I received a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review
This was quite spectacular. Former slaves working the underground railroad including magic, just plain spectacular!!

This was a solid debut! Very well researched and nuanced in a way that a lot of books about ex-enslaved persons are not. Characters were well-rounded and their interactions really highlighted a lot of their distinct personality traits well, although the dialogue was sometimes a little wooden. The plot's resolution leaned on some new information in a way that was a little clumsy, but I still enjoyed following it and was satisfied at the conclusion.
This was a great debut. I'm really excited to see more from Glover and I hope she turns this into the series it deserves to be.

I really enjoyed the world developed in The Conductors, and really liked the way the reader was dropped into a fully formed life. I am very interested in the magic systems (two!) that were introduced in this book, and look forward to learning more about it, particularly the limitations and comparative strength.
Being Australian (and white) I didn’t know much about the underground railroad or the complicated situation left after America outlawed slavery. The Conductors (as far as I could tell) handled the situation well, not shying away from the heartbreaking situations created, but also not becoming mired in tragedy.
The plot is a fairly classic mystery premise, to discover a murderer. I liked that Hetty and Benjy had previous investigative experience, and were incredibly proficient at magic as well as their trades. There was still plenty of tension and hurdles to overcome, not least of which was the still-racist society that The Conductors is set in. While Hetty and Benjy’s race certainly affected the way they lived their lives, it wasn’t the only important factor in the book. Writing a book in the setting and having black characters (freed slaves no less) be unaffected by racism would have been revisionism to an insulting extent, but if you’re worried about Hetty or Benjy being written more as a moral lesson than characters in their own right, don’t. The real-world building aspects of The Conductors were written in exactly the same way as the fantasy elements, and it truly helped the world and the characters in this book truly come to life, rather than seeming like a heavy-handed lesson.
I loved the unexpected romantic moments in this book, and loved the portrayal of a variety of relationship styles in this book. I have a terrible memory, so I did occasionally struggle to remember who the characters were, especially because my kindle account has been terrible so I could only read the book on my laptop so I read this book over a longer time period than usual. Nevertheless, I think the characters in The Conductors did have distinct voices and personalities that, as always, I’d love to learn more about, especially Penelope, Oliver and Thomas.
As far as I know, The Conductors is a stand-alone novel (for now at least), but the mystery format lends itself well to a series that need not necessarily be read consecutively. The world is certainly rich, and the cast broad enough, for this to be the beginning of a very interesting series that I would absolutely read.
One thing I noticed was that conflict tended to be introduced and resolve rather quickly, which made the book feel fast-paced, but at times reduced the perceived severity of the problems. However, I usually read long-running sci fi and fantasy series, so I might just be used to plots that move a lot slower than typical whoddunnit mysteries.
Overall, The Conductors was interesting, a little different to what I usually read, but quite similar at times to Lynn Viehl’s Disenchanted and Co series, Lindsay Buroker’s Emperor’s Edge series and oddly reminiscent at times of a classic Agatha Christie Poirot novel. I’d recommend this to people who enjoy a sprinkle of magic with their historical mysteries.

I was literally blown over by this book. It's a combination on a historical murder mystery, with underground railroad conductors as protagonists, fantasy and a little bit of romance thrown in for good measure. Hetty and Benjy at the beginning of the story find a body marked with a magical sigil, the body belongs to a person they considered a friend and one of the first people they conducted. Since he has risen in the social order, made a lot of money while they were left on a lower social rung.

I loved the characters and the world building. There are two types of magic in this world, the one Hetty practices is called celestial magic. On the other hand there is Sorcery which people of color are forbidden to practice. The celestial magic is woven into everyday life usually as charms for protection. Hetty's day job is a seamstress while Benjy is a blacksmith. Their marriage is a bit of a sham since they tied the knot to save Hetty's reputation after travelling together. One of my favorite things about this story was the characters slow awakening to the feelings between them.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with aמ ARC in exchange for an honest review. #TheConductors #NetGalley

I was really excited about this one because the premise sounded really good. Sadly I only got through six chapters of this book. I only made it that far because I was really interested in how the magic system worked, and I kept thinking I'd eventually fall into it. That didn't happen. I just kept getting turned around in the story and kept forgetting who each side characters were. I ended up setting this down and despite knowing I need to pick it up couldn't even bring myself to actually get back into reading it. A week has passed and I realize I'm not going to pick this one back up. I'm super bummed because I wanted to like this one. Maybe it's because it's an ARC, or maybe my mood. This might be one I go back to later once it's published and try again.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free e-copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
While the premise is wildly intriguing, I DNF'd this novel. However, I tried to make it far enough to leave some veritable comments.

