It's hard for me to review this book as it was by no means bad, but it just wasn't really what I expected. There was magic in this, for sure, and maybe it's because I listened to the audio rather than read physically, but it just felt like there wasn't quite the whimsy I had anticipated.

That said, it was enjoyable and I do think it was a me issue more than anything.

It's more a mystery novel with speculative elements than a fantasy novel, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I went into It focuses on the crime; the magic system is cool, though (loosely based on astrology, but uses potions too). While I liked characters, I felt the story lacked balance between character - development, the plot, and the (lacking) world-building.

Thanks, Netgalley, for this ARC. It was my first ARC, in fact, and I admit I wasn't expecting much. I'm so used to finding new books on Instagram or GoodReads that I tend to ignore or not trust books no one is talking about. And that was my mistake. Luckily, I decided to try NetGalley and just the premise of this book already blew me away. Magic from constellations, nineteenth century setting, underground railroad conductors and the investigation of a murder? Honestly, I can't think of anything better.

I had two minor problems with this book, but I gotta say, it was so engaging, with fleshed out and compelling characters and such an interesting magical system, that my love and connection to the story completely makes up for it, and that is why I gave it five stars.
I love it when the author leaves things vague at the beginning, forcing us to continue reading and putting pieces together to make sense of what's going on. It's especially important to avoid infodumps when the characters know each other and the setting so well. It'd make no sense to expect the characters to start explaining things with which they're all familiar. So I didn't mind when they mentioned things I didn't know or when they left some things in the air or even when they were completely vague about others in the beginning. But that happens up to the end of the book and there were times I couldn't follow the connections Hetty and Benjy were making with their investigation. Things that seemed obvious to them never quite became obvious to me and I had to wait for them to take action and actually do something about their discovery to realize what had changed and what it meant at times.

The other minor problem I had was with Hetty. Don't get me wrong, I liked her a lot and I think she's a great main character. She's just not that easy to define and understand, though. Her feelings and thoughts were hardly clear throughout the book and sometimes I felt like I knew her, but other times I her actions surprised me. She's too unpredictable to me still, but only because of the narrative. I really think that, had it been told by her, not only from her POV, it would have enrichened the whole story. She would've become a character strong enough to carry the whole plot (if needed). She has the potential; it was only the distance between the reader and her in this type of narrative that kept it from happening.

The magical system was my favorite part (kind of tied with Benjy, to be honest). The rules of the constellation magic that Hetty and Benjy used are not crystal clear, yes, but I could understand enough of it to follow the plot, have an idea of what they could do and what they couldn't. The herbs magic is pretty self-explanatory, but the author only scratched the surface of the sorcery. It's understandable, considering it was forbidden for the main characters (and I hope the author explores the unfairness of these rules on another book of this series), and I also think I knew enough of it to get what was going on. The constellation magic was awesome, though, and made me wish it were real or that I’ll at least get to live it for a few books more.

Please tell me this series will have about twelve volumes, because I want them all!

Another thing that surprised me was the romance. The main characters are married, but it is a marriage of convenience and seeing the partnership between them, the trust and their interaction was great from the beginning; but it got even better when it turned into a romance. Their chemistry kept me waiting for it from the first chapter, but I was never sure if I had gotten it right or if I’d read Hetty’s feelings wrong. See what I mean about the narrative?

There are Interlude chapters with flashbacks from when Hetty and Benjy were the conductors from an underground railroad and their search for Hetty's sister in between chapters told from the ‘present’. I usually don't like extra chapters like that, mostly because they tend to ruin the rhythm of the story or just tell side stories I don't care about, but I loved these flashbacks. In fact, I kept wishing there were more!

It's probably just because of the characters. Hetty is great, Benjy is dreamy, super smart, brilliant really, thoughtful, kind and talented. I mean, seriously! I also hadn't expected to like the side characters, but I did! They form this nice little group of old friends and the interaction between them, and the clash of personalities was great! I can't wait to see them again! Have I mentioned I want more books in this series? Make it happen, Glover!

Lastly, about the investigation. The rhythm of it and of the plot, to me, worked perfectly. I didn't get the feeling that the story was dragging on or that the characters were just waiting for it to solve itself, which I've seen more than I care for in mystery books lately. The murderer was not a complete surprise, but the way they found out and the aftermath of the discovery was engrossing and exciting! I was quite apprehensive, borderline scared, during the resolution of the case! I liked the ending a lot too and it only got me more excited for a sequel. Which I think you've probably noticed by now.

