Amateur sleuth Sloan Krause returns in The Pint of No Return, another delightful cozy by Ellie Alexander–this time investigating a movie star who’s murdered not long after arriving in Leavenworth, WA to film his latest project.No other festival compares to Oktoberfest in Leavenworth, Washington. The whole town is buzzing with excitement over this year’s activities and eagerly awaiting Nitro’s … eagerly awaiting Nitro’s latest offering Cherrywizen, made with locally sourced cherries. But local brewmaster Sloan Krause is tapped out. Between trying to manage the pub, her pending divorce with Mac, and her mounting feelings for Garrett, she’s fermenting in internal turmoil.
To complicate matters, dreamy movie star Mitchell Morgan and his production crew have arrived in the village to film during the authentic Bavarian brewfest. Mitchell has his eye on Sloan and a taste for Nitro’s Cherrywizen. Sloan escapes his advances for good when she finds Mitchell slumped over the bar. Is this a case of one pint too many, or has Mitchell been murdered by microbrew?
“A charming new series . . . fascinating and fun.”–Kate Carlisle
“A ‘hopping’ good cozy mystery.” –Meg Macy
more
A charming new series . . . fascinating and fun.
A ‘hopping’ good cozy mystery.
As always, Ellie doesn’t disappoint in this relatively new Sloan Krause adventure. She’s such a confident, independent protagonist I love everything about her! I’m not a beer drinker but every time I read one of these I can’t wait to check out the local brewery to see if they can match what Sloan is coming up with. It all sounds so good! I can vividly imagine what Oktoberfest must really be like in Leavenworth because her descriptions throughout the book are fabulous! I also love the underlying story line that’s moving along while the murder mystery is happening…will she take Mac back and be a family, will she fall for Garrett and leave Mac in the dust and most importantly, will she figure out the secrets of her past??? Can’t wait for more in the next one!
Read 9.30.2019
I really enjoy these books – I like learning about beer [even though I don’t like, nor can I drink beer] and the process of brewing it and I like Sloan and her place in this male dominated brewing world.
The mystery was good in this one – I was convinced it was one person and I was very, very, wrong. And that is just so satisfying as it means the writer has done their job well.
Looking forward to book 3!
The second book of the Sloan Krause mystery series is another great cozy mystery set in Leavenworth. This time, Leavenworth is celebrating Oktoberfest! Sloan is still dealing with her soon-to-be ex Mac and helping Garrett for Nitro’s first Oktoberfest. Mitchell Morgan and a documentary crew arrive to film a documentary about brewing and Oktoberfest. Mitchell is a handful until he ends up dead!
One thing I like about this series is that there is plenty of time for the characters and story to develop before there is a dead body discovered. Sloan is a great protagonist and the story covers so much more than just the investigation. I highly recommend reading Death on Tap and The Pint of No Return. I’m looking forward to reading books 3 & 4 soon!
I love this series! Sloan just sucks you in!
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.
The Pint of No Return is the next exciting book in Ellie Alexander’s Sloan Krause Mystery series. I really enjoy the small, hometown feel that Ms. Alexander pens in this series. The setting for The Pint of No Return is Leavenworth, Washington just prior to Leavenworth’s Oktoberfest. Everyone is gearing up for the festivities and eagerly awaiting new local brews offered by Nitro. Sloan, while excited for Oktoberfest, is slowly wearing down from the craziness of managing Nitro, the divorce from Mac, her feelings for Garrett, and stress from working for a competitor of her in-laws.
To make matters worse, a production crews arrives on scene to film Oktoberfest in all its authenticity. With the production crew comes Mitchell Morgan, a highly sought-after movie star. He has set his sights on Sloan, who is not at all interested. Her troubles with Mitchell are just beginning, however, after he’s found dead at the bar.
I really enjoyed the multiple threads woven into this story. It’s not just a murder mystery. We get to see the author develop the main characters and do a lot of world building in order to make all the events tie in together properly. I love Sloan’s character. She’s strong and doesn’t put up with anything. She gets along with almost everyone in the book. I love how the author wrote a genuine emotional connection between Sloan and her in-laws and we get to see what happens when a divorce is imminent. I was very engaged in this story. The death/murder mystery kept me guessing. I found the entire book to be well thought out with wonderful pacing.
I was provided a review copy of this book.
This book follows Death On Tap, so I immediately delved into it. I actually enjoyed it a bit more, with descriptions of Oktoberfest and the enticing flavors being used in the seasonal craft brews. The murder mystery neatly commingled with the events taking place in Leavenworth, which made it more appealing to me. I’m intrigued with Sloan’s history and hoping that will be revealed in book 3.
I was completely hooked from the beginning of this book. I couldn’t put it down. There were many twists and turns that kept me guessing, and just when I thought I figured it out.. nope I was just as surprised as Sloan was. I adore the characters and how they are all supportive of one another, it’s all about family. I look forward to the next adventure Sloan takes. Thank you Ellie for an amazing series.
Very enjoyable book and I loved the Oktoberfest theme! In this second book of the series, Sloan is settling into working at Nitro, trying to figure out what she’s going to do with her life, and preparing for Oktoberfest. When a film crew comes to town to film a documentary, the host is obnoxious and rude and is found dead the night before the festivities begin. Sloan, of course, gets involved investigating. Also, there is the mystery of Sloan’s birth parents and it seems like someone is trying to hide the truth from her. Looking forward to the next book and hopefully seeing Sloan and Garrett start dating as well as finding out the mystery of Sloan’s parents.
