Innside Incident

by Sally Bayless

A relaxing getaway. A breakfast gone wrong. A bite-sized mystery she never expected.

When Meredith Whitfield wins a free stay at a lakeside inn, she hopes it will be the peaceful break she needs after losing her job. The Roseview Inn is delightful, the food is divine, and even the resident orange cat seems to have taken a liking to her. It’s the perfect place to breathe—and begin again.

But the peace shatters when two guests fall ill after breakfast and the chef is blamed.

Meredith isn’t sure what to believe, especially when she remembers how precisely the food was prepared. Mistakes happen, but this doesn’t feel like one. With help from new friends and one very cuddly cat, she begins quietly asking questions.

What starts as concern becomes a mystery she’s determined to solve—before the real culprit disappears and the inn’s reputation goes with them.

Perfect for cozy mystery fans who love small-town charm, fresh starts, found family, and a lovable pet. This is a clean read with no profanity or graphic violence.

Enjoy this quick, feel-good mystery as your introduction to the Roseview Inn Cozy Mystery Series.

61 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 13, 2025

About the author

Sally Bayless writes cozy mysteries and sweet romance.

She lives in the Missouri Ozarks, and when not working on her next book, she enjoys shopping for cute shoes, swimming, watching BBC television with her husband, and—of course—reading! She has two grown children.

For updates on her writing and a free mystery, sign up for her newsletter by visiting sallybayless.com.

Reviews

[Lavender Jade · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely cozy mystery with a good plot, unexpected surprises, and likeable characters. I love Meredith, she is delightful. A very pleasant read.

A review copy of this book was sent to me by the author. All of the above opinions are my own.

[Margaret Hejmanowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love all things Sally Bayless, and this does not disappoint! This is the prequel to The Roseview Inn Cozy Mystery series. Meredith Whitfield wins a free long weekend at the historic Roseview Inn in Claremont Missouri. This should be a break after looses her job at age fifty two. She loves Tater the chubby orange and white tabby cat. But is this long weekend as peaceful as she hoped? Love the plot, great setting, and strong intense interesting characters. I look forward to reading more from Ms. Sally Bayless!!!

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Innside Incident (Roseview Inn Cozy Mystery, my first short (61-page) read from author Sally Bayless, that I finished in about an hour. There are so many cozy mysteries out there, but they're popular and I read my share of them. “I received a complementary Kindle copy of this book today and am voluntarily reading it & leaving a review." The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. Acting as a prequel to the Roseview Inn Cozy Mysteries, I look forward to reading more from this author. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018.

[Andrea Stoeckel · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Was this trip a mistake?"

Meredith Winfield won a trip - a weekend away for R+ R which she needed after the company she worked for folded. But at 52 what could she do?

And then there is an incident at the Inn that could have been fatal. But who and why did someone poison part of the wedding party?

With understaffing a problem, Meredith steps in to see if an outsider might be able to solve the case.

I have read other Sally Bayless books and enjoyed them very much. This one is no exception. Highly Recommended 5/5

[Adpa · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enjoyable short story which is a prelude to a new series. An older woman, after the loss of her employment, has been gifted with a weekend getaway. Turns out there is an Incident that the guest and the Inn's staff involve themselves in sleuthing to find the guilty party. The story also gives a lovely small town feel that I love.
I was provided with a copy of the book, this review is given voluntarily and honestly.

[Tari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed getting to know Meredith and her new friends she made at the Roseview Inn. She and the two ladies who worked there sleuthed really well together—and the cute cat liked her a lot as well. Yep, it’s definitely important when a pet approves of someone, so I’m pretty sure seeing how the series is called Roseview Inn, that after helping put away a perp, Meredith hasn’t seen the last of the awesome inn and her new friends.

[Readerbydawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an okay read. I liked the plot and setting of the story. As well as the three FMCs, different personalities but strong. I didn’t like the side characters as I felt they were too much, It made it hard to follow who is who, regardless of their role in the book. The story did lag in the middle, which shifted the vibe. It only picked up again towards the end. Decent outcome but overall, it could have been a better read.

[Dianne Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great cozy!

This is a thoroughly enjoyable cozy mystery that captured my interest from cover to cover.  I love how Meredith jumps into investigate strange events at the inn despite being a guest enjoying a free stay at the inn.  I can easily recommend this book to others.

I read this book as part of an advance reader team.  I am voluntarily writing this review.

[Paula Corregan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great start to the series. Meredith Whitfield, a Kansas City widow, wins a trip to the Rose View Inn in Claremont, Missouri. While there, two of the.other guests get food poisoning. Meredith as well as the two inn employees, Addison and Kate investigate. Will they be able to solve the mystery? Find out by reading this fantastic book, which I highly recommend to other cozy mystery readers. I recently an ARC of this book, and the opinion expressed is strictly my own.

[Karla · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short mystery to solve. Meredith unexpectedly won a weekend stay at a cozy Inn on the lake. She'd just found out she lost her job as the company she worked for had gone bankrupt so it was a welcome surprise. A light quick read.

[Susan McClintock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute prequel to what it a new series by Sally Bayless.

[Marsha Asquith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short story but a very good one. Likeable characters, good plot and a large, chubby orange and white Tabby, named Tater, make this a good cozy.

[Emily Prentice · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice prequel to a cute new series from Sally Bayless. Looking forward to reading more.