This book was exactly what I needed; lowkey brilliant and such an exciting beginning of a new series! It totally made me want to be a part of the story, and that is the absolute highest compliment I could possibly give! It had everything I love, plus the added bonus of not expecting to love it at all and being so caught up in this story that I kept hoping the percentage on my Kindle was lying and there was much more to read. Honestly, I didn't want this book to end and recommend it completely! Thanks again, NetGalley, for giving me the opportunity to cross paths with this book!

This was so good- I read a lot of fantasy and a lot of mystery, so I was pleasantly surprised at just how fresh this felt. The characters were well developed, the magic system was awesome, and the mystery was satisfying. Plus the book explored race in America, which is such a timely and important issue. This book checked off so many of my boxes, and did it beautifully.

I really liked Hettie and Benjy, the main characters together - they're in, so called, marriage of convenience; they used to be the conductors for the Underground Railway and now, outside of their normal jobs (Hetty is a seamstress and Benjy is a blacksmith), they solve together criminal cases in Philadelphia. But when one of the cases hits close home, they start questioning how well they know their friends and even each other.

One of the cool things about this book is that it's a mystery thriller in a real, historical setting, but at the same time the characters use magic. I LOVED the magic system in this book, it was very interesting and unique!

The mystery element was also well-crafted, it kept me guessing who might be behind all of this and, still, the reveal surprised me!

If you're looking for a book, that would be a crossover between historical fiction, mystery thriller and fantasy, this is a book for you!

this book was not what I was expecting. At all. And, it is strange to say it, but it was not a bad thing. Because even if this is not what I was expecting it to be, it was a really really good book.

When I started it I was just curious to see how it was. My idea was to read something like 10 pages and then go back to it later on, because my house-chores were waiting for me. But then I have stopped reading after 80 pages, given or taken, because I had something to do that could not have waited. I was enchanted by it, and this magic repeated itself every time I picked up this book. Putting it down was always hard!
And it is quite strange, because this is such a quiet book, in some ways. I am not saying that it is boring, not at all. We get mystery, some action, some interesting themes, and some good characters, and the plot move along quite nicely. But it is sedate in some ways. And even if it may sound strange, it was a good thing. It is not fast-paced, but it is not a slow book, and we get some excitement in there, too, but all things are taken in stride, and all is quite… balanced. There is not a single thing that is too much. It is a strange feeling to explain, and I hope to have mad at least a bit of sense.

It is, also, a book that talk about a lot of things. Aside for our characters and their investigations, we have a lot going on. Part of it is about all the topics we can found in there, slavery, racism, the importance of the past, and the relationship between past and present and future (there is a theme that we see popping out in there quite some times, because it involved different characters, in different ways, and it is the coming back of people who were thought as lost, or death, or too far gone and with a whole new life. And we get to see different nuances of it, and it was a thing that really makes you think. ). And with all these bigger things we have also more “little” ones, little as in more on a personal level than on the human level, as to say. Because this book talks about obsession, too, relationship, friendship and the value of the small things that we, sometimes, take for granted.

And we have an amazing magical system. We have Celestial Magic and Sorcery. There is also Brewed Magic, so maybe there are some more little division in there, but the main point is that Celestial Magic is the magic of black people, Sorcery is the magic of white people, and they don’t usually intermingle. And the Celestial Magic is really, well I would say magical but it won’t be of help, right? It is fascinating, and enchanting. And I loved it!

And, last but not least, we have the characters. I loved Hetty and Benjy, both as characters and as a couple. (Even if I have some complaint for them as a couple, but we would get to them soon!). They are strong, determined and independent, and they know each other quite well. They trust each other, and they are never overbearing, overprotective or over anything toward each other. Each of them has his or her suits and strongest features, and they play well with them. They are a really balanced couple, and it was quite great to see a married couple for once. A couple who is together from some time, that is solid. It was refreshing. (And mind me, refreshing is another world that could really well describe this book as a whole!). And we get some interesting side characters with them. Oliver and Penelope are my favorite. Especially Oliver, with his grumpiness and his big heart, that he tries to hide at every change he get. I really hope to see more of him in the next books. Because I can say without a doubt that I want to continue this series!!!!

