July 26, 2021
Set in 1919, Stewart’s fascinating seventh Kopp Sisters novel (after Dear Miss Kopp) finds the three sisters—Constance, Norma, and Fleurette—back home in Paterson, N.J., for the funeral of their brother, Francis, who died suddenly, leaving behind his pregnant wife, Bessie, and two children. Francis also left a mountain of debt. The sisters determine to help Bessie financially, but how many salaries would the women have to earn to match that of a man? The focus is on Fleurette, the youngest and prettiest of the sisters, who becomes a professional co-respondent, posing for decorous photographs with married men, which will be used as evidence in their divorce proceedings. She befriends a client and embarks on the road to becoming an investigator. Readers expecting to jump immediately into a mystery are advised to be patient. The book’s main appeal is the edifying way Stewart makes clear the condition of women a century ago without getting maudlin. The ending points to an exciting new development in the Kopps’ crime fighting careers. Series fans will eagerly await the next installment. Agent: Michelle Tessler, Tessler Literary.
Starred review from August 1, 2021
The rug is pulled out from under the Kopp sisters in the seventh series entry, following Dear Miss Kopp (2021) after the unexpected death of their brother, Francis. Suddenly Constance's new job training female police officers, Norma's plans to travel Europe, and Fleurette's preparations to strike out on her own are seconded to the imperative of supporting Francis' widow, Bessie, and their children. Decisive Norma bulldozes them into order: they'll sell the Kopp farm, move in next door to Bessie, and get jobs to replace Francis' salary. While former deputy Constance swallows her pride and signs on as a department-store detective, Fleurette secretly begins a lucrative role in a law firm's ethically blurry service to help men secure divorces. But the Kopp women must face their plan's inadequacies when a host of overdue accounts reveal that Francis was keeping devastating secrets. Fleurette, the focus this time around, comes into her own as subterfuge and legal shenanigans move her to unmask a wily scam artist. Stewart, gifted at bringing women's issues to life, illustrates the complex legal and financial challenges facing women after WWI, and concludes with an exciting development in the Kopp women's future. Another strong entry for this historically fact-based series that's a sure bet for grown-up Nancy Drew fans.
COPYRIGHT(2021) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Starred review from August 15, 2021
Youngest sibling Fleurette takes up sleuthing on her own in the seventh Kopp Sisters adventure. It opens on a grim note: The sudden death of their brother, Francis, in January 1919 has left the sisters responsible for his pregnant widow, his two older children, and a mountain of debt they had no inkling of. Each of them makes painful sacrifices: Constance gives up her dream job with the FBI in Washington; Norma abandons her plan to live a freer life in Europe; and a bout with scarlet fever has damaged Fleurette's voice and her nascent stage career. She's delighted when a lawyer offers her a well-paying gig as a "professional co-respondent," helping couples who need to prove adultery to get divorced by posing for compromising photos with the husbands. Although nothing even close to adultery occurs, Fleurette knows her sisters would disapprove, and indeed Constance explodes when she finds out. But Fleurette is sick of being told what to do by Constance and storms off; her ignorance of the fact (which readers of previous novels already know) that she is actually Constance's illegitimate daughter makes their conflict in this volume particularly wrenching. However, the mysterious behavior of one of the lawyer's clients gets Fleurette involved in what proves to be a confidence scam targeting vulnerable women, and her attempts to bring the wrongdoer to justice land her in jail. Her sisters come to the rescue, each making her individual, forceful contribution to the satisfying resolution of multiple mysteries: Norma's overbearing nature is instrumental in unravelling Francis' catastrophic finances; Constance enlists her law enforcement know-how to smooth over Fleurette's legal troubles. (As usual, Stewart explains in endnotes what in this fact-based story actually happened and what she invented.) It's a pleasure to watch Fleurette, rather tiresomely vain and self-centered in earlier novels, mature into a strong, independent woman very much in the Kopp mold. As always, Stewart leaves us with the welcome promise of more Kopp sisters adventures to come. One of the strongest entries yet in this deservedly popular historical series.
COPYRIGHT(2021) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.