I loved this book. It took me a little bit of time to get very involved with the story, but, once I was, I was all in and couldn’t put the book down. It was a fun and clever murder mystery with magic. The post emancipation world with magic was intriguing. This was an awesome #ownvoices book with a really engaging story. I can’t wait for more from this author.

Thanks so much to the publisher and to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

It was plot heavy and seemed more focus on the characters. The interplay of magic and Black people in whatever time period is, but it fell a bit flat for me. Maybe I will enjoy it upon more reflection.

When I saw the cover of this book I was instantly intrigued! A historical fantasy set just after the end of the Civil War. Hetty and Benjy, who used to be conductors on the Underground Railroad, now solve crimes that white authorities in their community would ignore. When they find an old friend murdered in an alley, things get crazy.

I was so excited to get this e-ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review! Mystery, historical fiction, and magic - all things I love to read! I thought it was very clever for Nicole to start the story with wanted posters. It gave backstory quickly, and also added suspense. However, I felt the first 10% of the book was a bit slow and confusing. I had to force myself to keep going. But somewhere between 10% and 15% I got hooked!

The magic system in this world was difficult for me to grasp, so every time magic was used it felt a little clunky until I just got used to not fully understanding it. I think what really made this a stand out for me was the mystery and the characters! I wanted desperately to know what happened to Hettie’s sister, so I was excited to read all the chapters in flashback to search for clues. I actually might have enjoyed the flashbacks a little bit more than the present, because I got to see Hettie and Benjy’s origins. I absolutely adored Hettie and Benjy and how solid their relationship was. I loved the idea that they were like this legendary, mystery solving, power couple that people sought out when they were in trouble.

Other than the rocky start, I loved this book and I can’t wait to see how much everyone else will love this when it releases in March!

I had really high hopes for this books. The premise sounded amazing and I'm a sucker for a good historical fiction novel with bits of magic thrown in. And, for the most part, Glover met my expectations. The characters are well-developed and interesting. The story line moves at a good pace and keeps the readers engaged. What fell short for me was the magic. I guess I wanted more development in that aspect of the story. I didn't quite understand it and how it worked. I do think this is a book teens will enjoy and I will happily recommend it to readers.

I loved the atmosphere and setting of this book. Additionally, the way celestial magic is constructed is fascinating. I want to learn more about it and how it is different from sorcery! I really appreciated seeing a different part of society than historicals usually highlight. I did enjoy the mystery but at times I felt that particular plot line was a little meandering, and I'm not sure I understood all the pieces/clues that were scattered throughout the text. But the characters and setting were both still engaging enough that I felt completely engrossed in the story!

You know when you make the mistake of reading an ARC a full seven months early and so you can’t really discuss-slash-yell-about it except obliquely? Well, that’s the case with this book. By the time this review goes out, it will, obviously, be released or closer to release date, so you’ll just have to take on trust just how restrained 7-months-ago-me is being.

The Conductors follows husband-wife duo, Benjy and Hetty, who make it their business to take on cases that white authorities won’t touch. When a friend of theirs is found murdered in a back alley, they feel they have no choice but to investigate.

It’s always hard to review a book you absolutely loved, and that’s no different here. Breaking this review down into different sections wouldn’t help either, since all I could say would be a series of gargling and/or nonsensical noises aimed at showing exactly how much I love each aspect, while telling absolutely zip. But, I shall try.

Let me start with the magic system. Or systems. The idea of using constellations as a basis for spells was something I loved. And the fact that they were sort of like creatures (for want of a better word) that came forth when called. Seeing what authors come up with when creating magic systems is probably my favourite part of reading fantasy. I also loved how here there were multiple magic systems, so Hetty and Benjy used their star-based system, while there was also Sorcery (using wands and, in this world, reserved for white folks) and a herb-based system. I’m saying “I love” a lot here, I know, but how else am I going to express just how much I adore seeing what magic systems authors think of. Especially magic systems in worlds which are, otherwise ostensibly, exactly like our own.

Right, so now I’ve had that little geek-out, I’ll move on to something else. Namely, the plot. I’ve said before how much I love mysteries, and particularly historical mysteries, and this was such a good mystery. I was hooked from the start, from the worldbuilding, and then the mystery came along, and I didn’t realise it was possible to get even more hooked on a book, but I did. I read the entire thing in a single sitting, because I didn’t want to put it down for one moment.

And now we come to the characters, a.k.a. my favourite part of this book, although only by a whisker because, as I said, I loved everything else too. There was a kind of found family aspect to the book, with Hetty and Benjy, as well as Penelope, Darlene, Oliver and Thomas (and Eunice later on). And I just loved that. And, obviously, I also loved their relationships, namely Hetty and Benjy (each loving the other and thinking it’s unrequited like, hello), and Hetty and Eunice (I do love a good developing friendship). I think the relationships were what really elevated this book for me. I mean, historical fantasy mystery is good. Historical fantasy mystery with a good romance and found family is great.

So, if you haven’t yet been convinced to read this book, well, don’t worry, I won’t let you get away with not reading it. In fact, by the time you read this review, I might well have spent 7 months annoying you into doing it.

This book sounded absolutely amazing, with both historical context and a magical system that sounded really entrancing. However, I didn't end up loving it as much as I had hoped for- the magic system was a little patchy, and there was also an issue with the characterisation. I felt like the main character was really well developed and well-thought-out, but the other characters simply didn't have as much bolstering of their character. I wanted a lot more from this, and I would have appreciated a plot that didn't jump around as much either- there was a lot of plot jumping and I wish there was a bit more of a focus on the plot pieces that were stronger.

With that said, I think the concept of this book is incredibly solid. I really liked the ideas that this book had, it was just how they were written that there were issues. I really think this story has incredible potential, it just needs some more fleshing out and character development and it would be absolutely wonderful.

I received an early ARC of this book and thoroughly enjoyed the ride. While parts of it seemed disconnected, as getting into the flow of the story took me a bit, there are strong threads holding this piece together. The relationship between Hetty & Benjy is solid and unwavering. Their trust in each other is beautiful and that is reflected throughout the entirety of the story. The world crafted is a magical variation of our own, unique in the powers that exist.

Though some parts of the book seem very loosely connected (flashbacks), I can strongly see the web that ties it all together in the end. I can't wait to see the final product of this book and I'm sure the polishing it needs will truly show us how much of a gem this story is.

I couldn't get on with this book and I'm frustrated with myself. I like the concept behind it and I want to see where it goes but I'm finding the characters really frustrating. Only half a review as I can't finish this at the moment, this book and I are on "on a break" while I cheat on it with a different book. Hopefully when I come back Hetty and Benjy will be magicking at murderers and I won't be able to put it down.

I was first entranced by The Conductors because of the absolutely beautiful cover featuring Hetty, standing resolute and knowing, and then by the blurb, which promised an interesting setting and story. Hetty Rhodes was once a conductor on the Underground Railroad, using magic and her wits to ferry people to freedom, but several years after the end of the war, she and her husband, Benjy, solve mysteries in Reconstruction era Philadelphia. The Conductors feat. a marriage of convenience (or is it??), an intriguing astrological magic system, a rich tapestry of friends - all of whom appear to have secrets as a murder mystery strikes at their core.

Hetty uses Celestial magic, a beguiling system based on astrological symbols and merged from African, Native and other magic systems, which she uses in interesting ways throughout the novel. Black people are banned from using Sorcery, the colonising power, and based on wands - in most of America, it is a hanging offence, the lingering effects of slavery living on in new laws. I would have preferred seeing more about the different magic systems, but I do a weakness for worldbuilding.

The story had a slower start, as Glover established the setting and characters, before diving into the mystery. I was really moved by Hetty, a compelling story-teller, skilled seamstress, talented magic user, and legend amongst the Black Philadelphian community for her efforts. Interwoven throughout the novel are interludes to prior events and how Hetty and Benjy gained their skills and abilities under extremely trying circumstances, and forged a friendship built on trust. I really enjoyed how Glover depicted the strong bonds between Hetty and Benjy, even when it was tested by the circumstances of the story.

However, the year is 1871 and Glover deftly moves between how different characters have thrived and survived in different ways after the Proclamation and the end of the war. The tensions between the Freed and the born Free are explored, how the legacy of slavery lives on in the torn-apart families, including Hetty's own sister, Esther, who she has never given up on searching for. I did appreciate that Glover decided to center the story around the Black Philadelphian community, and while white characters appeared, they were fleeting and largely unnamed.

The Conductors also is themed heavily around the found family concept. Hetty has gathered together a diverse group of friends together, with Glover including LBGT+ representation, though that isn't the focus of the novel. Hetty and Benjy worked for years together, before agreeing to a marriage of convenience - with benefits. I enjoyed this rather forthright depiction and how after years, Benjy and Hetty fell in love, another central theme of The Conductors.

The Conductors was an engaging mystery-fantasy-romance-historical story.

“Brimming with celestial magic and an enduringly fierce heroine, The Conductors is a new vision of the Underground Railroad.” Cecelia Beckman Sheaf & Ink

My Review: The Conductors
The beginning of this harrowing tale is notably atmospheric— you can envision a white hand plastering up reward and wanted signs for runaway slaves, one after the other. Feel the tension rise like chills as the demand and stakes on those signs grows higher and higher. An acrid taste of disgust burning in the back of your throat like bile at the truth of the lengths slave owners would go through to keep slavery from ending.

Glover’s way in addressing and depicting a brutally dangerous time in just the opening three pages illustrates her mastery of her writing. Her prose painted with soul-filled magic even when the landscape is one of pain and suffering. It is thought proving and riveting as she depicts the Civil War along with the present. The Conductors has this fervent pace from the very beginning along with the driving force of the narrative: Hetty Rhodes.

Seeking freedom left many scars and Hetty has her share as she sought freedom at whatever cost. Long after Hetty’s journey to freedom and the Civil War, Glover weaves the present with the past seamlessly. This elegant dance between Hetty’s past and present, blends the story together like music. Adding new weighty notes with each turning page. Creating an unforgettable cadence for the overarching melody.

My one concern was the ending. Without giving too much away, there is a plot reveal that I felt would have been better placed earlier on in the novel. Had Glover presented this piece of the story sooner rather than at the very end, the aftermath and scope of the detective thread of the story would be portrayed as a catharsis of what Hetty ultimately finds in the end of the novel.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Conductors. Readers will appreciate the found family, the slow burn between Hetty and Benjy, and the astronomy magic flowing through this story making this debut one you don’t want to miss.

Happy Reading Cece

This is a very interesting historical fiction mystery with a twist of magic. Hetty and her husband Benjy are known as The Conductors, helping runaways escape to freedom in Philadelphia. Using their magical powers, drawing sigils and symbols against white wand beaters they’ve earned quite the reputation as saviours in their town. People come to them for help of all sorts, and when the body of their friend is found with a cursed sigil burned onto his body Benjy and Hetty take the case. What follows is a tangled web of social circles that leads to the pair investigating and questioning even their closest friends.

This was an interesting little mystery with a lot of moving parts, characters, and side plots. The unique aspect of this novel is the addition of magic in such a tumultuous historical era in the USA. The magic itself was explained in an easy to understand way. My only criticism would be that there were too many characters with not enough substance, they appear and disappear then reappear and become critical. But other than that this was an enjoyable and interesting read. Thank you!

Thoroughly enjoyable. The protagonist, Hetty, is a strong, three-dimensional character, the blend of history and fantasy is believable, and the central mystery plot was intriguing and suspenseful. Only lost some stars for a lot of proof-reading errors which hopefully will be eliminated in the full published copy. Highly recommended.

THIS WAS GOOD. THIS WAS REALLY GOOD!!

I enjoyed many things. I looooved the characters and the way that we were able to connect with them. I loved loved Hetty and Benjy and their group of friends. The found family trope here was so *chefs kiss.*

The magic system was not at all confusing. I thought it was so unique and fitting for this time era. Imagine being able to do magic with constellations SO FREAKING COOL!!

Overall I really liked it. Even when I wasn’t reading it, my mind would wander back to this. It was very heart warming and the mystery/who-did-it aspect of it was AMAZING. It was gripping and it played out perfectly.

Highly recommend!!

The Conductors is designed to be a murder mystery set in post-civil war Philadelphia with some magical elements. It follows the story of Hetty and Benjy, a couple that solves crimes, while they try to unravel why one of their friends was killed.

The premise of this book really intrigued me, I mean historical fantasy is awesome. However, I ended up not liking the book that much sadly. The pace was insanely slow and for some reason, I didn't feel the build-up of solving the murder. I had a really difficult time getting into the story because of its pace, which made me lose interest quite early on. I was very confused with the different subplots going on, to the point where I did not understand how they related to each other (if they did at all).