I really enjoyed this book, I was surprised by it, and enchanted by it. But it was not perfect. Mind me, I had a great time with it, and I really had a great time reading it. But there are a couple of things that weren’t so great. The first is the mystery part. The investigation was interesting, and I have no complaints here, but the ending, the solution was quite… meh. Maybe it was a bit too rushed, but I was hoping for something better, more articulate.
And the second one is, as I was saying before, Hetty and Benjy as a couple. On one hand I loved this couple, because it was so good and refreshing to see a stable and solid relationship, and to see two people who really know each other, and they have a great relationship and I was just so so happy! But there is a minor thing. The point is that they married for practical purposes, and not for love. But during this story they, finally, admit to love each other. And it was good, really. And sweet. But I would have preferred to just see a happy (and in love) couple from the start. It felt a bit forced, just because romance is expected. And yes, maybe romance is expected, but I think there could have been a way to put a bit of it in a married couple without making them falling in love with each other on the pages . But, as I was saying before, this is just a minor minor thing, because I really enjoyed Hetty and Benjy, they are just so cute together. And their relationship was refreshing and just so good!

Hetty and Benjy Rhodes are two amateur sleuths who spend their evenings trying to solve the crimes of the disenfranchised communities, mostly Black, in Philadelphia that the police have no interest in investigating. Most cases are generally simple to solve with their logical minds and their mastery of celestial magic, until a friend turns up dead with a cursed sigil carved into his chest, things just got personal. To solve this crime Hetty and Benjy will have to revisit there past, question those close to them and hone their magic skills in order to solve this murder. But will it be enough, I highly recommend reading The Conductors to find out.

The Conductors is a true metafiction novel told from the singular point of view of Hetty who is a realistically flawed yet an extremely lovable protagonist. The book is a wonderful blend of fantasy, with a top notch magic system based on astrology, historical fiction, replete with interesting historical facts about the life of Black people (pre and post Civil War), featuring an unexpected but enjoyable romantic elements, all intricately connected by multiple intriguing mysteries needing to be solved by Hetty and her husband.
My favorite parts of the book were following flashbacks of Hettys path out of slavery to her life as an Underground Rail Road Conductor which usually introduced the reader to the people in her current life as an amateur slueth in Philadelphia. Now, a draw back to some may be that the mystery is always not front and center, but that didn't deter my personal enjoyment of the book, I found the mystery arc and denouement to be really well done, authentic, and quite satisfying. If you are looking for a historical fiction book featuring Black characters living, loving, lamenting, and laughing, then The Conductors may be the book for you. I certainly am eagerly awaiting book two The Undertakers.

The Conductors tem como cenário uma comunidade negra situada na Filadélfia pós-Guerra Civil. Aqui vamos acompanhar a história do casal Hetty e Benjy. No passado eles eram condutores (pessoas que ajudavam os negros a fugirem) e hoje resolvem casos na comunidade quando as autoridades fecham os olhos.

Narrado em terceira pessoa, esse é o livro de estreia da Nicole e ela mandou muito bem. Pensei que seria somente fantasia, mas na verdade está mais para um romance policial com toques de magia. A investigação policial se dá quando um amigo próximo do casal morre de forma suspeita. Essa investigação foi um ótimo toque na história. A narração é focada em Hetty, mas temos uma gama de personagens interessantes e 100% negros.

Apesar de serem casados apenas no papel, gostei bastante da dinâmica entre Hetty e Benjy. A confiança e cumplicidade entre os dois é algo bem natural e bastante profundo, já que eles passaram por muita coisa juntos. Ao final de alguns capítulos, vemos um pouco do passado deles, o que só complementa a história dos dois.

A questão da magia também é bem interessante, mas senti que faltou um pouco mais de desenvolvimento e explicação. Ao longo do livro ficamos sabendo que há dois tipos de magia e uma série de regras que as pessoas negras precisam cumprir ao utilizá-las. Hetty canaliza seu poder através de desenhos de constelações; cada uma com uma funcionalidade diferente.

Já em relação à investigação, confesso que em alguns momentos me perdi em meio a tantos suspeitos. Isso até poderia ter sido algo ruim, mas acabei me surpreendendo com o culpado e mais ainda por suas motivações. Vale a recomendação!

Really fascinating world building and magic system. Excellent writing with intriguing characters and tension building. Loved the alternative history approach and look forward to reading more by this author.

Glover gave a perfect combination of fantasy, mystery, adventure, and even some romance. I was quickly captured in the murder mystery and what felt like a million outstanding details that all connected in the end. You could tell this was heavily researched and well thought out. Bravo to the author!

I'm not sure what genre this book would be considered, historical fiction perhaps? Regardless, it was an interesting read and I loved the fantasy elements to it. I was quite surprised and pleased that I enjoyed this book as much as I did and I'm looking forward to continuing with the next book once it releases 😊

This book was really hard to understand and get into. I usually don't write reviews if I have not finished a book, but I just can't get into it enough to want to keep reading.

I love the premise and the thoughtfulness of the characters. It just isn't my cup of tea.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book as a reviewer.

