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Murder and Magic #2

The Undertakers

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Nicole Glover delivers the second book in her exciting Murder & Magic series of historical fantasy novels featuring Hetty Rhodes and her husband, Benjy, magic practitioners and detectives living in post–Civil War Philadelphia Nothing bothers Hetty and Benjy Rhodes more than a case where the answers, motives, and the murder itself feel a bit too neat. Raimond Duval, a victim of one of the many fires that have erupted recently in Philadelphia, is officially declared dead after the accident, but Hetty and Benjy’s investigation points to a powerful Fire Company known to let homes in the Black community burn to the ground. Before long, another death breathes new life into the Duval investigation: Raimond’s son, Valentine, is also found dead. Finding themselves with the dubious honor of taking on Valentine Duval as their first major funeral, it becomes clear that his passing was intentional. Valentine and his father’s deaths are connected, and the recent fires plaguing the city might be more linked to recent community events than Hetty and Benji originally thought. The Undertakers continues the adventures of murder and magic, where even the most powerful enchantments can’t always protect you from the ghosts of the past . . .  

429 pages, Paperback

First published November 9, 2021

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Nicole Glover

8 books290 followers

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
Profile Image for laurel [the suspected bibliophile].
1,610 reviews592 followers
November 16, 2021
I dunno how to rate this one. It felt like a lot of filler and the mystery was very easily wrapped up. Which is disappointing because I absolutely adored the first one, but this one felt like much the same story but longer and more convoluted (and quickly solved).

I did, however, appreciate the sheer amount of research that went into this book (Glover has this incredible talent for bringing 19th century Philadelphia to life), and I loved the queer inclusion spread so thoroughly through it.

Full RTC.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review
Profile Image for charlotte,.
3,381 reviews1,002 followers
September 26, 2021
On my blog.

Rep: Black mcs, gay side characters, lesbian side characters, trans side character

CWs: violence, period typical racism

Galley provided by publisher

When I read The Conductors earlier this year, I loved it. So, I was incredibly excited to find out that there would be a sequel. The Undertakers was one of my most anticipated books for the latter half of 2021 but, although I did enjoy it, I found it harder to get through than The Conductors, with a less tightly plotted mystery.

As with the first book, what I most loved about the story was the characters. It’s the cast of characters that carries it for me. Throughout the book, and more specifically via flashbacks, you get to learn more about everyone’s backgrounds. As such, the characters besides Hetty and Benjy become more fully fleshed-out. I’m particularly interested in seeing where Penelope’s storyline goes, especially with the introduction of a new character and some… hints, perhaps?

The writing as well was a strong point in this book. It was the kind of writing that you could just tell how much research had gone into it all, but at the same time, wasn’t bogged down by the fact. It was readable and a lot of fun overall. The writing definitely helped also when I felt that the mystery was lacking.

This seems like a good time to mention that properly. I said at the start I found the book harder to get through, and less tightly plotted. I think maybe some of that might be attributable to a few things: me not paying attention (although I didn’t think I’d tuned out that much), the fact it’s an ARC. But then, at times, I did think things fell together too coincidentally. Other times, there was information that hadn’t been even hinted at, chucked in right at the time it was needed (some of this was about characters’ pasts, and I’ll accept it could be me forgetting things from The Conductors as well). It wasn’t really anything I could put my finger on, just a vague sense of it.

But despite that, this is still a book and series that I’d highly recommend. And I can’t wait to see where it goes next.
Profile Image for Lata.
4,026 reviews224 followers
November 4, 2021
I really enjoyed Nicole Glover's previous book, "The Conductors", where we're introduced to the wonderful Hetty and Benjy, former conductors of the Underground Railroad.
In this book, Hetty and Benny are trying to make a go of the funeral home. Business is light, and the pair are investigating a series of unexplained fires, in one of which a former member of the Underground Railroad perished. Hetty is also still suffering from the sad news about her sister Esther, and is shocked and angry by the sudden reappearance of a face from the past.
When the pair delve into the possible culprits behind the fires, they find connections to people from past rescue operations, and to members of their current community, and more troubling, their circle of friends. There are also other nefarious things happening: a series of thefts perpetrated against local businesses, murders, toxic tonics, and family secrets. So, it's a busy time for the daring pair.

