The Conductors by Nicole Glover

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.