The Pint of No Return by Ellie Alexander is the second book in A Sloan Krause Mystery series. The town of Leavenworth, Washington is busy preparing for Oktoberfest. It is a three week long event that has tourists flocking to their Bavarian looking town. Nitro owner, Garrett Strong with Sloan Krause have been working on a new brew titled Cherry Weizen which will be unveiled that night. April Ablin approaches Sloan regarding her attire. A documentary film crew is in town to film Wish You Were Beer and she would prefer Sloane to dress in costume (not going to happen). The crew shows up at Nitro that evening to try out their new brew and, hopefully, get some good footage. Their host, Mitchell Morgan leaves a lot to be desired with his arrogant attitude and large ego (I’m surprised his hat fits). Sloan is heading home at the end of the night and hears a woman screaming. Mitchell Morgan is dead in the town square with a growler from Nitro broken around him. Lisa Balmes is accused of murdering Mitchell by his biggest fan, Kat Kelly. Sloane knows Lisa did not kill Mitchell and starts nosing around the crew for suspects. Sloan must also deal with her estranged husband, her search for her biological mother and Mitchell’s biggest fan, Kat. Join in on the Oktoberfest fun in The Pint of No Return.
The Pint of No Return is an engaging cozy mystery. While it is the second book in this series, it can be read alone (easily). I thought it was well-written with a nice steady clip. Ms. Alexander’s conversational writing style makes The Pint of No Return easy to read and enjoy. I like Sloan, Garrett, Hans Krause, Alex Krause as well as Otto and Ursula Krause (such a sweet couple). April Ablin, while not a character I like, does provides comic relief. I am amazed that Sloan married someone like Mac. I fail to see his appeal (the cheating louse). It was nice to find out more about Sloane and her relationship with the Krause family. I appreciate the author’s descriptive writing style which makes the book come alive for me. I can picture Leavenworth with the Bavarian style buildings and people walking around in costumes with beer steins in their hands. There are two mysteries in the book. The murder of Mitchell and Sloan’s search for her biological mother. I thought Mitchell’s murder was straightforward with a simple solution. Unfortunately, I identified the killer before Mitchell went belly up. Sloane’s quest to find her birth mother is the more intriguing mystery. It looks like it will play out over the course of the series with new information revealed in each book. I wish the murder had been more of a focus in this book. The story concentrates on the characters (mainly Sloan) and the town. While I appreciate getting to know the characters, I do read a cozy mystery for the mystery. It was interesting to learn more about the brewing process. I did not realize there were so many types of beers. I am baffled by the food that they serve in Nitro. I do not understand why they do not hire a chef and offer real food instead of meat and cheese trays (it seems odd). They could at least offer tapas. Overall, The Pint of No Return is a pleasure to read. I thought it was an improvement over Death on Tap. My rating for The Pint of No Return is 4 out of 5 stars. If you are looking to capture the feeling of Oktoberfest, visit Leavenworth in The Pint of No Return.
The Pint of No Return by Ellie Alexander is book 2 in the Sloan Krause series. This is the first one I have read. It can be a stand alone.
Set in Leavenworth, Washington, a charming town with German roots during Oktoberfest, we find Brewmasters Sloan and Garrett working on new brews for the Bavarian fest.
The town is excited when a film crew arrives to film the fest. The host is an arrogant movie star wanting to make his comeback. When he turns up murdered, there are plenty of suspects and Sloan sets out to clear her friends’ names.
There are so many likeable characters, you will find yourself wanting to go visit. This story has plenty of twists and turns and will have you guessing until the end. It also gives a great lead in to the next in the series.
I am not a beer drinker but after reading this story, I’m up to trying a few craft brews!
Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for providing me an ARC for an honest review.
This story will definitely get you into the Octoberfest spirit. With the festivities quickly approaching Sloan Krause, local brewer, is busy with preparations when a film crew shows up to document Octoberfest in Leavenworth, WA. The director was excited to find a female brewer and wants to highlight Sloan in the documentary but then Octoberfest kicks off with a murder and the documentary team all become suspects.
I really enjoyed the author’s attention to details and you get a true feel for Octoberfest but it is overflowing with details about beer and brewing. The beer details were a little too much for me. I like the characters and look forward to seeing their development in the next Sloan Krause Mystery.
This is the second book in the series but could easily be read as a stand alone. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
5 stars
I love Ellie Alexander aka Kate Dyer-Seeley and read every mystery she publishes.
This is the second book in the Sloan Krause mystery series and even though it can stand alone I would recommend reading the series in order if you plan to read more than one.
There are two background stories, one being the separation of her cheating husband Max and the other one is the mystery of her unknown family which gave her away and left her to grow up in foster care.
A film crew is coming to Leavenworth to film a documentary about the local beer scene. The actor and host of the documentary shows up at Nitro, drinks too much and behaves like a jerk. He is found dead next to one of the Oktoberfest beer tents later that night. Sloan is worried they may have over served him.
I am originally from Germany and love the setting and beer theme. The brewing process and ingredients for the special beers are so much fun – I wish I could try all the craft beers.
I requested this book from NetGalley and am thankful that Minotaur Books/St. Martin’s Press and the author provided me with an advance copy.