Historical fiction but with MAGIC and MURDER MYSTERY. Nicole Glover's debut novel features an expansive cast of characters led by Hetty and Benjy, former conductors along the underground railroad, now living in Philadelphia, building, protecting, and maintaining their Black community. When they begin to discover dead bodies marked with a cursed sigil, they begin the search for connections and a killer. This book moves slowly, with brief interludes into the past, to truly build and show the intricacies and complexities of each character as well as the home they've built together. The magic system woven throughout is pulsating and powerful. As I turned the last page, I wept from how much I'm going to miss the characters. Guess I just have to read it again.

I’ve recently been on a binge of historical fantasy, a genre I had once shied away from because I haven’t had the best (read: most exciting) experiences with historical fiction. However, I recently received THE CONDUCTORS by Nicole Glover via Netgalley, which felt like fate because it was also the same day I had finished DREAD NATION by Justina Ireland, another historical fantasy set during the Civil War-era.

If you’re intrigued by the premise (as I most certainly was), then read on.

I received THE CONDUCTORS by Nicole Glover as an ARC via Netgalley. The novel sets us in Philadelphia in May 1871, five years after the Thirteenth Amendment was passed in 1866. We follow the journey of Hetty, our protagonist and wielder of powerful magical abilities. She and her husband, Benjy, are conductors on the Underground Railroad, shuffling escaped slaves out of the south and into the north. Their pasts as slaves permeate each and every calculation they make, and this book is timely in the sense that it fits in with the transition that the publishing world is making towards pushing out work focusing on BIPOC characters and narratives.

The majority of the plot revolves around Hetty and Benjy investigating missing children, arcane magic, and mysterious murders in Philadelphia. When a friend of the couple winds up dead in an alley and a dark sigil etched into his skin, that’s when we hit the main plot point.

Glover’s world works with a magic system that I thoroughly enjoyed–in theory. There is a marked and unsubtle separation of the magic that white characters utilize, Sorcery, and the magic that Black characters utilize, Celestial magic. Sorcery involves the usage of wands, incantations, icons and wrist-waving that the popular world has associated with Harry Potter-esque witchery, whereas Celestial magic touches upon Afro-Caribbean roots in nature, constellations, and sigils.

It’s heady stuff, and I wish that the author had been less vague about how magic actually worked. I want to know more about how magic drains the user, how it gives and takes in unequal measure, and why there is such a differentiation between the systems utilized. I also would have found it more helpful to explain the magic earlier on in the book. I understood it, but it took some creative inferences.

The cast of characters is varied, and I was so relieved when the author did not portray stereotypes of post-Civil War people. Not every Black person was a slave, and although the focus of the story is centered around Hetty and her mission, we are party to Black socialites, free men, and empowered, witty people. The events are no doubt grievous, and as an American wading through the current civil rights movement, it gives me, the reader, time to also pay closer attention to the time period and history this novel is set in. Glover treats the situation with gravity and allows us to do so, as well.

I am very disappointed with the pacing of the novel, however. This novel was seemingly pitched as a tense mystery historical fiction with elements of fantasy. While the prose was well-written and the characters relatable and likable, I would’ve been more prepared going in with the correct mindset if this novel was placed in the historical fiction genre containing a mystery subplot with fantasy elements.

It’s a subtle differentiation, but it was enough to throw me off with the novel carried me in an almost leisurely manner. It certainly wasn’t tense enough for me to be carving through every page to get to the ending, which was a bit of a lukewarm letdown. Clarence was the clear villain from the start for me, and it made me unravel the mystery early on from his interactions with Eunice, Hetty, and Benjy.

Quicken the pacing, cut down on Hetty’s tedious navigations with her social circle, and push the romance and interludes further. The latter two points were the strongest areas of the novel and the ones that I was most invested with. They were fresh and easily outshone the mystery aspect.

The novel is a quick breath of air and a fresh perspective, and the characters are fun, attractive, and relatable. In the end, I oscillated between 3 to 4 stars, but found that it needs a stronger editor and tighter pacing for it to truly shine.

3.5 stars.

I was so excited about this book, and while it didn't blow me away, it was a good read. I love to read stories of the underground railroad, so the idea of magic being brought into the mix was pretty cool!

The magical system was really interesting. It corresponded to the stars, which was different, but I would have liked a bit more information about it. Maybe earlier in the story because I felt a bit lost to start. I think that I got into more as the story progressed, but overall, it just didn't capture my attention the way I wanted it to.

