Beyond a Reasonable Stout is the exciting third book in Ellie Alexander's Sloan Krause series. I really enjoy the small, hometown feel that Ms. Alexander pens in this series. The setting for Beyond a Reasonable Stout is Leavenworth, Washington after Leavenworth’s Oktoberfest. Everyone is gearing up for holiday season and eagerly awaiting new holiday-inspired local brews offered by Nitro. While the town prepares for the holidays and the winter light festival, trouble begins brewing around the upcoming councilmember election. Kristopher Cooper, the incumbent councilmember, is running on a platform that includes prohibition, making Leavenworth, a town full of breweries, dry. To say business owners and citizens are upset is an understatement.

To make matters worse, Kristopher is found dead the day after a particularly nasty dust-up between him and various residents. Sloan knows this murder wasn't committed by a stranger. There are several citizens who have means, motive, and opportunity. As Sloan continues to slyly investigate, the number of suspects grows, and she has to figure out who among her friends and acquaintances committed this heinous crime.

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 continue to see what happens when a divorce is imminent and other issues crop up. 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.

Such a fun series. I really like Sloan. I am more interested in seeing her progression through the series than the mysteries, well a tad. To be fair, her past is a mystery to unravel too. I am interested in Sloan having a potential love interest as well.

I especially enjoyed this book as I just vacationed in Germany and visited all of the markets. I enjoyed several references and terms that I may not have picked up on otherwise.

I have the first 3 books on audio and the narrator is fantastic. I can’t wait for the rest of series to be recorded.

This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series. Set in the small village of Leavenworth, Washington, the series is centered around Sloan Krause, a beer brewer. Sloan previously worked at the largest brewery in the village, with her (soon to be ex) husband and the family who took her in as one of their own. Now, finding her own path, Sloan helps run Nitro, a small brewery specializing in unique craft beers.

Sloan also has a tendency to find herself involved in mysteries, and in this story, she is asked by a murder suspect to help prove her innocence. A very unpopular politician has been murdered, and Sloan must wade through the plethora of suspects. By her side, she has her business partner and close friend Garrett, their coworker Kat, and Sloan's son Alex. During this, Sloan, who was a foster child, has also gotten back in touch with her case worker, and is finding out some disturbing information about her past.

I just really love this series. The characters and relationships are all so well-written. I have a special place in my heart for Sloan, a strong and smart businesswoman finding her way after the breakdown of her marriage. I also love Garrett, who is a self-proclaimed beer nerd and a deeply loyal friend. Sloan and Garrett's friendship is my favorite relationship in the books, and I would not be opposed to the possibility of romance that is being hinted at.

The setting really comes alive, and the mysteries always have great twists and turns, and suspenseful surprising endings. I highly recommend this series!

I am one of those readers that is reasonably comfortable starting a book in mid-series. if I like the characters and first book I find, I will go back and read all the books in order. Honestly, if I find a book and an author that I like, I hunt down their backlist. Ellie Alexander is one of the authors that I'd learned about through the publisher and NetGalley. In the days of browsing bookstores and libraries, I likely would have found her books and loved them.

Sloan Krause had grown up in the system as a foster child. She has mostly painful memories of her childhood but much of this is the distant past. She's built a family and strong friendships in the small town Leavenworth. It's Germanic town with German-inspired shops and architecture and families that immigrated from Germany. Sloan married into the Krause family and they've given her the stability and love that she wanted growing up. Even as Sloan and her husband separated, her ties to her in-laws are unharmed.

While Sloan's life centers around her teenage son, her family and her love for brewing beer, she seems to be the glue/part of the center of the town. She knows how to keep a secret and is often the confidante of many other citizens. Her desire to help puts her in a strange position and she is more than willing to dive into a mystery.

In Beyond a Reasonable Stout, Leavenworth faces a strange challenge with the upcoming elections. A City Councilmember and candidate Kristopher Cooper is running on the platform of turning the town known for its beer and Octoberfest into a dry town. When Kristopher Cooper is discovered dead so many are relieved and under suspicion. Sloan finds herself drawn into the investigation and we follow her along as she balances the pressures of work, family and solving the latest murder. Ellie Alexander combines an engaging character with a fairytale of a town and delicious food and beer to give us people that we care about and a place we'd love to move to and then mixes in a suspicious death. I'm hooked and certain that you will be too!