I love how the friendships introduced in book one are handled here. Hetty is still quick to rush into situations because of her powerful command of Celestial Magic, and her take-charge attitude and need to protect everyone she cares about can actually cause difficulties with her friendships. The author handles Hetty’s revelations with sensitivity.
Nicole Glover also portrays two people who love and totally respect one another in Hetty and a Benjy; it’s such a pleasure to see how they rely on each other emotionally and magically.
Even with all the emotional moments in the story, it's still fast-paced, and Glover kept me wondering if the pair would figure out how to stop the fires and the murders within their community in time. There is plenty of action, with great historical details throughout, and a terrific heroine that I love so much. I dearly hope we see Hetty, Benjy, Penelope, Darlene, and all their other friends again.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Mariner Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.
Profile Image for Mike.
441 reviews106 followers
March 18, 2022
This book was, overall, disappointing. I said in my review of *The Conductors* that “the mystery was engaging, the magic interesting, and the characters great.” The sequel? The mystery was disjointed and poorly revealed. The magic wasn’t well used, and was explained either too much or too little. And Hetty and Benjy, who had humanzing flaws in book 1, felt like over-competent Mary Sues.

The central mystery of the book wasn’t well-handled. I was never clear on what, exactly, they were investigating, and parts of the dramatic tension felt extremely contrived. A non-spoiler example: a character was killed off-screen before the book began. Hetty & Benjy concluded it was the work of a White fire company, of the “very nice, flammable place you have here. Be a shame if anything happened to it. Care to make a donation to the Firemen’s Ball?” variety. They both had a gut feeling there was more to it, but they called it “case closed” and were annoyed at a mutual friend of theirs’ and the deceased who pressed them to keep digging. Fine for a world-weary, jaded cop three days from retirement. Totally out of character for Hetty or Benjy, from this book or the previous one. There are other examples of the same thing: Hetty and Benjy acting out of character for no reason I could see other than to raise the dramatic tension. A character holding the idiot ball always makes for annoying reading.

The villain is a former slave who worked for bounty hunters chasing runaways in the days before the Civil War. Hetty and Benjy had some run-ins with him, and he particularly has it in for Hetty. We’re often told how vicious he is (emphasis on “told”). There is no actual menace from him; we readers are just assured that it is there.

As far as the magical elements: something Brandon Sanderson articulated very well a number of years ago was the direct relationship between how frequently magic is used and how thoroughly it needs to be explained. It’s fine for Kaladin to use Stormlight all the time, because we readers understand what it can and cannot do and Sanderson keeps within those limits. On the other end of the spectrum, the magic of ASOIAF is left mysterious; if Melisandre or Thoros of Myr were to bust out with a Magic Missile for 1d4+1 damage (plus an extra missile per two caster levels) it … wouldn't work. The magic in this book falls right into this trap: it's used all the time, for purposes both fantastic and mundane, but I have no real sense of what the limits are on what it can and cannot do. It's a recipe for frequent deus ex machina.

Last point I want to touch on is Hetty and Benjy themselves, whom I called hypercompetent earlier. Benjy, for example, is a very skilled blacksmith; he is good with magic (he has some weaknesses there, which match very tidily to Hetty's strengths); he can play the piano beautifully; he is a voracious reader; he solves complex mathematical puzzles for fun; he has a powerful command of the stage as an actor; he is a champion boxer; he can pilot a hot air balloon. Hetty is similarly multitalented. Bluntly, it feels like there isn't anything they could fail at if they chose to try to do it. (As I write this, I'm realizing that this and the stuff I said about magic earlier probably explains the sources of drama feeling so contrived.)

Overall a disappointing read for me. I probably won't pick up Nicole Glover again without some solid reviews convincing me it's worth it.
Profile Image for Elizabeth (Plant Based Bride).
484 reviews5,846 followers
March 5, 2022
"Sometimes family chooses you, other times you choose family. It might even be better to be lonely than to surround yourself with people who have no love for you."

