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 … 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.more
Without a Brew by Ellie Alexander is book four in the A Sloan Krause Mystery series, I love this series It can be read as a stand alone.
Sloan and the gang at Nitro are getting ready to open the B&B and have one couple staying in one of the rooms in a soft opening. When two couples come in begging for rooms, Sloan and Garrett agree to rent to them, hoping it’s not a mistake due to the actions of one of the men always wanting to showboat. Then when a single woman also appears and needing a shoulder to lean on, Sloan lets her vent but picks up on a few of the others in Nitro having strange reactions to her. Does Liv have a history in Leavenworth? When Liv doesn’t show for breakfast the next morning Sloan looks in her room and finds a torn up room and no Liv. Then a body is found in the river and Sloan knows it wasn’t an accident. Who wanted Liv dead? Sloan sets our to find out while finding out secrets from her own childhood.
This is an easy to read Cozy with suspects and plot twists galore. I didn’t want to put it down. There are likeable characters, one a bit quirky, and Alexander will have you thinking you are in Leavenworth. You also have love of family and friendship.
I have said it before and will say it again, I am not a beer drinker but want to try some of the brews at Nitro!
I was given an ARC by St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an honest review.
Without a Brew is the 4th book in the Sloan Krause Mystery Series. I love the Pacific Northwest setting for this book and the German town of Leavenworth. Ms. Alexander does such a wonderful job describing the town and events in each book allowing readers to form a quaint picture. The characters are wonderful in this series. Sloane is growing and learning what her new life will hold after her split from Mac. Although, one of the things that keep me coming back to books by this author is her characters. She writes well defined and dimensional characters that as a reader, I enjoy. What I have been really loving about this series, is watching the mysteries grow stronger with each new book. The main mystery in this book had enough suspects to keep me guessing but not so many that I didn’t have a legitimate shot at figuring it out. There were plenty of layers and a few surprise twists. The plotline that keeps me guessing is the mystery surrounding Sloane’s past. A little more layers are peeled back in this installment but it just leaves the reader with more questions than answers. I am really looking forward to the next book in the series.
I voluntarily read a digital advanced reader copy, provided to me by the publisher, Minotaur Books, through Netgalley.
Read 10.13.2020
I really like this series; Sloan is a really good MC and I like her surrounding group of friends very much. The day-to-day at the brewery is interesting [I had no idea so much went into making microbeer and this has been a fun way to learn about something that isn’t really on my radar] and Garrett and Kat are good characters and balance Sloan well. I also like that Sloan does her JOB [and does it well. Her job and business are important to her and it shows] and doesn’t pass the buck to others so she can sleuth [yes, this has become a HUGE pet-peeve for me in the cozy world. IF you have a job or run a business, this comes first and THEN sleuthing. NOT the other way around. So grateful that this author gets that]. The mystery was good [though I kinda guessed who it was near the beginning of the story – ONLY because I read a ton of mysteries and thought they’d be a good “bad guy”, not because the writing led me there], but not the why, until right before the reveal [like a page before] and that made up for knowing pretty much the who. The writing was still very good and there were red herrings galore. Plus, some of the characters in this story made me realize for the millionth time why I am NOT in the service industry. I absolutely could not deal with people like that on a daily basis and not end up in jail or being sued.
All that said – this book was still a bit flat for me. The personal issues that Sloan is dealing with [and no more will be said on that because you need to read these for yourself and make your own determination] have bogged down the story and I feel like it is taking away from the story as a whole. I get how important this is, but I feel like instead of enhancing the story and having us learn more about Sloan, it is just slowing the story down. So much of this was focused on that, and for me, it took away from the story. I still really liked the story [I don’t want you to think I didn’t], and am already looking forward to the next book.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin Press/Minotaur Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This author continues to be creative and inventive with her plot and characters. This new book in the series will not disappoint. The second story line that runs through the main plot also keep you guessing.
Once again I find myself thoroughly excited that I got the chance to read a book in this series. I loved everything about this book. Ellie Alexander is so descriptive that I feel like I’m right there in Leavenworth, Washington. Sloan is a really strong, driven character. She’s a single mom, a brew master and a women with a tangled, mysterious past, that we’re finally starting to get a glimpse of. Add in a murder, food, and of course craft beer and you have a fun book to read. There’s also a surprise twist at the end that caught me off guard. I highly recommend this book. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and I’m voluntarily providing an honest review.
