I really enjoyed this book! The premise is awesome. The main character is great - she is sure of herself, her skills, her place in the world, and what she values in others. I really appreciated that. The magical elements make complete sense, and the murder mysteries are intriguing. I think that because I just finished They Were Her Property that this was extra meaningful and interesting to me. I hope it becomes a series/sequel because I'd like to return to this world. I really liked the flashbacks and would have liked a whole novel just about that (a prequel maybe?).

I would hope that the mystery elements next time have fewer red herrings, and I wish the family / sister issues hadn't been wrapped up at the end of the novel.

*I received this free ARC from Netgalley"

I had been looking forward to this novel and was thrilled to get an ARC. This did not disappoint at all!! I want more of this, as in this could easily be a series. I'm going to need more adventures with Hetty and Benjy and definitely more of Penelope and Oliver's sass. I absolutely loved the imagery of the sigils and would love to have a novella on them and the celestial magic. This is a great read for folks who like a little magic with their murder mysteries.

The magic system and the idea of Conductors solving crimes was a huge hook for me. While neither disappointed, it was the romance angle and the characters of this story that shone brightest.

I would have loved more information about how the magic works: limits, costs, patterns, etc. Everything in the book was tantalizing and fascinating, but I never felt like I could grasp it. That felt like a lost opportunity.

The interludes with flashbacks were strong and the most emotional parts of the story. Each one was its own tale and could lead to its own book. I hope the author gets the chance to create an entire series - something akin to Nancy Drew would be amazing.

There were a lot of clues and people and much running about. Maybe more than I could keep straight. I honestly found that the mystery became background noise to the people and their relationships. I found much of the sleuthing disjointed and haphazard. I grew frustrated with the lack of follow-up, so I just stopped paying attention to the mystery and focused on the community and their problem-solving.

There were probably three books in this one. If each had been given room to breathe, I would have given this book 5 stars. It's a brilliant concept with strong characters and a fascinating perspective. I look forward to more work by Glover.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mariner Books for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I can't quite decide how I felt about this book. On the one hand, the pacing is sort of slow, it tends to get a bit lost in itself, and it feels like it's the fourth book in a series - like you should already know the characters, history, magic system, and backstory. A lot of things weren't explained and were just alluded to, which was frustrating. But it's still fascinating, with interesting characters, extremely cool magic, and an important historical setting. I loved the relationship between Hetty and Benjy. It has an interesting plot and the pacing improved markedly past the halfway point. Overall, I enjoyed it, and think it's an important work from a POC author.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC - I received it in exchange for my honest opinion.

I struggled to get into this book, but by the end of it I had fallen in love with it. It starts off with some wanted/alert style ads about people running away from or helping others escape slavery, and when we join the actual story it was right into some intense action involving an entirely new magic system. In the first few chapters, I was constantly going back to the start to remind myself of the names and times and events.

However, it really took off when we settled more into the main characters and their lives. The characters were all so distinct and lifelike, and the magic system in this book is so fresh and new - I absolutely loved it. By about 40-50%, I couldn’t put it down.

I loved the friendships between everyone and how real they are with each other. There was a really strong sense of community. I loved the evolution of Hetty and Benjy’s relationship. The mystery was intriguing. I will definitely add a copy of this book to my collection.

A truly original and fascinating tale of magic practitioners solving a murder in 1870s Philadelphia. I loved the world-building and the two different magic systems. The characters are three-dimensional and I really appreciated that their relationships were complex, especially the different types of friendship. I especially loved Hetty, the main character: a bold, competent woman who knows what she wants but is shy in social situations, hiding behind the performance of storytelling. Who is loyal but prickly, who has hurt her friends but recognizes it and apologizes. Hetty is a masterpiece. And kudos for having gay and trans characters and making it absolutely no big deal to anyone. I loved that.

The mystery they need to solve has plenty of false leads and red herrings and lurking bad guys. The pace of how information is revealed to the characters - and the reader - felt a little choppy. It felt like Hetty or Benjy occasionally shrugged off some questions they should have followed up on, but the solution/”reveal” wasn’t hurt by this.

Looking forward to the author’s next books!

The premise of "The Conductors" is amazing. The world-building and historical setting is particularly strong. This story has a lyrical feel and is perfect for readers who want to immerse themselves in a historical novel. I enjoyed the main characters Hetty and Benjy for both their personalities, their arcs, and also their relationship with each other.

While the magic was new, I struggled with it not being a soft magic (like in The Girl Who Drank the Moon) nor hard magic (anything by Brandon Sanderson). It felt like it wanted to be on the hard magic end of the spectrum, but didn't explain the system well, and I couldn't ever quite grasp the difference between the types of magic which made the ending harder to follow.