I am quite fond of this series. The characters are such a delight to visit with. The plotline is alwahs well developed. This book kept me reading well into the night because I didn't want to put it down.

I have enjoyed this cozy series since the beginning, and this, the 3rd book, was the best ever. The plotting is very well done, the characters are relatable, and the author does a fantastic job with the setting, to the point where I'd love to visit Leavenworth, WA for a beer festival!

I highly recommend both this book and the series.

Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Oktoberfest is over and the little Barvarian themed village of Leavenworth is settling in for a quiet break before the Christmas holidays begin. Life as the residents know it may soon be over if council member Kristopher Cooper's plan of making Leavenworth dry goes ahead. When he is found murdered, the suspect list is long. The book has a side plot separate from the mystery which leaves a cliffhanger for future books. The mystery was not particularly strong in this one, but I enjoy the series enough that I did not mind.

This is book 3 in the Sloan Krause series . I did not read the previous books and I liked the story but I think I would have understood the characters a little better if I had read books 1 and 2. Sloan Krause and her business partner Garrett Strong are busy creating more signature craft beers at Nitro, their brewery in Washinton state. A local politician is running a campaign to make their town dry and the community needs the tourist money to survive. Now Mr. Cooper is dead and one of the business folk in town killed him. Sloan works to discover who. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Leavenworth, Washington has recreated itself as a tourist attraction town becoming a Bavarian village with all its breweries and German inspired shops, however, the incumbent city councilman is trying to change that by turning the town dry. When he turns up dead on the eve of the election, just about every business owner had motive to kill him. Sloan Krause is enlisted by April Ablin,, Leavenworth’s self-described ambassador of all things German, to prove her innocence, but can Sloan do that when it means that someone else she knows is the murderer?

This series is refreshing in that the background town and brewery where Sloan works are not your normal settings. Looking forward to more.

Beyond a Reasonable Stout is a great cozy mystery. It is well written and has great characters. Anyone interested in beer and cozy mysteries should read this book.

Title: Beyond a Reasonable Stout

Author: Ellie Alexander

Series: Sloan Krause book 3

Pages:288

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Beyond a Reasonable Stout by Ellie Alexander the third book in the Sloan Krause series, takes us to Leavenworth Washington in the quiet season. Oktoberfest is over but the hustle and bustle of the Christmas markets haven’t started yet. Sloan is also hoping that the quiet time also means no murders. But she’s wrong and finds herself involved in trying to solve another murder.

This one was my favorite of the series so far. I guess because it’s the one in which the village is preparing for the winter season. And since Leavenworth is supposed to be like a German village this one gave me German Christmas feels. Though I would love to see one of the books in this series be set during December and the Christmas market season. Each of these books just gets better than the last. I look forward to the next book in this series.


I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Have you ever wanted to be transported to a cozy town where everybody knows your name? Where the townsfolk get overly excited about any holiday or season? Where a dead body turns up and you have to solve the crime? Look no further than Beyond a Reasonable Stout by Ellie Alexander.

Alexander has a unique ability to bring the Bavarian town of Leavenworth, Washington to life with a colorful cast of characters and vibrant imagery. So stop in Nitro for a delicious beer and enjoy this third book in the Sloan Krause series.

Oktoberfest has come to a close, but for the residents of Leavenworth, activities in town are far from over. Valerie Hedy and Kristopher Cooper are competing for a seat on the city council, but when Kristopher's body is found, Valerie is only one suspect among a list of many. Who allowed their hatred of Kristopher push them to murder?