I was provided an advanced reader's copy for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

Honestly, I'm not sure where to start with this review. Such a refreshing premise and an exciting concept! Unfortunately for me, the historical aspects of the writing overtook the story itself, and it plodded along until the last few chapters of the book. The characters and world-building are exceptional, but the level of detail, at times, felt as if the author was going for filler rather than keeping the reader engaged. Granted, I read an unedited ARC so these issues may be corrected in the final printing. A solid three stars, maybe a little higher -- especially if you are a fan of historical fiction with a bit of magic on the side.

trigger warning
<spoiler> slavery, gambling, domestic abuse, kidnapping </spoiler>

Years after Hetty and Benji worked as conductors, they still take cases when nobody else will help - often this entails saving people who get kidnapped to be sold as slaves in the south. This time, it's a corpse. And this time, it's a friend.

I signed up for this because they told me murder mystery in a historical setting but with magic. I got that. On top of it, there are different kinds of magic used by different people. White people use sorcery that depends on using a wand, while black people, former slaves, didn't have access to that. They use a system of sigils based on star signs, which is why this kind of magic is called celestial magic.

Three dimensional characters, factoids about life back then, and so many things going on you're surprised to realise you forgot some element - or that might be because I was only able to read a few pages at a time as I was in the first half of this novel while I was able to read the second half in two sittings.

The love story. Hear me out. I loved it. Usually, I am a person that tolerates love subplots rather than being there for them, which is why I have such a hard time with the romance genre. Might be my aro side, I don't know.
In any case, this felt natural and not rushed. It fit in there, in the plot, to the characters, and this book is on my small list of instances in which I felt the book would be less without it.

And I want to speak about Hettie. Listen, she's such a well-rounded character. She has flaws, she has talents, most notably sewing, being the best celestrial mage in the city, and being able to annoy <i>everybody</i> which can come in handy when trying to solve a murder, because annoyed people might spill more than they wanted to.
Usually, talent in magic in novels is counterpointed by having a character that's socially inept, but Hettie just doesn't suffer fools. She could. She just doesn't want to. She is not constructed, if you know what I mean, and one of the best female characters I read about this year.

I'll make sure to keep an eye out for further books by Nicole Glover and would like it very much should she return to this world.

I recieved copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

Many of wondered how the underground railroad worked and how the conductors managed to save some many lives. This story gives an answer that includes magic. Celestial, zodiac based, as well as sorcery. The story and the characters will draw you in. The mystery will keep you guessing until the very end. I hope this is the first of a series. Amazing story full of history and excitement.

The premise of this book sounded so, so, so interesting. Conductors on the Underground Railroad but with magic?! "Sign me up!", I thought, but, sadly, this was not the story for me. I really wanted to enjoy it as the blurb just sounded so cool but it never captured me.

I thought the magic system with the seals and the connections to the stars/constellations were cool but I think the system needs a brushing up and maybe be place more in the foreground than what its significance was in the story. I think the whole magic part of the story was lost in an overall story I never really got in to. But maybe that more my fault than the actual story and writing itself?

I actually don't know what the story was about, which is sad, and since I can't recall the story I can't really give this story an amazing rating. I did like the idea behind it but had a hard time following the actual product.

Wow wow wow wowwwwww
What a debut!

Gorgeous, delicious prose. Juicy historical-fiction-mystery... but with a touch of magic ✨

Honestly, would not hate it if this turned into a series.

I’m super into the magical lore that Glover has created here— really creative to use the historical context of occultism being born of Black cultures, while also creating the idea that wands used by non-magical folk (usually white people) are made from bones of magic slaves. Also, establishing a “dark magic” component with sorcery.

Also, really enjoyed the romance between Hetty and Benji so, so much. Will definitely be following Nicole Glover for her future works!

I was deeply interested in this book after reading the blurb, because I believed it had everything I love about a good story: mystery, history and fantasy!

I am really happy to say I was right! I loved how the historical background is enhanced by the magical features, expecially because they are used a way to show the racism of that time too. Some people might not like the fact that the origins of the magic are not explained, but I don't feel like it has to be, and it would have made the book quite boring to have every magical detail being lectured to me.

