Lady Cop Makes Trouble (A Kopp Sisters Novel Book 2)

I'm a big Amy Stewart fan so when she took the headlong plunge into fiction, I came right along for the ride! I don't read a lot of fiction, but I'm definitely ready for book #3 in this series. Girl Waits With Gun had such great characters and I love how the story line in this second book gave Stewart the opportunity to shine a much deserved light right on Constance Kopp. The story is a period piece, but written with contemporary sensibilities... and that really appeals to me. Furthermore, any book about women that defy expectations soars to the top of my list.

Perhaps I am use to reading books from writers with a lot more experience. Don't get me wrong, the book us not bad. I just think that she needs to do some more writing in this genre. With time, her books plots will become tighter and her characters more developed.

As with her first book, Amy Stewart used actual newspaper articles to create a fictionalized version of real events and real people. Constance Kopp is a wonderful protagonist- a strong woman, attempting to establish herself in a career just barely made legal for women - a deputy sheriff.

I love the Kopp sisters and Sheriff Heath, all who are trying to make their mark in professions they believe in. In both Girl Waits With Gun and Lady Cop Makes Trouble, the crime solving mysteries are interesting, made all the more so knowing that these events did indeed occur in the very early 1900's. Stewart does a great job with describing the environment, fashion and social mores of the time. It's like walking back into early 20th century New York-New Jersey.

Having not read the first in this series, I was unsure what it would be like to jump into this book without the backstory. I am happy to say I thoroughly enjoyed Lady Cop Makes Trouble and didn’t feel the story was hard to follow at all. Constance Kopp, who is based on a real woman of the same name, has proven herself in the previous installment and become a deputy sheriff, albeit without a badge yet. As Lady Cop Makes Trouble opens in the year 1915, Constance finds out that her position may be in jeopardy based on the current New Jersey law. Already stressed by this news, Constance manages to let a German con man escape from a hospital where she is guarding him, further compromising her position as a deputy sheriff. In hot pursuit of Dr. von Matthesius, Constance travels all over New Jersey and New York City trying to locate him to return him to jail and also attempting to piece together his original crime in hopes that will lead her to him.

Stewart vividly portrays her characters, and I felt like I knew Constance, her sisters, and Sheriff Heath. Constance faced so many issues as a female law enforcement officer; some issues that I think people would argue are still faced today. Stewart was so on point with individual’s reactions to Constance as a female deputy during this time period – sadly even some women were skeptical.

The covers for this series are absolutely phenomenal. The graphics are outstanding and unique and so cleverly capture the spirit of the story. I also enjoyed Amy Stewart’s Historical Notes, Sources, and Acknowledgements section at the end of the book. As a lover of historical fiction, I am always thrilled to find such a section from the author providing information about the real life characters about which the story is based. Stewart provides incredible detail and explains what really occurred and what she added to the story. I love this because it really helps me put her story in context and understand what truly happened and what she created to make such a fun novel. Authors don’t always take the time and effort to write such a section, and I so appreciate when an author like Stewart does.

I highly recommend this clever, insightful novel about events I knew very little about. Thanks to Edelweiss and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the first Constance Kopp book, Girl Waits with Gun, and was excited about reading this one. I still love the intrepid, and not dainty, Constance, but now she wants to be a Deputy Sheriff, badge and all, and things are not going her way. Not that it would be easy in a man's world in 1915.

This is a fictionalized about of a real person and actual events, which makes it even better in my eyes. And Stewart paces the story well. I love her characters and her writing. Constance has two sisters, all three very different from one another and all three terrific to read about.

Having said that, I didn't love this book quite as much as I did the first one. Capturing an escaped fugitive dragged on a bit too long, and Constance was a bit too stubborn in a spot or two. Nevertheless, I very much enjoyed reading this book and hope there will be a third about Constance.

I was given an advance e-galley copy of this book for review.

“When I grow up,” my inner child is saying, “I want to be a writer…just like Amy Stewart. I want my latest character in novel number four to be as strong, as courageous, as smart, and witty as Constance Kopp, new Jersey’s first lady deputy sheriff, in Stewart’s second historical novel, Lady Cop Makes Trouble. One can only hope.

The second in her Kopp Sisters series set in the early 1900s in Bergen County, New Jersey (the first was "Girl Waits with Gun", reviewed on June's Literary blog on Sunday, July 12, 2015) this quite readable and most enjoyable book is a veritable tour de force. Stewart, who gave us many wondrous non-fiction natural science exposés – including my favorite, "The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create the World’s Great Drinks" – has once again provided us with a literary rendition of the life of…well, a lady cop. (That’s right, folks. Our intrepid heroine was actually dubbed Cop Constance Kopp! And she’s back!) And if truth is, as they say, better than fiction…Well, then Deputy Sheriff Kopp – as other critics have noted – is the American answer to Jaqueline Winspear’s Maisie Dobbs. Only Amy Stewart’s, I have to say, is a tad better. The character of Constance doesn’t seem fictionally squeezed out of one’s imagination into a word processor, but was obviously written with a natural fluidity as if she had been lifted from the pages of history onto the pages of a literary mystery. Which she was. Actually, so far, into two of them, with yet another one on the horizon.

