Book Review: Girl Waits With Gun

For a lot of people, the New Year means New Years resolutions. One very popular resolution is to read more books, and if you’re like us and you’re looking for an exciting novel with a witty and strong female protagonist (oddly specific, we know), then Amy Stewart’s newest novel, Girl Waits with Gun, is the perfect book for you.

Set in the early 1900s of Paterson, New Jersey, Girl Waits with Gun depicts the life of Constance Kopp, one of the nation’s first female crime fighters.

In Stewart’s novel, three sisters face the wrath of a ruthless criminal and factory owner, Henry Kaufman, after their buggy collides with his in an unfortunate accident. Their troubles worsen when Kaufman refuses to pay them for the damages to their vehicle and threatens the three girls. In response, Constance Kopp, the eldest sister, takes action and decides to investigate who Henry Kaufman really is. Her discoveries shake things up in the lives of her and her family, causing unwanted trouble from Kaufman and his team of thugs. With Kaufman closely on their heels, Constance must protect her family, meanwhile trying to unravel the mystery behind the disappearance of a missing child in a subplot.

The story of Constance and her two sisters, Norma and Fleurette, is based on the lives of three real women in early 1900s.

“I stood in the creek where Fleurette got shot at. I have stood on the street corners, and I’ve been inside the jail,” says Stewart, who spent countless trips researching the area where the Kopp sisters lived. “What I wanted was for other people to have the same emotion I had when I found them—that sense of fun and spirit and adventure.”

Whether you’re reading for fun, or keeping a resolution, Girl Waits with Gun is a great romp through history that will leave you wanting more. This captivating story introduces the reader to the historical fiction genre with dry humor, mystery and action while presenting an inspiring story that follows women of character and resolve who will fight for their family and won’t give up when things get rough.