Part of the Solution

by Elana Michelson

"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem." –Eldridge Cleaver

It's 1978, and Jennifer Morgan, a sassy New Yorker, has escaped to the counterculture village of Flanders, Massachusetts. Her peaceful life is disrupted when one of her customers at the Café Galadriel is found dead. Everyone is a suspect—including the gentle artisan woodworker, the Yeats-wannabe poet, the town's anti-war hero, the peace-loving Episcopalian minister, and the local organic farmer who can hold a grudge.

Concern for her community prompts Jennifer to investigate the murder with the sometimes-reluctant help of Ford McDermott, a young police officer. Little does she know that the solution lies in the hidden past.

Part of the Solution blends snappy dialogue, unconventional settings, and a classic oldies soundtrack, capturing the essence of a traditional whodunnit in a counterculture era. ​

296 pages, Paperback

First published July 15, 2025

About the author

Elana Michelson is a New York City girl who has encamped to the Hudson Valley, where she writes, reads, gardens, and volunteers with local social justice organizations. After thirty-five years as a professor, she has put down a beloved career of academic writing (and student papers) in favor of writing murder mysteries. She earned a PhD in English from Columbia University, but gets her knowledge of the life and times of Part of the Solution by, well, having been there.

Reviews

[Kristine Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

PART OF THE SOLUTION by Elana Michelson treats readers to quirky characters living in an idyllic countercultural community in 1970s America. Life is good until a life is lost, and that pesky old real world threatens to knock down the walls of their alternate reality.

The characters' desire for retreat to a safe community where the woes of the world don’t creep in is understandable (and relevant today). The town of Flanders, Massachusetts, just down the road from a college campus, is that place for many people; however, there are others who don’t appreciate their lifestyle, “Flanders had been invaded by an opinionated, motley collection of sixties refugees.” That tension within the town is interesting, but it disappeared quickly and is not the focus of PART OF THE SOLUTION.

What is the focus in PART OF THE SOLUTION is the characters, most of whom are full of vigor and high on their righteousness, as twenty-somethings tend to be – and set in 1978, often, they are literally high, too. Each member of the core group of players is easy to visualize, thanks to Michelson’s detailed descriptions of not only their looks but their attitudes, political stances, and personalities.

Less clear are the characters' ages; I had to do math and tap my limited knowledge of the Vietnam War to get in range. (Hmm. 1978 – [US leaves Saigon] + 4 years grad school + [give-or-take] 40 years = 26ish in '78 and 60-something years old and/or maybe 2018?) I established that main character Jennifer was likely born ten to fifteen years before me. I was twelve and living in North Texas when the bulk of the story happened, and me and my world looked different from that of PART OF THE SOLUTION (even with my siblings six and eight years older -go figure). But, Michelson’s world is atmospheric and nostalgic, sprinkled with retro attire and style, record players and tapes playing Bob Dillon and Joan Baez, and a readily available variety of recreational drugs.

“If New England, he told himself, was Deerfield Academy and Lord Geoffrey Amherst killing Iroquois for the king, it was also Mother Jones and Big Bill Hayward and the striking workers at the Lawrence textile mill.”

PART OF THE SOLUTION is a sharply-written, cerebral novel. I give high marks for the diction and cultural, historical, and literary references dropped throughout the book. These pair well with several of the characters personalities and their life in and around academia. Readers who are afficionados of the times, or were adults in the seventies, will likely recognize the referenced movements and protests of those times. I’m not sure younger readers will understand draft lotteries and dodgers or needing a dime for a phone call. But for me, even being a tween then and an English major some years later, I am a little embarrassed by how much time I spent checking Merriam-Webster, and I used Google more frequently than I care to admit. This took me out of the story, as did the frequent point-of-view changes that happened not only in back-to-back paragraphs but also within single paragraphs, which forced regular re-reading.

Nonetheless, I read PART OF THE SOLUTION in one seating and stayed engaged primarily because I needed to see how the contemporary-set prologue would resolve itself, but also because of the mystery behind the death of one character and near-death of another back in 1978. The author provided a satisfactory, somewhat open-ended solution to the former and resolved the whodunit parts of the latter in unique and clever ways. And, I appreciate that unlike many mysteries, the characters really struggled with the horror of what had happened and felt unsettled with the case unresolved.

It's no secret that editing is very important to this reader, so I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the stellar job Michelson’s team has done with PART OF THE SOLUTION. Extra credit is given for the “permissions” section at the end of the book, which shows that the author jumped through the proper and legally required hoops to use copyrighted words from songs and texts within a novel. Sadly, many authors don’t do this (and I fear they don’t know and/or don’t care that they should), and it’s disappointing.

I absolutely recommend PART OF THE SOLUTION as an engaging, sometimes challenging novel with a retro vibe, original cast of characters, and refreshing mystery angle. Read this full review and more special features on Hall Ways Blog

And don't miss entering the Goodreads Kindle Copy Giveaway through 12/12/25!

