The Conductors

Starred review from November 23, 2020
Inventively mixing mystery, magic, and alternate history, Glover’s nail-biting debut takes readers to Reconstruction era Philadelphia. Henrietta “Hetty” and Benjamin “Benjy” Rhodes—both adept at sigil magic that draws on the constellations—are famed conductors for the Vigilance Society, which shepherded enslaved Black people to freedom along the Underground Railroad. Stories of their trips into the South are legendary in their Philadelphia community even a decade after the Civil War. Now, Hetty and Benjy use their magical and analytical skills as detectives, dealing with missing person cases, murders, and other crimes the white police force chooses to overlook. But when one of their friends turns up dead and their suspicions fall close to home, they’ll need to work out who in their community is not who they say they are. The pace is relaxed but the tension steadily builds as Glover weaves each detail into a satisfying mystery. Frequent flashbacks to Hetty and Benjy’s thrilling exploits as conductors on the Underground Railroad reveal how Hetty’s tough choices during the Civil War led to her life today. Readers will be surprised but gratified by an ending that shows just how past actions inform the present in unexpected ways. Glover is a writer to watch. Agent: Jennie Goloboy, Donald Maass Agency.

February 1, 2021
Most fantasy novels don't begin with historically rooted fugitive slave ads, and few such ads would have warned of dangerous magical practitioners. But Glover's debut defies many expectations. The protagonist, Henrietta Rhodes, is a no-nonsense private investigator and fixer in an alternate version of Philadelphia. With her husband of convenience, Hetty uses powerful magic and deductive reasoning to protect her free Black community. But when confronted with a mystery of dark magic and murder that shakes their foundations, Hetty needs to look for outside help. The Conductors juggles a lot of elements, including segregated magic systems, romance, a large cast of characters, and several deep, dark secrets. Hetty and Benjy's relationship as they work together to find out more about the crimes is a highlight of the novel, as is the constellation-based magic system that Hetty and her friends use. The magical Reconstruction setting should appeal to fantasy and history buffs alike, especially for fans of Ring Shout, by P. Dj�l� Clark (2020) and An Extraordinary Union, by Alyssa Cole (2017).

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March 1, 2021

DEBUT Set at the end of the Civil War, this magical first novel follows Hetty and Benjy, runaways who ferry people to safety from slavecatchers, as well as solve crimes, often with the aid of celestial magic. Chapters alternate between Hetty and Benjy's life in Philadelphia aiding people in finding lost loved ones, and Hetty's journeys on the Underground Railroad, with Benjy in tow, to find her sister Esther. When an acquaintance whom they previously rescued from slavery is found dead in an alley, the novel turns into a murder mystery. Glover's intricate writing succeeds in bringing Hetty and Benjy to life, and shines as members of their social circle become suspects. While later chapters are at times meandering, the story gains momentum as Hetty aims to uncover if this murder, and others that follow, is a coincidence or part of a pattern. Along the way, she discovers that Benjy has secrets of his own, as do several of her friends. Along with celestial magic, sorcery comes into play, often coming back to haunt Hetty and Benjy, especially at the suspenseful ending. VERDICT Blending historical fantasy and mystery, this fast-paced debut with predominantly Black characters will engage fans eager for a combination of each.--Stephanie Sendaula, Library Journal

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