The Metropolitan Affair by Jocelyn Green - On Central Park, book 1

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.

If you're looking for a classier Roaring 20's story rather than stereotypical, then check this one out! Sure, prohibition and mafia-esque players are part of the setting--especially with a police detective as one of the main characters--but the focus is on the antiquities world and the white collar corruption within. Lauren is a highly educated heroine, and it's really just a by-product of her job and education that she is one of the very best at recognizing forgeries. I loved her conclusion on how to recognize a fake--if you immerse yourself in the genuine article and study what is true, then you will be much more likely to spot what is false. And that applies to a lot more than just antiquities.

The love story is not the focus of the story, but it's a sweet addition. I liked how they had been friends long ago and were able to pick up nearly where they'd left off over a decade before. I hope there will be follow-up stories on Lauren's roommates!

Thank you Bethany House and Net Galley for the complimentary e-book. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.