"Trailblazing Constance’s hard-won job as deputy sheriff is on the line in Miss Kopp Just Won’t Quit, the fourth installment of Amy Stewart’s Kopp Sisters series.

After a year on the job, New Jersey’s first female deputy sheriff has collared criminals, demanded justice for wronged women, and gained notoriety nationwide for her exploits. But on one stormy night, everything falls apart.

While transporting a woman to an insane asylum, Deputy Kopp discovers something deeply troubling about her story. Before she can investigate, another inmate bound for the asylum breaks free and tries to escape.

In both cases, Constance runs instinctively toward justice. But the fall of 1916 is a high-stakes election year, and any move she makes could jeopardize Sheriff Heath’s future—and her own. Although Constance is not on the ballot, her controversial career makes her the target of political attacks.

With wit and verve, book-club favorite Amy Stewart brilliantly conjures the life and times of the real Constance Kopp to give us this “unforgettable, not-to-be messed-with heroine” (Marie Claire) under fire in Miss Kopp Just Won’t Quit."

If you watched the "Siblings" episode of Drunk History and thought those Kopp sisters sure seemed interesting, you're in luck, Amy Stewart has just released the forth book in her series about them!

I have eagerly awaited this third Kopp Sisters novel, and was super excited to get an advanced copy. Constance Kopp was the first female deputy police officer in New Jersey, and Miss Kopp Won’t Quit was a real headline in the papers at the time.

I had a harder time getting into this - lots of action, but the election and potential of Sheriff Heath and Constance losing their jobs made me dread reading. At about 50% it really picked up and I had a hard time putting it down.

I love that these books are based on real people, actual cases and newspaper stories from the early 20th century. I love seeing modern issues like post-partum depression and dishonest + misogynistic politicians through the lens of history. I love these characters, and look forward to what the Miss Kopps will do as war looms ever closer to their world.

Many thanks to Netgalley for saving me from the long Library hold line and giving me an advanced copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review: I thoroughly enjoyed this book, can’t wait for the next.

I was really sad when this book was over because I really wanted to know what is going to happen next to the Kopp sisters, Constance, Norma and Fleurette. They were at such an interesting turning point in their lives and I can't wait to see what happens next. What makes this such an interesting series is that it is based on a real life character who was the first female deputy sheriff in New Jersey in 1916 before women had the right to vote.

They were raised by their reclusive mother in the country with little contact with the outside world. The older girls, Constance and Norma, have troubles interacting with society niceties. Fleurette, budding actress, singer and dressmaker, more than makes up for their short comings. Still, it's Constance who is the deputy sheriff who makes a difference.

She saves an escaping prisoner from drowning, sets up a woman's parole system, and rescues a woman whose husband has send her to the mental institution. Apparently postpartum depression and menopause are good reasons to lock up women for 20 years and give them truly terrible treatments including lobotomies. Still her job is on the line as it's election time. The law only allows the sheriff to only serve one term and then must leave office. One of the candidates has taken a violent dislike to Miss Kopp, mostly because she's a woman.

This is such a depiction of the times and really spells out the terrible things women endured. It reminds us how far we've come in a hundred years thanks to real life pioneers like Miss Kopp. It's not just a great history lesson but tells a rollicking good story.

Even though it's number 4 in the series, it can easily be read as a stand alone and, frankly, I think it's the best one so far. I can barely wait for the next one. Thanks to Net Galley for a copy of this book. It was a delight.

Seeing 'Miss Kopp Just Won't Quit' pop up on my NetGalley suggestions reminded me how much I absolutely loved 'Girl Waits With Gun', the first in the 'Kopp Sisters' series of novels. So I couldn't resist requesting it, even though I have not yet read books two and three in the series (me bad!), but having read this, I will definitely have to go back and catch up! Although, to be clear, you don't need to have read the others in order to enjoy this one.

In book four, Deputy Kopp has now been in her role for a year with the New Jersey Police. She is still struggling to overcome the inherent misogyny directed at her from the general public and her colleagues, as well as manage her friendship with Sheriff Heath whose wife is not happy about Constance's presence at the station. Especially as it's election time, and there are a lot of people who don't like Deputy Kopp...