“Books,” a reading buddy said to me over lunch one lazy summer afternoon, “must, to me, be amusing as well as entertaining. Most important, they must elucidate – be enlightening.” In Lady Cop Makes Trouble, the author certainly meets all these criteria. Deputy Kopp’s first-person insights into and about the lives of female inmates and the fugitive convicted criminals she searches for (based upon the actual cases Constance Kopp worked on during her tenure as a Deputy Sheriff) are well crafted illuminations. Observations of Sheriff Heath’s as well as her own family are both humorous and poignant. And the little touches of early 20th Century Americana and the fictionalizations of real-life incidents interspersed throughout the plot line elevate this novel to a most satisfactory read.

While a master at bringing the not-so-dull, often drab tales of science to life, Stewart has, indeed, also mastered the art of storytelling. Definitely put Constance and her adventures on your Autumn to-read list. Her many adventures will keep the cockles of your heart warm and intrigued as the (very-much welcomed) cooler weather begins to set in.

Enjoy the read!

In March of this year, I listened to Girl Waits With Gun – the first book featuring the Kopp sisters – at a friend’s recommendation. Since finishing it, I have been eagerly awaiting this second book as the first ended with a clear set up for this sequel. It was a little different reading it, rather than listening, as I had greatly enjoyed the performance of the narrator.

This sequel opens not too long after the conclusion of the first book, with Constance loving her job as a sheriff’s deputy. But when her boss wants to avoid the potential scandal of being the first sheriff to appoint a woman, Constance is demoted to the jail marm. A later mistake provides Constance with the perfect opportunity to redeem herself and get her badge back for good as she pursues an investigation on her own.

While this is certainly an entertaining addition to the series, it isn’t as strong as the first book. There is less time spent on the background – since it was relayed in the first novel, but that also means that there is less of Norma and Fleurette. This one is largely focused on the plot, which is disappointing because of how likable these characters truly are. I hope that this won’t be the final installment in the series, but I also hope that the next book takes more time spent with the characters and their more personal side-stories!

After a career spent writing engaging, well-researched nonfiction books, Amy Stewart had a hit on her hands with her first work of fiction, GIRL WAITS WITH GUN, an equally well-researched historical novel that vividly brought to life the story of Constance Kopp, America’s first female sheriff. The account of fearless, no-nonsense Constance and her eccentric family drew readers in, and the story only became more remarkable when they realized how closely it hewed to real-life events.

Now, fortunately, Stewart has followed up GIRL WAITS WITH GUN with another novel about the Kopp sisters. In the first volume, Kopp’s motivations were personal. This time, they’re more aspirational. She’s had a taste of the excitement and satisfaction involved in law enforcement, and she realizes that her talents in this area might be a way to help support her family. But when, after she’s been given an increasing amount of responsibility by Sheriff Heath, she allows a prisoner to escape on her watch, she knows she has to redeem herself, both in her eyes and in the eyes of her superior.

LADY COP MAKES TROUBLE finds Constance traveling solo to New York City, using her relative lack of information about the background of her escaped convict as an asset rather than a liability, asking questions no one else had previously thought to pose and exploring avenues no one else has previously traversed. She encounters her fair share of dead ends, and faces mounting pressure, not only from her own sense of pride and justice but also from the sheriff’s increasingly divided loyalties. Sheriff Heath wants Constance to succeed, but he is also being hounded by his image-conscious wife and a portion of the electorate who put him in office, both of whom would be happier if Constance would go back home and forget her aspirations to become a sheriff’s deputy.

Meanwhile, back at home, Constance has her own concerns, as her sister Fleurette is flourishing at a new school with new friends and a newfound love of acting but also receiving more attention from young men than Constance is entirely comfortable with. Should she be spending more time looking after Fleurette and less chasing down criminals?

Amy Stewart packs a lot into this sequel, with not just one but two mysteries and a whole lot of historical research, which she outlines beautifully in her afterword. She continues to breathe new life into a fascinating character from the past and make the Kopp sisters’ stories not only exciting and memorable but also relevant to today’s working women, in particular. Even as the novel continues to be based on true events (and she clearly spells out where the historical record ends and imagination begins), Stewart also continues to craft engaging narratives and shape Constance and the other characters into well-rounded individuals who readers will hope to encounter again soon.

Reviewed by Norah Piehl

Lady deputy controversy on all fronts in Amy Stewart’s LADY COP MAKES TROUBLE. Makes trouble indeed . . . for the bad guys. Pity the foolish miscreant who comes up against Constance Kopp. There is hope for redemption for those who seek it, as both she and Sheriff Heath believe in rehabilitation, and their courteous approach gets information from many who wouldn’t otherwise share. They might not stop all crime or catch all the criminals, but they do what they can and “get back to work.”
I enjoyed this, second in a series, and am looking forward to the third. Characters one cares about, prose that flows masterfully, interesting descriptions and historical details — it’s hard to define what makes a book special and mesmerizing, but this one has it.
NYC “law . . . requires that deputies be eligible voters” — women couldn’t vote yet.
On stakeout, “The job requires a particular kind of focus.”
Criminals are “like fish out there, swimming through a net . . . We catch a few of them . . . slow them down . . . We don’t win.”
Ending with Fleurette’s Christmas pageant and HOPE.
“Hush the noise, ye men of strife, and hear the angels sing.”