What I Liked:
- the whole premise of enslaved POC accessing celestial magic rooted in the constellations? FABULOUS.
- Non-POC access magic through conjuring
- a post-emancipation murder mystery solved by a POC couple? SHOULD HAVE SIGNED ME UP FROM THE JUMP.

What Fell Flat for Me:
- the pacing was slow and even tiresome for me to force myself through
- usually, I can grapple with a non-linear timeline and piece it together if the author weaves their plotlines correctly
-not this time, friends. not this time.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Conductors started off kind of slow for me but it definitely picked up after a chapter or two. Especially after meeting Hetty and Benjy. Now this duo was something I could get behind and invested in. I just wish the whole magic was a bit better in this book. Don't get me wrong, some aspects were a bit magical.. but some of it fell flat for me as well.

Now the solving mysteries was what kept me reading this book. Again, I loved this duo and it was completely interesting and addicting to see what they were going to do next. Even though they started out marrying for convenience.. it starts to show that they actually developed feelings along the way.

Definitely a fun book to dive into. I just wish the magic was better explained to me.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the magic system and the element of history was really well exploited to have a conversation with the reader. I liked the writing style. Overall this book feels unique and like nothing i've read before, which was really refreshing

I was just not very invested in this one. I believe a lot of readers would love this book but it was just not interesting enough for me to continue reading.

The Conductors is a unique and well written blend of historical fiction and fantasy with an exciting premise and multi layered storylines. I was intrigued by the synopsis of this book and of how the magic system and the historical elements would tie in together and this was done to such great effect. The novel follows Hetty and Benjy, a married couple who were once conductors leading enslaved people to freedom and now live in Philadelphia solving crimes. When strange occurrences keep cropping up and getting close to home however, they find themselves locked into a sinister and mysterious plot…

One of my favourite things about this book were the characters, especially Hetty and Benjy our resident crime solving pair. I had no idea before going in that theirs was a marriage of convenience type set up but I really liked how this was done and how sweet their relationship was and how they eventually realise they’ve fallen for each other. Even aside from their romance, their dynamic was so enjoyable to read and I liked how well they communicated and understood each other. It’s always nice to read such healthy married relationships and they are the epitome of this.

As well as Hetty and Benjy being great main characters, I loved the secondary characters and how Nicole Glover has featured the found family trope so prominently. Hetty and Benjy have a group of friends who have become like family to them, each with their own talents and stories. This element of the story becomes especially powerful towards the ending and I liked how the importance of friendship and platonic relationships was highlighted so well. I think this is also so moving because of the sense of loss so many of the characters have faced, being separated from members of their family during Slavery, the friendships they’ve formed after and sense of community have become even more meaningful.

As well as the characters themselves, I really appreciated how Glover weaved between fact and fiction so well. I thought the fact that Hetty and Benjy were conductors, guiding people to safety and freedom was so interesting to read about as a reference to the Underground Railroad. Glover doesn’t hesitate to explore complex issues like class and race, delving into the disparities of experience between the characters in her novel who were ‘born free’ and those who were born during slavery. I also thought the depiction of an elite club of sorts with shady business dealings and heady sense of vice, was compelling and definitely helped heighten the sense of mystery when it comes to the murder mystery part of the plot.

I think for me, the murder mystery plot was one of the most compelling threads but the novel got off to a slightly slower start which meant the conclusion of the mystery felt a tad rushed. There was something about the reveal of the murderer which felt anticlimactic and there were other directions it could have taken which would have made it feel more satisfying. Who the murderer ended up being also felt like a bit of a letdown and I wasn’t bowled over by the reveal either, however I did enjoy the build up just not the culmination of it all.