With several sub-plots about the various guilty (and not-so-guilty) female inmates of the jail, this book takes you on a rollercoaster journey where you are rooting for Miss Kopp at every high and low of her exciting yet challenging life.

At 6 ft tall, Constance Kopp is quite a force. Based on the life of the first lady deputy, "Miss Kopp Just Won't Quit" is the latest novel in the series, taking place in NJ during the elections of 1916.

I have followed the Kopp sister's adventures since the first novel "Girl Waits with Gun" and love how historically accurate its depiction is. The three Kopp sisters have become a part of me and their stories are beyond impressive, as well as fascinating. I can't imagine the difficulties women faced living during this time period and while reading, often found myself angry over their injustices. A glimpse into a time where women couldn't even vote and wives little more than property of their husbands. It is because of strong women like Constance Kopp, that women have so many liberties today. And people like her, we shouldn't forget.

★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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So it's been roughly a year for Constance Kopp working as the ladies' matron for the Bergon County Jail. In that time she has investigated crimes, tracked down murderers, sought justice for women of all walks of life, and put her life on the line more than a few times. She's gained nationwide notoriety, and caused more than a few scandals at home. About now, some of those scandals are coming back and are in the forefront of local elections.

Because of New Jersey law, Sheriff Heath, Constance's boss and chief defender, cannot run for another term of office without taking one off -- so no matter what, after Election Day, Constance will have a new boss. Heath's former Sheriff is running for the position again, and is the expected winner. He finds the idea of a female deputy silly, and while he won't take Constance seriously, he'll probably leave her alone. His opponent is a current detective in the Prosecutor's office who has been opposing Constance's position and person since Day 1, he's essentially running a campaign against Heath (even if Heath isn't the opponent), and Constance is the easiest way to do that. Clearly, the future isn't bright for Deputy Kopp.

While this is going on, Constance makes a couple more headlines -- she runs down a burglar single-handedly, she jumps into a river to apprehend a potential escapee under their custody when another deputy is injured. Constance has to take a woman to an insane asylum, after her husband and doctor get a judge to commit her for a while. This isn't the first time this has happened to the woman, and it seems clear to Constance that this woman is as sane as anyone. So Constance attempts to find out what's behind this commitment so she can free this woman. She's very aware of the trouble that this could cause for herself and for Sheriff Heath, she tries to do this under the radar. Under the radar isn't something that comes naturally to her, and her results aren't stellar (but better than one would expect).

The story was a bit flat, honestly. A lot of things seemed to be foregone conclusions (not necessarily the way that various characters saw them working, either). The one case that she really gets herself into is really pretty tidy and doesn't take a lot of effort -- although she does take plenty of risks. So really, the novel isn't about Constance sinking her teeth into a case, into helping a woman through some sort of problem, or any of the usual things. This is primarily about Constance worrying that she'll do something to jeopardize Sheriff Heath's Congressional campaign by giving his opponents something to harp on, while contemplating her future in the jail under the upcoming term of office for either candidate. Which is fine, really -- it's just not what I've come to expect from these books -- I expected the case of the poor committed woman to take the bulk of the attention, so the problem is my own. But it comes from being conditioned by the previous books.

Constance's sisters have a background role in this book -- Fleurette in particular, she's around frequently, but she plays a very small role. I appreciate that she seemed to have her head on straight and wasn't the cause for trouble (inadvertently or purposely). Norma seemed to primarily be a conduit for comic relief in this novel. But it never feels right to laugh at her, she's the most practical, she's the only realist in the family -- it's her blood, sweat and tears that's kept the family going. On the other hand, her obsessive nature does lead her into some strange preoccupations.

This is not to say it's a bad book -- Stewart is probably incapable of writing a bad book. Miss Kopp Just Won't Quit feels very different than the others in the series (although, really, each has felt different than the others), and it left me feeling dissatisfied. Still, it was an entertaining and compelling read. The ending is likely the best the series has had thus far -- we just have to go through some meandering passages, and some dark times for our favorite Deputy before we get to it. I don't know what comes next for Constance Kopp (I'm deliberately not consulting anything to tell me, either) -- but it's going to be very interesting to see what Stewart does next.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt via NetGalley in exchange for this post -- thanks to both for this.