Lady Copy Makes Trouble is the second in this series by Stewart and a novel I thoroughly enjoyed. Stewart's first novel Girl With a Gun introduces the character of Constance Kopp, based on the life of a woman with the same name. This novel picks right up where the last one left off. Constance is now in pursuit of a suspect who has managed to escape while she was given the job of watching over him. Worried for her job, she begins to do some detective work to find Dr. von Mathesius and return him to the sheriff.

Set in 1915, Lady Cop Makes Trouble is a reflection on the laws of the time, as Constance is still trying to get a badge and be named deputy sheriff in a time when women weren't allowed to hold such positions.

I have seen these books likened to Maisie Dobbs, only an American version. I think the comparison is apt. Amy Stewart's latest book is just as clever and fun as the first. I enjoyed getting to know these characters a bit better in this installment, and am hopeful this is just the second in what will be a long series.

“‘Lady Cop Makes Trouble.’ That’s our headline.”
“Am I making trouble for the sheriff or the criminals?” I asked.
“Both, at the moment. You’ll be famous either way.”

The year is 1915 and Constance Kopp couldn’t be more pleased with her new role as the first female deputy in Bergen County, New Jersey. Her happiness comes to a crashing halt when Sheriff Heath advises her that the law allowing women to be police officers doesn’t necessarily apply to women deputies, and that there must be a legal precedent in order for her to keep her job. Until that precedent can be found (or until Sheriff Heath decides to set his own precedent) Constance is given the role of jail matron in charge of the female prisoners. To make matters worse, a prisoner escapes from her watch and not only is she facing serious trouble but due to a law of the time, the Sheriff may actually be jailed in the escaped prisoners place. Constance admits full blame for her error but instead of wallowing in the loss of the future she dreamed for herself, she decides to get out there and find the prisoner and right a wrong.

Lady Cop Makes Trouble was yet another captivating and enticing story and Constance is even more of a charismatic character. Fascinating and incredibly memorable, Constance Amelie Kopp was a real woman in history that was credited as being one of America’s first female deputy sheriffs. The story has been embellished making this a work of fiction, however much of it still remains true. She really did go after an escaped prisoner by the name of Dr. von Matthesius, she was responsible for a major arrest during the investigation, and the three boys which brought Dr. von Matthesius to the attention of the authorities were also real individuals from history. The blending of both fact and fiction emphasizes what a thorough amount of historical research was conducted to bring such an enigmatic character to life.

What was most enticing about this installment was how realistic the story portrays detective work. It showed the long nights standing on cold streets waiting for suspects to make an appearance, the time spent waiting for trial, and running out of leads and being unsure of what to do next. Sure, that may seem boring and tedious especially when it comes to having to actually read about it, but it was all just so refreshingly genuine feeling compared to mysteries where everything goes perfectly. I for one had many childhood aspirations of someday being a detective and solving crimes (this can be mostly blamed on Nancy Drew and X-Files) and while Nancy Drew and Dana Scully are perfectly acceptable role models, Constance Kopp is the real deal. I anxiously await future adventures from the inspirational Constance Kopp.

"Girl Waits With Gun" was one of my favorite serendipitous book discoveries of 2015, so I was delighted that Constance Kopp is back in a sequel this year, this time starting out as one of the first deputy sheriffs in the country, thanks to her triumphs chronicled in the first book, and the decision by Sheriff Heath that he can make use of her talents. But then not only does a new law restrict her field of operations to being matron of the jail, but when Heath takes her along to hospital to serve as a German interpreter after a particular troublesome patient, Dr. von Matthesius, is admitted there, she ends up being present when the con man escapes custody. If Constance can't nab von Matthesius, the sheriff may end up taking his place behind bars, according to old New Jersey rules.

So begins this exciting romp of an adventure story, all based on and tied to historical facts. It's only when the author, Amy Stewart, couldn't find a historical explanation for something, or needed to move a date or alter an event slightly to make her narrative flow more smoothly, that the facts differ from the historical record, which just makes this all the more intriguing. Stewart brings Kopp, her sisters -- the pigeon-keeping Norma and Fleurette, the younger, fashion-obsessed and slightly flighty one -- and Sheriff Heath and his discontented wife, vividly alive, along with the inhabitants of the women's wing of the jail. In this episode of Constance's adventures, she gets to travel to and from New York, full of independent young women like her, making their way in the world as she is trying to do -- a rich vein that Stewart obviously relishes mining.

