Without a Brew: A Sloan Krause Mystery

Ellie Alexander

Nov 2020 · A Sloan Krause Mystery Book 4 · Sold by Minotaur Books

About this eBook

Amateur sleuth Sloan Krause delves into a murderous winter wonderland in another delightful mystery from cozy writer Ellie Alexander, Without a Brew.

It's winter in the Bavarian village of Leavenworth, Washington, which for local brewmaster Sloan Krause means lots of layers, pine and citrus-flavored craft beers, and getting the new guest rooms at Nitro into pristine condition before visitors flood in for IceFest—a local tradition filled with fireworks, ice carving, and winter games of all varieties. But Sloan and her boss Garrett quickly learn that being brewkeepers turned innkeepers may not be as idyllic as it sounded.

While one couple staying with them seems completely smitten, a flashy group arrives in the evening demanding rooms. Sloan and Garrett are less than impressed, but agree to rent to them anyway. The night takes a turn when brewery patron Liv Paxton finishes her frothy pint and, with no previous plan for an overnight stay in Leavenworth, eagerly takes Sloan up on the offer of sanctuary from the snow—until she has a strange run in with some locals and the other guests. Sloan could be imagining things, but when Liv's room is found trashed the next morning, a hateful message painted on her car, and Liv herself is nowhere to be found, Sloan is convinced another mystery is brewing. With many of the potential suspects hunkering down under Nitro's roof, she knows her co-workers and friends won't be safe until she serves up the killer a hoppy pint of justice.

Ratings and reviews

Without a Brew by Ellie Alexander is the 4th novel in A Sloan Krause Mystery series. It can be read as a standalone if you are new to the series or missed a book along the way. I enjoy visiting Leavenworth, Washington which reminds me of German Village where I grew up. It is a quaint town with Bavarian charm. The town is preparing for IceFest with games, fireworks, food, and loads of twinkle lights. I like that Sloan Krause is a strong female who continues to develop. She is finding out who she is away from her husband (soon to be ex-husband) and his family. Sloan loves her job and she is thinking about purchasing a new home. Sloan has been wanting to learn about her birth mother and she is finally getting information thanks to her old case worker, Sally. We learn some startling information when Sally visits. The mystery was nicely plotted out. There are a variety of suspects along with good clues. Sloan uncovers helpful information with her gentle questions. Avid cozy mystery readers, though, will find it a cinch to solve this whodunit. I enjoyed the wonderful descriptions of the town. The authors word images match the pictures of Leavenworth. There are some mouthwatering dishes prepared by Sloan and Nitro serves up some wintery brews. Without a Brew is a charming cozy mystery with a pushy VP, a cozy cottage, a lost lodger, a brash realtor, and a winter wonderland.

cozy-mystery, culinary, amateur-sleuth, law-enforcement, small-business, small-town, murder-investigation**** Sloan thought things were going OK in her Brew Pub despite her pending divorce and other personal issues. Then an obnoxious entitled moron and his groupies came in demanding lodging, so she had an unprepared room opened. Then came a despirited woman in the same fix, but she seemed spooked by a couple of locals. Then she was missing and found dead. Both the capable local law and Sloan need to investigate but for slightly different reasons. Good sleuthing, good characterizations, full of twists and plenty of red herrings! A good read set in the winter in the Cascades. I requested and received a free review copy from St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books via NetGalley.

About the author

ELLIE ALEXANDER is a Pacific Northwest native who spends ample time testing pastry recipes in her home kitchen or at one of the many famed coffeehouses nearby. When she’s not coated in flour, you’ll find her outside exploring hiking trails and trying to burn off calories consumed in the name of “research.” She is also the author of the Bakeshop Mysteries, which began with Meet Your Baker. Find her on Facebook to learn more!