I much enjoyed the premise and the idea of this novel more than the execution. It wasn't a terrible read, however it was just complicated enough to lose my attention for a few days. I felt like I was missing large chunks of another story, or like there were elements being dumped that needed more fleshing out. I'd like to be more specific but I didn't take notes and I don't have it in me to go back and note these parts. I feel as though a prequel would serve us nicely.
I'd probably have to read this again to really give it a fair shake, considering that I am reading this a year into a pandemic and life has been flipped upside down so a murder mystery with magic doesn't hit like I thought it would. It's not fair to give this book a rating but I can't give feedback without one. I wanted to finish it so I could count it for the year and I would read more books by this author.

This was absolutely a book of many layers--historical, fantasy, mystery, alternate history. I enjoyed how unique it was to read about Hetty and Benji and their life following the Civil War. What I didn't like was the pacing. For a book with so much going on it was hard to keep my attention centered. Too much explanation where I didn't want it, scenes I didn't care about, etc. There was much potential for plot and action, yes, but I just didn't get it.

I was instantly intrigued by the idea of a historical fiction book set in post-Civil-War Philadelphia, focusing on two people who had led slaves to freedom via the Underground Railroad, but with a twist - magic! This story vividly illustrates the situation of free/freed blacks in this time period (some were doing very well, but there was still widespread discrimination) but mixes in some fanciful aspects. Blacks were capable of doing “celestial magic” and whites were capable of doing “sorcery,” a style of magic forbidden to blacks. I loved how the main character, Hetty Rhodes was able to flick her fingers and conjure a celestial being: a dog, a phoenix, a lion, among other constellation-based figures. I do wish the author had explained a bit more about how this was done and why Hetty would choose (for example) a phoenix instead of a dog, and vice versa. When one of Hetty and Benjy Rhodes’ circle of friends is murdered, they set out to discover who did it. This created a lot of uncomfortable situations since everyone in their circle had to be considered a suspect at some point. There were a few “interludes” set before and during the Civil War to explain Hetty and Benjy’s backstory, but the main action takes place in 1871. In addition to the mystery and the magic, I particularly enjoyed how Hetty and Benjy’s marriage of convenience turned into a real love match.

Thank you to NetGalley and John Joseph Adams/Mariner Books/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

3.5 stars

Thank you Netgalley for the eArc in exchange for an honest review!

I ended up really enjoying this but it was a slow start for me. For some reason I was having trouble getting invested in the story for the first 70 or so pages but once it picked up I couldn’t put it down! Hetty is such a phenomenal main character, I love the way she navigates situations and works through problems, especially when it comes to the mysterious deaths. I wasn’t expecting a romance to bloom and by the end I was wholly invested in the relationship! Also the last third of this book had me on the edge, I look forward to the next book!

I wish I had read this sooner, but I am so glad it made it on to March 2021 LibraryReads top 10! Glover’s story spark was “what would happen if you combined magic and Underground Railroad” and she ran with it, producing a fabulous genre-bending mix of magic and historical mystery starring Hettie and Benjy Rhodes. The story is set in an alternate Reconstruction with important flashbacks to the pairs’ Conducting days often introducing the characters that surround their current investigation—which is forcing them to learn more about their friends, themselves, and each other. It’s a wonderful and I’m looking forward to the next book, The Undertakers.

I will start off by saying this was a very unique read! A magical take on the underground railway which was both freaking cool and also eye opening!

I really enjoyed the characters. The 2 main characters definitely were the most interesting with their story and magical abilities!! So that was cool!

Also, loved the historical setting! I love anything history so this was fun for me. This book also has a pretty good mystery that runs throughout the story. So not only do you get all the action and magic of their journey freeing people but you also get their almost Sherlock style mystery!

Overall, I did enjoy this book! The biggest thing missing for me was the relationship between the main characters. It was kind of weird for me. It really took the book down a notch.. but otherwise, it's a very unique and entertaining story!

I really wanted to like this book and I was excited to read it, however, it was not what I had anticipated. I read about ten percent of this book and it was so difficult for me to understand what was happening. The writing did not flow, the imagery was complicated and difficult to envision, It read as if there were other books before or that I should know a backstory, but to my knowledge, there were no previous books. What I read was disjointed and confusing and I had no desire to continue.

While I was really intrigued by the magic system and drawn into the mystery, I often found myself feeling somewhat lost while reading this and as much as I wanted to learn more about the magic, I feel as though I didn't. But the characters were interesting and the mystery well drawn out, and I am looking forward to reading the sequel.