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, but there were some issues. This is the third book in a series and while I have yet to read books 1 or 2, there seemed to be a ton of information about how to brew beer or strip wallpaper. I would have expected the data dump in book 1, but in book 3, it just seemed more time could be devoted to the actual story. Now I adore the bakeshop mystery series Alexander pens. I adore baking. I adore Torte. Overall, it's the perfect combination of goodness. So perhaps I don't mind the details of baking and coffee as much or perhaps there is simply not that many details included. Either way, in terms of writing and story development, I would have to say I prefer that series over this one. I also wish the story would have moved faster. When you read a cozy, you want to be attached to the characters, but not so much that the mystery feels like it is the secondary focus. Will I go back and read books 1 and 2? Maybe. Will I continue on with the series, especially with that deliciously delivered cliff hanger? Most definitely.

Overall thoughts: Good story that really transports readers to the destination, yet needs to get a little less character and detail heavy.

*This book was kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

Ellie Alexander always blows my mind, she writes such great series and they always seem to come out around the same time! Last week I just finished A Cup of Holiday Fear which is part of her Bakeshop Mystery Series which released 9/24/19 and like the next week this book was out!

So to say that Alexander is a prolific writer is an understatement. I mean she has like four different mystery series which is pretty impressive! I stumbled on this current series a couple of years ago and have found it so charming.

Returning to the fun characters and setting of Leavenworth, WA is always a treat and I am happy to crack open a new case and maybe crack open a beer of two in the process!

Summary
It’s the dead season in Leavenworth, Washington. The throngs of Oktoberfest crowds have headed home, and the charming Bavarian streets are quiet and calm–momentarily. Villagers use the reprieve to drink in the crisp fall mountain air and prepare for the upcoming winter light festival. Soon the German-inspired shops and restaurants will be aglow with thousands of twinkling lights. Visitors will return to the northern Cascades to drink warm mulled cider and peruse the holiday markets. Brewer, Sloan Krause and her partner in crime Garrett Strong are using the slowdown to stock up on a new line of their signature craft beers at Nitro. They’re experimenting with a hoppy holiday pine and a chocolate hazelnut stout. The small brewery is alive with delicious scents and bubbling batches of brew.

Sloan is in her element. She loves the creativity and lowkey atmosphere at Nitro. Only that is soon threatened by the incumbent city councilmember Kristopher Cooper. Kristopher is running for re-election on a platform of making Leavenworth dry. Everyone in beertopia is fuming. Leavenworth’s economy relies on keeping the kegs flowing. Kristopher wants to banish beer, a policy that might just bankrupt the entire village. However, Kristopher turns up dead days before election night. Sloan quickly realizes that his murder isn’t the work of a stranger. Friends, family, and every other business owner had a motive to kill him, including none other than April Ablin, Leavenworth’s self-described ambassador of all things German. Sloan finds herself defending April and trying to sleuth out a killer amongst a group of familiar faces. (summary from Goodreads)

Review
I think the was my favorite in the series so far. While I have enjoyed each book on their own, I find that now that I am more familiar with the characters and setting, I am able to really settle in and savor the story a little more. I know in the first book of the series, there is a lot of detail on the brewing industry and sometimes it felt a little excessive but that has tapered off to a more manageable amount. I appreciate that Alexander gives readers enough background and info not just on the characters and plots, but on the brewing industry so that new readers can easily pick up this series and enjoy it without having to go back and read every book to gain a more complete understanding of it all.

I also say this about every single one of Alexander’s books, but I can’t stress enough how fun it is to see her love for the Pacific Northwest. I live in Salem, Oregon which is a bit of a drive from Leavenworth, Washington but I know the town and Oktoberfest is a huge event here in Mt Angel, Oregon which is much closer to where I live. So reading about these fun festivals in a region where I live is always extra special and I can tell that Alexander truly loves the PacNW which shows on each page of her books!

As with many of her mysteries, I love finding out the why. While there are plenty of suspects each with motive, there is always something about finding out the why of the murder. Her novels are mostly character driven and I have enjoyed watching Sloan come into her own in each book, but in this one I felt like there was a little more growth for her and I enjoyed more of the ‘why’ of the mystery.

This is a mystery author who has been tried and true in each of her series. Her mysteries are solid and entertaining. I love them and am always looking forward to what the next books contain. If I’m looking for a reliable author, there is none better than Elie Alexander!

