When Sloan Krause walks in on her husband, Mac, screwing the barmaid, she gives him the boot. Sloan has spent her life in Leavenworth, Washington becoming an expert in brewing craft beer, and she doesn’t have time to be held back by her soon-to-be ex-husband. She decides to strike out on her own, breaking away from the Krause family brewery, and goes to work for Nitro, the hip new nano-brewery in … in the Bavarian-themed town. Nitro’s owner, brewmaster Garrett Strong, has the brew-world abuzz with his newest recipe, “Pucker-Up IPA.” This place is the new cool place in town, and Mac can’t help but be green with envy at their success.
But just as Sloan is settling in to her new gig, she finds one of Nitro’s competitors dead in the fermenting tub, clutching the secret recipe for the IPA. When Mac, is arrested, Sloan knows that her ex might be a cheater, but a murderer? No way. Danger is brewing in Beervaria and suddenly Sloan is on the case.
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I love this series!
4.45 beerlicious stars.
I love Kate Dyer-Seeley’s books! I read them all and wanted more…so here I am trying my first book of her writing as Ellie Alexander and loved it just as much.
The town of Leavenworth, WA, which I didn’t know existed before reading the book, is a wonderful setting for a beer related mystery. I loved how she added quite a few German words and the accents she gave to some of the characters made me giggle. Being German myself I know how “bad” it can be….
As always I was hooked by the authors writing and felt comfortable and interested all the way through the book. It was great to be introduced to some beer brewing knowledge. Very cozy but a welcome change to the usual crafting, baking and cooking in this genre.
The mystery was intriguing and kept me on my toes, suspecting someone different every few pages.
I read this book thanks to the inter library lending option of my local library.
I love everything Ellie Alexander writes. Her Bakeshop Mystery Series is one of my favorites. So when I heard she had a new series coming out, I couldn’t wait to dive in!
Death on Tap is the first book in the Sloan Krause Mystery Series. Sloan is at a crossroads after finding a dead body at the brewery she just started working for. And worse, her estranged husband is the prime suspect. Can she clear his name and bring the true killer to justice?
Just like a good beer, you’ll want to savor this one because it will be gone all too fast. Here are my top reasons to read this book.
A Great Protagonist
I love that Sloan is a little more mature than some protagonists. She is at a crossroads in life, which is a topic that makes her easy to identify with. She also has a teenage son, who adds a fun element to her personality and the story overall.
Family First
Sloan was a product of the foster care system and this makes her fiercely loyal to the only family she’s even known – the one she married into. No matter what her feelings towards her husband may be at the moment (you’ll have to read to see what trouble he gets himself into), family is family and you stick together no matter what.
Food & Beer
Ellie is the only author whose books sit next to my cookbooks in the kitchen because I make certain recipes from them on a regular basis. Her chocolate molasses cookies from Caught Bread Handed are the best and get compliments every time! In Death on Tap, Ellie infuses beer into her mouth watering recipes. She does it in such creative ways my mouth was watering throughout the entire book!
So Raise Your Glass
And join me in toasting Ellie Alexander on a great new series. This book had me hooked and I can’t wait to see where Sloan’s adventures take her next.
https://cozyexperience.com/raise-glass-death-tap/
10.11.2017
I really enjoyed this book a lot; if I had not been so tired last night, I would have finished it then. It is easy to read, has fantastic characters and MANY red herrings to keep you guessing. I will be looking forward to more from this author this is the start to a great series!!
Ellie Alexander serves up a refreshing cold pint of little Bavaria in the first of the Sloan Krause mysteries, Death on Tap.
It only took the first sentence, and I was laughing and drawn into the story. I loved Sloan, her backstory, and her personality. When she was annoyed with a character, I was annoyed with that character… and there are a couple (cough, April, cough). I really can’t wait to see what happens with the Garrett, Mac, Sloan situation in future books.
The setting of Leavenworth, WA was fantastic and reminded me a lot of Frankenmuth, MI — from the full town Bavarian theme to horse drawn carriage rides and Christmas stores all year round. I’ve always had a spot in my heart for Frankenmuth so it was easy to fall in love with Leavenworth, too.
I’m not much of a beer connoisseur, however, living in Grand Rapids and self-proclaimed Beer City USA I’ve grown to appreciate what goes into the process. This mystery is enjoyable for anyone, regardless of your beer knowledge.
Loved the first one, definitely reading the rest of the series!
Full disclosure: Before reading this book, I had already read books three and four in this series. And book three in this series–Beyond a Reasonable Stout–was my favorite cozy mystery read of 2020. I think, as a series, the Sloan Krause books knock it out of the part. A unique departure from traditional cozy mysteries by focusing on beer rather than baking, an adorable, fun location in Leavenworth, the faux Bavarian-style village in Washington state, and an extremely likable heroine–which is surprisingly hard to find in cozy mysteries? It’s so hard to find a heroine with a balance of gumption to politeness, and intelligence to naivete, and Sloan manages to do just that.
