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Sally Bayless

Cozy Mystery Author

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Latest Release!

APPLES, ALUMNI & ANIMOSITY
A reunion ripe with secrets, and a killer among them.

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Dogwood Springs #1

ANTIQUES, ARTIFACTS & ALIBIS
A new job, a new friend, and a newly adopted golden retriever. Then there’s the dead body in her new office.

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Coming in 2026!

Cover image shows Bella, the golden retriever in a library with a bookend on the floor
Coming 2026

BOOKS, BETRAYAL & BLAME
A stolen book, a murdered donor, and a library full of suspects.

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Hi, I’m Sally Bayless

I write cozy mysteries filled with friendship, fresh starts, and four furry paws—heartwarming stories of second chances, small-town secrets, and women starting over.

Read my full story
Author Sally Bayless

Latest release—Apples, Alumni & Animosity

A reunion ripe with secrets, and a killer among them.

Cover of Apples, Alumni & Animosity, which shows Bella the golden retriever in an orchard at apple-picking time

When historian Libby Ballard is asked to offer a series of talks to a group of visiting university alumni, she’s intrigued. When the offer comes with the promise of a large donation to the small-town history museum where she’s the director, it sounds even sweeter. And when she learns the alumni are staying at a retreat center at a lovely local orchard, she readily agrees. What could be better than discussing her favorite topic in an idyllic venue filled with ripe red apples, happy friends, and hayrides?

Yet, the picturesque Missouri setting hides a poisonous secret. When one of the alumni is murdered, it becomes clear there’s a bad apple in the bunch. With the sheriff baffled, and danger lurking among the leaves, the orchard’s desperate owner asks Libby and her beloved golden retriever, Bella, to root out the killer.

As Libby investigates, she discovers that the alumni’s relationships are rotted by long-held grudges and recent rage. If she wants to keep the reunion from culminating in another tragic goodbye, she’ll have to act fast.

Curl up with Libby, Bella, and their friends as they delve into the core of this twisty mystery!

If you like a cozy mystery with a pet who will win your heart, friends who feel like family, and a hint of romance, you’ll love this series!

This is a clean read with no profanity or graphic violence.

Available for purchase here.

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