While the pace was fast and the adventures intriguing, I'd have to say that this didn't quite measure up to the debut novel. Perhaps that's inevitable: in the first book, Constance was acting on her own behalf, fighting the system and seeking justice (rather like in a classic Western), against all the odds. Here, she's part of that system, even if she's temporarily out of sync with it, and still fighting for justice. Regardless, I can't wait for more Constance Kopp adventures; it's great to have such a fresh, original voice, combined with skilled, lively writing.

4.5 stars

I am so glad to have stumbled upon this book. It's just a great book based on a real life person, Constance Kopp, who was New Jersey's first female deputy sheriff in 1915. Kopp worked for the very progressive Sheriff Heath as they both struggled to make the situation work. Unfortunately Kopp was guarding a prisoner in a stressful situation who escaped. She was demoted to jail matron and Heath was put in a bad position.

For reasons I don't quite understand, the sheriff is held personally responsible for the escape and is legally charged for a crime as the result of this. Horror struck, Kopp goes single handled searching for the escapee. It is so engrossing and captures the spirit of the time perfectly. The manipulation of not hiring women was truly inventive. It became legal to hire women as deputies but some jurisdictions required the women be registered to vote. The catch? It was not legal to vote in New Jersey until 1917 and nationally in 1920. Women couldn't register to vote so they couldn't be deputies.

This is the American version of Maisie Dobbs although Kopp's back story is more believable that Maisie's. Kopp lives with her sisters on a farm so she often has to stay in a jail cell because of the commute. Motorized cars are just now making an appearance and sometimes she has to saddle the donkey, Dolly, to the buggy to get around.

This is really delightful and I am going back to rad the first one. This one stood up fine as a stand alone and I was captivated the moment I started it. This is going to be a good series.

"Last year I threw a man against a wall when he made me angry. I'd been trying not to do that anymore."

This is a terrific, fun historical mystery novel. I regret that I missed out on reading the first one. I'd had a digital ARC on a Kindle that was unfortunately stolen.

We have a really spunky heroine here, not without her flaws, as she does let a criminal get away. She's one of the New Jersey's first lady deputies--only there's a hold up with her actual badge. She's a jail matron when she's not chasing down sham German doctors in the subway station.

Her sisters are entertaining as well though not as prominent.
There's more than one case going on here--not just the escaped convict. There's a situation with a woman who shot her boarder. There's a look at life in the jail and different criminals' situations. There's a problem with the sheriff's wife and this shows us the attitudes at the time and how difficult it was for women to break career barriers.

Perhaps the thing I enjoyed second to the heroine herself and her determination is the secondary characters. They are memorable and each one is unique. The reporter in the ladies' hotel. The mother in her sick bed. The jailed woman afraid of her husband. Each has her own story showing something dealt with during this time.

Only a few things bothered me. Why was Rathbone paying for Von What'sHisFaces escape if Von owed him money? Seems like throwing good money after bad. And why did Constance show up for her reporter portrait attired as she was if she'd had time to go home and talk to her sisters? I'd think she'd have cleaned up while there.

But I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and plan to read the third installment. This is going on my list of favorite historical mystery series.

Lady Cop Makes Trouble is the sequel to Amy Stewart’s Girl Waits With Gun, relating the further adventures of Constance Kopp and her eccentric sisters, loosely based on real people and events. In this second novel, Constance is working as the jail matron while awaiting her official deputy sheriff’s badge, Norma continues her passion for messenger pigeons, and Fleurette has turned eighteen and become a blossoming performer in local theater.

At the jail in New Jersey, Constance deals with women who may be criminals or victims (in 1915 in can be hard to tell the difference), especially one who seems remarkably happy to stay in jail, even when it appears she could not have committed the murder she’s accused of.

When a prisoner escapes on Constance’s watch, she throws herself into the pursuit, defying Sheriff Heath’s orders and charging into New York City in search of the criminal. Along the way she stays at a hotel for women, where she meets a lawyer, a reporter, and a filing clerk, and she roams the streets of the city, where she meets much less respectable characters and makes an arrest.

Lady Cop Makes Trouble is just as entertaining as Girl Waits With Gun. Stewart adds an author’s note at the end separating fiction from fact. I hope we’ll be seeing more of Constance Kopp, Lady Cop.

Lady Cop Makes Trouble is a satisfying follow up to Girl Waits With Gun. This new chapter in Constance Kopp's life begins with her relishing her role as a sheriff's deputy, eager to prove she is as cable of the job as any man. Unfortunately, Constance's early career is marred by sexism and the limited opportunities offered to women. When one of the inmates at the jail escapes practically under Constance's nose, she defies everyone around her to track down the fugitive. Along the way, she has some adventures, gets into awkward scrapes, and has to deal with taxi drivers who are reluctant to let ladies travel alone into certain parts of New York City.

In addition to the lively story and Amy Stewart's warm, witty writing, I enjoyed this book for its fascinating perspective on the lives of women in a not too distant time. Stewart peppers the imagined parts of the story with tidbits and facts taken directly from newspapers and other sources. For example, the first police woman in New York worked without pay. No pay at all! Because, obviously, a woman should not take money away from hard working men. After enjoying Constance's escapades in both law enforcement and family life, make sure to read the notes at the end of the novel explaining which details were factual and which were imagined.

