pixel
Home > Books > Part of the Solution: a mystery

Part of the Solution: a mystery

Part of the Solution: a mystery

"Michelson's first-rate mystery novel...makes for addictive reading." –Foreword Clarion Reviews

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. ​

Order Now!
About the Book

1978, Flanders, Massachusetts. Jennifer Morgan, a sassy New Yorker hiding from her dissertation defense, is wrapped in a mystery when one of her roommates is found dead. Determined to find the culprit, she teams up with officer Ford McDermott. ​But this town’s secrets may be better left in the dark.

ISBN (paperback): 978-1-61153-604-1
ISBN (ebook): 978-1-61153-605-8
ISBN (large print): 978-1-61153-606-5
Publication Date: July 15, 2025
Genre: Mystery & Detective
Publisher/Distribution:
Torchflame Books
Distributed by Ingram, IPG

Awards, Accolades, and Coverage

“Sassy and soulful … Part of the Solution is a gem of a mystery novel with an effusive cast, feisty language, sharp cultural insights, and a moving love story that transcends tragedy and time.”
—Foreword Clarion Reviews, 5 Stars

“Michelson will keep readers guessing … [she] defies expectations and invites contemplation about the nature of justice, and what it means to leave something in the past.”
—Booklife Reviews, Editors Pick

“Michelson’s strengths lie … in her ability to re-create a specific cultural moment … The Café Galadriel and its eccentric patrons feel luminous and alive … Michelson captures both the intimacy and the corrosive weight of long-held secrets.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Delightful, compelling, and unexpected.”
—Midwest Book Review

Additional Editions:

 

Details
Author: Elana Michelson
Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mysteries and Thrillers
Tags: ALA25, New Releases
ASIN: B0FGK2DW7X
ISBN: 9781611536041
Order Now
Bookshop.org
Buy from Kobo
Buy from Apple Books
Buy from Amazon Kindle
Buy from Barnes and Noble
Buy from Amazon
Buy from GoodReads
Elana Michelson

Elana Michelson is a New York City native who has encamped with her wife Penny 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 gained her knowledge of the life and times of Part of the Solution from, well, having been there.

Website
BookBub
Instagram
GoodReads
Facebook

Preview
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the page above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."