There were pacing and plot hole issues that really glitched it up too much for me, and made it a little slow, however, I enjoyed it!
But it wasn't until the last 50% or so that I found that same pace, that same encompassing, attention grabbing momentum in structure and content that really had me.

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for an e-arc for review!

Another interesting mystery to be solved by our main characters, Hetty and Benjy, who we find have made some changes since we last saw them in 'The Conductors'. They are still in Philadelphia and are still helping their community by taking on cases that would tend to go unsolved. This time around, a not so welcomed blast from the past makes this current case more complicated than they initially thought.
I like how these characters are written and the sense of community and found family that Hetty and Benjy have with their friends groups. The celestial magic system continues to be my favourite part of this series and to see Hetty's mastery of it is oddly satisfying. I also appreciated the growth and intimacy of Hetty and Benjy's relationship, it was very sweet and wholesome.
Overall, I liked the story.

Found family continues to be the backbone of this Reconstruction-era historical fantasy series. It's a living history with both sweeping narratives and clever details to show the scope of the period. It just happens to include the extra feature of celestial magic with side helpings of poisons and enchantments. I was amused by the addition of baseball on broomsticks to the ambiance in this one. It's also a mystery with a cipher, many interconnected personal histories, stolen magical objects, and murders most foul.

One thing I appreciate about this book is the representation. In addition to a mostly Black cast, the series also shines a light on many queer identities, boasting a
trans man, two men in a long-term, committed relationship, and the glimmerings of a sapphic romance on the horizon. Another strength is our bold protagonist, Hetty. She knows her strengths and isn't afraid to take action. She's also fiercely loyal and stubborn, qualities both cherished and cursed by her friends. I also appreciated seeing the growing pains in the group in this book. Hetty struggles with feeling distanced from her loved ones and insecure about being left out of secrets and confidences.

There were some other aspects of the book I cared for less. It felt more like a reverberation of aftershocks from the first book at some points than an event of its own. There was also a lack of romantic tension now that the questions from the first book have been resolved, and that was a big part of the draw for me. Finally, I appreciate the complex mess of clues in our murder mystery for keeping things from getting too obvious, but they were a bit convoluted and hard to follow at times. I think it diminished any sense of urgency and stole the thunder from its own big reveal.

You're a fan of historical fantasy that has a critical eye and a great cast of characters, you'll find this series worth your while.

I was provided a free copy of this from @netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
This is the sequel to The Conductors. Set in a post American Civil War time where magic is common, although also feared, we are once again following Hetty and Benjy as they run their business and work to solve the mysteries that seem to follow them!
Some of the same struggles I had with the first one (that I gave four stars) were also present here. There are A LOT of characters. And it is often hard to keep track of who they are, what their motives might be, and their history. I also struggled with the quick wrap up of things. There was a lot going on to be wrapped up so quickly.
I enjoyed the relationship between Hetty and Benjy, and enjoyed the growth of the relationships with their friends... But again, everyone seemed to be a suspect and hiding things! 🤣
I would definitely recommend reading the first to get more of the back story of the characters, and if you enjoy it, then give this one a try too.
It was published last week, so it's available now for purchase!
#NetGalley #TheUndertakers

I want that cover as a poster, please! I was a humongous fan of the first book in this series, so of course I was ecstatic for more Hetty and Benjy. While it’s a different animal than the first in many ways, it was still an enthralling read. This is the second in the series, so while the mystery itself is self-contained, I think a new reader would be confused by the large cast of characters.

With the whereabouts of her sister settled, Hetty’s free to focus on their fledgling funeral home business… if only there was any business. Instead, mysterious fires have been plaguing the city, resulting in the death of another former Underground Railroad conductor. An investigation doesn’t reveal anything out of the ordinary, until another of his relatives dies in even more suspicious circumstances. Ghosts from their past have reappeared in Philadelphia, and they have their sights set on Benjy and Hetty.

“She could spin stories around the drops of starlight and whispers from the moon, but words eluded her when speaking of her true feelings, even to those closest to her.”


I adore Hetty. She readily admits to being “vexing and nosy”, two qualities that I absolutely adore in a character and which I think work particularly well for solving mysteries. She’s a master storyteller and she knows exactly how to use that skill to get information out of an uncooperative source or to distract them. Despite that, she has a hard time telling her friends and family how much they mean to her, preferring instead to let them take over her back garden or plan an elaborate present. Or in smaller ways, like choosing to sew in the library where Benjy is working rather than in her designated sewing room.

