The Mysterious Affair at the Met: Priscilla Plays in High Cotton in the World of Highly-Valued Works of...

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M J Simms-Maddox

The Mysterious Affair at the Met

Priscilla Plays in High Cotton in the World of Highly-Valued Works of Art

M J Simms-Maddox

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English

M. J. Simms-Maddox, Inc.
01 June 2021

Forgery, falsification & theft of artworks; Crime & Mystery; Romance; Travel & holiday

Series: Priscilla

""And until now it has been anybody's guess who has the high-quality fakes and who has the genuine masterpieces.""

The Mysterious Affair at the Met-the fifth installment in 'The Priscilla Series' -begins in the middle of May 1990 in the city that never sleeps. Although New Yorkers are experiencing tempestuous weather of howling gales and torrential rains, people are still out and about, dressed in rain hats, trench coats, and other waterproof wear. Tourists are drifting in and out of myriads of shops and restaurants and showplaces such as museums and theatres, any place to escape the wind and the pouring rain.

A favorite destination-even for New Yorkers-is the venerable Metropolitan Museum of Art. On this particular day, ""the Met,"" as generally known, experiences an unusually large number of visitors. Visitors can view over two million works of art spanning five millennia of cultures worldwide. But some among them are up to something more sinister.

At one point, the Met's surveillance cameras' lenses capture ""a mysterious-looking couple"" amid the many visitors strolling around the many galleries. The pair is dripping wet in their matching Burberry taupe trench coats. Just as the two of them walk past Soleil dans le Ciel de Saint-Paul, a masterpiece of Marc Chagall, a prominent tourist group-who, oddly enough, all are wearing distinctive red-and-white-striped vinyl raincoats-converges around them. But it is what happens next that baffles the museum's surveillance crew. After ""the mysterious-looking couple"" pulls off their prank, they and the large tourist group walk out of that particular camera's range, becoming submerged elsewhere in the interminable galleries of the gigantic museum.

But when a docent notices ""something strange"" with Chagall's Soleil dans le Ciel de Saint-Paul, in short order, the museum-goers inside the Chagall gallery hear ""High Alert!"" and watch in horror as a heavy metal grille drops down from the ceiling to the floor, effectively locking them inside the gallery.

Not long after word leaks about the Met's ""high alert,"" the Met's board retains PR executive Priscilla J. ""PJ"" Austin-Bernhardt to avert damage to the museum's reputation. In so doing, Priscilla, her PR associates, and her not-so-secret secret agent colleagues uncover a global art fraud racket dating back some fifty-odd years that could easily become the scandal of the decade, if not the century.

And thus began what later came to be called ""The Mysterious Affair at the Met.""

By: M J Simms-Maddox
Imprint: M. J. Simms-Maddox, Inc.
Volume: 5
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 29mm
Weight: 835g
ISBN: 9781732240650
ISBN 10: 1732240655
Series: Priscilla
Pages: 456
Publication Date: 01 June 2021
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

M. J. Simms-Maddox, Ph.D., is an independent author and the publisher of the Priscilla Series. The series chronicles the coming-of-age journey and adventures of a modern-day, self-assured Black American young woman. The Mysterious Affair at the Met is the fifth installment in the series. The South Carolina native grew up in the Snowbelt of western New York. She earned her doctorate in political science from Ohio State University, has served as a legislative aide in the Ohio Senate, operated a PR firm, and taught political science for over thirty years. Her international travels play prominently in the Priscilla Series. Simms-Maddox found her passion for writing fiction somewhat late in her life and has been writing mysteries and thrillers since 1999. Her first significant work of nonfiction is A Handbook for Emerging and Seasoned Authors: An Insider's Step-by-Step Approach to Becoming a Successful Indie Book Author and Publisher.

Reviews for The Mysterious Affair at the Met: Priscilla Plays in High Cotton in the World of Highly-Valued Works of Art

The original version with King Tut on the cover won First Place for Contemporary Literature in the 2022 CIBAs. Meanwhile, the author has been interviewed by nationally syndicated journalists such as Logan Crawford of Spotlight Network TV and Ric Bratton of This Week in America for the republished version of the novel, as well as reviewed by The US Review, ""And until now it has been anybody's guess who has the high-quality fakes and who has the genuine masterpieces. This is a book that will keep readers engaged from beginning to end."" ""The tension is prevalent and strongly atmospheric from the outset, drawing readers into a web of mystery and deception with language that creates a powerful aura of intrigue. Overall, The Mysterious Affair at the Met is a riveting read that will keep readers guessing until the very end, and I would highly recommend it for mystery aficionados everywhere."" Atticus Publishing Review No.1. ""In The Mysterious Affair at the Met, M. J. Simms-Maddox thoroughly reveals the main character, P.J. Austin-Bernhardt, or Priscilla. This amazing woman is highly professional in her field. She possesses many other talents and treasures her African American heritage. The author shows us Priscilla's work as a PR consultant from every possible angle, skillfully weaving it into the clever plotline."" Atticus Publishing Review No.2. ""At its core, the novel is a testament to the enduring appeal of the mystery genre. With its blend of suspense, intrigue, and unexpected twists, it offers readers a captivating journey into the heart of a tantalizing puzzle. As the mystery unfolds, readers are drawn into a web of intrigue and deception that keeps them guessing until the very end."" Atticus Publishing Review No.3.