Also, as a fan of detective novels, I'm used to deal with the existence of many characters in a mystery book, and I want to point out that, for me, they were properly introduced (not all of them at the same time) giving the reader time to take each one in.

I enjoyed the flashbacks not only because they explained all the characters relations, but also Benjy and Hettie's, once they are already married at the beggining of the book. And that gives the reader a good point of view on how their partnership grew into a friendship that led to their marriage. I can't even begin to say how much I loved them two, individually and together.

This reading was utterly enjoyable, I recommend to everyone that fancies a good mystery in a historical setting with a twist of fantasy.

I want to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Conductors was one of those books where the premise was so unique that I immediately wanted to read it, so I was delighted when it turned up on Netgalley and my request was granted. Mostly, it lived up to my expectations, though there were a couple of things about it that didn't quite work for me, perhaps showing that this is a debut novel.

The basic premise of The Conductors is that it's set in the post-Civil War United States, with flashbacks to earlier times, but this is an America with one big difference - the existence of magic, in two different forms. The magic wielded by some slaves, and therefore by freed men and women after the war that is based on the elements - either sigils of the constellations or brewed - as opposed to the wand-based Sorcery restricted to white people. While this is an intriguing way of structuring a magic system, there are clear omissions in the world-building (whether by design or not) especially around how much more effective the elemental magic seems to be.

As well as talking about magic, this is also a murder mystery with a number of dead bodies cropping up along the way. Our protagonists, formerly the eponymous conductors of runaway slaves on the Underground Railroad with the use of magic, find themselves in the middle of this scenario and take on the role of investigators with vigour. Unfortunately, the pacing of the book starts to lag a little in the middle and my interest started to wane a little - again, perhaps, the mark of a first novel?

Everything gets resolved in the end, I'm sure you'll be glad to hear, and this seems to be a standalone so there's no nasty cliffhanger for the next book to deal with. All in all, The Conductors is an entertaining read and clearly a labour of love for the author, who has worked hard in terms of her research. I look forward to seeing what she comes up with next.

This would make a cool TV show. Part historical fiction, part fantasy, all mystery. Hetty and Benjy used to be conductors for the Underground Railroad. Now she’s a dressmaker and he’s a blacksmith. Together, using their magical skills, they solve murders. The using magic and solving murders would lend itself well to a weekly tv show, plus altough Hetty and Benjy are married, it was more of a marriage of convenience, so it’s also fun to watch their relationship develop over the course of the book.

I found myself wanting to know more about the magic systems in this world. I would definitely read more books set in this world and about these characters.

Hetty and Benjy, two former Underground Railroad conductors and current magic practitioners, solve crimes in post-Civil War Philadelphia. When a friend is found murdered, everyone is a suspect.

What I liked:

The premise of the story. A couple of married magical murder investigators who are former Underground Railroad conductors was instantly intriguing. I haven't read fantasy set in this historical context before, so finding a book that focuses on the diversity of Black folks' experience in post-Civil War America was very welcome.

The relationship between Hetty and Benjy. Their marriage is initially non-romantic; they are partners and friends first and foremost. 

Oliver and Thomas' relationship warmed my heart. I enjoy an odd couple: Oliver is a curmudgeon, Thomas is more of an extrovert and entertainer.

What I didn't like:

The magic system was too vague for me. More focus on the origins of celestial magic, some of the underlying logic/mechanics, and honestly more of the wonder that comes with really well-developed magic systems would have made this element more compelling.

The tone almost feels cozy mystery-ish in the sense that most of the deaths don't feel very traumatic or impactful; they seem to function as clues more than anything. This isn't necessarily a problem, it just isn't my preference when it comes to mysteries. I prefer grittier, darker content and tone.

In general Hetty's quest to reunite with her sister Esther fell flat for me. I didn't feel like I knew Esther or saw much of her relationship with Hetty, so I wasn't as invested in this storyline. To remedy this, I would have preferred the flashback scenes included more Esther. I think it would have been more impactful to have her as a fellow conductor, along with Hetty and Benjy, so we could see that relationship in more detail and develop an attachment to her as a character. I would have preferred fewer characters in this story overall, with a stronger focus on developing a small number of key relationships.

The trajectory of the mystery was also a bit muddled for me, with a lot of detours and meandering conversations that slowed down the plot significantly. I found that this undercut the story's tension and buildup.

Overall, I didn't dislike this book, but I think it would have been more exciting to read and more impactful if it had a tighter storyline and focused on a few key characters and relationships.

