Book ~ "The Cure for What Ales You" (2021) Ellie Alexander

From Goodreads ~ After a long cold winter, spring is beginning to bloom in the alpine village of Leavenworth, Washington, where craft brewer Sloan Krause and her partner in crime Garrett Strong are putting the finishing touches on their bright and refreshing Lemon Kiss ale. They’ll be debuting their new line at the Maifest celebration, which will bring visitors from near and far to dance around the Maipole and shop at the outdoor flower markets.

Despite the festive spirit in the air, Sloan is brewing over her past. She’s spent months following leads that have turned into dead ends. But when she spots a woman who strongly resembles Marianne - a long lost contact who may be her only connection to piecing together her story - she hopes that things might be taking a turn in her favor. That hope is quickly smashed when Marianne is involved in the murder of a local housekeeper. To make matters worse, Marianne issues a dire warning that Sloan and her entire family are in danger. If Sloan can’t figure out who the killer is and what happened in her past, she won’t find any hoppy endings. 

I like beer and I like mysteries so that's why this series has caught my eye.

When Sloan discovered her husband, Mac, cheating, she kicked him out.  She was working for his family's brewery and got another job working with Garrett in his new microbrewery/pub, Nitro.  Sloan is enjoying working with Garrett in his smaller business as it gives her a more hands-on opportunity to create interesting craft beers with him.  She also realizes that she has feelings for Garrett and is hoping he feels the same.  She recently downsized from their family house outside of the village to a smaller one in the village, which she is happy about.

Sloan grew up in foster care and she has been delving more and more into her past.  When a woman named Marianne shows up in the village, she claims to be Sloane's aunt and that Sloane's family is in danger from a man Marianne's sister (and Sloane's mother) used to hang out with.  When Sloane's mother was killed, it was Marianne who put Sloane in foster care to keep her safe (that storyline was a bit convoluted).

A housekeeper was a found murdered in Marianne's hotel room and she claims it was done by the man who is a danger to Sloane's family.  Marianne seems erratic and at times Sloane doubts her sanity so doesn't know what to think.  The housekeeper's death could also be part of some funky things that are going on at the hotel because there has been a rash of thefts there recently.  Sloane is cautious but carries on with her life.

This is the fifth in the Sloan Krause Series by this author and I liked it.  I've read the first four and this works as a stand alone (there is enough background provided).  It's written in first person perspective in Sloan's voice.  There is a lot of talk about beer (which I found interesting) and there are also explanations about what was being talked about (what hops are and the varieties, for example).  It was a quick light read and is a "cozy mystery" so there is no swearing, violence or adult activity.  I'm assuming this is the end of this series as all the storylines seemed to come to a happy completion.

Other than murders, Leavenworth sounds like a fun place to visit!