While this second installment brought back some of my favourites aspects of the original (loveable characters, a wholesome romance subplot, diverse LGBTQIA+ rep, a unique magic system, and deft weaving of fantasy with historical fiction - you can read my review of book one here) I wasn't quite as taken with the central mystery. I wish I had been as swept away in the whodunnit as I was in The Conductors!

Still, there was enough good stuff in here to keep me happily reading. I'm invested in these characters, and I enjoyed spending time with them, even if the mystery didn't particularly capture me. I hope this series will continue and that Glover will recapture the magic of her first effort!

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Trigger/Content Warnings: racism, murder, slavery

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Profile Image for Tim Hicks.
1,603 reviews121 followers
December 24, 2021
The blurb says "exciting." I didn't find it so in the pages I got through. OK, I hadn't realized it was #2 but the author did a good job of starting this one off so it didn't matter.

First I got lost in the time-jumping. Then I thought the magic was a tad loosey-goosey. Constellation 1 gallops, #2 starts fires, ... doesn't seem to cost the practitioner anything to cast it, not much about scalability, range, power, etc.

I frowned hard when we were told that the balloon can be precisely steered because of "certain modifications" that Benjy made. (Who is this guy, Tom Swift? Super-nice, good magician, engineer, and probably a great baker too.) I thought of Gail Carriger explaining how she did weeks of research to find out whether one could fly from London to Alexandria by balloon, and if so how long it would take. And, though we weren't told, it seems that they flew the balloon back the way they came, so they must have the ability to go upwind as well as steer. SO we have a powered airship, not a balloon.

Even fantasy gots rules.

And .. too many characters, too much back-and-forth chat, and - as others noted - scenes that left me thinking "what just happened there?" because somehow it felt as if some of the words were missing.

It was more tiring than inspiring. But I'll just say it wasn't the book I needed at the time, and maybe we just don't fit together.
Profile Image for Allison.
784 reviews29 followers
November 17, 2021
Found family continues to be the backbone of this Reconstruction-era historical fantasy series. It's a living history with both sweeping narratives and clever details to show the scope of the period. It just happens to include the extra feature of celestial magic with side helpings of poisons and enchantments. I was amused by the addition of baseball on broomsticks to the ambiance in this one. It's also a mystery with a cipher, many interconnected personal histories, stolen magical objects, and murders most foul.

One thing I appreciate about this book is the representation. In addition to a mostly Black cast, the series also shines a light on many queer identities, boasting a
trans man, two men in a long-term, committed relationship, and the glimmerings of a sapphic romance on the horizon. Another strength is our bold protagonist, Hetty. She knows her strengths and isn't afraid to take action. She's also fiercely loyal and stubborn, qualities both cherished and cursed by her friends. I also appreciated seeing the growing pains in the group in this book. Hetty struggles with feeling distanced from her loved ones and insecure about being left out of secrets and confidences.

There were some other aspects of the book I cared for less. It felt more like a reverberation of aftershocks from the first book at some points than an event of its own. There was also a lack of romantic tension now that the questions from the first book have been resolved, and that was a big part of the draw for me. Finally, I appreciate the complex mess of clues in our murder mystery for keeping things from getting too obvious, but they were a bit convoluted and hard to follow at times. I think it diminished any sense of urgency and stole the thunder from its own big reveal.

You're a fan of historical fantasy that has a critical eye and a great cast of characters, you'll find this series worth your while.
Profile Image for Caitlin (CMAReads).
1,220 reviews74 followers
November 30, 2022
Loved this sequel in this series. Wondering why I waited so long to read it though. It was engaging from beginning to end. Bahni Turpin was excellent, as always.
December 17, 2021
Thank you to Mariner Books and Netgalley for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not change my opinion in anyway.

As you might have caught in at the start of the year, I loved The Conductors, the first Murder and Magic book. I didn't love The Undertakers as much but it was still a good sequel.

The Undertakers takes place a few months after the events of The Conductors. They have started their undertaking business from Oliver's old place who still sometimes helps them. Unfortunately they aren't getting that much business. But murder always find its way to their doorstep.

The mystery itself didn't feel quite as interesting until all the puzzle pieces dropped and it seems to hold a connection to their and Jay's background (Jay and Cora being the two who took Hetty in after she escaped as a slave). But as always the intricate weaves between Hetty and all the characters around her always hook me in. Hetty (nor Benji) are very tactical and sometimes that does stand between them and others when a situation arrises.