“It made a good story. After years of searching, she finally found out the truth, and with the love of the family she built around her she had the support to let the past go. It was a story Hetty wanted to be true, because she knew how much she had failed everyone in her life due to her focus on finding Esther. She ruined friendships, she lost time, and maybe more than she would ever know, prepared to leave as if going to retrieve a fallen star.”


In the last book, Hetty was still looking for her sister and trying to figure out her relationship with Benjy. With those both resolved, Hetty is finally free to deal with the ramifications of her search for her sister and its unsatisfying end. She’s unfailingly risked everything time and again for the least shred of information about her, and now she’s realizing exactly what she sacrificed for that. She worries her friends think her too fragile to share bad news with, that she’s ruptured their friendships. But what she hasn’t reckoned on is the family she’s found in Philadelphia. All of my favorite characters from the last book are back Oliver and Thomas, Darlene, Penelope and Sy. In addition, we get a few new characters, like Temperance, Bernice Tanner’s new assistant. She was amazing and completely stole every scene she was in!

The celestial magic that Hetty uses is still wonderful. Consisting of sixteen star sigils, it’s based on the constellations and is passed on orally through families or schools. It fills all the spaces of the world, from how baseball games are played to exactly why racists hate Darwin. Post-Civil War Philadelphia feels so amazingly well realized that I could imagine riding through it on a bike with Hetty. The mystery itself is nice and complicated, with plenty of red herrings and fast pacing. Part of that, I think, is that there are fewer insterstitials this time, as they’re just to provide background on the particular villain trailing them.

As for cons, there are references to other cases they’ve worked, which were very intriguing and made me wish they were explored more fully. While that’s in some ways a good thing, occasionally it also made me feel like I’d missed part of the story. I also would’ve liked more time with just Hetty and Benjy. Their relationship difficulties from the previous book have been resolved, so I know it’s not as dramatic, but the scenes where it’s just them are sweet and understatedly romantic. They’re so wonderful together, and it’s nice seeing them just having space to breathe.

Overall, I loved tagging along with Hetty and Benjy again, and can’t wait to see what their next adventure is.

I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I adored The Conductors, so getting an ARC of the sequel was an absolute joy. Glover does an excellent job at making you feel the time and place of her stories without overwhelming with historical info dumps.

The relationship between Benjy and Hetty remains one of my favorite parts of these stories. They have the ease of a long relationship, but also the freshness of new love. They have problems and arguments, but they sit down and communicate with each other. In addition to her relationship with Benjy, Hetty has so many female friendships. With such a large secondary cast, each woman is unique and delightful and each of their friendships with Hetty feel true and real.

The mystery didn’t wrap up quite as neatly, I felt, in this one. And there was a lot that overlapped and all ended up being relevant to one case, which was a little messy to understand and I had to go back and reread some sections. And I was left with some questions that we probably won’t get an answer to.

I liked how everything was resolved, although the ending did feel a little sequel baity to me. Not that I mind. As soon as there’s information on a third one, I will absolutely be grabbing that.

This is such a unique series: Both the plot line and the characters are exceptional and engaging.

The author uses flashbacks to build the background information for the main characters, and usually this is a smooth and enjoyable process. In this second book, a couple of times the flashbacks served more to confuse than to develop characters.

I gave the book 4 stars instead of 5 because, while there was a strong premise and story line for this second book, the latter portion of the book seemed to be less cohesive. (That may be due to my reading an advanced reading copy, rather than a finished and published version.)

Still, I definitely recommend both books in this series: There are mystery, intrigue, magic, and a strong, steady romance. I enjoyed Glover's writing - and there is nothing like them out there.

I particularly like the hook at the end of book two that signals an intriguing and inviting book three. Hope it comes soon!

I think I liked the first book a lot more than this. It was easier to get into and the plot was easier to follow. However, the characters did more than make up for it. I loved them and I really liked how we were able to get to know them better in this book. I really enjoyed the flashbacks! As this is set in the American Civil War, there is definitely a historical element to it and you can tell that it is very well researched. The writing is also spectacular and it does hook you in, although the plot and the pacing did make me put it down a few times.

One thing Nicole will do is take me along for a ride.

I will say I didn't really read the synopsis going into this. I was just excited about there being a sequel; however, I definitely think it would've helped me process the story a little better. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the adventure as much as the first one. This one was even a little more sinister than the first.