Overall, The Conductors was an engaging story, with interesting characters readers will really root for and explorations of class and race that serve to establish it firmly as a brilliant new addition to the historical fiction genre. I would happily read many more of Hetty and Benjy’s adventures, I think there’s definitely room for a sequel which follows them exploring a different case or mystery, but I would totally get if this is just a standalone novel as it stands well on its own. I would definitely recommend this to readers who are looking for historical fiction with a fresh twist.

This was an interesting take on some conductors of the Underground Railroad with a twist of magic. I like the idea and the mystery that keeps the story moving, but it fell a little flat for me. I’m not sure what it was- but while it was a good read, it wasn’t great.

3.5 stars
The plot of this book was intriguing as well as the magic system, however I wished there was more depth to the magic system discussed. I didn't really understand how the magic system worked until about halfway through the book when I finally put the pieces together myself; the book did not do much in the way of leading me to understand how these constellations aided in the magic. The characters weren't deeply interesting to me, but I did enjoy the marriage between the two main characters. I cared about their relationship because of its uniqueness, but I didn't feel too attached to either character or any of the interpersonal conflicts.

Have not had a chance to read this yet, but will keep it on my list for a rainy day! Appreciate being offered the reading copy!

3 stars. Interesting enough, but a slow start and disjointed pacing made it difficult to bring it above three stars. The premise of a famous magical duo of former Underground Railroad conductors now turned unofficial detectives in post-Civil War Philadelphia was very intriguing. There were some really well done interludes of community life and the hardships of living with black skin right after the end of slavery. I thought the romance was very sweet and made me feel warm and fuzzy, and this is coming from someone who usually finds the "falling in love with your spouse who is practically a stranger" trope getting a little hackneyed.

Ultimately though, the interludes distracted from the mystery, which felt a little predictable in any case. I also really would have loved to hear more about Hetty and Benjy's work on the Underground Railroad, and further explanations of this magic system.

Historical fantasy is a too small genre, but I would recommend it to anyone looking for a decent read in that genre, and to those who would enjoy a slower paced slightly slice-of-life mystery novel.

Thank you NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the ARC!

The Conductors by Nicole Glover

Pros: fantastic worldbuilding, three magic systems, interesting characters, engaging plot

Cons:

Hetty and Benjy Rhodes both escaped slavery in 1858. They became Conductors with the Underground Railway as a way of locating Hetty’s missing sister. Their motto: never leave people behind. With the war over, the pair solve crimes affecting the black community in Philidelphia that police ignore. When one of their friends turns up dead, the case becomes much more personal as they learn more about their friends - and each other.

The worldbuilding is fantastic. The setting is often gritty and harsh, especially the flashbacks. The author really captures the complexity of the world, with various laws, good and bad areas of town, economics and politics. I especially loved the friendship connections surround Hetty and Benjy. Community is hugely important in this book, and I loved seeing the variety of interactions and how Benjy and Hetty helped and were helped in turn by their friends.

There are three magic systems: sorcery using a wand, restricted to white practitioners; celestial magic, a mixture of practices from Africa, the West Indies, and Native Americans, which uses sigils for power; and alchemy or potion magic, created by brewing herbs. While you see less sorcery than the other two, I loved how magic was integrated into the world.

The pacing was great. So much is going on here and the setting and characters were so interesting that I never felt the book slow or drag.

It was fun reading about a couple who married for convenience. It’s great seeing a different kind of marital relationship and I loved seeing the couple’s interactions. They don’t always get along, but it was cool watching people in a strong marriage make up after fights and work together towards their goals.

This is a fantastic book. In many ways it reminds me of Jaime Lee Moyer’s Delia’s Shadow. If you like historical fantasy with great characters, fun magic systems, and an interesting mystery, pick this up.

In total, I think The Conductors by Nicole Glover was a pretty good book! It wasn't anything too super special, but it kept me interested and I was able to power through the moments that dragged on and felt somewhat slow. As the main characters go, Hetty and Benjy are wide-eyed and wonderful. It took me a while to buy into the book as a whole, so at first, I had a hard time connecting with Hetty and Benjy in the ways I wanted to, but at some point, something just clicked for me and I was enraptured by both Hetty and Benjy and their intertwining story! They were awesome characters, and so fun to read.