As far as specific books go, this first in series is not as good as it’s later counterparts. That’s understandable–a set-up book is always a struggle, as an author has to get all their facts and backstory on the table before they can dive into more fun things. It’s like a television premier–how many television series premiers were actually good? Psych is the only one I can think of. Death on Tap is a great series opener, and a fine book, so it gets five stars from me. I was also in the position, of having read later books in the series, knowing that many people couldn’t have committed the murder. Despite this, and most clearly knowing who the murderer was right away, I didn’t fully understand WHY the murder was committed until the author explained it. And that’s a feat! I also think this book has an unusual ending for a cozy, but I don’t want to spoil it. I think it was a refreshing change of pace.
And, well, if you read this one and aren’t impressed, I encourage you to keep reading the series, because it’s stellar overall and perhaps my favorite cozy mystery series of all time.
5 stars – 8/10
I am obsessed with this series!
Death on Tap starts with Sloan walking in to her office and catching her husband with a young barmaid. She decides to leave him and his family’s well-known brewery pub and gets a job working at Nitro, a new nano-brewery in their unique Bavarian-themed town of Leavenworth. Of course, this is a cozy mystery so she ends up discovering a dead body and has to decide if she should help clear her cheating ex’s name by figuring out who the real murderer is.
u2063
Sloan Krause is absolutely a fun, strong, smart, female character who drives this cozy mystery set in the brewery pub world. I don’t drink beer, but Death on Tap has shed some light on the process and types of brewing, it’s fascinating. Ellie Alexander does a great job of introducing the lovable Krause family and the cozy town of Leavenworth. And of course, as usual in a cozy mystery, there is one very annoying nosy character.
u2063
While reading this story, my guess at the suspect kept changing and I did not figure it out ahead of time. Although Death on Tap is a cozy mystery, this series feels different. There’s still food, baking, a murder, and a female amateur sleuth who discovers the body…but it’s presented in a unique setting with a fresh narrative.
u2063
The characters are interesting and believable. The setting makes you want to pack your bags and become part of the community. The plot is interesting and keeps you reading. There are enough suspects to keep you guessing. I love that the books in this series always have a second plot going. I will definitely be keeping up with this series.
Thoroughly modern cozy mystery heroine! I’m hooked not only on the Sloan Krause cozy mystery series but also on Ms. Alexander’s bakery mysteries. Her characters are smart, savvy business women who are passionate about beer, food and murder!
Tidbits about brewing and food, mix well with the small bites of character backgrounds Ellie Alexander serves in Death on Tap. Otto and Ursula provide a stabilizing presence to the unfolding mystery. Looking forward to reading the next one.
I selected this book primarily because the setting takes place in the picturesque mountain town of Leavenworth, Washington. The brewery business was an interesting concept and it was fun to follow the action at the new nano-brewery as the business gets off the ground. I enjoyed the likable Krause family, owners of a local popular and well-established brewery, and the history of the charming Bavarian town with its themed shops and festivals.
Interesting characters and situations, especially the beer making.
Kept me guessing.
Really didn’t like the town busybody
Death on Tap is the first book in the Sloan Krause Mystery series and I can’t wait to read the second book!! Set in beautiful Leavenworth, Washington, Sloan works as a brewmaster in her husbands family brewhaus. When she catches her husband cheating on her she leaves and starts working at a new nanobrewery in town. Everything is going well until a dead body is found at the nanobrewery and her estranged husband is the number one suspect. Characters are well written and the mystery is a good one. This book will have you turning the pages! Definitely recommend!
I originally bought this book as a gift but ended up picking up a copy myself and tearing through it in less than a day. It was the perfect page-turner for a vacation, and would be great for an armchair traveler as well since it is so perfectly set in the atmospheric Bavarian-style town of Leavenworth, WA.
Death on Tap is an exciting book in Ellie Alexander’s new Sloan Krause Mystery series. I really enjoyed the setting and small, hometowny feel that Ms. Alexander pens in her new series. Setting up Sloan’s ex-husband to take the fall for a competitor’s murder, the author takes the reader along for a twisted and dangerous ride. As Sloane encounters many people who could be the murderer, she discovers that the sweet German-eque town in which she lives harbors residents with secrets.
I really enjoyed the multiple threads woven into this story. It’s not just a murder mystery. In fact, the murder happens a little later in the book than what I’m used to reading – and that’s okay. We get to see the author develop the main characters and do a lot of world building in order to make the cheating, murder, and other events tie in together properly. I love Sloan’s character. She’s strong and doesn’t put up with Mac’s infidelity. She gets along with almost everyone in the book. For the sake of their son, Sloan even works on finding the real killer. She knows Mac, even though he betrayed her, did not kill anyone.