Book Info and Rating
Hardcover, 288 pages
Published October 1st 2019 by Minotaur Books
ISBN 1250205751 (ISBN13: 9781250205759)
Free review copy provided by publisher, Minotaur Books, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.
Rating: 4.5 stars
Genre: cozy mystery

Beyond a Reasonable Stout is the third Book in the Sloan Krouse Mystery series by Elle Alexander. I have not read the previous 3 but was able to follow along. I’m not a big Kraft beer drinker but I did enjoy this story.

It’s the dead season in Leavenworth, Washington. The throngs of Oktoberfest crowds have headed home, and the charming Bavarian streets are quiet and calm—momentarily. Villagers use the reprieve to drink in the crisp fall mountain air and prepare for the upcoming winter light festival. Soon the German-inspired shops and restaurants will be aglow with thousands of twinkling lights. Visitors will return to the northern Cascades to drink warm mulled cider and peruse the holiday markets. Brewer, Sloan Krause and her partner in crime Garrett Strong are using the slowdown to stock up on a new line of their signature craft beers at Nitro. They’re experimenting with a hoppy holiday pine and a chocolate hazelnut stout. The small brewery is alive with delicious scents and bubbling batches of brew.

Sloan is in her element. She loves the creativity and lowkey atmosphere at Nitro. Only that is soon threatened by the incumbent city council member Kristopher Cooper. Kristopher is running for re-election on a platform of making Leavenworth dry. Everyone in beertopia is fuming. Leavenworth’s economy relies on keeping the kegs flowing. Kristopher wants to banish beer, a policy that might just bankrupt the entire village. However, Kristopher turns up dead days before election night. Sloan quickly realizes that his murder isn’t the work of a stranger. Friends, family, and every other business owner had a motive to kill him, including none other than April Ablin, Leavenworth’s self-described ambassador of all things German. Sloan finds herself defending April and trying to sleuth out a killer amongst a group of familiar faces.

There was 2 mysteries in this story, the main one was the murder of obnoxious wannabe councilman Kristopher Cooper. There were plenty of suspects as he seemed to of blackmailed almost everyone . Then there was the mystery behind Sloan’s biological parents , ( obviously this was mentioned in prior books) . I recommend that you read from the beginning as I feel Sloanes adoption plays a strong role throughout the series.

I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy from the publisher and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My rating: 1 of 5 stars, I didn't care for it.

Book 3 in the series.

When I realized this was the 3rd book in the series, I quickly got the first two from my library. I wasn't super enthused about this series once I started reading. I think that can easily be traced to the fact that I don't like beer at all. So despite living in an area very well known for its microbreweries, I just don't know much (or care to know much) about making beer. There's A LOT of detail about the craft, and it was just too much for me.

This one was ok. I'm not a beer drinker so a lot of the setting and beer talk wasn't of interest to me but I enjoyed the mystery anyway. This is an author that I've been hit or miss with in the past so this was a fun series to begin but don't think it's one I'll be continuing.

Craft beer brewer Sloan Krause is embracing her new life with fervor. While she was disappointed in the dissolution of her marriage, and her having to give up her work at her ex-husband’s family’s brewery, she has discovered a new place to hone her craft. Microbrewery Nitro offers her a chance to work on small batches with owner Garret Strong and to experiment in their small kitchen with small bites and snacks for those who come to drink in their bar.

Their location in Leavenworth, Washington is perfect for a small brewery like Nitro. And Sloan knows enough about flavors to be able to pair them with snacks. So their Christmas small batch of hoppy holiday pine, for example, can be paired with her shortbread cookies with just a touch of pine needle in them, making everyone happy.

But the upcoming election has everyone on edge. Local politician Kristopher Cooper is talking about bringing back Prohibition, effectively shutting down Leavenworth’s craft beer business. And since the city is based on a Bavarian theme, with lots of small breweries and a huge Oktoberfest celebration, the local merchants are not happy with Cooper. They are throwing their support behind his competitor, but that’s not enough for someone, as Cooper ends up murdered.