This book has a really strong representation, and I loved the fantasy element. It feels like this book traced the intersectionality of many genres really well - historical, fantasy, mystery, and even a subplot that leaned romance! I'd recommend this to a friend, for sure.

I wanted to love this book. Civil War and Reconstruction era America with magic should have been awesome.

I was so disappointed because the synopsis sounded right up my alley, but the story just doesn’t go anywhere and she didn’t spend any time building this alternate world so it’s just blah.

I really enjoyed this book & the author did her research. It is a great murder[s] mystery that tells some history woven into an alternate world where there is overt magic used by individuals based on group. The main couple are conductors in the underground railroad after the war still helping their community. They were the ones that would go in & help slaves escape leading them to freedom. I was raised on stories of these heros as a child from my grandmother and their like. Lots of action & twists & turns & I couldn't even figure out who though there was a clue so big I could have kicked myself. Highly recommend.

I recieved an e-arc of this from netgalley for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

We start by meeting Hetty and Benjy. Two people who have powers and have a plan to help save captured slaved while they are moving. We get a sense of the magic system, using constellations to create magic. We get the idea of team work the two have, which is promising as they could be a good dynamic duo.

I loved how we got an understanding of Hetty, who is just trying to protect her sister Esther. We get an insight into her past and how she was a slave with her sister. It was very insightful to see Hetty dream of escaping with her sister, having nothing left since her mother died.

The start of the book was slow, it wasn't until about page 50 that I started getting into the plot. I found the mystery thrilling and didn't want to put this down! Throughout this entire book, I tried to figure out the motive for murder and I have to say I was dead wrong! Which was a nice surprise. The ending was well throughout and connected nicely. I loved every second of this book 🥰

I loved Benjy and Hettys characters and the way they worked together. I adored the fake marriage trope in this too, which started to become obvious about 70 pages in. I rooted for them from the start and enjoyed reading about them. When Hetty admitted she was in love with Benjy, I was grinning from ear to ear. The realisation, the longing, the want. Oh my! Though the romance played a pivotal part in the book, it didn't take away from the plot and actually furthered the plot. I enjoyed our side characters too, especially Penelope and Oliver (and Thomas when he showed up!)  They were witty and fun to read about, and were also just great friends to our two main characters.

The plot was interesting and held my attention, I enjoyed the mystery a lot. That ending though *chef kiss*
The characters were well thought out and likeable and the writing was beautiful.

A beautifully well written story with a unique magic system that I enjoyed learning about. I definitely recommend picking this up and giving it a go!

This review is based on an ARC I received from NetGalley.

The Conductors had an interesting concept for a story. Two former slaves-turned-Underground-Railroad-conductors are now detectives after the Civil War, helping to solve crimes that the regular police ignore because they're against Black people. At the same time, two types of magic exist in this world, sorcery and celestial magic, with the former being kept for white people while the other was practiced by black people. Unfortunately, the execution was lacking.

I'm not a fan of mysteries, so I won't/can't say much about the mystery here. However, I was really frustrated by the lack of world-building done when it came to the magic. It seemed like such an interesting idea, and what little we learned of it did leave me intrigued. Sorcery magic involves wands and seems to be tied to colonialist ideas in that it sucks all the magical energy out there, whereas celestial seems to seek a balance and recognizes that others might do magic differently and that's OK. I loved this idea, but I was really confused as to how celestial magic worked. Could anyone do it? Only certain people? What did all of the sigils do? The book did eventually provide some answers, but it took a while and just caused a lot of confusion. I'm guessing this won't be the last book featuring these characters, so hopefully the author will dive more into this fantasy world, just hopefully more clearly. I definitely think it deserves more detail!

My other issue was with the pacing. The first third of the book was VERY slow. I struggled so many times to keep reading it. It did finally pick up and got more interesting, but I don't know if it was ever good enough to forgive that beginning.

I did enjoy the main character, Hetty. She was a delightfully flawed but strong woman. And the romance was a welcome development - but again, I think it would have helped more if we had more details of their prior relationship! It seemed a little to come out of nowhere. But I certainly wasn't dissatisfied with it. And some of the side characters were also well developed, and it seems like others are being saved for future books, which is fine.

Again, I'm not a big fan of mysteries, so others might like it more than I did.