The Slave and the Sheriff

The seventh novel by Kelly River, coming spring 2025.

The open road is no place for a lone woman, and in these lands, outlaws rule the forest.

In defiance of her cautious parents, Livy leaves home to seek her fortune in the merchant trade, braving a dangerous new road rich with opportunity and opportunists alike. With a dwindling purse of silver at her belt and predatory competitors at every turn, Livy's prospects look bleak until a journey with three unlikely travellers ties her future to theirs.

Her affections are soon divided between Fen, an outlaw boy sold as a slave who dreams of becoming a minstrel; Christian, a county sheriff with a powerful sense of justice, and Elisaria, a wilful nun caged by the cloistered life forced upon her.
While Livy struggles to make her fortune, Fen's outlaw gang seek to exploit her, Christian hunts to bring them to justice, and Elisaria defies her convent in the name of freedom. Each of the four has their own path to follow, and the future of the county may hinge on their decisions.

The road is long, and the song of silver is a tempting one. Who are Livy's friends, who are her enemies, and how much heartache awaits her on the path she must travel?

Set in a fictional medieval kingdom, this sequel to Kelly River's The Book of Roses follows the lives of four new characters as they fight for love, purpose, and survival in a world darkened by the hardships of feudal life.