I really enjoyed getting to understand the sigils a little better and how Celestial magic and Sorcery differ. I helped frame the story for me as we didn't get much of that in the first book. I'm still a little confused on how the sigils work and what each of them exactly means but I guess that just might end up being a Google search since they relate to astrology. There's a lot of moving parts to this story, as well as the first one, that honestly keep the reader guessing and just make you sit back and enjoy the ride. I had no clue what was going to happen next the entire time and I was delighted. Of course, I loved the character and relationship development of Hetty and Benjy. I think they are my favorite couple I've ever read about. Their marriage is so simple yet passionate. The way they work together as equals and fight and protect each other so eagerly and passionately is delightful. Benjy makes me swoon so much. His energy is very much silent but deadly. These elements really made great storytelling (almost as good as Hetty) and really engrossed the reader in their journey.

There were moments, however, when things felt clustered and unrelated. During the middle of the book, I got rather confused because I felt like a lot of things were happening at once and it took away from the main plot line-the Duvals' death. Most of the things come back up at the end of the novel, but I think it would've been better to just mention them in passing rather than go into great detail because my brain was rattled. There seem to hint at a 3rd book at the end so maybe those loose ends will be tied up once again. Overall, I enjoyed yet another adventure with Hetty and Benjy and I'm excited for another one.

3.5 stars - I was instantly intrigued by the idea of a historical fiction book, set in post-Civil-War Philadelphia, focusing on two people who had, in the past, led slaves to freedom via the Underground Railroad, but with a twist - magic! The Undertakers is the second book by Nicole Glover in her Murder and Mystery series (the first one is The Conductors) but can be read as a standalone. Of course, as with any series, you will miss some of the backstory and nuances if you haven’t read the first book, but you’ll be fine either way.

In this alternate history, Blacks were capable of doing “celestial magic”. I loved how practitioners of celestial magic, including the main characters, Hetty and Benjy Rhodes, were able to flick their fingers and conjure a celestial being: a dog, a bull, a hunter, among other constellation-based figures. Each constellation seemed to be chosen for a particular purpose/skill to fit the need of the moment. They could also set protective wards around both things and people.

There were a few “interludes” set before and during the Civil War to explain Hetty and Benjy’s backstory and to provide background on what was happening in the main story, but the main action takes place in the summer of 1871. The story is a bit convoluted and dragged a bit, but I still enjoyed it. I loved all the relationships that Hetty and Benjy had: Oliver, the embalmer; Darlene, the artist; Penelope, the potion-maker; and so forth. They are a perfect illustration of the concept of “found family.” The story is tied up nicely and the book ends on a note that makes me think that Glover has a third book planned for this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mariner Books for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This review was originally posted on <a href="https://booksofmyheart.net/2021/11/09/the-undertakers-by-nicole-glover/" target="_blank"> Books of My Heart</a>
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<i>Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i>

3.5 hearts

I really enjoyed <strong>The Conductors.</strong>  I have always loved stories about the Civil War and the Underground Railroad.   I would read these books in order as <strong>The Undertakers</strong> continues the story.

The main character and point of view is Hetty (Henrietta).  She and her husband, Benjy,  are magic users.  They are settled in Philadelphia.  She used to be a dressmaker and he,  a blacksmith.  Now they have opened a funeral home with their friend, Oliver, assisting.  But really what they want to do is solve mysteries and murders.

There are plenty of murders happening. I felt a little disjointed both by so many characters, and the flashes of scenes from the past.  Eventually, it does all tie together; the murders are related to a family they saved.

The <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/308870-murder-and-magic" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em><strong>Murder and Magic</strong></em></a> series has much to offer with its unique point in history, right after the Civil War, and the complex magic systems.  I love the relationship of Benjy and Hetty.  The two of them love their adventures and solving mysteries and setting things right for others.

The Undertakers by Nicole Glover

Pros: excellent worldbuilding, fun characters, community, interesting mysteries

Cons:

Henrietta and Benjamin Rhodes’s funeral parlour hasn’t drummed up much business, but their work as sparrow and finch, solving murders and mysteries, has them questioning all the fires that have been breaking out around town. Fires that seem to have magical help. Fires the local firefighters aren’t putting out. A fire killed Raimond Duval, a friend of their friends. The most recent fire burned down an entire street except for the house of Valentine Duval, Raimond’s son. The Rhodes soon learn of stolen goods, a hidden treasure, and discover one of their old enemies is in town.

The book takes place a few months after the events of The Conductors. While you don’t need to have read that to understand this book, it does introduce all of the characters and their interpersonal relationships, which along with the mystery is what makes these books so fun.