I read Death on Tap, book 1 of the series, when it came out. I don’t drink alcohol so although I love the setting in Leavenworth, it didn’t rate as highly as many of the other cozy mysteries I have read.
I haven’t read books 2 and 3, but picking up with book 4 was no problem. The backbone things that happened during the intervening books is easy enough to pick up. The underlying mystery of Sloan’s past is pretty important sub-plot in this book.
Nitro is doing a soft opening of their B&B rooms with one couple, Ali and Brad. But when every other option is filled, Garrett and Sloan agree to take in four skiers for the weekend. They soon regret their generosity because Kevin is highly obnoxious. A fifth traveler arrives with no place to stay, Liv.
Liv has secrets and she doesn’t see the morning light. The same night of her arrival she is murdered. The mystery is masterful. There are some really good suspects in both visitors and locals. About 2/3 in I had the thought of who the murderer was but didn’t really want to believe it. I was right but for reasons I didn’t conceive at the time.
I enjoyed connecting with Sloan’s life. We are of an age or nearly and it’s interesting to peak into someone else’s life that is experiencing change.
The information about brewing, hops and naming beers was interesting and fun to learn.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read a pre-release copy of the book.
Another enjoyable visit to Leavenworth, Washington. I’m still surprised at how quickly I’ve become invested in this series. Without a Brew is only the second book I have read from this series, yet I’ve already fallen in love with the quaint Bavarian-themed town, and the characters all feel like old friends. To me, that is just a testament to how good of a writer Ellie Alexander is. She has truly done a wonderful job of describing the town and developing the characters. I felt like I was right there in Leavenworth, enjoying the cozy winter season with Sloan and the other villagers, and I could practically smell and taste the different types of beers being brewed at Nitro. Ellie Alexander’s love of food also shines through in this book and like her Bakeshop Mystery series, the mouthwatering food descriptions are guaranteed to make you feel hungry.
I really like Sloan. I found her to be genuine, hardworking, independent, and a good mother and friend. After splitting from her cheating husband, she left his family’s brewery and went to work at a new nano-brewery, Nitro. Sloan loves her new job and has become very close with the Nitro team, which includes her boss Garrett and co-worker Kat. In this fourth installment, Sloan and the Nitro gang are excited to be welcoming their first B&B guests. But when one of the guests is murdered and all the other guests become suspects, they wonder if they’re really cut out for the B&B business. I found it refreshing that Sloan didn’t just drop everything to go hunting for clues and that her job and family always came first.
I thought the mystery was well-done. I’m usually pretty good at figuring out how Ellie Alexander crafts her mysteries but this time, I didn’t know who the killer was until the reveal. There’s also a second mystery about Sloan’s background and I can’t wait to see how that storyline plays out. All in all, this was a delightful read and I look forward to the next book. If you’re a cozy mystery reader, this author should definitely be on your list.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Without a Brew is the fourth book in author Ellie Alexander’s Sloan Krause mystery series set in Bavarian-like Leavenworth, Washington in the northern Cascade Mountains. Just weeks from IceFest, Sloan and her business partner in Nitro Brewery and Tasting Room, Garrett Strong, are doing a soft opening of their bed and breakfast enterprise attached in the same old building Garrett’s great-aunt Tess had left him.
They had taken a booking from a young couple celebrating their anniversary to check for any glitches. When a local house rental agency turns away two couples due to a plumbing problem, they appear at the Tasting Room begging for lodging. As they have the room available, Sloan and Garrett agree to the lodgers. Later that evening, a single lady arrives at the pub, also seeking lodging. She says she was supposed to meet someone that hadn’t shown up yet and it was getting too dark to head back through the pass to Spokane. Inasmuch as there was one more available room, Sloan took pity on the woman and rented her the room.
The following day, when all lodgers have come to breakfast except the last lady, Sloan guesses she was avoiding one of the group who had been quite rude to her the previous evening. When an employee goes to freshen the rooms, she discovers the lone lady’s door ajar and her room ransacked. At this point, Chief Myers is called.