I hope Constance Kopp has further adventures ahead of her!

I liked this book a lot. I was very frustrated at first until I realized I was reading book 2 of the series. Duh! My senior moment aside, I really liked Constance Kopp and she has the perfect name. She represents a lot of problems for a female during the early 1900's, as well as just being a female working with all males.

However, the fact is she is really good at what she does, wins me over hands down. I was let down when she didn't mention the gloves the lawyer just happened to have during the last court trial while Von whatever (the Baron) puts on his Academy Award winning performance to the Sheriff. Who just happens to have latex gloves on them? That was the only part that I caught, it could be different in the printed version.

I really did enjoy reading this book, I was mesmerized and did not want to put it down. I also liked the fact that the Sheriff was, for the most part, on Constance's side trying to get a female on his team. The story was well written with likable characters and I can see this series going much further. I would read them (I definitely need to read book 1). I really like the covers too. They look like they would be from that era.

Huge thanks to Houghton Mifflin and Harcourt for approving my request and to Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

I very much enjoyed Amy Stewart's "Girl Waits with Gun" so when "Lady Cop Makes Trouble" popped up, I grabbed it quickly and it was as good as I had expected it to be.

Told in first person by Constance Kopp, the first female deputy sherriff of New Jersey, it is still early in the 20th century. In 1915, Constance is still an odd one out at the department but she enjoys her job. There are still some roadblocks to securing an official title but Sheriff Heath is trying and in the meantime, she is able to support her sisters, Norma and young Fleurette.

When a prisoner slips away while she is guarding him at the hospital, she knows she has to figure out what has happened to him so that her boss doesn't get into trouble and also to prove herself worthy to be at the sheriff's office.

As was the strength of the first book, Constance and her interpersonal relationships as well as the ambiance of the setting and time period is what makes the story enjoyable. While Constance is the clear lead, the other characters are well developed. The time period makes for good tension not just in the case but the tenuousness of Constance's position. The plot too is nicely crafted and well paced.

Another winner for me in this young series and I hope there is a third installment to enjoy.

“He was one of those men who spoke loudly to immigrants on the assumption that they only understood English if it was shouted at them. (p. 31).

Amy Stewart’s ‘Lady Cop Makes Trouble’ (Kopp Sisters, #2) an historical novel based on real people and actual events is a quick and easy, quite entertaining, read with an ‘old timey’ feel. Love the characters and the crazy situations they find themselves wrapped up in; and most especially like the personally familiar locale in northern New Jersey/NYC.

Recommendation: An especially good Book Club selection.

“The two of them sat resolutely behind bars, having decided, apparently, that they would trade their liberty for familial solidarity. Sometimes a family was like a swamp, everyone mired in the same mud.” (p. 282).

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Kindle Edition, 302 pages

It took about six chapters to get into the rhythm of this book. It may have been due to the fact that I did not read the first book. I don't think it took anything from the story though.

This book focused primarily on Constance Kopp, a matron in a woman's prison ward. During an electrical storm, she's left in charge of guarding a man, who manages to escape. Knowing the Sheriff in charge could lose his job and be jailed for the prisoner's escape, she vows to find the man. Constance occasionally drops in on her sisters, but we don't hear much about them. I did get the idea that the younger sister is really Constance's daughter, but that was glossed over. Maybe the first book went into that storyline heavier.

If the stories had not been based on real stories of the time I might have thought them far fetched. But, the most compelling part of this fictional account is that it was based on real people and happenings of the time. I like that Constance wanted to work and take care of her family instead of relying on marrying a man to take care of everyone. She was a true feminist. Now, maybe I'll backtrack and read the first book.

As with the first book, I was happy to immerse myself in the perfectly conceived life of Constance Kopp, her sisters, and the stalwart Sheriff Heath, among many others. Stewart is a gifted writer who is able to take her characters (and her readers along with them) back to a time when it was all but inconceivable that a female would be in law enforcement. All the characters are fully realized and completely believable, as are the settings, and the fleshing-out of a tale based in historical reality. It's entirely gratifying to read a book written by someone as skilled, as impeccably thoughtful as Amy Stewart. She doesn't try to force either the plot or the characters, but delivers another wonderfully satisfying episode in the burgeoning career of Miss Kopp.
Highly recommended.