I first read about Constance Kopp, the first woman deputy, in Girl Waits with Gun for my book club. I had not gotten to the second and third books in the series, but when I had the opportunity to read the 4th one as an ARC from NetGalley, I jumped at the chance. This installment is centered around Constance's duties at the jail, and her program to get girls on probation that had not done serious crimes. In the course of her job, she and a deputy had to go and get a woman, Anna Kayser, committed to an insane asylum along with another man who had tried to commit suicide. The man gets away and jumps in the river in his handcuffs, and Constance rescues him. Instead of garnering praise for her efforts, she is criticized for letting a prisoner escape although it was the deputy who let him escape. It did not take long for Constance to realize that Anna Kayser had not business in an insane asylum, and a large part of the story centers around her efforts to get Anna released. In the background are the elections for Sheriff and Congressmen. Sheriff Heath could not run for Sheriff so he runs for Congress. An unscrupulous man runs for Sheriff and wins over his opponent and Sheriff Heath loses his race. The new Sheriff fires Constance and she is at a loss as to what to do until an opportunity arises for which she is suited along with her sister. I highly recommend this book.

"Insane is such a mean word. I prefer mentally creative." (Unknown)

Constance Kopp, the first female deputy sheriff in Hackensack, has one challenging assignment. She and Deputy Morris must accompany two individuals to the local insane asylum. The male prisoner sits in the front seat of the vehicle reacting with wide eyes as the rain storm lets out its fury. The female patient must be picked up at her home after a judge has committed her. As they enter into Anna Kayser's home, Constance notices that it's neat and tidy and Anna is in the midst of cooking a meal. Her husband stands to the side with a drink in his hand. Something smells rotten in Hackensack this night.........and it's not Anna's cooking.

But it's 1916, folks, and many a woman has been committed based solely on her husband's convoluted story. After speaking with Anna, Constance realizes that Anna is no more insane than the rest of them in that room. As an agent of the law, she has no other recourse but to accompany Anna to the asylum per the judge's order. But Constance Kopp is one dedicated, determined woman. Ol' Charles Kayser will lock eyes with Constance and her iron will very soon.

Miss Kopp Just Won't Quit is the fourth book in the series. It can be read as a standalone as Amy Stewart fills in enough backstory to set you on course. The Kopp Sisters (Constance, Norma, and Fleurette) are based on real persons of the day. The series follows the career of Constance and the sweeping changes that visit this family and the local community. The Author's Notes at the end of the book are filled with interesting tidbits that Stewart found in her research. She dabbles in truth and in creative fiction here.

Stewart has added many layers to her storyline with emphasis on historical inequality of women, a pending sheriff election that may change her position soon, and the heaviness that will foreshadow the onset of WWI. Stewart wraps this story in the arms of reality. We seem to forget what a hard and treacherous road women traveled previous to present times. A lot of ground covered, but far more to go. But Stewart also includes the genuine light of people caring for one another when times are bad.........a sometimes lost art of the past.

I received a copy of Miss Kopp Just Won't Quit through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Houghton Mifflin Hartcourt and Amy Stewart for the opportunity.

Book 4 in this ongoing series is equally as entertaining its 3 predecessors. In this story it is election season. Sheriff Heath is running for congress and the position he is vacating is being contested which means everything that happens in the course of their daily duties is fair game for the candidates to spin. The story is told from the pov of Constance Kopp who is based on a real person. The aptly named Deputy Sheriff of Bergen County, NJ, is one of a very few women allowed to serve in this capacity in 1916. Constance represents herself honorably but inevitably attracts unwanted attention in the press and the community.

Each book generally covers a variety of jail happenings and one or more fairly major cases that Deputy Kopp works. This time the big story is the case of a woman confined in Morris Plains asylum. Something seems amiss and “Miss Kopp just won’t quit” until she finds out what is troubling the poor woman.