I love that there’s a loving couple at the heart of the book. I love that Hetty has several female friends to talk to about everything. I love seeing the Rhodes interact with their group of friends. This sense of community is strangely missing in a lot of fantasy literature and it’s so wonderful to read.

The setting is Pennsylvania in the late 1800s, with several flashbacks to some of the jobs the couple undertook as part of the Vigilance Society (basically the underground railway). It’s a world where magic is real, and most cultures have their own kind of magic, with white Americans using wands for sorcery and the black Americans using celestial magic. In the background are mentions that laws are being considered to limit the use and teaching of celestial magic. Magic is integrated into every aspect of life, showing up at baseball games, balls, gunfights and for daily tasks. There’s also potion craft, which one of Hetty’s friends excels at.

The book touches on many goings on so it’s not always apparent what’s part of the central mystery and what isn’t. Much like real life the characters learn things in offhand and unexpected ways.

This is a great series and I highly recommend it.

Hetty and Benjy are back, solving mysteries in post-Civil War Philadelphia with wit, courage, and just a hint of magic. A series of house fires covers up the murders of older members of the community, putting our detectives on the trail of a treasure people are willing to kill for. The narrative soars in the ordinary moments of Hetty and Benjy's lives, from their struggle to maintain their new funeral home to their cheerful gatherings with neighbors and friends. Unlike most magical detectives, Hetty and Benjy still need to earn a living and be part of a community, which adds texture and character to the story. Highly recommended for those who like their mysteries well grounded and not grim, and those for whom the story around the mystery us just as important as the reveal.

I really enjoyed THE CONDUCTORS (the first book in the Murder & Magic series) last year, so I was incredibly keen to get my fingers on this second book, THE UNDERTAKERS. While I enjoyed this instalment, and still think the series has bucket loads of potential, I didn’t think it was quite as strong as the first.

In this instalment, Hetty and Benji are trying to get their brand-new funeral home off the ground, while investigation a streak of arsons, when a dangerous face from the past reappears to menace them.

At least partly, I think that’s because, for me, the mystery aspect was one of the things that really hooked me in THE CONDUCTORS. THE UNDERTAKERS does have a mystery plotline, but I didn’t think it was as intriguing or as tightly plotted as the first one. Similarly, I really enjoyed the flashbacks in the first book, and that was a lesser aspect to this story. Obviously, both these things come down to personal taste.

The writing itself was just as strong as I was expecting, and Hetty and the gang are still fascinating and hugely likeable characters. Hetty and Benji are a wonder depiction of a couple that loves and totally supports each other without it being overly saccharine or overly tetchy. I love the two of them, both as individual characters and as a relationship to really root for. It’s great to see how they bounce off one another.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

The Undertakers is the second in Nicole Glover’s historical fantasy/murder-mystery series, Murder & Magic. It works fine as a stand-alone, and you get pretty decent grounding for who the major characters are, although it is, as always, enriched by reading in order.

I found the characters more engaging this time around, whereas I felt the previous book allowed them to get a little lost in the shuffle. I already really liked Hetty, and feel Benjy was better fleshed out this time around, especially with the continued use of the Civil War flashbacks. Their relationship development did get a bit sidelined in favor of other elements, but I guess that’s par for the course of where things stand.

The magic is still intriguing, if a little hard to pin down, as it isn’t overly explained in either book. However, I did quite like the continued world building and the casual ways in which magic was integrated into nineteenth-century American society, like playing baseball with broomsticks. Can we have some (relatively) non-murder-y spin-off shorts just exploring little things like that?!

There’s a lot of intrigue and danger, what with Hetty and Benjy not knowing who they can trust, and all the nefarious events going on, from thefts to murders to fires. The plot moved at a brisk pace, keeping the characters busy as they worked to sort everything out, keeping me invested throughout.

This is a great second installment, and I’m excited to see what’s next. If you love genre blending mashups of historical fiction, fantasy, and mystery, you should absolutely check this out.

