It's the election year of 1916, and Miss Kopp's supervisor and defender, Sheriff Heath, can't be re-elected for another term. His ambitious wife has him running for senate, and is worried that the controversial Lady Deputy will ruin his chances. And it's not at all certain that the incoming sheriff wants a lady cop at all. Miss Kopp's priorities, however, are justice and her family, in that order- and justice for the women under her jurisdiction is greatly challenged by laws that give husbands and fathers control of their lives. Miss Kopp tackles a tricky case of a female asylum patient who isn't as she seems while trying to avoid the scathing eye of political opponents.

What, am I never gonna get to see Constance and the Sherriff make out?

But seriously. The things women have had to go through...

I am always amazed at the research that goes into these books. Well written as well! Win-win!

Four books in, the Kopp Sisters series is going strong! Constance Kopp is an independent, strong, career woman -- at a time when these were not considered desirable attributes for a female. She works as a deputy sheriff at the Hackensack jail, where she essentially does double duty, both capturing criminals and carrying out deputy funtions, and serving as the jail's matron for female inmates, whom she views as her charges.

Both Sheriff Heath -- a fair-minded man who treats Constance as a colleague and professional, a rarity in the law-enforcement world -- and Constance believe in prison reform, the idea that treating prisoners as people with options for redemption will actually lead to less crime overall. Constance takes a particular interest in the young women who often find themselves incarcerated for being wayward or otherwise uncontrollable, working with a sympathetic judge to get them released on probation, under her supervision, and finding them safe living situations, opportunities for decent work, and the chance to educate themselves and improve their lives.

All this is threatened by the 1916 elections. Sheriff Heath has termed out of his role and is running for Congress, and the sheriff's position is hotly contested beween a man who detests Constance and a man who sees her as a cute affectation. In describing the tone of the campaign, author Amy Stewart adeptly shows how dirty politics isn't new to today's political climate. Sheriff Heath, perhaps naively, believes that elections can be won or lost on the merits of a candidate:

"Miss Kopp, Don't you see that it's better for us this way? He's putting all his worst qualities right out on display for the public to see. You notice that he hasn't said a word about what a sheriff's actual duties might be, or why he's best qualified to carry them out. A man who does nothing but cast out hate and blame couldn't possibly be elected to office."

If only.

As always, Constance Kopp -- who is a real person, and whose history Amy Stewart draws upon for the events of the novel -- is a stunningly strong, honest, and dedicated woman. She believes in her purpose, and constantly puts her own interests second to her duty to the public and to her inmates. In Miss Kopp Just Won't Quit, we spend a bit less time with Constance's sisters Norma and Fleurette, who feature much more prominently in earlier books. Still, their home life and interesting personality dynamics are always entertaining to read about.

By the end of the novel, circumstances have changed dramatically for the Kopp sisters, and it would appear that their lives are about to enter an entirely new phase. And while I'm sad to see the partnership between Constance and Sheriff Heath reach an ending of sorts for the moment, I'm still as invested as ever in these people and their lives, and can't wait to see where they go and what they do next.

PS - I listened to the audiobook, and highly recommend it! The narrator is terrific.

Very interesting, strong female characters, especially because it is factually based.

3.5

I enjoyed the familiar characters but the story was a little weak overall or maybe just too much politics and too little police work.

Miss Kopp Just Won’t Quit by Amy Stewart

Dear Fellow Reader,
Another series! I had not read any of the Miss Kopp books but I had heard a lot about them because the author, Amy Stewart came to my town on her book tour for the fourth book in her series, Miss Kopp Just Won’t Quit by Amy Stewart. I had received a copy of an advanced reader copy of the book in exchange for my unbiased review.
As can occasionally happen, I was able to buy a copy of the second book in the series, Lady Cop Makes Trouble at about the same time as I received the fourth book. I had them when I was traveling recently. As things go, I found myself with one book downloaded on my phone and the other on my kindle. (and no internet) So, I read both books at the same time. Which was interesting.

The books take place in 1915 and 1916. Having ladies working for the police or sheriff’s office was not usual. In some states it was legal but not in all states. Constance Kopp lives on a farm with her two sisters. Her parents have died and her brother is married and lives in town. He would like the sisters to sell the farm and move into town but they don’t really want to do that. After they have a problem with some thugs, Constance comes to the attention of Sherriff Heath. Constance is tall and is not afraid to do what needs to be done to apprehend a criminal.
In the fourth book of the series, we find Constance mostly taking care of the woman’s section of the jail. She has also instituted a program to check up on women who have given indications that they could get into trouble. She makes monthly visits to the women in an effort to keep them on the right side of the law. Sherriff Heath asks her to accompany another deputy in transporting two people to the insane asylum. They have to pick up a woman at her home as a judge has ordered that she be returned to the insane asylum. When the woman talks, Constance feels there is something wrong with her story. She doesn’t feel that she can leave it alone without investigating.
But at the same time, it is election time in the town and Sherriff Heath is running for Congressman. The District Attorney is running for sheriff but he seems to be spending all his time just talking about how Sherriff Heath is unfit even though he isn’t running against him. And Constance is one of the things that the District Attorney finds fault with under Sherriff Heath’s direction. Constance has her doubts but Sherriff Heath tells her he is sure that people won’t believe the District Attorney and that he will win. What will happen if he loses?
I found the books very interesting. Probably the most interesting to me was that they are based on a real person and while it is not biographical, many of the characters and actions are based in reality. There is enough background given in the books to understand them without reading the series in order. Although, I think that it is a good idea. I was never really clear as to what happened to start the stories off. I just know there was a problem that Constance and her sisters were having with some thugs but now why they were having the problem or why the sheriff’s office was not paying much attention to it. It didn’t impact the books I read but it was mentioned.
Thanks for reading!

If you haven’t read this series, I can’t recommend it enough. Constance is incredibly likable, her sisters – Fleurette and Norma – bring their own quirks to every book, and Sheriff Heath is the always supportive, almost too-good-to-be-true friend and boss. But despite the humor, Amy Stewart doesn’t sugarcoat the difficulties women faced in the early 1910s.

Thanks to the publisher for the advance reading copy.

Sheriff Heath is running for Congress and Kopp's job as a deputy could be on the line no matter who wins. She is being used as a pawn in the campaign by one of the candidates. When one inmate attempts an escape on a rainy night, the candidate, John Courter, says that it was Kopp's fault and she shouldn't be on the force. That night Kopp discovers a woman going to the insane asylum -- being committed for no other reason than the hubby wanted to set up house with a new woman (apparently he's done this before) Kopp gets involved. Courter sees she isn't doing just her job.

Heath not elected. Courter gets job with dirty campaigning, tries to fire everyone who worked for Heath. Kopp files suit to keep job, but doesn't win. It does give other deputies enough time to show Courter that he needs help. Woman in asylum freed with help from Kopp's lawyer friend.

At the end of the book, Kopp out of job. Norma signed the 3 sisters up for military support training. Heath takes job as clerk because 3rd child on the way.

Not as good as some of the others.