It’s fun to read this series because it’s so very clear that Amy Stewart loves her characters and works hard for historical accuracy. Thank you to HMH Books and net galley for this advance readers copy.

Very entertaining and very timely as Miss Kopp once again takes on the male dominated system and rises above it.

Miss Kopp is brilliant! I love the unique personalities of each of the sisters, their innate feminism just at the outset of the suffrage movement. Even youngest sister Fleurette is determined to have independence. The sisters’ interactions with each other and the men in their lives, who with the exception of Sheriff Heath try in ways both well-meaning and not to either protect or control them (often the same thing), convey a real sense of their time period. Sheriff Heath’s moral fiber and progressive views are refreshing to both Miss Kopp and the reader.

Amy Stewart continues her smart and engaging series about Constance Kopp and her sisters with aplomb in Miss Kopp Just Won't Quit. Imagining a life for the Kopps, who really did live in New Jersey in the 1910s, Stewart recreates the atmosphere and attitudes of the time to a T, giving readers a well-researched historical novel with great characters and incorporating issues that resonate even today.

I really enjoy the Kopp sisters. I was a little worried that it took well over 100 pages for Fleurette and Norma to make an appearance. This series is largely about Constance, and most of the information about Norma is made up, but she's still my favorite character in this series. So much spunk! I've read so many books where the heroin (Constance) falls for the (Sherrif Heath) and I'm very glad to see that they keep their relationship professional. I worry, though, that down the line, the author may try to put the two of them together. Perhaps I've just read too many other books where that's the obvious choice, but I hope he remains with his family, no matter how awful it may be, and Constance doesn't become known as a homewrecker. This was an enjoyable, light read. There were several story lines, but I felt they complimented each other, didn't get confused with each other, and gave a good picture of the times.

Another installment of the Kopp Sisters. I loved this book and this series just continues to get better with each book. What is extremely fascinating is that these books are based on real life women.

Constance Kopp is back! In this one, Constance's role as the first woman deputy in New Jersey is challenged. Which is nothing new, except that for the first time she has to consider what her job will be like without Sheriff Heath as the sheriff. He is running for congress and there will soon be new sheriff in town. In the mean time, there are criminals to catch, attempted escapees to subdue and women in the jail house to tend to. Constance also decides to investigate the mystery of a woman whose husband occasionally sends her to the insane asylum when she appears to be perfectly sane. Miss Kopp just won't quit!

I love this unique and clever series loosely based on the real Constance Kopp. However in this installment, there are numerous plot lines, and I struggled to follow some of them and was not particularly intrigued by others. The story is set during 1916 which is an election year for Kopp’s boss Sheriff Heath, and I felt the portion of the story devoted to the election was the least interesting and the most detailed. Every series has its ups and downs, and I look forward to the next book in the series and hope the focus is back on Constance Kopp and her sisters and less on other smaller characters.

The fourth book in Deputy Miss Kopp series might be the best so far. The Kopp sisters are all on board along with Sheriff Heath for this story that sheds some light on how women were treated just before the outbreak of World War I. At times funny, enlightening and frustrating these characters all did exist which makes for an interesting story and a fun read. I love this series and look forward to next book
and the adventures of The Kopp sisters.

The 1916 election has been hanging over the series and this book finally deals with it and the results. Most of the book looks at the type of cases Constance Kopp is dealing with during the time. And then the election happens toward the last third of the book and everything changes. Because of this, there isn't much of an end. I can't wait for the next book.

I loved this spirited novel, the fourth in what must be an excellent adventure of a series featuring female cop, Constance Kopp and her sisters as well as a colorful cast of characters. This historically accurate series is great for fans of Maisie Dobbs and Stephanie Plum - I love the fearless female who stops at nothing to solve the mystery and overcomes all odds to be the heroine of her own story. Amy Stewart is a best-selling author (The Drunken Botanist), and this is her fourth Constance Kopp installment. I highly recommend this suspenseful, adventurous historical fiction that is based on true events. Go to Amy Stewart's website https://www.amystewart.com/, to read all about how she came up with the Kopp stories and for really interesting materials if you would like to add her titles as book club selections.