The Metropolitan Affair

Title: The Metropolitan Affair
Author: Jocelyn Green
Series: On Central Park, book 1
Major Themes: Mysteries, Art, History
Synopsis: When Lauren Westlake, assistant curator of Egyptian art at the Met, and Joe Caravello, a detective for the NYPD, join together to try to find the source of forged Egyptian artifacts in 1920s Manhattan, can they find the truth before those trying to hide it figure out what they’re doing?

Anytime I see a new Jocelyn Green book coming out these days, I’m excited, because I know it will likely be another great read. The Metropolitan Affair is her most recent release, and let me say…I can’t wait to see where this series will go from here! This was the kind of book I love picking up and being able to recommend to others, and although this was a slower read for me than some, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

As assistant curator of Egyptian art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan, Dr. Lauren Westlake has a lot of responsibility resting on her shoulders. It’s 1925, and Egyptian art and artifacts are all the rage right now. Though she’s annoyed by some of the fakes she’s seeing, she is grateful that people are recognizing the richness of Egyptian history—something that has been her passion since childhood. Since her father, Lawrence, is an archaeologist and Egyptologist, it’s no surprise that she’s ended up in this vein of work—but despite her achievements and to her sorrow, he still doesn’t seem to have much time for her.

Joe Caravello, a detective for the NYPD, has just undergone seeing one of his best friends and fellow detectives jailed for what he believes was murder. Connor claimed it was in self-defense during a speakeasy raid, but Joe doesn’t agree, and now he’s not sure how to proceed. What he does know is that something wasn’t right about that night, and he’s determined to dig to the bottom of it. Speakeasy raids are one thing—but he wonders if the latest hype around Egyptian art and the potential for forgeries resulting from it might not have something to do with the crime he and his comrades are fighting every day. As he works on his hunch, he enlists Lauren’s help in identifying forgeries, to see if he can find any connections to work on. But while Lauren struggles with her relationship with her father, and they start uncovering more than they originally anticipated, can they both stay safe and work together to get to the bottom of what quickly becomes more than a hunch?

The Metropolitan Affair hit all the right points of an excellent book for me. The history was intriguing and engaging, the mystery kept me guessing, the romance was sweet, and the characters were delightful. I haven’t read many books set in the 20s, so I found that fascinating, and adding ancient artifacts to it only served to make it more interesting. I loved Joe’s parents—they were the sweetest!—and wanted to yell at Lawrence, Lauren’s dad, several times. Lauren and Joe were both relatable and fun, and I loved Lauren’s friends (although they didn’t have as much page time as I would have liked to see!).

One thing I liked about this book was some of the topics addressed here. Lauren starts the book with an estranged relationship with her father, and the way she has tried to fix it all her life is to try to do something noteworthy enough that he will approve of her. The topic of identity and where we should really look for approval comes up several times, and I appreciated the way the subject was approached and handled. Truth and honesty were also topics touched upon in the story, illustrating how important they both are.

The Metropolitan Affair was a sweet, entertaining, gripping read, and I’m thankful I had the chance to read it. I can’t wait to get my hands on the sequel, and if you enjoy mysteries or historical fiction, I suspect you’d enjoy this one, too.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book, and this is my honest opinion of it.

WARNING: Oaths, swearing, or cursing is mentioned in ch. 1, 6, 8, 24 (twice), 30, 33, 34, and 35; “good grief” is used in ch. 2;  “honest to goodness”, goodness, or a variant is used in ch. 3, 4, 8, 16, 20, 23 (twice), 26, and 37; “for pity’s sake” is used in ch. 8 and 28; “dickens of a time” is used in ch. 11 and 21; “dash it all” is used in ch. 12; heavens is used in ch. 16 and 18; and “God in heaven” is used in ch. 30. There is lying in ch. 9, 10, 11, 14, and 32. Characters remember people who were killed in ch. 1, 10, 24, and 29. Someone tells about several babies who died in ch. 16. In ch. 34 – 35, a man holds a gun to a woman’s forehead, someone is sprayed with blood from a shot, and two men are shot and killed. Smoking and drinking occur occasionally in the story. Someone remembers his father getting drunk in ch. 8, and someone else is drunk in the same chapter. Characters attend a Halloween party in ch. 4, which includes a mention of belly dancers. Unmarried people touch in ch. 6, 10, 12, 17 (including some waltzing), 22, 23, 27, 28 (also noticing a woman’s curves), 29, and 37. There are kisses in 19, 24, 30, 31, and 38 (twice).

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