Spotlight: Jocelyn Green
One of my recent reads was The Metropolitan Affair by Jocelyn Green, a well-known Christian historical fiction writer. I have enjoyed her 18th and 19th century stories. This one is set during the 1920s--prohibition era!
One other thing that happened during the 1920s was the discovery of King Tut's tomb. This sparked a fad. All things Egyptian became wildly popular!
From the blurb:
For years her estranged explorer 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.
I found the premise entrancing: an Egyptologist and a detective join forces to solve a crime. The writing is strong. If you like nerdy historical details, this book is for you. I liked the Egyptology stuff.
Jocelyn answers a few questions about her writing journey:
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.
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 Web site is JocelynGreen.com, and you’ll see on the home page a place so subscribe to my monthly newsletter. Otherwise, find me on Facebook (@jocelyngreenauthor), Instagram (@Author_Jocelyn_Green), and you can always find me on Goodreads.
To take a look at her book:
