I absolutely love when a book lives up to my expectations! THE CONDUCTORS by Nicole Glover is a hardcore historical mystery with clues, deception, and murder. This novel features rich writing that makes you settle in and enjoy the ride. It also features a bit of magic, and I found this magic system to be intriguing and simple to understand.

Alongside the rich writing, my next favorite aspect about this book were the characters! Hetty is kinda unlikeable, and I love that she lives in this truth. She’s a flawed protagonist, and we see her grow and change throughout the novel. I don’t even know if this counts totally as unlikeable (cuz I happened to like her very much 🤪), but she’s definitely a character who is a bit judgmental and standoffish. Hetty also learns a lot about herself throughout the novel, and it was fun going on that journey with her.

Hetty’s relationship with Benjy is also one that I found myself engrossed in, mainly because we meet them and they are already married. Their marriage, however, is not the one from fairytales, in that it is very much an arrangement that allows them to stay in close proximity to one another and do the job they love. Plus, Hetty’s friendship with Penelope is awesome, and I loved the theme of found family that is strung throughout the entirety of the novel. I can’t wait for the second book, THE UNDERTAKERS, which comes out in November and has already been pre-ordered.