If you’ve ever wondered what happens when a classic murder mystery collides with the free-spirited chaos of the 1970s, Elana Michelson’s Part of the Solution: A Mystery has the answer. Set in the countercultural enclave of Flanders, Massachusetts, Michelson’s novel is a witty, nostalgic whodunit that blends Agatha Christie-style intrigue with patchouli-scented rebellion, Tarot readings, and a soundtrack of oldies that hums through every page.
It’s 1978, and Jennifer Morgan, a quick-witted New Yorker fleeing graduate school, has traded city life for poetry readings, craft shops, and boysenberry muffins in Flanders. But her idyllic retreat takes a deadly turn when a murder disrupts the town’s calm. Determined to restore order, Jennifer takes matters into her own hands, navigating a cast of suspects as eclectic as the town itself: a secretive woodworker, a poet with delusions of grandeur, an anti-war hero, a peace-loving minister, and an organic farmer with a grudge.
Guided by her Tarot-reading housemate and opposed by a police chief who distrusts the hippie community, Jennifer is forced to think fast. Her investigation eventually brings her into reluctant partnership with Ford McDermot, a young officer whose quiet intelligence makes him both a surprising ally and a possible complication. Their pursuit of truth leads through strychnine-laced pickles, poisonous gopher bait at the food co-op, and cocaine hidden in an abandoned Pontiac, all while paranoia creeps through the town.
Michelson’s novel is more than a murder mystery—it’s a period piece capturing the essence of 1970s counterculture. Boomers will be transported back to lava lamps, Che Guevara posters, and carefree giggles, while younger readers get a vivid glimpse into an era of self-expression, political awakening, and cultural experimentation that still resonates today. The book is peppered with Bob Dylan lyrics and period-appropriate music, grounding the narrative in a time when every choice, protest, and song felt revolutionary.
Part of the Solution is a smart, funny, and unexpectedly moving story about community, idealism, and the timeless quest for justice and connection. It’s a reminder that no matter the decade, every generation wrestles with questions about morality, belonging, and what it means to be part of the solution.