The main suspect is realtor April Ablin, one of Leavenworth’s biggest supporters. She’s not above dressing up in a Bavarian costume and showing up at events to be a cheerleader for the city and its citizens. But when Cooper ends up dead in her office, killed by the giant scissors she uses to open up new businesses, April is taken in by the Chief of Police. But she has a secret weapon. Sloan Krause is her new best friend. Or, she’s decided to make Sloan her new best friend and to investigate who might have really killed Cooper. Sloan, against her better judgment, decides to help April, if for no other reason than to get her off her back.

But when Sloan starts asking the right questions to the wrong people, will she be able to get back to her kitchen and brewery at Nitro, or will someone vote her out, permanently?

Beyond a Reasonable Stout is the third in the Sloan Krouse series that started with Death on Tap. I am a big fan of this series. I love the idyllic town of Leavenworth, I love the small batch brewery feel, I love the recipe ideas with local ingredients that match up with the brews, and I love these characters. There is a lot of brew-speak in here, so if you’re interested in craft brewing (or even home brewing), then you’ll get a kick out of learning more about brewing and flavors. If you’re not interested, you can skim those and spend your time with the small town warmth and the puzzle solving of the mystery, because that is here in spades as well. I strongly recommend this one for fans of cozies with strong women doing interesting work!

Galleys for Beyond a Reasonable Stout were provided by Minotaur Books and St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley, with many thanks.

I give Beyond a Reasonable Stout 4.5/5 stars.

The town of Leavenworth is buckling down to enjoy the relative peace after Oktoberfest and before the Christmas crowds come trampling through. Sloan and Garret think they’re going to have a nice quiet time to do some refurbishments and plan their Christmas offerings, but a murder get in the way.

The main mystery to solve is the murder of the really obnoxious wannabe councilman Kristopher Cooper. The suspects are not in short supply as there seems to be no one Cooper hasn’t blackmailed, bribed, insulted or tried to hurt. Lots of clues pop up as suspect after suspect points the finger at someone else. We get a few red herrings tossed our way and several theories to ponder. The big reveal, set amidst an early winter storm, is just the right way to cap off the tale.

The bigger series mystery behind Sloan’s biological parents heats up big time in this one. Every book so far we’ve gotten tidbits about the possibility of something sinister behind her adoption and this one is no different. However, is it possible that sweet Ursula has something to do with it too? I guess we’ll have to keep reading to find out more.

In terms of character development, we see Sloan trying to learn how to maintain her famous cool in the face of drastic changes. Her ability to stay calm and level-headed, however, earns her the respect of fellow community members and the ear of the chief of police.

Sloan and Mac are learning how to navigate each other in their new reality. They’re determined to find a peaceful way to coexist for the sake of their son, Alex, and the rest of the Krause clan who simply adore Sloan.

Kat is a delightful, fun addition to the Nitro family and acts almost like a daughter for Sloan. Kat’s presence also gives Sloan and Garret a new student to tutor in ways of microbrewing, which gives us readers an opportunity to learn even more about the industry, techniques and trends. With all the descriptions of Sloan’s beer-inspired cooking and the intriguing beer flavors, I really wished I could grab an actual taste out of the book!

Overall, this was another really entertaining installment in the series and I can’t wait for the next one to find out what the future holds for Sloan and Garret and Sloan’s search into her past.

Another excellent edition to a wonderful series! Full of twists and turns that leaves you wanting more and enjoying each moment until the end when the killer is caught!

Sloan is up against murder again. This time, the victim is a man who was trying to make their town dry. Considering the fact that most of the town makes money off the tourism based around the local breweries. If the town went dry, there would be no money coming in. It's just too bad the man is found in April Amblin's office. The "official ambassador " to Leavenworth may have been annoyed by Kristopher but that doesn't mean she killed the man.
In the course of trying to (some what ambivalently) April's name, Sloan runs up against a number of people who were indebted to Kristopher who seemed to be tricking townspeople into borrowing money from him and then trying to swindle them out of their business.
A nice addition to the series but it took me a little bit to get into it. Definitely worth a read if you like the rest of the series.

Three stars
This book came out October 1st
ARC kindly provided by St. Martin's Press and NetGalley
Opinions are my own