The Undertakers by Nicole Glover is the second book in her Murder & Magic series , a series describing the adventures of Hetty and Benjy Rhodes, who practice magic alongside their detective work, while trying to establish a funeral parlour as a day job. The book is set in post civil war Philadelphia., and since our protagonists are people of colour there is a really interesting historical dynamic at play.
The first book in the series, The Conductors , establishes Hetty and Benjy' s back story and I would strongly recommend reading it before picking up the Undertakers as understanding this background will greatly enhance the reader's enjoyment of this book.
Here the couple are investigating the deaths of a father and son , both of whom died in mysterious circumstances which may have a magical aspect. Honestly I found the plot of this book a little weak ,especially in comparison to the Conductors which had more drama and a more compelling story. I kept reading because of how much I liked the characters of Benjy and particularly Hetty, and because I was intrigued by the magic system that was introduced in the first book, but even my love for the couple could not salvage the plot which felt slow and convoluted. I am confused about the decision to include so many flash back chapters, they completely derailed any momentum that the author was getting going , and made the book feel very disjointed. It leaves me on the fence about whether I would read more in the series , which is a shame as the characters and concept are wonderful.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Hetty and Benjy, our mystery solving duo, are fantastic characters and I truly love them. I wish I liked the rest of the book as much as I like them. If I am honest, everything else just doesn’t quite work. The plot is a bit convoluted and the narrative is interrupted by flashbacks that halted any momentum that was built up. For a book about undertakers, there is very little actual undertaking going on. I am disappointed!

The ideas in this one are great and I love this concept of a magical, post-Civil War world. Magic with constellations is also a win in my book as well. It is worth reading just to imagine these things. I picked this one because, as you may well know, I like books with magic, murder, and potential spookiness. None of these things are fully explored, however, and there was a lot more telling than actual showing. It kind of felt like a cozy mystery, but not quite. It was like it was not sure what genre it wanted to be. What is left is a menagerie of intriguing ideas, but nothing bringing them together. I feel like this book needed just a few more edits and rewrites. I think with those edits and rewrites, this book would have jumped from an ok read to a great read.

This is a series and I was able to read this as a standalone which is great, but it did not leave me curious enough to want to read the other stories in this series. It has not intrigued me enough. That said, the main character building in this one is fantastic and I dare you not to adore this married couple. I think if you love well-written characters and enjoy mysteries, this may be enough for this to be just the right book for you.

Many thanks to Mariner Books and Netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I like historical fantasy but this series struggles to blend the history with the magic system. There are a lot of characters to keep track of and I just had a hard time staying alert and keeping track of everyone while reading.

I really enjoyed Nicole Glover's previous book, "The Conductors", where we're introduced to the wonderful Hetty and Benjy, former conductors of the Underground Railroad.
In this book, Hetty and Benny are trying to make a go of the funeral home. Business is light, and the pair are investigating a series of unexplained fires, in one of which a former member of the Underground Railroad perished. Hetty is also still suffering from the sad news about her sister Esther, and is shocked and angry by the sudden reappearance of a face from the past.
When the pair delve into the possible culprits behind the fires, they find connections to people from past rescue operations, and to members of their current community, and more troubling, their circle of friends. There are also other nefarious things happening: a series of thefts perpetrated against local businesses, murders, toxic tonics, and family secrets. So, it's a busy time for the daring pair.

I love how the friendships introduced in book one are handled here. Hetty is still quick to rush into situations because of her powerful command of Celestial Magic, and her take-charge attitude and need to protect everyone she cares about can actually cause difficulties with her friendships. The author handles Hetty’s revelations with sensitivity.
Nicole Glover also portrays two people who love and totally respect one another in Hetty and a Benjy; it’s such a pleasure to see how they rely on each other emotionally and magically.
Even with all the emotional moments in the story, it's still fast-paced, and Glover kept me wondering if the pair would figure out how to stop the fires and the murders within their community in time. There is plenty of action, with great historical details throughout, and a terrific heroine that I love so much. I dearly hope we see Hetty, Benjy, Penelope, Darlene, and all their other friends again.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Mariner Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.

The Undertakers is the second book in Nicole Glover's "Murder & Magic" series, which began earlier this year with The Conductors in March. The series is a historical fantasy mystery/noir series, taking place in reconstruction-era Black Philadelphia. There our protagonist Hetty Rhodes and her husband Benjy - former conductors on the Underground Railroad - use their magic to help the people of Black Philadelphia with their problems, such as crimes, kidnappings, murders and more that the white authorities have no interest in dealing with. I really liked The Conductors, which featured a really great protagonist and strong supporting characters to go along with a setting that allowed the book to deal with serious themes (not to mention a time period all but glossed over by White-described history of this country).

The Undertakers continues this series' winning ways, with a story that remains strong in dealing the prejudices and problems faced by Blacks in reconstruction-era Philadelphia, and beforehand, even while barely featuring any White characters at all. Main protagonist Hetty remains excellent, and her supporting cast is incredibly easy to fall in love with. And while the story's occasional red herrings still go nowhere like the first book, they also still serve a purpose in hitting some serious themes here of issues faced not just by Blacks, but by other immigrant cultures new to Philadelphia, all of whom have their own forms of magic (which are just touched on here, but intriguingly at that). All in all, if you're looking for a new fantasy series, this should absolutely be on your radar.

