July 25, 2016
In this comic mystery set in 1915 and based on actual events, Constance Kopp, the first female deputy sheriff in Bergen County, N.J., is still packing a pistol and an attitude after her first crime-fighting adventures in Girl Waits with Gun. Stewart’s second volume in her Kopp Sisters Series is a clever, suspenseful, and funny tale of a formidable woman facing crime, politics, social stigma, all while nailing evildoers. Constance has proved to be a capable deputy in a male-dominated profession, but her new career is in jeopardy when a prisoner she is guarding—Baron von Matthesius, a sneaky, dangerous con man facing undisclosed but serious charges—escapes her custody. She is demoted to jail matron, but when the scandal threatens the sheriff and his family, she vows to catch the baron, save the sheriff’s job, and redeem her own reputation. Across Bergen and Passaic Counties and into New York City, Constance investigates the baron’s past, known associates, and recent activities, asking questions nobody else asks and following leads other cops overlook. As she pursues the baron and his accomplices, she also becomes involved in a curious murder and a stolen property case. Her sisters provide comic relief, Norma with her carrier-pigeon hobby and Fleurette with her acting classes and dreams of Broadway. Fans of the first Kopp Sisters novel will find another treat in this follow-up.
June 15, 2016
Constance Kopp's real-life adventures as "New Jersey's first lady deputy sheriff" again make savory grist for Stewart's fictional mill (Girl Waits with Gun, 2015, etc.).When we reconnect with Constance in the summer of 1915, she's casually toting a revolver and collaring a male perp, as strong-minded and strong-armed as ever. Constance loves her new job and is grateful to liberal Sheriff Heath for making it possible for her to support her sister, Norma, and 18-year-old Fleurette, who thinks she's their sister but is in fact Constance's illegitimate daughter. It's a grievous disappointment to learn that the law enabling women to become police officers doesn't necessarily apply to sheriff's deputies and that until Sheriff Heath finds legal precedent for hiring Constance, she's stuck in a stopgap position as matron at the local jail. Summoned to Hackensack Hospital to translate for Herman von Matthesius, a German-speaking prisoner taken there for allegedly suffering dire symptoms, Constance is at first glad for the excitement but then mortified when he slips away while she guards his door. Not only has she justified the sexist slurs of her former male colleagues, but her slip-up could send Sheriff Heath to jail. Constance determines to track down von Matthesius herself, giving straight-laced Mrs. Heath one more reason to disapprove of her, alongside the possibly accurate suspicion that the lady officer's feelings for the sheriff are warmer than professional. As was the case in Girl Waits with Gun, plot details are less compelling than our rooting interest in Constance out-detecting all the men (which she does) and in the evocative period atmosphere, this time centered on the mean streets of early-20th-century New York City, where von Matthesius and his confederates lurk. Sharp-tongued Norma and pretty, stage-struck Fleurette head a vivid supporting cast, and the von Matthesius case and a subordinate mystery are satisfyingly wrapped up to Constance's credit.Smart, atmospheric fun, with enough loose ends left dangling to assure fans there will be more entries in this enjoyable series.
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July 1, 2016
A promising career in law enforcement turns sour for Constance Kopp, in this sequel to Girl Waits with Gun (2015), when a prime suspect disappears under her watch. With more than her own job on the line, Constance refuses to submit to the strictures of her demotion to women's jail matron and single-handedly pursues the colorful con man who eluded her. She proves an unstoppable force against his and other outrageous crimes, but her treatment of petty criminals, especially women, displays a forward-thinking generosity. The multiple players in the story provide wry situational humor and a backdrop for Kopp's unique, forceful character, while Sheriff Heath's surprisingly supportive regard lends a hopeful relational perspective. Stewart adeptly introduces details of early twentieth-century life in Hackensack, New Jersey, a burgeoning city on the outskirts of New York, and timely concerns such as jail reform and women's rights, rounding out this immensely satisfying mystery. Fans of Laurie R. King's Mary Russell series will enjoy Constance Kopp, while Kerry Greenwood's Phryne Fisher following will appreciate the colorful characters and strong female lead, who cares not a whit for public opinion.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)
Starred review from August 1, 2016
Having successfully become a Bergen County, NJ, deputy sheriff (in Girl Waits with Gun), Constance Kopp gets herself--and the sheriff--into trouble by accidentally letting a prisoner escape. Relegated to monitoring the female inmates in the local jail, she is determined to prove herself and get back into the sheriff's good graces. She sets out on her own to find the escapee, who is an accomplished con man. Supported by her indomitable sisters and a few newfound friends, Constance unravels the con man's history as she tracks him through New York City and New Jersey. VERDICT Constance and her sisters are every bit as enjoyable in this outing as their first. Stewart deftly combines the rough-and-tumble atmosphere of early 20th-century New York City with the story of three women who want to live life on their own terms. The addition of supporting female characters who are also pushing societal boundaries is a welcome touch to the series.--Sarah Cohn, Manhattan Coll. Lib., Bronx, NY
Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
April 15, 2016
After Girl Waits with Gun, a big debut success (e.g., it was a LibraryReads pick), Stewart returns with Constance Kopp, among the country's first female deputy sheriffs. Here, a run-in with a German-speaking con man forces her to hunt for leads in World War I-era New York. With a 50,000-copy first printing.
Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.