I really loved the concept of this book and thought that the exploration of people of colour as magic users in post-civil war America was a unique and well executed set up. The magic system was beautiful and the choice of celestial sigil based magic was extremely striking. I found the friendships at the heart of this book felt so warm and genuine. However, the murder mystery element didn't really work for me and I felt that the book had some pacing issues as a result

Thank you to the publisher for access to this ARC.

<i>Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free e-copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.</i>

So unfortunately <b>I DNFed this because it's just not for me.</b> But I did read enough to provide some comments.

I was so excited when I first saw this book. I mean, magicians <i>and</i> a crime solving detective couple? Set post-Civil War? How intriguing! <b>But this is more of a historical novel with fantasy and mystery elements, rather than a category fantasy novel.</b> I think that was my biggest problem.

<b>WHAT I LIKED</b>
1. The magic system. Black people perform Celestial magic while white people perform Sorcery. Sorcery involves wands and incantations and all that usual Harry Potter-esque stuff, while Celestial magic is more rooted in nature. I was intrigued. Hetty draws sigils of constellations to cast spells, and she even sews these patterns into clothes to make them stronger. Forbidden magic means carving dangerous sigils into human flesh; that's one case that Hetty and Benjy, our protagonists, have to solve.

2. Hetty. She's such an interesting protagonist. She's generally a kind, level-headed and relatable sort of woman with powerful magical abilities. She's an excellent seamstress and her love of fashion really comes through in this novel. <b>But she can't turn a blind eye to injustice, and often rushes into cases headfirst, because she cannot imagine abandoning other people.</b> She's very likable, and I hated it whenever people were nasty to her lol

3. The historical focus. I admit I don't know much about American history. This one tackles racism and slavery (Hetty and Benjy were both escaped slaves who've made a life for themselves). <b>While the events are horrific and treated with the gravity they deserve, it's not sensationalized or exploited.</b> And not every Black character is an ex-slave; in fact a lot of them were born free, some even becoming wealthy socialites. <b>I liked how Glover did not play into racial stereotypes and created a Black cast full of different personalities, social standing, and backgrounds.</b> You know, it felt real.

<b>WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE</b>
1. <b>This novel is just too slow-paced for me.</b> That's what I meant by it being more of a historical novel. <b>If you're looking for tense murder mystery thrills then this isn't the novel for you. It's really more about Hetty navigating her social circle and solving several subplots.</b> I lost interest early on. <b>I also felt like there were too many subplots and it felt a little disjointed, like Hetty was pulled in too many directions at once, and thus they weren't strong enough to hold my focus.</b>

<b>Still, the concept is quite interesting, and I suggest reading it if the summary appeals to you. But come in with the knowledge that this is a more slow-paced, leisurely, almost cozy type of historical novel⁠—not an edgy fantasy-mystery.</b>

Genre blending is much like fusion cuisine, you have to really do it well and even then it won’t be to everyone’s liking, depending on ingredients. This book’s author decided to take a mystery set in the post emancipation, post war US and infuse it with magic. Specifically, fantasy style magic of spells and such. And I am quantifying this because I love all things related to the other kind of magic…the prestidigitation kind. But when it comes to magic with spells and magic wands, no thank you. It always seems too silly somehow. And this is definitely not a silly story, quite the opposite in fact, a story of a married couple who gained some renown in the previous years as conductors, rescuing slaves and guiding them to safety up North. Now settled down in Philadelphia, in a community of likeminded free black men and women, they are getting by working as blacksmith and seamstress, but also…crime solvers. So there you go, that’s already one genre blending, drama and mystery. Sure enough, they also have a lot of success in mystery solving too. But then someone they all know is found murdered and the case spins out into something more, larger, something that involves their entire community and therefore everyone is a suspect. And the story would have worked very well with just that, but then there’s magic. Celestial kind with spells based on stars and woven into clothing, slow potion based magic of the old ways and the wand based easy magic of the neophytes. The former is a skill and a power and a birthright, the latter is merely a learned set of tricks, but can be just as potent. And to be fair, the author did a thoroughly credible job of mixing the magic in seamlessly until it’s just an aspect of an everyday life. It isn’t just an easy way to do things, there’s still manual labor and difficulties and rent to be paid. It’s just another layer of the characters’ world in a way. And when these spells come to life, they are vivid and well realized and have their own logic, so kudos to the author for making all of that work. But it’s still…too much of a fantasy thing for me. Also, this book took me a long while to get into, if I wasn’t a completist by nature, there’s a chance it might have been abandoned early on. And then slowly it drew me in, based almost solely on the undeniable appeal of the main couple, especially the wife. A powerhouse of a female character, especially for the time, she’s all you might want in a protagonist and she just wins you over. So those two, they drove this ride for me, the side characters (of which there were many) didn’t seem as distinct or as interesting or as developed. The novel offers a window into what lives of the freed men and women of the time was like, the power of the community they build, etc. So fans of historical fiction should be able to enjoy that, but if you’re looking for specifically Philadelphia based historical fiction, this really didn’t do its location justice or favors. In fact, it might have been any large city up north for all the attention it got. Not even a cheesesteak, you ask? No, not even a cheesesteak. But at any rate, it worked for what it was and likely more for different readers. For me overall, it was too slow to get into, too magic y, too drawn out. Don’t regret reading it per se, didn’t love it either, kinda in the middle. Considering the themes, a very timely release, sure to get tons of attention, merited and otherwise. Thanks Netgalley.

