In her second novel, Lady Cop Makes Trouble, Amy Stewart, well-known for her nonfiction, creates an amusing, absorbing novel based on the arguably first real-life Jersey Girl Constance Kopp.

What a romp it is to read the 1916 adventures of Constance Kopp, an actual woman …more from Northern New Jersey, most notably Bergen County, an unofficial borough of New York City. When the story opens, she is the first woman to receive a salary for solving a previous crime (see Girl Waits With Gun). And she's striving to move up in the ranks of law enforcement. She's unpretentious, but ambitious. She's independent, but family-oriented. She is a strong woman comfortable being a size 20.

It takes a Jersey Girl like Constance to know exactly what she wants... and how to hold on until she gets it, without losing anything. Constance wants her badge and the chance to chase down dangerous criminals in her hometown: joined in the fun by motley residents and relatives. Many are main characters in their own rights, and the various sub plots complex enough to keep readers entertained.

Lady Cop Makes Trouble contains elements of mild suspense, comic relief, and a hint of mystery. It's a well-researched historical novel and pointed social commentary on male privilege. This mystery earns your attention with its pleasing manners, fun and amusing plots. But some dark currents underlie its froth. The novel is one of a kind—friendly with an attitude—like the Jersey Girl it portrays. If you identify with Eve Rossi and V.I. Warshawsky, Phryne Fisher and Maisie Dobbs, you'll find a kindred but unique spirit in Constance Kopp. (less)