As most as I enjoyed reading this book I felt that the few chapters we got of the past (with one of the new characters in this book) were messy. Unlike in the first book it did not feel like we were following a story of their past but snippets of scenes. It didn't feel quite right.
Profile Image for April Perdomo.
433 reviews9 followers
November 4, 2021
Hetty and Benjy, our mystery solving duo, are fantastic characters and I truly love them. I wish I liked the rest of the book as much as I like them. If I am honest, everything else just doesn’t quite work. The plot is a bit convoluted and the narrative is interrupted by flashbacks that halted any momentum that was built up. For a book about undertakers, there is very little actual undertaking going on. I am disappointed!

The ideas in this one are great and I love this concept of a magical, post-Civil War world. Magic with constellations is also a win in my book as well. It is worth reading just to imagine these things. I picked this one because, as you may well know, I like books with magic, murder, and potential spookiness. None of these things are fully explored, however, and there was a lot more telling than actual showing. It kind of felt like a cozy mystery, but not quite. It was like it was not sure what genre it wanted to be. What is left is a menagerie of intriguing ideas, but nothing bringing them together. I feel like this book needed just a few more edits and rewrites. I think with those edits and rewrites, this book would have jumped from an ok read to a great read.

This is a series and I was able to read this as a standalone which is great, but it did not leave me curious enough to want to read the other stories in this series. It has not intrigued me enough. That said, the main character building in this one is fantastic and I dare you not to adore this married couple. I think if you love well-written characters and enjoy mysteries, this may be enough for this to be just the right book for you.

Many thanks to Mariner Books and Netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Mar.
1,913 reviews39 followers
July 10, 2021
4 stars

A Murder mystery fantasy with a post civil war backdrop... fantastic!
I didn't realize this was a sequel until I started reading this but I didn't feel I need to read the first book to truly enjoy this book.
I liked the magic system or celestial magic. It was really interesting.
I might reread this in spooky season because it has the perfect Halloween vibes.
Fully recommend this series.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review
Profile Image for Melody Schwarting.
1,719 reviews79 followers
February 21, 2022
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed getting back into the world of Glover's Murder & Magic series, since the first book, The Conductors, was a bit lackluster for me. But I did enjoy it greatly, and the setting of post-Civil War Philadelphia was even more engaging this time around. Glover's world of Black artisans is pure delight. (Even when that artisanship is mortuary services.)

However, the same flaws that held me back from loving the first book are still present in The Undertakers. The worldbuilding goes unexplained; I have even less awareness of the boundaries of magic in this world. Magic goes farther than before, but the logic of it is unclear. The mystery is meandering and not incredibly satisfying by the end. Over 400 pages is not a great length for the first few mystery novels in a series. It's worth it once we are deeply invested in the characters and the overarching mystery that's been brewing for a few books, but it's too much, too soon at the beginning of the series...especially when none of those pages are devoted to explaining the magic of the world.

I will keep up with this series, because I do enjoy the characters and the world, but I didn't rush to read this as a new release. Glover has the makings of a solid author, and I look forward to seeing where she goes with this (and hopefully other) series. If the premise interests you, I'd encourage you to try it, but be prepared for a loooooong mystery with scanty worldbuilding.
3,561 reviews53 followers
October 19, 2022
I really enjoyed this book. It has strong, multifaceted characters that reflect the complex times of the Reconstruction Era following the American Civil War filled with hope, cynicism, agency, doubt, fear, and challenging racial relations. While this story focuses on the vibrant Black community it does not limit itself to this because no community exists in isolation, particularly when part of a big city like Philadelphia.

I really enjoyed Hetty and Benjy, the main characters. Hetty is a strong worker of magic and a strong personality that isn't always the most comfortable to be around but someone who can be admired. Benjy is no less talented or strong but seems to be a bit more willing to do some give and take. I particularly like the relationship between Hetty and Benjy that has evolved from a marriage of convenience to a true partnership and a love match.