At first I struggled getting started with this story. There are a lot of characters and a lot of subplots. I feel that some of these could have been eliminated. I am glad I changed my mind and decided to finish reading this story.

Hetty and Benjy are former slaves and are also former conductors, people who led slaves to safety. In their new community they help solve all kinds of problems to small misunderstandings to missing persons and murder cases. When a member of their community and one of their former friends is found dead Hetty and Benjy find themselves in a mystery they don't want a part of but are compelled to solve since many of the suspects are people they consider family.
The story is compelling, though could have been better with a few less characters and subplots. I thought the inclusion of Celestial magic was interesting but a little complicated at times. I think the story was important to tell as it delved into the realities and heartbreak of slavery and recent emancipation; child marriages, lost family members, polarizing opinions, and so much more.
Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this story.

The Conductors tells the story of Hetty and Benjy in a post civil war world where magic is the currency of the day. When their friend is killed, they’re on a mission to figure out “whodunit”.

This book fell short in a number of ways. I absolutely loved the premise, but the actual plot line was hard to follow with a ton of characters introduced and very little backstory to guide the first few chapters. It felt choppy and disjointed and I was disappointed after such a cool premise.

I received an ARC of this through netgalley, so thank you to them for letting me read this!

I really liked this one. I didn’t know how it would turn out, throwing magic into Civil War era Philadelphia, but it really worked. The mystery was compelling and there were so many diverse characters who were all great.

As a side note, you should never let anyone tell you they couldn’t include lgbtq+ characters for the sake of “realism” or “historical accuracy” and you can use this book as proof of that, because this book did and it feels perfectly right.

A glittering tale of magic, murder, and mystery!

This enchanting book pulled me in with creative wanted posters, and I could not put the book down until I found out what happened to the runaways, including strong and spunky Hettie as well as her kindly sister Esther. I picked up this book because I felt my fantasy shelf needed a little more diversity, and I discovered a rich world pulling from history, slave narratives, and Glover's own rich imagination. Set in post-Civil-War Philidelphia, The Conductors follows the story of two former Underground Railroad Conductors as they continue to work in the shadows, solving mysteries and helping those in a black community that often cannot count of help from "official" sources. Glover added a dash of magic to this world, giving Celestial Magic to the Black characters while having white characters wield Sourcery like a whip. She speaks into centuries of oppression while crafting strong characters who refuse to be cowed by the rough hand they've been dealt. This historical fantasty has everything for an excellent novel: fantastic setting, believable magic, entertaining characters, a strong story-line, and dazzling writing to bring it all together. I adored Hettie and fervently wished for her success. I fell in love with gentle, strong Benji, and I enjoyed watching the two grow through the story, displaying dazzling intellect, magical prowess, and excellent banter along the way. I read this in two settings, and I'm eagerly looking forward to more books by Nicole Glover- hopefully following her fantastic characters here!

A really fantastic book. Most people will probably make the Dresden comparison (it's definitely apt) but I was reminded more of the Thieftaker series by DB Jackson. Historical fiction, well written and expertly researched, with a nice dash of magic thrown in. The magic of the world felt authentic and lived-in. A contender for the first great fantasy novel of 2021.