I’ve mentioned before, I have no interest in beer or beer-making, but Ellie Alexander’s Sloan Krause mystery series is still interesting and entertaining. Although the fourth in the series, Without a Brew, has some information about craft beer brewing, it’s still a mystery set in a small town, one that is dependent on the hospitality industry. And, Sloan Krause and Nitro are jumping in feet first.
Sloan and her boss and fellow brewer, Garrett, had intended a soft opening for their craft-beer-themed B&B, housed upstairs from Nitro, the craft brewery and taproom. Instead, the small town of Leavenwoth, Washington is slammed one January weekend. They already have a couple staying there. So, they agree to take in a rowdy quartet of skiers, and then another guest. Unfortunately, the skiers are led by a self-important blowhard who tries to impose on the newcomer, and she swiftly puts him his place. He’s not happy, nor is his girlfriend. Sloan sees trouble brewing as several people have adverse reactions to the newcomer. When she’s missing the next morning, Sloan calls the police.
When the body is found, Sloan and Garrett have a new problem on their hands. Now, they’re stuck with all their guests, all the murder suspects. It’s almost more than Sloan can handle right now. One of their first guests, a woman Sloan liked, is dead. Sloan’s divorce is looming; she worries about her teenage son. She’s hoping to buy a cottage in town. To top it all off, the woman who was her caseworker when Sloan was a child in the foster care system is coming to visit, with clues about Sloan’s past. Worst of all, those clues could affect her relationship with her beloved in-laws. The stoic, always-steady Sloan Krause finally collapses, just in time to put herself in the path of a killer.
It’s not the craft brewing industry that will bring most people back to this series. It’s Sloan Krause, the puzzle of her past, and her ongoing relationship with people in Leavenworth, that will bring readers back to this entertaining series.
And, once again, I just want to point out what a gorgeous cover that is on Without a Brew.
Ellie Alexander’s website is www.ellliealexander.com
Without a Brew by Ellie Alexander. Minotaur, 2020. ISBN 9781250205773 (hardcover), 304p.
*****
FTC Full Disclosure – I received a .pdf to review for a journal.
Thanks for the review, Lesa. I've had this on my TBR list for quite a while because I enjoy the series, but so far my local library doesn't have it. I recently discovered that they are quite willing to transfer books from other local library systems (Sacramento, for example) and even to buy books, so maybe I'll have to try that.
I like this series, too, Margie. I have a librarian friend who prefers the Bakeshop mysteries, but I tired of her relationship with her husband. You might want to try borrowing from other libraries. That might work!
I’m waiting for this one from the library. I’m burnt out on her bake shop series but I still like this one.
Sounds like a good series. I always enjoy mysteries that reveal a little about a loved character's past in each book. It adds some nice depth to the story. Thanks for the review!
I think I read 3 in the bakeshop series, Sandy, and when I saw her husband was in the next one, I quit.
I do, too, Gretchen. I like characters who grow in the course of the series.
Love this series and have it on hold at my library. I have read a couple of the bakeshop books and they do not compare but I am going to keep reading them until I am really sick of them. Too much Carlos angst.
Oh, that's funny, Netteanne, that you're going to keep reading them until you're really sick of them. Haha! Yes, too much Carlos angst for me.