[Christy Haff · Rating 4 out of 5]

The details that created the setting are rich, painting a picture for the reader that pulls them into this who dun it. The author keeps you guessing til the end and then wraps it up with a satisfying epilogue. Hope to see this become a series!

[Karen Siddall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing flashback to the 70s mystery.

Part of the Solution by Elana Michelson is a fun new novel, part mystery and part love letter to the late 1970s wind-down of the counterculture of the 60s, with both goals well met. When Professor Jennifer Morgan comes face-to-face with her former lover, Detective Ford McDermott, in the lobby of a Boston conference hotel, more than forty years after they parted ways, they agree to meet later that evening for a drink and a good catch-up. But while she awaits their reunion, she reflects on the circumstances of their meeting and what separated them so many years ago: the murder of one of her housemates.

Jennifer and her housemates, Wendy, Will, and Samir, had lived together in rooms above the diner she and Wendy owned and operated in Flanders, a quaint Massachusetts village that hosted the vestiges of a disappearing hippie community, just down the road from a private liberal arts college. Will, Wendy’s boyfriend, made a living as a carpenter and woodworker, while Samir, a friend of Will’s, was somewhat of a mystery, who drifted in and out, occasionally working at the local food coop, but largely known and revered by the college set as a peace activist from the West Coast. Also known for cutting a swath through his female admirers, he’d garnered his share of detractors. Jennifer, herself, felt his disingenuousness and was not a fan, but she tolerated his presence well enough to maintain the harmony of their group. Police Officer Ford McDermott is Jennifer’s opposite in many ways, and their meeting during the investigation of the murder of one of her housemates leads to an instant attraction and a hot, burning romance.

Spurred on by the inept investigation conducted by the detective assigned to the murder case, Allard Johns, Jennifer looks into the death herself. I enjoyed her using her intimate, astute observations of the people around her as she hypothesized who and what was behind the murder. While she initially considered everyone, it was her confidence in her assessments that led her to identify the killer correctly. While she and Ford ended up living separate lives, I could not help but wonder what the trajectory of their joint journey might have been.

The plot moved a little too slowly for me, with world-building and character introductions taking up almost 40 percent of the novel before the murder. The intriguing circumstances of the victim’s death, a closed-circle mystery, kept me engaged, as did the relationship blooming between Jennifer and Ford. Even with a second murder attempt, this is a quiet story with a gradual reveal rather than an 11th-hour bombshell. I enjoyed the cultural references of the time and the musical timestamps throughout, many of which I could clearly recall experiencing myself back then.

I recommend PART OF THE SOLUTION to mystery readers, especially those who enjoy stories set in the late 1970s.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.

[Fiona Arnold · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of Part of the Solution’s ARC via BookSirens, and I’m leaving this review voluntarily. Set in 1978, it tells the tale of a shocking murder in Flanders, Mass., a hippie counter-culture community. Jennifer Morgan, who relocated five years prior, takes it upon herself to solve the murder alongside police officer Ford McDermott.
I really enjoyed this book. I thought Michaelson’s writing was hilarious when necessary, serious when necessary, and revealed exactly enough information when necessary. There was a good level of criticism of the characters and their outlook on the world, without renouncing the entire counter-culture movement. I really loved the voices of Jennifer, Wendy, and Annie. This is Michaelson’s first work of fiction, and I will certainly be tuning into her future works.
I’m unsure how well the title of “murder mystery” fits this book. Sometimes, it felt like there were several chapters where very little thought was actually given to the murder, more on Jennifer’s life and the way the murder impacted Flanders. As I’m not the biggest murder mystery buff, this didn’t really bother me, but I feel that it’s worth noting. I also feel as though this book was marketed as being a duo book, with Jennifer and Ford solving the murder. That was very much not the case– it was pretty much “the Jennifer show” throughout. Also, this might be largely personal, but I kept confusing the (non-Ford) male characters… at a certain point, they all blended together for me.
Review is also here: https://dowdymusings.wordpress.com/20...

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first started reading, crime was my go to genre, but as time has gone on I haven’t spent as much time reading this genre. So it's always a treat when I get the chance to read this type of book.

When I saw the ARC copy of this available on Book Sirens I knew I needed to read it.

I found this one to be very intriguing and took no time at all to finish reading it.

I really liked this one and the author did a good job at it.

She managed to be serious when the situation required it but also funny when it was needed. And for the reader there was the right amount of information about the characters and places that was needed.

The author put faults in her characters and didn’t shy away from making them look bad.

In my mind this isn’t a typical murder mystery as there were chapters where the murder wasn’t even mentioned. But this just makes it unique.

I will be interested to read another book by the author in the future.