The second book in a series focusing on characters gradually moving back towards lives more fully immersed in their community. Three sisters had previously lived secluded lives on the family farm and upon their mother's death, they each find ways to rejoin the larger world. Constance pursues a career in law enforcement and meets periodic setbacks as she is on the forefront of that professional opportunity. Meaning no one is quite sure women should be cops in the early 20th Century. Her physique is strongly in her favor. She is tall and broad and few men measure up to her. In this book, setting and character development are foremost while the crimes are almost slapstick. The book is fast and engaging; filling out rather nicely the picture established from the first in the series. While this is an adult book, young adult readers will also enjoy it. The language hews closely to early 20th Century morals and is not controversial. Mild discussion of teenage girls misled at train stations but rescued by Miss Copp. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Really enjoyable series, but this could be read without the first. Constance Kopp is a sort of deputy in New Jersey as the book opens. Police are allowed under state law, but sheriff wasn't mentioned so just to be on the safe side, Constance is actually the ladies matron at the jail. Given her upbringing she speaks German. When a con man needs translating at the hospital during a storm, she accidentally lets him loose (escape of this convict is real, her role is not). She then decides she must find him herself (again real). Meanwhile she is still the matron and has another sticky case with a woman who swears she killed a man but witnesses put her elsewhere when shots were heard. Constance is no feminine influence on the real cops, but herself an active participant. Really fascinating to read this based on life novel.

Having enjoyed the first book in the series Girl Waits with Gun (A Kopp Sisters Novel) I was delighted to order the followup. I am not alone in enjoying this story - just check out the link to the first book and read all the deserved raves. Like many sequels it it isn't as fresh as the first book but I enjoyed enough that I would love to read a 3rd in the series.

Book One:
Constance Kopp doesn’t quite fit the mold. She towers over most men, has no interest in marriage or domestic affairs, and has been isolated from the world since a family secret sent her and her sisters into hiding fifteen years ago. One day a belligerent and powerful silk factory owner runs down their buggy, and a dispute over damages turns into a war of bricks, bullets, and threats as he unleashes his gang on their family farm. When the sheriff enlists her help in convicting the men, Constance is forced to confront her past and defend her family — and she does it in a way that few women of 1914 would have dared.

I missed the first book in this series ("Girl Waits With Gun") so I wasn't prepared for how much fun to expect.

Ind eed, I was prepared to call Ms. Stewart on her WAY too on the nose of calling her lady cop heroine Constance Kopp!

So, I was properly abashed and chagrinned to discover that this was a real person who was a real cop named Kopp!

AND that she actually HAD two sisters who were as unique in their own way as she was

AND that this adventure, as (apparently) with the first is based (however loosely) on true incidents around the early days of the 20th century.

This latest also introduces us to the first policewoman in Paterson, Belle Headison and even touches on one of my favourite poets (and, to the best of my knowledge, the only one who was also a practising physician) William Carlos Williams

A thorough delight from start to finish, one looks forward to future adventures of the sisters and one may devote some time in the interim to a perusal of Ms Stewart's "The Drunken Botanist"

This book started out really well but the end was a bit of a disappointment. Once the case is solved, in a rather anticlimactic fashion, the book just kind of peters off. The day after I finished it, I couldn't remember if I'd finished it or not because the ending was so lackluster. I love that it's about a female police officer in a time when such a thing was unheard of and not even entirely legal, since to be a deputy you had to be eligible to vote and women at that time were not allowed to vote. I like the characters of Constance and Norma and Sheriff Heath but some of the others lacked depth. I haven't read the first of the Kopp sisters novels and had no trouble keeping up with the plot of this one, though I did have some questions about Constance's daughter, who thinks she is Constance's sister, and wondered if maybe they covered all of that in the first in the series and felt it unnecessary to address it again in the second. I suppose I'll just have to read the first one if I want to know.

historical-fiction, historical-places-events, historical-research, action-adventure, law-enforcement, family-dynamics

What do Amy Stewart and Clive Cussler have in common? Great storytelling and impeccable historical research! As a mystery I really enjoyed it, as law enforcement history it is excellent well done, and as a window into the lives of women a hundred years ago it is an education for the uneducated. I totally enjoyed it!
Christina Moore does a great job as narrator, and really adds positive things to the story!

"Lady Cop Makes Trouble," the sequel to "Girl Waits with Gun," explores the strange case of a German-speaking (when it suits him) fake baron/doctor who had been a prisoner at the jail and who proves, unfortunately, to be very adept at escape and evasion. In addition to the slippery von Matthesius and his odd cast of family, associates and others unfortunate enough to be caught up in a villain's twisted scheme, there are stories (and another case) involving the women in the prison, who Constance Kopp oversees.

Constance desperately wants to keep her deputy's badge, and Sheriff Heath has promised to settle the matter for her, but with an escaped prisoner on the loose and criticism coming from all sides (a detective in the prosecutor's office; a cocky, mean-spirited deputy who also works under Sheriff Heath and didn't one bit like the new laws that allowed women to perform the same deputy duties as men; often the press; the Freeholders; and even his wife, who seems to have a poison dart ready to stick in Constance at the earliest opportunity), Sheriff Heath has his attentions on other demands.

The intelligence, the intriguing moods and whenever possible good humor, and the warm, personal style of the book captured my attention and interest and held it throughout. Constance is a fascinating character (based on a real-life trailblazer), determined to triumph at all costs and do the right thing while making mistakes and trying to learn from them along the way. She's human, and that's appealing. Sheriff Heath and indeed, many of the characters are thoughtful and intriguing. There is a quickly-moving plot, plenty of action, fiery dialogue, and interesting clues. The story includes more (but not to a large degree - this story is largely Constance's) about Constance's family - sister Norma, and "sister" Fleurette - and their thoughts and contributions to Constance's life at work and at home. It really didn't seem to lessen the story or the excitement/impact by including less of Norma and Fleurette, but it gave Constance some depth of character and showed a glimpse into one place she found support and a safe haven.