The cheating husband angle demonstrates how cheating on a spouse doesn’t just affect the couple but everyone around them – including their children, friends, and other family members alike. There is a genuine emotional connection between Sloan and her in-laws and we get to see what happens when a divorce is imminent. The fact that Sloan and Mac have a 15 year old son also plays into the relationship between Sloan and her in-laws. I just like the way the author takes a bad situation and doesn’t necessarily destroy other relationships.
I was very engaged in the story. The murder mystery kept me guessing. Sloan’s history with the foster system, another thread woven in, provides a lot of insight on her character. The brewery aspect was interesting to me as a Michigander where breweries and microbreweries are popping up all over (https://www.michigan.org/breweries#?c=44.4299:-85.1166:6&tid=62&page=0&pagesize=20&pagetitle=Breweries). I found the entire book to be well thought out with wonderful pacing.
I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
I was given a hardcover copy to read.
Death on Tap by Ellie Alexander is the first book in A Sloan Krause Mystery series. Sloan Krause is working on a new brew and quickly runs to her office at Das Keller to get her notes. She opens the door to discover her husband, Mac playing hide the sausage with Hayley, the new barmaid. Three weeks later, Sloan is ready to start her new job at Nitro, a new nanobrewery in Leavenworth, Washington (a Bavarian themed town). Garrett Strong inherited the building from his great aunt Tess and has completely renovated the inside (looks like a sterile science lab). The morning after the soft opening, Sloan goes to toss some hops into the fermenting tank and discovers Eddie Deluga face up in the Pucker Up IPA brew. Mac ends up at the top of Chief Meyers suspect list. Mac may be a cheater, but he is no killer. To clear Mac of suspicion, Sloan sets out to discover who could have wanted to harm Eddie.
Death on Tap is unique in that it dives into the world of beer brewing. I have not experienced another cozy mystery with this theme (unique). It is obvious that the author did her research into the topic. We get to learn a great deal about what goes into creating, distributing and selling beer. The mystery did not take place until I was 24% of the way into the story. By the time Sloan found the body, I already knew who committed the crime (secondary mystery is equally easy to unravel). The mystery takes up a small portion of the story. More of the book is devoted to beer brewing, regulations, etc. I admit that it is interesting (even though I do not drink the stuff), but I would have liked a better mystery. I like the sound of the Bavarian town of Leavenworth (loved the descriptions of the town and buildings). It reminds me of German Village (in Columbus, Ohio) where I grew up. It had me longing for a real German bratwurst (not the type you find in your local grocery). My rating for Death on Tap is 3 out of 5 stars. I found it odd that Garrett Strong is having the soft launch of Nitro without any staff (except Sloan), no planned menu, no remodeled kitchen, no furniture or décor (Sloan mentions having to find tables and chairs), and a limited beer menu. For a man with a business/corporate background, it shows a distinct lack of planning. I was not a fan of Mac Krause and his constant use of the word “baby” when talking to Sloane (big pet peeve of mine). The pacing was slow in places causing me to lose interest (more about beer). I know that the author needs to set the stage for readers, but I do not believe we needed quite so much detail (it seemed like Ms. Alexander wanted to put in everything she learned while researching the topic). Many details are repeated frequently throughout the story (hops, Sloan’s lack of family growing up, description of Sloan’s farmhouse, etc.). It will be interesting to see what direction the author takes with the next book in the series (I hope a divorce is in the works for Sloan).
Death on Tap by Ellie Alexander is the first in a new series, Sloan Krause Mystery, by Ms. Alexander and was an interesting book to read.
Sloan Krause is a surprising woman who grew up in the foster care system so learned at an early age to be independent and not open herself up to anyone. She lucked out when she met the Krause family at a farmers’ market, met their oldest son and eventually became part of the family when they married. Sloan believed that she had everything she ever wanted, a family, and was content. Then she caught her husband with a “beer wench” and her life began to spiral out of control. Then of course there was a murder. I liked Sloane because she is smart, determined, a master brewmaster that is a rank very few women achieve, and capable of handling a brew pub operation from start to finish. However, I fear Ms. Alexander is setting up a “romance triangle” as this series continues
Although the plot is smoothly paced most of this book was to introduce the characters, the town of Levenworth, WA and beer brewing. I applaud Ms. Alexander for her attention to detail and her indepth research as I learned so much about beer brewing; and she did it in a way that was easily understandable to even a light drinker like myself. The murder mystery was almost secondary to the rest of the story and was resolved quickly after much family and personal drama within the Krause family. Definitely an easy read for an afternoon.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Minotaur Books via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.