The book is rich in historical details and has a complex magical world which interweaves with mundane life and the prejudices of this time period very well. Add in some mystery and action and you have a very satisfying story. I would definitely recommend this series. I can't wait to go back and read the first book.
Profile Image for Jenny.
454 reviews29 followers
February 5, 2022
Quite disappointed with this sequel. I really enjoyed The Conductors but this didn't really live up to it. The Conductors was a bit of a slow mystery but this one was sooo slow. Like investigating the mystery didn't really start until 200 pages in. I also found the mystery itself a little confusing and all over the place. It did all come together in the end but there wasnt really any satisfying reveals. I think there was a lack of tension build up.

In saying all that, I still really enjoy the world and setting. Its really cool being in this faux historical time period. It's also so rare to read a book where all the characters are black unless stated otherwise. I also love the characters, they are fleshed out but I still want more of them. I think I would like multiple POV.

I will still continue reading the series if there are other books. Sophomore books can often be hard especially when the debut was so good.
Profile Image for Corvin.
153 reviews7 followers
February 26, 2024
4.5 stars.

I enjoyed this even more than the first book in the series. The actual mysteries they're trying to solve really aren't that interesting, but I love the magic system (focused mostly on sigil magic, and called Celestial Magic, which is outlawed for Black people to use), but I like the characters and found family, and I love a fantastical alternate-history tale.
22 reviews2 followers
April 29, 2022
A great sequel to the conductors ! Witty, historical and charming. There is no way you won't fall in love with Henrietta and Benji
Profile Image for Amanda Borys.
251 reviews1 follower
August 5, 2022
The Conductors was a good book, with likable characters and an interesting world. Unfortunately, The Undertakers did not meet the same standards.

For one thing, there are way too many characters. The author obviously felt that whoever reads this book will have read and, more importantly, remembered all the characters from the first book. Which was not true for me. On top of this was all the characters in the second book, which was more than a few. And to top everything off, the characters from the first book were all changing their circumstances, so it was next to impossible to figure out who was what or keep track of everyone.

Added to this was a very convoluted plot with multiple red herrings and a not really clear motive. Added to which was jumping between different time period, which were ultimately supposed to clear things up but actually just added to the muddle.

Hetty and Benjy were also not as likable in this book. They were just a little too smooth, too polished, too capable of knowing exactly what was going to happen and when, a little too good at magic. They were just too much and not so relatable, and therefore, likable.

I hope that the author does write a third book, because I am not quite ready to give up on this series. But it needs to be more in the vein of book one or it will be my last.
Profile Image for Tresha Green.
147 reviews8 followers
October 6, 2021
I am in envy of the dynamic relationship between Hetty and Benjy.. To have a book based around a loving African American couple that work together amazingly, was a treat. Hiding as undertakers but secretly searching with magic. You can't snooze on this book as every paragraph was constant motion. I have to go back and find the first of the series to read. And I can't wait for the next of the series.
Profile Image for Deborah Payne.
368 reviews2 followers
July 7, 2023
The Undertakers

By: Nicole Glover

Publish Date: 9 November 2021

Publisher: Mariner Books (formerly HMHBooks), Mariner Books

Sci-fi and fantasy

#TheUndertakers#NetGalley

100 Book ReviewsProfessional Reader

I would like to thank both NetGalley and Mariner Books for allowing me to read and review this book.

Good Reads Synopsis:

Nicole Glover delivers the second book in her exciting Murder & Magic series of historical fantasy novels featuring Hetty Rhodes and her husband, Benjy, magic practitioners and detectives living in post–Civil War Philadelphia Nothing bothers Hetty and Benjy Rhodes more than a case where the answers, motives, and the murder itself feel a bit too neat. Raimond Duval, a victim of one of the many fires that have erupted recently in Philadelphia, is officially declared dead after the accident, but Hetty and Benjy’s investigation points to a powerful Fire Company known to let homes in the Black community burn to the ground. Before long, another death breathes new life into the Duval investigation: Raimond’s son, Valentine, is also found dead. Finding themselves with the dubious honor of taking on Valentine Duval as their first major funeral, it becomes clear that his passing was intentional. Valentine and his father’s deaths are connected, and the recent fires plaguing the city might be more linked to recent community events than Hetty and Benji originally thought. The Undertakers continues the adventures of murder and magic, where even the most powerful enchantments can’t always protect you from the ghosts of the past . . .