[Country Mama · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part of the Solution by Elana Michaels is a mystery based in the late 1970's, which is another favorite time frame of mine. Our FMC is named Jennifer who lives in NY and in the beginning of this book is a professor and in her 60's attending a conference on a book. Then the story heads back into specifically the year 1978. This book covers a horrible murder in Flanders in a hippie community. Jennifer has recently relocated to Flanders at this time and must solve the murder herself, enter Ford McDermott a local cop that has some grit but they hit it off very quickly. I liked this book however it being a murder mystery at times was a stretch, there was more of a fictional quality of writing to the author's work. I did think that the characters were well written which was a bonus for me since I don't get a lot of stories with great in depth characters and backstories.

[Patricia P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a lover of classic murder mysteries, and Part of the Solution checked all my boxes. Michelson plays fair with the reader – all the clues add up, the solution (which I didn’t get, but then thought “Yes, of course”) made total sense, and the way in which Jennifer (the amateur sleuth in the book) fit the pieces together was great. I never thought I’d get to read a small village mystery where the village was a hippie community with all the trimmings – wind chimes, classic oldies, vegetarian moussaka, Tarot cards, and anti-war activists all in one. Part of the Solution is NOT a cozy – there is too much sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll for that --but that’s part of what I liked about it. Agatha Christie meets the counterculture.

[Shelly Neinast · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a groovy kind of murder

A beautiful rendition of the past counterculture of the make love, not war of the 1960-70s.
I was only a teen back then, but I still became part of some of the groovy era.
The author did a splendid job of creating a fictional storyline that surrounded factual events, style, and cultural aspects of the time.
The book was well written, and you could tell the author did a lot of research on the times and emerged the reader along into the story itself. Anyone who would have lived through that special time in their life would have brought back memories as the book deepened farther into that culture.
I loved reading the book and did relate to some of the culture, especially the music of that time.

[Thierry Stempfelet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t usually read mysteries, but I wanted to read this one because of its setting. I remember the 60s and 70s and the counter culture very well, and Part of the Solution brought it all back. I felt like I knew all the characters, and I kept having flashes of recognition. The author does a great job with their foibles, but she also conveys the idealism of the time. They are all complicated people and felt very real to me. I would recommend this book to anyone who remembers those days and also to anyone who is curious about them.

[S W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book was amazing.  My parents were the same age as the characters, and it was like having a window into what their lives and culture were like back then.  The posters on the walls, the way the characters dress, and especially the music always playing in the background made me feel as if I had gone back in time and was having a cup of herbal tea (and sharing a joint) with my mom when she was 28. And that’s all in addition to Part of the Solution being a really good mystery. If you’ve got Boomer parents, you’ve got to read this book.

[Stephanie Moore · Rating 2 out of 5]

**ARC Received at ALA 2025**

This book had a writing style that really flowed well and caused the book to be a quick read.

The story itself could have used a bit of work (though it was still enjoyable). I found that the changes between viewpoints was super abrupt and caused me to stumble out of the story repeatedly. I also felt that the ending could have used a bit of work since it fell extremely flat.

I did enjoy the epilogue though and felt that it was probably fairly realistic.

[Teri Rider · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so much fun to read! It was very reminiscent of that era and I enjoyed all of the song references. The mystery part kept me guessing and was resolved in a satisfying way. I also enjoyed how the whole story was actually a flashback.
I will definitely read more books by this author. Highly recommended for those of us who lived the 70s culture.

[Terri]

DNF. I didn't get very far in before it got a bit confusing--and then there was head-hopping. I hate head-hopping.

[Meghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel is clearly written by an English teacher, as it abounds with references to numerous works of literature. The heroine of the story even compares herself to classic British detectives, modeling some of her investigative techniques on the likes of Sherlock Holmes and Miss Marple. This, however, is not simply another Murder She Wrote, as the setting of a small New English hippie town towards the end of the 70’s is vitally important to the story. Drugs and the darker side of free love abound. Most of the story is flashback, with a couple of the characters reuniting for the first time since the murder as the catalyst. The ending, however, is a little open-ended; one can definitely see the possibility of the two teaming up again, should a cause ever arise.

[Phil Bayly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A young man living in a college town in the Berkshires is murdered. It happens during the culminating days of the Love Revolution.
Vietnam is over and the original hippies are turning thirty. But radical thinking remains, like dust on the window sill. And there might be a killer left-over from the 60s, a decade of discontent. There might still be old scores to settle.

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was enjoyable! It had a slower start, but quickly picked up. All of the characters were quirky and unique. An enjoyable read for a beach day.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I guessed wrong on "Who done it?", but I immensely enjoyed reading this book. It is literate, full of references to history, philosophy, and accurate descriptions of the alternate culture of the 70's. Many of us will recognize ourselves in the characters. If so, buy the book for your children and grandchildren.