From this point, the mystery begins, the lodgers all become suspect, and the story takes myriad turns as it unfolds. Along with the mystery to be solved, there is also the mystery of Sloan, her origin, and the information her social worker Sally has discovered to further complicate matters and give depth to the story and the characters.
This is a rapidly developing story and every time the reader thinks they have it solved, something happens to change that thought. I very much enjoyed this book and I do recommend it!
Without a Brew-Summary
It’s ski season in the North Cascades. At Nitro, a craft beer nanobrewery located in Leavenworth, Washington, Sloan Krause and her boss, Garrett, are busy pouring pints for the locals and the ski crowd. Part of the crowd is a young couple celebrating their anniversary. Ali and Brad are the first guests of Nitro’s soft opening as a beer themed B & B, but as busy ski weekends would have it, not the only guests.
Arrogant Kevin Malcolm and several of Kevin’s friends show up looking for rooms. The chalet they had rented burst its pipes, flooded, and there is nowhere else for them to go. Reluctantly, Sloan and Garrett decide to rent the group rooms. Then Liv Paxton, not dressed for skiing, enters Nitro, and Liv is also looking for a place to stay. Sloan books Liv into the last room and what was supposed to be a soft opening turns into a fully booked B & B.
Kevin takes note of Liv and tries to impress her with his talk and flashy watch. She brushes him off, but he refuses to leave Liv alone. When Kevin tries to force Liv to take his watch, it ends up on the floor, and Nitro almost has its first bar fight. Garrett intervenes, things calm down, and the rest of the day is uneventful until Liv comes close to telling Sloan a secret. Before Liv can reveal the secret she’s carried for a long time, Ali and Brad appear and the moment vanishes. By Liv and Brad’s reactions, Sloan knows the two know each other and they are doing their best to pretend they’ve never met.
Liv fails to appear at breakfast the next morning. Sloan checks Liv’s room and finds a neatly made bed, but someone has tossed the rest of the room. Chief Myers is notified and a search for the missing guest beings. Eventually Liv’s body is found. The remaining B & B guests become suspects as well as a local mechanic. Taylor thought he recognized Liv and his story changes every time he’s questioned about her. The investigation continues and secrets, recent and long-buried, are revealed. Sloan circles closer to the killer. Will Sloan guess the killer’s identity or become the next victim?
My Thoughts
This is the first book (but not the last) I’ve read in this series. Sloan has secrets of her own and a past she is starting to unravel. Sloan’s personal life imploded when she caught her husband Mac Kraus with another woman. She and Mac are in the process of ending their marriage, but Sloan is also part-owner of the family brewery started by Mac’s parents Otto and Ursula. Sloan is rebuilding her life as a single parent to teenage son Alex, while still living in the same small mountain community as her husband and his family.
I like the overarching mystery of Sloan’s background; it adds another layer to the story. It wasn’t easy figuring out the actual killer, but when the killer and the why is revealed, it’s a twist that makes sense. I plan on reading the earlier books in the series, as well as any future books. Alexander has pulled me into this series and I need to see how it progresses.
Disclaimers: Free copy provided by NetGalley
Hashtags: #NetGalley, #WithoutABrew
Ah, Leavenworth, Washington in Winter – perfect. One of the not to be missed towns in the state. This series is a great way to visit when you are unable to travel. Now that Sloan and Garrett have branched out and started a B&B, I would like to be one of their guests but probably not with a homicide on the side.
Ice Fest is about to start and Sloan and Garrett are giving Nitro a test drive with several guests in house. One pair is very nice but the rest? Utterly horrid. On top of that, Sloan offers shelter for Liv Paxton who is stranded for the night. What follows is a shocker – Liv’s room has been trashed and she has gone missing. After the police are called to Nitro and the search is underway, Liv’s body is found.
This is the fourth in the series but works well as a stand alone. Sloan is a well developed, strong woman with a complex past. In each book the reader learns a bit more about her as she tries to find information about her birth mother. Another reason that keeps me coming back for the next mystery. The mystery is solid and kept me engaged to the very end.