The secondary characters (all the suspects) tended to blend together. And while the story language was lovely, the tension was lacking. I wanted the mystery element to be a page-turning, but I found myself struggling with both the mystery, the cast of characters, and the slow pacing.

As an aside, this probably would work better if pitched as an adult historical novel, rather than a YA mystery. Young adult readers will expect a fast pace with a dialed-in mystery element. While a reader looking for an adult book will probably be more patient with a thoughtful pace while enjoying the historical aspects.

From the publisher: A compelling debut by a new voice in fantasy fiction, The Conductors features the magic and mystery of Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files written with the sensibility and historical setting of Octavia Butler’s Kindred: Introducing Hetty Rhodes, a magic-user and former conductor on the Underground Railroad who now solves crimes in post–Civil War Philadelphia.

The Conductors is a delightful blend of history, mystery, fantasy, and romance. Hetty and Benjy met as conductors on the Underground Railroad and thought it made sense to stay together. Theirs is a marriage of convenience – or is it? Then dead bodies marked with a cursed symbol start turning up, and it seems natural for the pair to investigate.

The story opens with a bang, as Hetty and Benjy work together to free some people who have been kidnapped so their magic can be harvested. The magic in this story is pretty cool; without too much explanation it still made sense to me. Hetty and Benjy are an interesting couple. Both carry secrets – and both care more than the other knows. Hetty is a prickly strong and independent woman who has a good heart. She and Benjy are equals in their relationship. Their talents complement each other, and they protect one another.

Flashbacks to before the war, when Hetty and Benjy were escaped slaves, flesh out the story without being confusing. There are a lot of characters to keep straight, but they add a lot to the story. The humor is subtle and believable. This book is not nonstop action. Some might call it slow moving. That didn’t bother me, but it might not be fast paced enough for all readers.

The Conductors would make a terrific movie. I hope we see more of the adventures of Hetty and Benjy and their friends. I read an advance reader copy of The Conductors from Netgalley. Unfortunately this amazing book won’t be available until March 2021, when the Galesburg Public Library will own it as a print book, an audiobook, and an ebook.

This book really surprised me.
I was not able to read it in the beginning and I thought of dnfing it alot of times. But then one fine day I started reading it again and then *boom* I was so hooked into it. The main characters is so well written and I loved them both. This is the type of story which I always search for but couldn't get it that much.
Overall,this book is full every elements which a book needs. So I highly recommend it to everyone.

The Conductors by Nicole Glover is a supernatural filled mystery with elements of history and romance. Hetty and Benjy met while they were conductors for the Underground Railroad, eventually marrying and settling in Pennsylvania where they’re known for their knowledge of celestial magic and problem solving. Glover does an incredible job of world building by detailing relative historical accuracy of the aftermath of the Civil War merged with the original take of people being inherently magical. Her cast is almost exclusively Black people, and the stakes are heightened because of that. The characters are rich and fully realized, with the central relationship of Hetty and Benjy showcased as a lovely progression of romantic ideals.

To start off, Hetty, the main character is one of the strongest characters I've read this year. I love her backstory and her motivations, they really offer some depth next to the main storyline. But further (and it might be me) I was expecting something else from reading the summary. The pitch of this book made me believe it was going to be a suspenseful dark fantasy fused with historical mystery. The latter is true, though. Although I like my fantasies as I like my tea (yes, very dark), I had trouble getting into this book and remain captivated.

The pacing of this book felt really slow and it put me off because the atmosphere is 100% there. I just wish I could've experienced more suspenseful action or psychological manipulation.

The historical fiction part of this book is definitely on point and if this would've been pitched differently, I would probably have different expectations and give it more stars.

I finished this book in one sitting. I had my suspicions and even if they were right the execution was excellent. Ben and Hetty are such an odd couple but I love that about them. I love how they complement each other and I love that this truly was a smart mystery. Can't wait to read more from this author. If writing was her plan b, she should really stick with it.

This book had a very slow start and I contemplated putting it down a couple times however slowly but surely I became invested in the characters and once that happened I could not put it down and was anxious to see them solve the mystery.

A fascinating, engaging book. Although Glover has created a historical mystery with strong fantasy elements, it's also clearly well-researched and based in historical context. I desperately hope that this becomes a series. I'm recommending it to everyone!

The premise of this novel is intriguing: there are two types of magic, sorcery (wands and incantations used only by white people), and celestial, or primal magic (draws on astrology, and used only by black people). Laws restrict the two kinds of magic. Hetty and Ben have escaped slavery and freed others, and they also investigate crimes, using their wits and their magic.