Book Review:

I gave this book 4 stars. This book continues with the adventures of Hetty and her husband. They have just opened a new funeral home, but business is slow. In recent months there have been a lot of fires in the poorer area of Philadelphia and the police aren’t doing anything about them. They have determined they are caused by the powerful fire company called the Beatty Hose. It seems the fires can’t be extinguished with water because they are magical. A body is found inside one of the buildings and this man is pretty well known. This man’s son questions Hetty and her husband because they are the ones who found him.

Later on, this son is also found dead but not by fire but by poison. Why did he die and who did it? This leads them to investigate, and they find out more than want to.

I love the friendship in this book and the love that Hetty and her husband have for each other and their friends. The book leaves off finished but there can be another one in the making. I hope so because I love reading their story.
Profile Image for Hana.
520 reviews16 followers
Shelved as 'dnf'
November 14, 2022
DNF @ 52%

I don’t hate this at all and I feel quite bad just giving up on it, but I’m just so not engaged. I have almost identical feelings towards this as I had towards the first book: cool premise, clunky execution. And judging by the reviews, even people who really liked book 1 mostly thought this one wasn’t as good.

The historical aspects are fascinating and Nicole Glover has clearly done a huge amount of research into late-1700s Philadelphia that I really appreciate, but the plot is much too rambly for a murder mystery. It’s particularly all over the place because of the constant references to past cases Hetty and Benjy have solved that took place off-page (including entire chapters that are flashback interludes) so that the reader has no context for them. In my review of the first book, I said that felt like it should have been the second in the series: now I wonder whether the series would be better as something like an episodic series or short story collection, covering lots of different cases.

And the characters and relationships
aren’t enough to make up for it: I can’t get a handle on why all the friend relationships from the first book are falling apart. Presumably there will be some kind of denouement later on where they all explain why they’ve been keeping secrets, but I’m not invested enough to find out. Also, despite the extremely pointed epigraph, the magic system is just far too vague. I have absolutely no sense of how it works or what its limitations are, which means I just don’t believe in the story having any stakes.
Profile Image for Catherine.
83 reviews43 followers
January 6, 2022
Thanks so much to Mariner Books and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I fell in love with the Murder and Magic books early last year when I read The Conductors, and immediately was hooked by the cool magic systems and the developing romance between the two characters. The mystery aspect of all of it immediately sucked me in as well.

While I still loved The Undertakers, and I absolutely plan to continue on with the series, this second book didn't quite hit the same notes for me. I enjoyed seeing all of the friends returning and helping with the case throughout, but I feel like this second book introduced a lot of new characters in addition to the previous ones, and I had a difficult time keeping track of who was who. I spent a lot of time wondering who they were talking about instead of focusing on what they were contributing to solving the case, so that instead of enjoying the mystery for what it was, I felt a little confused and just like I was along for the ride.

This could absolutely just have been a "me" thing, and I still enjoyed the ride while I was on it, but for me a lot of the fun in these books comes from trying to solve the case alongside them and I didn't feel as though I got that from this second book.

That being said, I enjoyed seeing all of the old characters, especially Hetty and Benjy, and the banter between all of them was entertaining. I still gave this a four stars and definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoyed book one, and definitely plan to continue reading the series.
Profile Image for Eule Luftschloss.
1,825 reviews53 followers
October 30, 2021
trigger warning


When one person dies under mysterious circumstances, that's already suspicious, but if another person from the same household follows only shortly later, that's a case for Hetty and Benjy.

This is the second installment in the Murder & Magic series, but I don't think you'd have to read the first one to get the second. Hetty and Benjy were conductors on the Underground Railroad, which is when they made a lot of enemies while helping people in need. Now, after the Civil War, officially, they run a funeral parlour, but folks in their area really know that they can come to them with their problems. Especially if white folk will ignore them.

There is a series of fires the husband-wife team investigates, and of course, problems are never simple but develope into a huge mess before being solved. This mess is what this book is about.

It's fast paced since things keep happening, and when you're not captivated by the characters, it's the vivid world that keeps doing unexpected things. Baseball with broomsticks? I'd watch that.

