Introduction

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Excerpt

On the day I took Anna Kayser to the insane asylum, I was first obliged to catch a thief.

I say “obliged” as if it were a hardship, but in fact I enjoy a good chase. A man fleeing a crime scene presents any sworn officer with the rare gift of an easy win. Nothing is more heartening than a solid arrest, made after a little gratifying physical exertion, particularly when the thief is caught in the act and there are no bothersome questions later about a lack of evidence or an unreliable witness.

My duties are hardly ever so straightforward, and my victories rarely so decisive, as Anna Kayser’s case would demonstrate. Perhaps this is why the business with the thief lingers so clearly in my memory.

The scene of this particular crime was the Italian butcher where I liked to stop for my lunch. The proprietor, Mr. Giordano, put out a kind of Italian sausage called salsicciotto on Tuesdays that he seasoned with salt and peppercorns, then smothered in olive oil for two months, to extraordinary effect. He could sell every last one in an afternoon if he wanted to, but by doling them out on Tuesdays, he found that he could lure people into his shop once a week and make sure they left with all manner of goods imported from Italy: soap, perfume, hard cheese, enameled plates, lemon candy. The profits from those trinkets helped compensate for the cost of shipping over the extravagantly priced olive oil in which he aged the salsicciotto. I was but one of many willing participants in his scheme. Along with the sausage I took a bag of lemon candy weekly, finding it useful to dispense during interrogations.

The man ran out of the shop just as I rounded the corner onto Passaic Avenue. Mr. Giordano gave chase, but the thief had the advantage: he was young and trim, while the butcher was a rotund gentleman of advanced age who could do little more than stump along, huffing and shaking his fist.

He would’ve been out of luck, but there I happened to be, in my uniform, equipped with a gun, handcuffs, and a badge. I did what any officer of the law would do: I tucked my handbag under my arm, gathered my skirts in my hands, and ran him down.

Mr. Giordano heard my boots pounding along behind him on the wooden sidewalk and jumped out of the way. I must’ve given him a start, because he launched into a coughing fit when he saw who had come to his rescue.

In giving chase, I flew past a livery driver watering his horses, a druggist sweeping out his shop, and a boy of about twelve staring idly into a bookstore window. The boy was too engrossed or slow-witted to step out of the way. I’m sorry to say I shoved him down to the ground, rather roughly. I hated to do it, but children are sturdy and quick to heal. I raced on.

The thief himself hadn’t looked back and had no idea who was in pursuit, which was a shame, as men often stumble and lose their resolve when confronted by a lady deputy. I was always happy to use the element of surprise to my advantage. But this one ducked down a side street, deft as you please, no doubt believing that if he stayed on bustling Passaic Avenue, more passers-by would join the chase and he’d soon be caught.

The detour didn’t bother me, though. I preferred to go after him on a quiet tree-lined lane, with no more danger of loiterers stumbling into my path. I rounded the corner effortlessly and picked up speed.

He chose for his escape a neighborhood of large and graceful homes that offered very few places to hide. I closed the distance between us and was already looking for a soft patch of grass ahead on which to toss him down, but he saw an opportunity ahead. He’d done this before—I had to credit him that. He hurled himself over a low fence and into a backyard.

Here is where an agile man of slight build has the advantage. I was forced to abandon my handbag and to heft myself over the fence in the most undignified manner. Hems caught on nails, seams split, and stockings were shredded into ribbons. I landed on one knee and knew right away I’d be limping for a week. It occurred to me, at last, to wonder what, exactly, the man had stolen, and if he was really worth catching. If I’d abandoned the chase at that moment, no one—not even Mr. Giordano—?would’ve blamed me.

But no matter, I had to have him. view abbreviated excerpt only...

Discussion Questions

1. On page one, Constance Kopp says, “My duties are hardly ever so straightforward, and my victories rarely so decisive.” How does this sum up not only Constance’s position as deputy and jail matron, but her role as a female during this time period as well?

2. There are a variety of women’s roles represented in the book and in the jail (mothers, wives, daughters, lawyers, gentlewoman who do not work, factory workers, actresses, seamstresses, etc.), but despite their wealth or standing, they are all treated as inferior to men. Are you surprised that all women, no matter their status, are treated this way? Which characters challenge these conventions the most?

3. Most men in the book are opposed to helping Constance or skeptical of her work. Besides Sheriff Heath, why do you think Mr. Ward and Mr. McGinnis treat Constance and Geraldine with more civility?

4. Geraldine is similar to Constance in that she holds an employment position unusual for a woman of her time. They are both aware of their unique positions, but how is Geraldine’s personality different from Constance’s? How does she handle conflict differently?

5. How does the relationship between Sheriff Heath and Constance evolve throughout this book, and how does it differ from the previous books?

6. This book is set during an election year, and also when the possibility of war seems close at hand. How do these two situations make life in the book feel less stable? How does Constance see the trickle-down effect of national events on her duties? How do Constance and Sheriff Heath handle the election and the results differently?

7. “It all happened a long time ago, and had become such a settled point in our family’s history that it caused nothing in the way of hand-wringing anymore” (144). Do you really think this history is settled? If you’ve read the previous books, how has Constance’s treatment of Fleurette changed throughout the series?

8. During this book and time period, we see a lot of examples of what men are allowed to do that women are not. But what can women do that men cannot? Are men aware of these strengths and differences? What can Constance do that a male in her position would not have accomplished as well or even at all?

9. “Providencia had been quick to take responsibility for shooting her tenant, but didn’t want it known that she’d been aiming for her husband, who would undoubtedly seek revenge. If I was gone, there would be no one to protect Providencia if she were released early, or if her husband were to try to come and visit her” (276). Why do you think Constance and Sheriff Heath decided to protect Providencia by excluding this information? What does her crime show about the powerlessness of women, especially married women, at this time?

10. Constance admires other female characters (Norma, Fleurette, Cordelia, Anna, Bessie, Miss Miner and most of the female prisoners) for different reasons, and yet she rarely admires her own strengths. What does this show about her personality?

11. On page 299, Anna says, “You can’t know what it’s like to have your liberty taken away, and then to have it restored.” How do Anna and Constance define “liberty” differently? How do their experiences and age influence their perspective? How does Anna give Constance her freedom, and how does it differ from the freedom Constance gave her?

12. One of Constance’s favorite parts of her job is probation checks. Why are these checks so satisfying to her? What does she think of Norma doing the check at the end of the book?

13. On page 293, Constance reflects, “Norma had never been deterred from an idea. Once she settled on a course for herself, she simply marched along in that direction, head down, shoulder to the wheel. She was utterly convinced that she was right, and once she had taken up a position, it never occurred to her to entertain any sort of doubt. She was a plodder. She moved on. There was something admirable in it, but then again, she’d had no success of any kind, and rarely ventured out past our barn herself.” Why does Constance adopt such a hopeless view about Norma’s invention? Even though Constance is a strong character, how is Norma’s strength different?

14. On page 121, Carolyn says, “I can just picture you out giving lectures. You should go around to other cities and tell them how you’ve done it here in Bergen County. I’m sure that every policewoman who comes into the job must feel as though she has to invent it for herself.” Fleurette then reads an article to Constance on page 296 about a female officer doing just that. For someone as strong-willed as Constance, why hasn’t she organized something like this or reached out to other female officers?

15. The conclusion of book 4 is more of a beginning than the endings in the other books. How is that especially fitting for this book? How is the foreshadowing of what is to come connected to the political uncertainty during this time as well?

16. At the end of the book, there is a section titled, “Historical Notes and Sources.” What did you find most interesting from this section?

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