The Conductors

Nicole Glover

Mar 2021 · Sold by HarperCollins

About this ebook

“A seamless blending of magic, mystery, and history . . . Glover’s worldbuilding, characters, and attention to historical detail create a delightfully genre-bending debut!” — Tananarive Due, American Book Award winner, author of Ghost Summer: Stories

From a bold new voice in speculative fiction comes a vibrant historical fantasy of magic and murder set in the aftermath of the Civil War

Hetty Rhodes and her husband, Benjy, were Conductors on the Underground Railroad, ferrying dozens of slaves to freedom with daring, cunning, and magic that draws its power from the constellations. With the war over, those skills find new purpose as they solve mysteries and murders that white authorities would otherwise ignore.

In the heart of Philadelphia’s Seventh Ward, everyone knows that when there’s a strange death or magical curses causing trouble, Hetty and Benjy are the only ones that can solve the case. But when an old friend is murdered, their investigation stirs up a wasp nest of intrigue, lies, and long-buried secrets—and a mystery unlike anything they handled before. With a clever, cold-blooded killer on the prowl testing their magic and placing their lives at risk, Hetty and Benjy will discover how little they really know about their neighbors . . . and themselves.

“An unforgettable debut . . . Wholly original and thoroughly riveting.” — Deanna Raybourn, New York Times best-selling author of A Murderous Relation

Ratings and reviews

I received a free electronic copy of this historical novel from Netgalley, Nicole Glover, and the publisher Houghton-Mifflin, John Joseph Adams, Mariner Books. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this novel of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. The root of the tale, the Underground Railroad and those 'conductors' who escorted runaway slaves and others needing the amnesty provided in northern states or Canada is well presented and an interesting slant on these folks not often showcased. I did not, however, feel comfortable with the 'magic' aspect of this work. I felt it detracted from the story, rather than enhancing it.

About the author

NICOLE GLOVER works as a UX researcher in Virginia. She believes that libraries are magical places and that problems seem smaller with a cup of tea in hand. Her life outside of books includes bicycles, video games, and baking the perfect banana bread. The Conductors is her debut novel. She can be found at nicole-glover.com.