My thanks to the publisher, Minotaur Books and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
This book is my favorite in the series. I loved getting to know a little more about Sloan’s back story. The mystery was well written. I love Ellie Alexander’s descriptions of Leavenworth. They make me feel as if I am right in the middle of the town. I can’t wait to see where this series goes next.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley and St Martin’s Press in return for my honest review. Thank you for the opportunity.
The third book in this series (Beyond a Reasonable Stout) was my first Ellie Alexander (don’t judge me for reading out of order–it’s what the library had!) and I fell in love with her. I immediately ordered books one and two (and the first in her Bakeshop series). When I had the chance to read this book, book four, I was ecstatic! And it DID NOT DISSAPPOINT!
I’ve been reading a lot of cozy mysteries lately, and these just show me why Alexander is the QUEEN of cozy mysteries. When you have a “cozy,” full of small town charm, recipes, and puns, sometimes the plot can feel a little slow or predictable or the characters too quirky–NOT WITH ELLIE. She’s a master at creating somehow realistic but idealistic worlds (with murder!), keeping the plot moving, and giving us a crime that’s an actual challenge to solve! I love her writing style and new she was going to be a new must-read author for me.
With regards to this book, and series, in particular I love it. Beer is a whole new spin on the cozy mystery baking obsession, and somehow feels more adult and less quaint (maybe because it’s alcohol…). I don’t even like beer, but I love learning more about it in these books. All the different kinds of beer, how to taste them, how they’re brewed–it’s so fun! And the town of Leavenworth, a make-shift Bavarian village in Washington State? I’m in love. I recently discovered it was a real place and am dying to go one day! Alexander creates such a charming picture of the town I’m adding it to my bucket list.
While I know the main mystery of this story–who murdered the guest at the beer B&B–should be the main star, a large part of me keeps reading to discover what happened to Sloan’s birth parents! The mystery of Sloan’s birth parents and how she ended up in foster care as a child are a subplot that’s threaded throughout the books in the series, and in each one we learn and little bit more. Somehow, I think it might be years before we get an answer (and Sloan gets divorced and gets with Garrett), that’s okay–I’ll keep reading.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s for my eARC in exchange for an honest review!
5 stars – 9/10
A book set around a brewery is the perfect book for me. Add in the skiing and winter setting and I am won over! Without a Brew is part of the Sloan Krause series, which is new to me. I started reading and quickly became engrossed in the plot, the characters, and the wonderful setting.
A murder happens when the brewery takes the next step to become an inn. Their guests become anxious, clues start to come to light pointing the blame at various guests, and tensions are high. Yet, Sloan knows that she can help figure out the who-dun-it. I could see her mind working as she chatted with guests, followed clues, and tried to put it all together. It seemed that every person she talked to have a reason, a way, and a different story to tell.
Without a Brew is a quick and fun book. I loved the setting, the characters, and the twists and turns of the storyline.
Without a Brew by Ellie Alexander is part of a fun series about a woman and her partner who run a microbrewery and tasting room in a small town in Washington, very German. The woman is Sloan Krause, hence the title of the series. They are about to open the second floor of the brewery as a small bed and breakfast, only about four rooms, when it became necessary to open it early as they apparently had the only empty rooms in town. They had the one couple they had counted on, Ali and Brad, when a blustery, very important man (just ask him) insisted that they rent him rooms for he and his three companions. Not really wanting trouble, they agreed. Last but not least was a single woman, Liv, who appeared to be miserably unhappy. So the evening had begun. The next morning when Sloan arrived, Kat, their Jill-of-all-trades, informed Sloan that Liv’s room had been trashed and there was no sign of Liv. Sloan went to see for herself and immediately called the police chief who came and immediately started a town-wide search. Of course, Liv turned up, murdered, and all of the suspects seemed to be staying at their bed and breakfast.
This is a terrific series with an abundance of interesting characters. Sloan has separated from her husband, who she caught cheating. She is estranged from his family, the only family she has ever known, for reasons unrelated to the separation. Her partner in the microbrewery, Garrett, may be her future. Who knows? Everything is moving apace. Meanwhile, the convoluted plot does eventually yield a murderer, although with a motive the read would never expect. It is a well-written, mystery, easy to read, and compelling enough to keep your interest, with subplots and alternate storylines aplenty, not to mention misdirection and red herrings. It is well worth your time. I recommend it.
