I adore magical historical fiction and The Conductors is a stunning start to a series that takes place after the Civil War. The book didn’t dwell on actual battles that took place during the Civil War but it did highlight the efforts of the Conductors of the Underground Railroad – specifically Hetty and Benjy. Nicole Glover added in two very different types of magic and the type wielded by those of color (mainly African roots but it did state that some of the magic was learned or expanded upon by the Native tribes) was based upon constellations with varied uses and applications. My only issue with the magic was that the sigils/constellations is that they feature names we are familiar with; Ursa Minor/Major, Libra, Leo. Honestly, it’s not so much of an “issue”, I would guess that they would use names that would have been passed down through their families and/or community? The author also may have used names that the general populace would know to create less confusion? Less time is spent on explaining sorcery – other than it is used by white people, requires a wand, and doesn’t require an innate magical ability to utilize.The timeline also takes place in Hetty and Benjy’s past in addition to their present time. Magic in the time of slavery brings a whole new set of circumstances to a time in history that was already atrocious to begin with. Magical collars that punished all on the property with a hint of magical ability. The author did an amazing job with both past and present views on racial subjects. Although Hetty and Benjy are no longer Conductors on the Underground Railroad that doesn’t mean that they stopped helping those in need and when crimes upon their own aren’t given the time of day by white authorities they take it upon themselves to see that the cases are thoroughly investigated. Hetty and Benjy’s past sheds light on their present – especially their varied and vibrant supporting characters and friends. There were many turns in their investigation that I didn’t see coming – there are quite a few interconnected moving pieces that kept things interesting. How it all tied together was a surprise and I had no qualms with how the book concluded the case or itself.I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Conductors and I would highly recommend it to readers who enjoy historical fantasy, magic, the Civil War era, murder mysteries, and diverse reads. Nicole made an exceedingly strong debut novel and I cannot wait to see what trouble Hetty and Benjy find themselves working out next. I would like to thank John Joseph Adams/Mariner Books (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), Nicole Glover, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this unique historical fantasy debut – all opinions are my own.Rating rounded from 4.5 stars