Furthermore, I love the concept of magic. However, I felt like it was not properly explained, which made it hard for me to understand what was going on whenever anyone was using it. The only thing that I got from the book is that Black people use celestial magic, whereas white people use sorcery, but that still leaves me with many questions.

What I did like about the story is the historical setting. I don't have a lot of knowledge about American history, so it was very refreshing to read fiction set in that the post-civil war time period. The focus on racism and slavery I found very interesting. It is great to see that these topics are handled with the utmost gravity, and aren't used just for shock value.

All in all, I think that my expectations simply did not line up with what the book actually was. If you enjoy slow-paced murder mysteries in a social circle where everyone is a suspect, rather than the thrill of a murder mystery, then this might be a book for you.

If you know me, you know there’s nothing I love more in fiction than found family. There’s almost nothing BUT found family in this book – the historical setting requires it. It’s a beautifully written, deeply explored immersive journey into post-Civil War life in the Black community. The magic woven throughout the story doesn’t make the setting seem fantastical or unlikely; it feels like a real picture of history, with an intriguing extra layer. When added to a setting that already contains multitudes – there are layers upon layers of nuance here, including colorism, class, education, experience, and more – the fantasy element of this historical fantasy seems wildly plausible. Even more intriguing is the way the magic system has been firmly set into the historical period; there are different magics for different people here, just like everything else in the world. And the glimpses into the overlap between the two, and the question of whether Sorcery is appropriation or something else entirely, is simply a quiet underlayment to the well-developed world – I loved the hints I saw that there is so much more to understand here, without taking away from what was needed to understand what was happening in the story itself. I want to read so much more in this world.

To be honest, the worldbuilding is what kept me reading this book at first; like many first books (uh, my own included), this one has a teeny issue with pacing – it starts slow. It wasn’t until chapter four or five that I finally found myself diving into the plot breathlessly, and the pacing completely redeemed itself after that – I drove straight through to the end. But even in the slower early chapters, the sense of this immense underlying world was enough to keep me intrigued. I REALLY hope that there’s more to come.

Let’s talk about the characters! I posted on Twitter that Hetty and Benjy are MY LIFE, and I stand by it. I absolutely adore them both. Their love story is profound and sweet at the same time, and weaves its way through the mystery plot with satisfying grace. We discover a significant chunk of their backstory through flashbacks, and it works unexpectedly well – every scene is full of action, and works so much better to show us the lives that led them to Philadelphia and community than any kind of infodump or dialogue-based explanation would have. And because every flashback gives us another key to the story – both the love story and the mystery – they don’t jar the reader out of the narrative at all, simply enhance it. Hetty is a delightful, complex character who also serves as a deft reminder that even exceptional people are still people, with inner worries, insecurities, and sometimes the urge to choose to run away. And Benjy is her perfect complement; like Hetty, we don’t know much about him at the beginning of the book, but by the end of the book he’s absolutely perfect. The way that these two people discover each other even though they’ve known each other all along is beautifully written.

The secondary characters here are all incredible as well. I want to make sure that I call out the extremely well-done gay and trans characters here – a perfectly-served reminder that LGBTQ+ people have been here all along. They fit into this historical setting like they belong, because they do. There are reminders that their road isn’t an easy one, but none of their stories are specifically about their queer natures. The friendships and relationships between all of the characters are explored with a great deal of care and also a deeply appreciated swath of realism. People aren’t perfect. But there’s such a strong community here, and the way all of the characters come together in service to each other is gorgeously done.

I won’t spoil anything, but the ending of this book is perhaps the best part, at least for me. It gave me some BIG emotions. It’s by turns joyous and heartbreaking, and captures the sense of bittersweet inevitability that is frequently missing from our whitewashed schoolroom histories and Duke-heavy historical romances. I sincerely hope I get to read more in this world.

The Conductors is set in a version of the Philadelphia just after the U.S. Civil War. In this version of the United States, though, magic lives.

Hetty Rhodes and her husband, Benjamin, had been Conductors on the Underground Railroad, battling with cunning and magic for the freedom and lives of their passengers. Now, in post-War America, they live in freedom and pursue their trades with their chosen family amidst a strong, supportive community of formerly-enslaved neighbours and businesses.