I like the idea, but I found the execution irregular, sometimes drawing me in, sometimes leaving me skating, puzzled and disengaged, along the surface. I think there's definitely something here, even though it's something that didn't always entirely work for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC!

This was on my radar since I had looked up upcoming 2020 releases. This book had since been pushed back into early 2021, but I was still hyped to get cleared for an ARC of it.

This is a historical mystery with magic running throughout it. There are a multitude of mysteries that all end up running alongside the major mystery. But I was never overwhelmed with them, nor did I feel that I was getting plot points confused. And most important: all of the plot points felt like they did get resolved in a way that makes sense. I was also shocked by the reveal about the reality of the main mystery, but it all made sense once I thought about it. Usually I hate multiple plot threads, but this book does it very well.

The magic system isn't incredibly deep in a sense that there are like pages of building and explaining every niche detail about it, but it is very obvious that you aren't going to get that from the book early on. It has magic, but don't go in expecting like a high fantasy magic system where there are pages of world-building set aside explicitly for magic system details. It is a mystery with magical elements, and I think that is the best way to approach it.

I also really loved the cast, and by the end I was wanting spin-offs for all of them. Everyone felt like they were actual people, and I could picture them in my head. Hetty was such a fun MC to experience, and her relationship with Benjy was so fun (and sweet!) to read about. I know romance is big seller for books, so know that they're married and their relationship deals with things in a healthy way. They do have arguments, but it is made very clear that they still love/support each other even in the moments they have disagreements.

The worst part about reading this, is the fact I won't be able to get a physical copy until March 2nd, 2021.

'The Conductors’ is a truly compelling debut that did at first have a rough start but page by page, I become engrossed in Hetty and Benjy, infamous duo that now solves crimes in post-Civil War Philadelphia, journey in discovering who were committing the horrific murders while they dealt with the bubbling feelings and well guarded secrets neither one expected during the course of their marriage of convenience.

It was a perfect blend of an historical novel with fantasy and mystery elements all in one that made this a riveting read that was just too hard to put down. This is ideal for readers looking for a well paced cozy whodunit mystery filled with a fascinating premise, subplots, magic, fantasy, and characters that standout.

I adored this delightful, thrilling, emotional, and magical journey from the opening and I couldn’t put it down. I love alternate histories with fantasy mixed in and I love detective novels so this was a blast! It was wonderfully crafted,even if it could have used a tad bit more editing, but it made up for the bloat with fantastic characters that you could tell this author loves. A twist filled mystery overflowing with magic and mayhem. I’m gonna need many more adventures with Hetty Rhodes and the rest of these supporting players. What a great time!

This is a fantastic #ownvoices title that is suitable for YA readers as well as adults who enjoy alternate history fantasy. It's set after the Civil War. Hetty and her husband Benjy were conductors on the Underground Railroad, as the description implies, and they helped many slaves to freedom. They also happen to have magic powers. Now, they focus on solving mysteries and murders in their community that white authorities ignore.

The book is set in Philadelphia's seventh ward for the most part. It starts off with advertisements calling for the return of runaway slaves -- I'm not sure if they were based on real ones, or fictionalized for this story, but they struck me as incredibly real and added to the narrative.

There are some restrictions that forbid slaves and free persons of colour from performing magic or other forms of spellcasting. Some are permitted "as long as they are performed within the constraints defined by local authorities." They say things such as: "It is unlawful for any former slave or free person of color to possess or use a wand. Any person or persons so offending shall face imprisonment no less than ten days in the discretion of the Court or jury before whom the trial is had." (Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania) -- I thought adding restrictions like that to the history made sense and added to the narrative, as mentioned above.

I don't want to spoil it, but there is a very interesting and unique magic system. Even though the novel is set during the Reconstruction Era after the Civil War has ended, slavery forms a huge undercurrent of the characters' lives and forms the backbone of the narrative and magic is a huge part of this.

For readers who enjoy mystery mixed in with their speculative fiction -- as well as alternate realities -- this is a wonderful novel that's packed with action, heart, and much more. It is an engaging story that will keep you turning the pages.

While I thought the concept of this book to be very original and fresh, I found the execution to be lacking. The story dragged for me. There was too much left for the reader to discover along the way and the mystery aspect of the book was the least exciting part. I wish I had gotten a better feel for more of the characters. I did really enjoy how the author created the magic system in the book. And the historical setting/reimagining was inspiring. I am giving the book 2.5 stars, but I would be willing to read more of this author as she is new to the writing scene. She clearly has the imagination and creativity required for excellent storytelling.