I was invited to read a free ARC of Without a Brew by Netgalley. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #withoutabrew
This is my first book in this series and I was surprised that brew referred to beer not coffee. Sloan lives in a small town in Washington and works at a brew pub. She is recently separated with a teen-aged son. The brew pub is branching out to a bed and breakfast. The first group of guests presents a real challenge, but who would think that would include murder.
I really enjoyed the story lines in this mystery. Besides the mystery, there’s a side story of the background of Sloan’s life. I look forward to more in this series and getting to know the characters better.
Great mystery series. I really like Sloan. Her character is continuing to change and evolve as she learns to live on her own terms. This book actually has two mysteries – the disappearance of one of the guests, and the mystery of Sloan and her background.
I highly recommend. Works well as a standalone.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor.
4.5/5 stars
One of my favourite elements is the setting for this series. It’s such a part of the story and the people you encounter within the pages. Every time I read one of these books I’m dying to get a taste of the beers, like the fruit-forward ales and sweet strawberry pilsners. Interwoven (very well) with the story we see how craft brewing works from the chemistry to the marketing process. Each book brings new and interesting details.
Of course, if you’re not excited about the world of micro brewing, you can simply enjoy Leavenworth with its Bavarian charm. In this installment, it’s just after Christmas but the snowfall and special winter lighting add a festive cheer… except for that pesky murder business.
Who killed out-of-towner, Liv? It’s so odd that in this small place with random strangers, quite a few people seem to recognize her. Sloan gets to sleuthing when Liv’s body turns up and the police chief asks her to keep ears and eyes open. There are numerous suspects from obnoxious bed and breakfast guests to an old friend and even a random couple with a past link. While opportunities seem evident, what are the motives? To find the truth, Sloan will have to look harder and ask some difficult questions. There are enough clues and red herrings to get you fully involved in the case.
The other big secondary storyline is the truth behind Sloan’s placement in the foster care system, as a child. Her old case worker, Sally, had concerns in the past and now has proof that things weren’t kosher with Sloan’s case. Unfortunately some of that ‘proof’ casts shadowy light on Sloan’s ex in-laws and only true family she’s ever known. As much as I like Sloan, I found her actions and thoughts to be highly judgmental and unfair towards people who had only ever shown her love and kindness. Her situation is difficult and she really grapples with it, so I’ll cut her some slack. However, every piece of this puzzle makes for an intriguing series arc!
Overall, this is an awesome series. Easily one of my favourites and I look forward to continuing!
I really, really enjoy the Sloan Krause Mysteries. While a lot of cozies I come back for the characters and community (which I do enjoy in this series too) Ellie Alexander’s descriptions of the town, weather, interior design, and Bavarian culture is really phenomenal. In a lot of cozies, if I’ve read any of the other books in the series, I find it easy to skim through the descriptions since a lot of authors focus more on their characters and plot, but Alexander’s details are so beautiful and interesting that I never skim her books. But that’s not to say that she doesn’t write well developed characters and a good plot, because she’s a master at that too.
In the previous book, Beyond a Reasonable Stout, we are left with some unanswered questions about Sloan’s in-laws. And while we get more answers in this book, it’s not touched on a lot (besides Sloan worrying about what to do) and we are still left with questions that hopefully we’ll find the answers to in book five. In Without a Brew we get to see what Garrett, Sloan, and Kat have done with the rooms to stay in above the brewery since they are doing a soft launch before the upcoming festival (which I’m thinking will happen in the next book). But what starts out with having one couple staying, ends with three couples and a single woman staying, and this leads to murder!
Alexander does a great job with all the different plot lines and advancing Sloan’s character. There are some red herrings and a climactic ending with Sloan and the killer with the perfect amount of tension in the scene.
While I recommend a lot of cozy series, the Sloan Krause Mysteries is one series of about a dozen cozy series that are on my pre-order list because I enjoy it so much.
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.