Told in the narrative present of about the 1870s, flashbacks to events in the pre-Civil War period explain the social and personal motivations for actions taken in the present.

This is compelling storytelling. Once the stage is set and the way the magic works is explained, the reader’s interest is caught by the mysterious death of a friend. Glover skillfully describes the interactions of a community dealing with grief and fear, a community of established friendships and enmity, a world where appearances can be deceptive.

The closer the mystery is to resolution, the faster the action moves and the more exciting the story becomes. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable story that also grapples with the legacy of slavery and the possibilities of different types and uses of magic.

The Conductors is an imaginative plot that asks, What if magic existed during the Civil War? Slaves with the ability to conjure spells quickly found themselves as brutal targets and their magical abilities clamped and silenced through the use of magic-stopping collars. After the War, Black men and women were allowed to use magic, but only under the strict guidelines within the law. White members of society were allowed to possess wands, and yield magic as they saw fit.

At the heart of this dramatic historical fantasy world lies Hetty, a conductor on the Underground Railroad, and her loyal husband Benjy. During the war Hetty and Benjy, both wielders of magic, use their abilities to bravely free numerous slaves. But the one person Hetty couldn’t save was her sister, who remained in captivity while Hetty found freedom. Hetty is haunted by this moment, and it acts like a thorn in her side as she devotes her life to a new calling as a detective within the Black community post-Civil War.

She and Benjy are the “go-to” crime solvers in their community. When an injustice occurs, they are the ones who solve the case and restore justice. Now a sting of murders has left them confused and their community scared. But Hetty refuses to give up. Her resolve and Benjy’s strength compliment each other from the start. Their relationship blooms throughout the pages, and their delicate love story woven into the backdrop acts to anchor the plot against the violence standing center stage.

While the plot slows from time-to-time, there are interludes peppered throughout that pick up the tension and quickly recapture the reader’s attention. Within the plot lies threads addressing racism, discrimination, “white passing” Black members of society, the horrors of slavery, and reconstructing a life when starting with nothing. This compelling read is perfect for those looking for a fresh genre bending mystery with a strong female lead.

I received an e-ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I thought the concept behind this book was brilliant. The basic plot is that a black husband and wife, Hetty and Benjy Rhodes, are conductors of the Underground Railroad and they solve mysteries together in post-Civil War Philadelphia in addition to rescuing and freeing slaves at the time. The twist is that they use magic in order to do these. At this time period, only white people can actually use wands to perform magic. Black people can only perform magic through using certain natural elements.
I really wanted to love this book and I still believe that through some good editing, this book has the potential to become an instant bestseller. I felt like the author was too bogged down on certain details which interrupted the flow of the story. Less details and more character development and this book could be brilliant. I also thought that the relationship between Hetty and Benjy was very interesting, especially since this was more of a mutual understanding relationship rather than a love one, which develops overtime into something else. I would give this book a tentative 2.5/5 at this time.

Overall, I would recommend the final proofed and edited copy to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and/or fantasy and embraces Black, Brown, and LGBTQ+ voices in literature. It was eye-opening to see the character-building of the protagonists, as if they had two separate identities, pre-freedom, and post-freedom. Any new agency they gained, to start careers, own homes, find love, and reconnect with lost family, was counter-balanced by being haunted by their subjugation and losses, as well as continued racism, and segregation in Philadelphia.

Sometimes I found the story line difficult to follow, especially in relation to the main character Hetty's relationships, where I didn't fully understand why a friendship was or wasn't active, the nature of her marriage, and so on. I recognize that a bit of this is likely due to the ARC not being fully edited. On the other hand, the short vignettes at the beginning of each chapter about past events did help to clarify a few things and helped the story move along. The book did come full circle in the last 1/4 of the book, wrapping up more than one mystery.

I did enjoy the exploration of "celestial magic" and how it empowered African-Americans, to a point, but was countered by wand-wielding whites who used magicked collars to prevent their use of celestial magic.
A list of the celestial entities and their effect when called upon would be helpful at the beginning or end of the book. I don't know if it was the intention of the author to show that even in an alternative history, that the transmigration of slaves would've likely happened no matter if they had magical powers, due to the level of economic greed in the United States?