Title: The Starseekers
By: Nicole Glover
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 496
Release Date: January 6th, 2026
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Summary from Goodreads:
Indiana Jones meets Hidden Figures in this brand-new stand-alone historical fantasy set in the world of The Conductors, in which the space race of the mid-20th century will be determined by magic...if not murder.
In the 1960s, the world was caught up in reaching beyond our planet and into the cosmos. It felt impossible—but there was nothing science, math…and magic couldn’t make possible. The race to space was on, and the Moon was what everyone had their eyes on.
Including Cynthia Rhodes, a brilliant arcane engineer at NASA’s Ainsworth Research Labs. Talented in math and magic, she hosts a magical educational show... a job she took mostly for a chance to regularly see the dashing Theodore Danner, a professor of arcane archeology.
She is also an amateur sleuth—something that has run in her family for generations.
When a cursed museum curator nearly interrupts a broadcast of their show, Cynthia finds an eager sleuthing partner in Theo. Pairing up, they begin investigating the strange behavior of the curator and a mysterious theft at the arcane history museum—until one of Cynthia’s own coworkers perishes right in front of her in a major lab accident that endangers Ainsworth’s role in the space race.
Certain it was murder instead of an accident, Cynthia sees this as a separate case at first. However the more she and Theo investigate, Cynthia uncovers a surprising link between the two incidents. The museum theft and murder are part of a larger equation—one that includes deadly enchantments, rumored pirate treasure, a peculiar plant, and a dire threat to the space program as well as everything she holds dear.
The Starseekers is another rip-roaring adventure for the Rhodes family, who have been using magic to aid their community and solve mysteries since before the Civil War. The times may have changed, but a Rhodes once again finds themselves thrust into a world of murders, theft, sabotage, and curses, and this time the stakes extend to the stars themselves.
Review:
I was completely hooked in the beginning of The Starseekers, especially with its fascinating blend of witchcraft and NASA-level space exploration. That mix gave the story a vibe similar to Hidden Figures. Brilliant women using extraordinary talents to push the boundaries of science, just with a magical twist. But as the book went on, the pacing slowed down, and the plot started to drag enough that I had trouble staying focused. The concept is genuinely compelling and there are moments that shine, but the momentum didn’t quite carry through. A solid, intriguing read that just didn’t keep me as invested as I hoped.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
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