I loved this sequel as much as the first book, and would be thrilled if there are more Constance Kopp stories to come in the future.

I love the page-turning mysteries at the heart of this series, but I love the personalities and solid character of Constance Kopp and her sisters even more as they push the traditional female boundaries of early 20th century New York and New Jersey. Based on the real-life Kopp sisters, Author Amy Stewart expertly spins her crime fiction, weaving social issues of that era into the suspense. This second entry is as strong as the first with the bonus of a hint of a developing relationship between Constance and her boss, the fair and supportive Sheriff Heath. Recommend highly!

A 4.5. Another fun read. Non-stop action throughout. My favorite part was when Constance wrestled the criminal down the subway stairs. Not only hilarious, but I love how she won't back down from anyone. Miss Kopp is no shrinking violet.

One disappointment. Norma and Fleurette play little part until halfway through the book. The story grew even more interesting once they became more involved.

This is the second book featuring the semi-fictionalized account of Constance Kopp, She being the very first female sheriff in the US and had quite a few barriers to climb and overcome. This book chronicles the second case which she faced and also gives us an insight into the life and times of Constance and the era.

This book deals with the aftermath of the first book and we find Constance wanting desperately to hold on to her badge. This book has a different plot than the first which dealt more with ruffians. This one is about a German-speaking person who masquerades as a baron/doctor & other identities (depending on his whims or is it something else?) who is imprisoned and then makes his escape. This book is about him and his associates and what truly are they up to?

Constance also has other issues to deal with namely that she being a woman is looked down upon by almost everyone in her department and as well other folks who don't like her. This book follows through on the spectacular promise showcased in the first, Constance personality and grit are ever-endearing and make her a fantastic narrator. Her other sisters roles in this book is a bit diminished than the first book but we get to see what has been happening on their ends too. The humor and quick pace are excellent and we get a good mystery plot as well. I would thoroughly recommend this sequel for its terrific mystery plot and the fantastic characterization of Constance Kopp.

The last thing I needed in my reading life was to fall in love with another detective protagonist. I loved protagonist Constance Kopp in Amy Stewart’s second novel in the Kopp Sisters series titled, Lady Cop Makes Trouble. The novel is set in New Jersey and New York City in 1915, and you may guess from the title that Constance is the lady cop who makes trouble. Characters, plot, setting and dialogue all combine to provide readers who like crime fiction with good entertainment. I may have to keep reading this series now that I’ve fallen in love with Constance Kopp.

Rating: Four-star (I like it)

I have to admit that I was not bowled over by the first book in this new series, Girl Waits With Gun. Although I liked the historical aspects, and the characters, it seemed to me that the crime was fairly minor and not really book-worthy. However, between finishing that book and starting this one, I adjusted my thinking and realizing that historical novels are usually very good at either the history or the plot, but rarely both, I settled in to enjoy Lady Cop Makes Trouble.

And of course I was proven wrong when I found that the historical research and characterization were even better than in the first novel, and the crime was serious and complicated enough to satisfy any mystery fan. There's also a villain who is about as diabolical as you can imagine, clever and sinister even behind bars.

Now I am hooked and can't wait for another Constance Kopp story. I especially enjoyed the several pages after the book ends in which Amy Stewart explains who and what events are taken from history and she even gives her newspaper and archive sources for anyone who'd like to follow up on the real Constance Kopp.

I love Amy Stewart's two books based on the real-life Constance Kopp. I added myself to her mailing list so I'll know when the next Kopp book is published. Can't wait! All the characters, even the bad guys, are fascinating. The descriptions of Old New York and the towns of New Jersey are vivid and enthralling. I do take issue with the cover quote from USA Today - NO, this isn't the American Maisie Dobbs! Constance is nothing like Maisie, and the Constance books sparkle with wit, in addition to the serious stuff. The Maisie books are far more morose and downbeat.

Second in series featuring Constance Kopp, a woman ahead of the times, in the early 1900's. In this book she has become a deputy sheriff in a small NJ town. It doesn't go smoothly but she is stubborn and persistent and smart and manages to get her man (a prisoner who escaped from a hospital bed on her watch). I though the first book, Girl Waits with Gun, was a better read but both are enjoyable and enlightening about the times.

I received a copy of this book from net galley in exchange for an honest review. This story is based on one of the first women deputy sheriffs, Constance Kopp. The author is very good with descriptions, especially the setting. It was fun to go through this adventure with the main character. She is so determined and feisty. I have not read the first one in this series, but I plan to read it. I really enjoyed this one.

Stewart admits in the afterword that this particular episode was only loosely based on the adventures of the real-life Constance Kopp. Several moments in the narrative are true to life, such as Fleurette’s performances with the performing school she attends. Knowing the characters are based on real people invests a decided charm to this series.