I didn't enjoy this as much as the first one, but it was a very busy time for me and I had to snatch pages here and there which is never great, so it could've been me.

The arc was provided by the publisher.
Profile Image for Anatl.
496 reviews57 followers
July 29, 2021
An action packed mystery with lots of magic and a very interesting backdrop, set in a post-civil-war Philadelphia. Benjy and Hetty continue as supernatural detectives, investigating a mysterious fire that seems to have left only one house intact. They also try to maintain their new fledgling funeral home business, while more deaths and unnatural events draw them into an old treasure haunt, with a vengeful pursuer who seems to target them and their friends. There is more intrigue in this story as old allegiances are tested and it is unclear who are friends and who are enemies. However, I was missing the development of the love story between Hetty and Benjy who are now a bona fide couple, since the convoluted mysteries have superseded all else and almost all of their interactions were case related.

Thank you Mariner Books and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. #TheUndertakers #NetGalley
Profile Image for Josh.
101 reviews1 follower
September 11, 2021
Many thanks to NetGalley for this ARC! This felt like more of the same - more of the good and more of the “huh?” My biggest issues with the first book were a lack of understanding how magic works in this world and the juggling of too many characters and plot points. It’s the same with this one - there are times it feels like this character driven narrative needs more plot driven narrative. There are so many names to track. And same goes for plot points and character motivations - too many to easily remember. I still love the relationship of Hetty and Benjy. I just wish we had more scenes like the first book - where they are admitting to each other how they feel and what they’re going to do about it. Ultimately, Glover is going to be a great writer; I want to read more of her future works.
Profile Image for Deonna.
61 reviews56 followers
November 10, 2021
Review for the Netgalley ARC. Out now!

One thing Nicole will do is take me along for a ride.

I will say I didn't really read the synopsis going into this. I was just excited about there being a sequel; however, I definitely think I would've helped me processed the story a little better. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the adventure as much as the first one. This one was even a little more sinister than the first.

I really enjoyed getting to understand the sigils a little better and how Celestial magic and Sorcery differ. I helped frame the story for me as we didn't much of that in the first book. I'm still a little confused on how the sigils work and what each of them exactly mean but I guess that just might end up being a Google search since they relate to astrology. There's a lot of moving parts to this story, as well as the first one, that honestly keep the reader guessing and just makes you sit back and enjoy the ride. I had no clue what was going to happen next the entire time and I was delighted. Of course, I loved the character and relationship development of Hetty and Benjy. I think they are my favorite couple I've ever read about. Their marriage is so simple yet passionate. The way they work together as equals and fight and protect each other so eagerly and passionately is delightful. Benjy makes me swoon so much. His energy is very much silent but deadly. These elements really made great storytelling (almost as good as Hetty) and really engrossed the reader in their journey.

There were moments, however, when things felt clustered and unrelated. During the middle of the book, I got rather confused because I felt like a lot of things where happening at once and it took away from the main plot line-the Duvals' death. Most of things come back up in the end of the novel, but I think it would've been better to just mention them in passing rather than go into great detail because my brain was rattled. There seems to be hints at a 3rd book at the end so maybe those loose ends will be tied up once again. Overall, I enjoyed yet another adventure with Hetty and Benjy and I'm excited for another one.
Profile Image for Chelsea Reining.
321 reviews6 followers
March 27, 2022
Again, Nicole Glover is amazing! While I rated this 4 and the first 5, I still loved every moment of this book. For me, the story was just a bit more convoluted than the first, but the writing and the characters were incredible. I’ll definitely keep my eye out for anything Glover publishes, especially if it’s more historical fantasy!
Profile Image for Agnesophie .
234 reviews26 followers
March 8, 2022
As I've already mentioned in my review of the 1st book, I really like the magic system in this series and in this book it got expanded even more; I just think it's very imaginative and original. A nice and heart-warming mystery, perfect for the fans of historical fantasy mystery.
416 reviews5 followers
December 17, 2023
Meh… I wanted to like this book. But the writing is very pedestrian: the book just seems to plod along. It got a little more exciting, but I wouldn’t read a third book. The foreshadowing is terrible. The characters didn’t click for me.
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