the dance was a ruse to distract him.
  6. dominate
    be greater in significance than
    As I watched the other couples dance, I saw some take on the signature East Coast swing, which must’ve reached Pennsylvania; others danced the older jitterbug, the style that still dominated the blues and jazz clubs I’d frequented in Chicago.
  7. croon
    sing softly
    “ ‘Only you,’ ” I crooned in Lily’s ear, “ ‘can make this world seem right.’ ”
  8. segregate
    separate by race or religion
    Things were more openly segregated the farther south you went.
  9. stance
    a rationalized mental attitude
    He’s working on a new strategy. Looking for young Black leaders with immaculate stories that can draw more sympathy. To take a stance, make national news.
  10. exaltation
    a state of being carried away by overwhelming emotion
    There was a racket outside that didn’t carry the same beat of exaltation from inside.
  11. reverence
    a feeling of profound respect for someone or something
    “We need to keep Mr. Marshall safe,” Virgil said with reverence.
  12. billow
    rise up as if in waves
    Before I could brush off my fear, a grinding, snapping sound hit, and smoke billowed out of the hood.
  13. discombobulated
    having self-possession upset; thrown into confusion
    I was still discombobulated but wanted to confirm that he would take us where he promised.
  14. veer
    turn sharply; change direction abruptly
    I was thinking so much about her that I mindlessly veered away from downtown and toward Lily’s route home.
  15. tentative
    hesitant or lacking confidence; unsettled in mind or opinion
    We were tentative, holding each other.
Created on Tue Aug 19 07:55:28 EDT 2025 (updated Thu Sep 18 16:06:48 EDT 2025)

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