Subgenre: Historical Fantasy / Magical Realism / Murder Mystery
Overall Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5 enchanted constellations and perfectly sharpened hatpins)

✨ Underground Railroad—but Make It Magical

Imagine if Harriet Tubman moonlighted as a badass magical detective in post–Civil War Philadelphia. That’s the thrilling energy The Conductors brings to the literary stage. Nicole Glover’s debut novel delivers an alchemy of fantasy and historical fiction, starring a Black woman ex-conductor of the Underground Railroad who now solves supernatural crimes. Yes, you read that right—and yes, it's as glorious as it sounds.

🔍 A Little Mystery, A Lot of Magic, and a Whole Heap of Righteousness

🕯️ The Setup

Meet Hetty Rhodes—quieter than thunder but just as powerful. Once a conductor on the Underground Railroad, she now works with her equally formidable husband, Benjy, to investigate murders and mysteries that the police would rather ignore—especially when they involve Black folks or magic. Their tools? Celestial magic drawn from the stars, deep knowledge of their community, and a don’t-mess-with-us energy honed through survival and resistance.

📚 Praise That Floats Like a Feather, Hits Like a Spell

  • Worldbuilding with Roots: Glover masterfully blends historical fact and fantastical fiction, grounding her magic system in celestial navigation. It’s historically respectful and wildly imaginative—Black excellence meets astral enchantment.
  • A Power Couple Worth Following: Hetty and Benjy’s partnership is refreshingly mature and loving. No unnecessary drama—just two smart, steady souls moving in harmony, solving problems and lifting each other up.
  • Community-Centered Justice: This isn’t your typical whodunit. It centers Black resilience, healing, and the quiet moments of joy that often get erased from historical narratives.
  • Magic as Resistance: Spells and sigils here aren’t flashy—they’re purposeful. Protective. Revolutionary. There’s power in that restraint.

🧵 Constructive Whispers from the Stars

  • A Slow-Burn Start: The pacing in the first third may test your patience, especially if you're expecting early fireworks. But trust—the payoff is worth the wait.
  • Sparse Emotional Interiority: Hetty is strong and reserved, but some readers might crave a bit more emotional vulnerability or internal monologue from her, especially in personal scenes.

⚠️ Potential Triggers (Moderate Degree)

  • Racism and Racial Violence: References to slavery, systemic racism, and postbellum prejudice, including mentions of lynching and beatings (non-graphic but heavy in implication)
  • Murder and Death: Central to the mystery—multiple murders investigated, including one involving a loved one
  • Historical Trauma: Themes of displacement, oppression, and resistance under white supremacy

These are interwoven into the story’s emotional and political scaffolding but are handled with care and dignity.

📚 For Readers Who...

  • Fell in love with Lovecraft Country but wanted less cosmic horror and more tender nuance
  • Are drawn to historical fiction with a fantasy twist—especially stories that center Black protagonists and community
  • Enjoy magical systems rooted in symbolism, stars, and resistance, not fireballs and flash
  • Crave slow-burn mysteries, strong female leads, and thoughtful worldbuilding with a conscience

Also a delicious pick for fans of The Paragon Hotel, The City We Became, and those who want their speculative fiction served with a side of ancestral power.

🌟 Final Verdict: A Quietly Revolutionary Debut

The Conductors is not just a fantasy mystery. It’s a reclamation. A remembering. A whisper of ancestral power that says, “We’ve always had magic—now watch us use it.” Nicole Glover casts a spell over history and unearths something radiant in the dark.

Come for the constellations. Stay for the community. And maybe carry a notebook—you’ll want to jot down some stars of your own.