-------------------------------------------------Plot Summary-----------------------------------------------------
Hetty and Benjy have been trying to make their new business as funeral home directors/undertakers work, but they have been finding it impossible to attract new clients. In the meantime, their "side" business of investigating the mysterious happenings of Black Philadelphia, and helping those with problems, isn't necessarily going well either, leading to some conflicts with friends when they can't find any conclusive proof that one Raimond Duval is found dead in a fire - one of the many fires seemingly being set or at least ignored by a White fire company. And what can they do against one of Philadelphia's most powerful White aldermen?

But when Raimond's son Valentine is also killed, and their investigations reveal a series of mysterious tunnels, Hetty and Benjy realize that more is going on in Black Philadelphia - as rumors reach them of a mysterious spellbook meant to make Celestial (Black) Magic look bad, of magic items stolen from Black and immigrant communities, and of a lost treasure of sapphires hidden behind an uncrackable numeric cypher. And then there's the figure from their past, a black man who once acted as a bounty hunter for refugee slaves, who is incredibly skilled with magic, and has a score to settle with Hetty...one that he will do anything to settle...no matter who gets in his path.
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The Undertakers is told in the same manner as The Conductors - with the story largely told in the present except for interludes to crucial past moments that largely take place during the time Hetty and Benjy worked on getting slaves to freedom, with the story still entirely told from Hetty's point of view. That said, the novel doesn't attempt to retell the same story as the last book - so Hetty and Benjy, whose marriage was more formal than romantic in book 1 until Hetty realized she actually loved him, don't have to relitigate their relationship; and nor do some of their friends have to relitigate their own relationships (like the gay embalmer Oliver and his lover, the bi Thomas).

Instead, this book is very much a moving forward with the various relationships, which works really well as all the characters here are highly enjoyable. Hetty remains an excellent protagonist, as she worries that her new business is falling apart before it even can get started, and that her friends are doing things without her even as they've gotten closer....and most significantly, deals with the grief that comes from finally discovering her sister Esther is now dead. She's also still an intrepid do-gooder when it comes to her side business (really main business) of acting as the Sparrow, which is why she gets so offended when she realizes others are trying to do good without telling her (and to be fair, Hetty not paying proper attention to news kind of is her own fault). And her capability with magic remains top notch, especially in combination with Benjy, whose love she now knows she has and reciprocates, even as she accepts his stubbornness as just a part of who he is.

And then again there are Hetty's friends, who are just a delight as they all form essentially a found family around Hetty in their own ways - you have Penelope, who mixes magic potions (and has an interest in girls) who is basically Hetty's replacement sister, Darlene the painter and her husband George, Oliver and Thomas, Sy the trans boy and his sister Rosie, and more, all of whom have their own personalities and interests....and yet who also want to be part of both Hetty's life and adventures (there's one scene where Hetty goes to tell them they're all in danger, only to discover they all are secretly armed, which is kind of hilarious). And there's Hetty's paternal figures Jay and Cora, who used to be in charge of the network that they used to free slaves, who Hetty has issues with in this book. The dialogue in the story works really well at building these relationships, and is often incredibly amusing and enjoyable as well. And there's one late-appearance character who's a lot of fun and who seems like she's gonna stick around too, which I eagerly look forward to.

Then there's the plot, which deals with different ideas than the first book, but still very relevant ones to both this time period and our own. So you have rich white politicians enacting a reign of terror, and propaganda and theft against primarily black magic users, but also secondarily against other immigrant groups like Asians and Jews, who are revealed to have their own forms of magic. You have the hunt for a white man's treasure, which was of course hidden by his black slave, and the story of a black slave who was really a freedman stolen from his family, only to adopt a new one before ending tragically - a story that comes to the forefront in really interesting and sad ways. And the main villain isn't a black man who wants white people magic (ala book 1), but one who uses black Celestial magic against his own people, and cares little for anyone but his own. And hell, while the mystery of the real antagonist behind him isn't that surprising, the reasoning behind their actions both fits the themes here of families torn apart and works in the story.

So yeah, The Undertakers is a second winner in this series, which I really recommend to others at this point. If you're looking for an enjoyable fantasy series from a non-White perspective, definitely check this one out. It's great.