Welcome Jocelyn! Take us inside your new novel, The Metropolitan Affair.
For years her estranged father promised Dr. Lauren Westlake she’d accompany him on one of his Egyptian expeditions, giving her hope for the sense of belonging she’s always craved. But as the empty promises mounted, Lauren determined to earn her own way. Now the assistant curator of Egyptology for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Lauren receives two unexpected invitations.
The first is her repentant father’s offer to finally bring her to Egypt as his colleague on a fascinating new expedition. The second is a chance to enter the glittering world of New York’s wealthiest patrons who have been victims of art fraud.
With Egyptomania sweeping the city after the discovery of King Tut’s tomb, Detective Joe Caravello is on the hunt for a notorious forger preying on the open wallets of New York’s high society. Dr. Westlake is just the expert he needs to help him identify fake relics and track down the con artist. Together they search for the truth, and the closer Lauren and Joe get to discovering the forger’s identity, the more entangled they become in a web of deception and crime.
This novel follows an assistant curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and a detective. Can you tell us a bit about these two characters?
Lauren and Joe first met at the Met museum when she was twelve years old and he fourteen. They have different class backgrounds but became fast friends until college took Lauren away. The novel begins more than a decade later, when they reconnect while hunting a forger of Egyptian art together. Dr. Lauren Westlake wants nothing more than peace—and approval from her estranged father. Detective Joe Caravello, recently betrayed by a corrupt cop on the force, wants nothing more than justice. The closer the two get to finding the truth, the more they realize they can’t have both peace and justice at once.
What inspired you to write a series set in New York during the 1920s?
I was inspired by the first professionally trained female Egyptologist in America. The brilliant and humble Caroline Ransom Williams served as assistant curator in the Met’s Egyptian department in the early years. I set my novel a little later than Caroline’s time so I could also take advantage of the Egyptomania sweeping the world after the discovery of King Tut’s tomb. From there, it was easy to imagine a series where the protagonists all work at revered institutions on Central Park. The second book will focus on the American Museum of Natural History, and the third will be based on work for the New-York Historical Society.
Of all the things you learned about the Metropolitan Museum of Art while writing this book, what most surprised you?
The Met really has a fascinating history, full of many surprises. I especially enjoyed learning how the early pieces were acquired for the museum, and the drama and scandal surrounding either particular acquisitions or the funding for them.
What was the highlight of writing The Metropolitan Affair?
My trip to Manhattan was most certainly the highlight of writing the novel. There is no substitute for being where I placed my characters, from the Metropolitan Museum of Art to Grand Central to The Plaza’s Palm Court and Central Park.
What challenges did you experience while writing this story?
The book isn’t classified as a mystery, but there are definitely mystery elements to it, and sorting all of that out in my head, let alone on paper, was a challenge.
How is this series different from others you have written?
This series is a change of pace from most of my previous novels in that there is no war or natural or manmade disaster to contend with. The only other novel I’ve written without either of those was Shadows of the White City. In that sense, The Metropolitan Affair enjoys room to delve more deeply into character development while interacting with the vibrant historical context of Prohibition Manhattan.
What lessons do you hope readers gain from reading The Metropolitan Affair?
I hope readers pick up on many parallels to spiritual life that are tucked into this novel. One obvious theme is being able to identify something that’s counterfeit by studying the pure and genuine instead. But even more significant than any forgery analogy is the exploration of family relationships, our roles in those, and where the boundaries are.
How can readers connect with you?
My website is jocelyngreen.com, and you’ll see on the home page a place to subscribe to my monthly newsletter. Otherwise, find me on Facebook (@jocelyngreenauthor), Instagram (@Author_Jocelyn_Green), and you can always find me on Goodreads.
Thank you so much for stopping by today, Jocelyn!
Readers::: THE METROPOLITAN AFFAIR RELEASES TODAY. Here’s a look::::
For years her explorer father promised Dr. Lauren Westlake she’d accompany him on one of his Egyptian expeditions. But as the empty promises mounted, Lauren determined to earn her own way. Now the assistant curator of Egyptology for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Lauren receives two unexpected invitations.
The first is her repentant father’s offer to finally bring her to Egypt as his colleague on a new expedition. The second is a chance to enter the world of New York’s wealthiest patrons who have been victims of art fraud.
With Egyptomania sweeping the city after the discovery of King Tut’s tomb, Detective Joe Caravello is on the hunt for a notorious forger preying on the open wallets of New York’s high society. Dr. Westlake is just the expert he needs to help him track the criminal. Together they search for the truth, and the closer Lauren and Joe get to discovering the forger’s identity, the more entangled they become in a web of deception and crime.