I enjoyed this second book in this series as much as the first and look forward to the third book. Ms Kopp does not always make the right decisions and there are consequences as one might expect in real life; yet, she is a strong, independent woman who is pushing for women to have more career options by showing that she is up to the task.

I haven't read the first book in this series but I hope to go back and read it after I enjoyed this book. Constance Kopp is given the job of deputy sheriff after the events in the first book. She is given the express job of looking after a con man but he escapes on her watch so she has to find him or set back women in the police force. This was a good solid book that I enjoyed very much.

Another very satisfying read by Amy Stewart. Constance Kopp is a delightfully and fully developed character that a reader will adore spending time with. Amy Stewart really knows how to tell a great historical story. Five stars for sure!

My sister-in-law recommended "Girl Waits With Gun" to me, and I love the historical setting and spunky characters. It's like a grown-up Nancy Drew novel for fans of "Boardwalk Empire", if that makes any sense. I already adore this series! Highly recommended.

Constance Kopp feels like a deputy, taking naturally to rough and tumble adventures with Sheriff Heath and an assortment of evildoers. But when a prisoner escapes from her care, Constance endangers not only her own job but also that of the sheriff -- as well as his marriage and his political future.

Against a detailed background of early 20th century New York, this fictionalized account of real people and events is a wonderful glimpse into the past. As is often the case with true stories, the plot meanders a bit and lacks a dramatic and satisfying conclusion. But this is not a mystery novel. It's the story of a resourceful woman trying to make her way in the world in spite of the limitations placed on women at the time.

Sheriff Heath, a real-life reformer, is the perfect ally for Constance. Her sisters are fascinating women in their own rights. And the reality of the lives of workers and women at the time make a good contrast to our movie-fed imaginations of the Gilded Age.

Most enjoyable follow-up to "Girl Waits with Gun." Amy Stewart, please continue this intriguing series about the American melting pot of the first decades of the 20th Century. But I am worried about Fleurette.

Very well researched with plenty of historical details. This is a remarkably entertaining police novel based on a true story.
There are aspects that are fictional, but the author works in an amazing amount of true history and yet produced a warm
and funny story with great plot twists and well defined characters.

You do not have to read the first book in this series to enjoy this one. I haven't read the first book yet, but thoroughly enjoyed
this one. I have added the first book to my reading list, since I don't want to deprive myself of the pleasure of reading another
Kopp Sister book.

Highly recommended

This is a fictionalized account of a one of the first female deputy sheriffs in the country. Constance Kopp ( yes, really) was a large woman who towered over most men and weighed in at a hefty 180. She was introduced to police work when she ran afoul of the Black Hand gang and defended herself ably with a pistol. In this book she is asked to help the local Sheriff of Hackensack, New Jersey. That state had just passed a law allowing women to serve as police officers. Constance caused such a sensation that the newspapers followed her extensively and it is from these accounts that the author drew her information. While Amy Stewart has taken a certain artistic license to fill in unknown gaps in Constance's life, it all rings true, and shows Constance for the resourceful and dedicated officer that she became.
This is the second book in this series by Amy Stewart and I suggest that you start with the first book to get background. Lady Cop Makes Trouble, Constance Kopp pursues a canny but mentally unbalanced killer, von Matthesius who has posed as a doctor, to extort money from his victims. Through a variety of twists and turns, Constance finally outwits not just the doctor but also the rest of the Hackensack sheriffs office and ends by getting her man, literally, as they grapple with one another at the subway station.
I like Constance, her grit and her resourcefulness, so I am looking forward to her continuing adventures. I would have like her to be a more finely drawn character but in reality that would be hard given the sensational reports of her doings. I disagree with the review from USA Today who called her the American answer to Maisie Dobbs whom she really has nothing in common with but try this one for something completely different.

I really loved “Girl Waits with Gun”, there was so much history, very well written and there was always something happening. Therein lies the difference, for me, between these two books.

I know that they are based on fact and there is only so much enhancing that the writer can do. But there is also just so much chasing after a certain suspect that this reader can take. It just wasn’t very exciting.

I liked revisiting the town, the Sheriff and his wife, and the other Kopp sisters. Constance had been promised a deputy badge but the Sheriff is up against lots of people who can’t imagine women being involved in any way in crime solving, let alone carrying a badge and gun. She is left to keep watch over a known criminal who is complaining of serious ills and has been taken to hospital. He will speak only to Constance, as she speaks German, even though he is fluent in English. After a power outage and an overabundance of incoming patients from a train derailment, our criminal, von Matthesius, escapes. Constance is put on duty as matron of the women’s jail but just can’t keep herself from trying to track down von Matthesius before he has time to leave the country.

We are given a great glimpse into New York City in the early 1920’s and it is always amazing to read about the stores, buggies and people who populated the city then, Fifth Avenue was certainly a different place!!

This is still a well written book, it just lacks a little of the energy of the first book. I would recommend it to people who like a more “cozy” mystery with some real facts to back it up.

I was given an ARC of this galley from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.