A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett

On April 16, 2025April 16, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Five-Star Books, Murder Mystery4 Comments

Publisher: Hodderscape (ebook – 8 April 2025)

Series: Shadow of the Leviathan – Book Two

Length: 432 pages

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Robert Jackson Bennett continues to shine brightly with the epic second novel in his Shadow of the Leviathan series, A Drop of Corruption, an exceptional and incredible fantasy murder mystery that I could not get enough of.

Robert Jackson Bennett is an awesome author who has produced some impressive fantasy series over the last few years. Best known for his Divine Cities and Founders trilogies, Bennett has consistently wowed audiences with his elaborate settings, great characters and intricate narratives. However, even though I knew how good an author Bennett was, I honestly was not prepared for how much I would enjoy his 2024 novel, The Tainted Cup.

The Tainted Cup was a truly outstanding novel that saw Bennett bring together the fantasy and murder mystery genres into an exceptional and highly addictive fusion. The first book in the author’s Shadow of the Leviathan series, The Tainted Cup followed the young assistant to an unnaturally gifted investigator as they attempted to solve several murders brought about by magical grass. Set in a powerful Empire constantly under attack from giant leviathans, The Tainted Cup was a truly epic read, and I loved the elaborate narrative that emerged, as Bennett perfectly set a highly clever mystery amongst the chaotic and highly detailed fantasy setting. The result was a five-star novel that ended up being one of my favourite books of 2024. I really cannot emphasise enough just how good The Tainted Cup was, and I think it goes without saying that I was very keen to continue the series after that outstanding first entry. As such, the second Shadow of the Leviathan novel, A Drop of Corruption, was one of my most anticipated books of this year, and it really did not disappoint.

On the borders of the Empire of Khanum lies the small canton of Yarrowdale, part of an independent kingdom that is reluctantly set to join the Empire. A dank and impoverished land filled with swamps and waterways, the only thing of importance for the Empire in Yarrowdale is the high-security compound known as the Shroud. A top-secret lab where the best scientists from the Empire dissect fallen leviathans to harvest the transformative magic found in their blood, the Shroud keeps Yarrowdale on the map and its inclusion in the Empire an inevitability. However, when an impossible crime takes place within its borders, all eyes within the Empire will be looking towards it.

An important Imperial Treasury officer on assignment to Yarrowdale has gone missing, seemingly disappearing into thin air inside his locked and guarded quarters. Needing answers, the Empire calls upon its most unlikely hero, the brilliant, and possibly insane, special investigator Ana Dolabra. Accompanied by her loyal and often exasperated assistant, Dinios Kol, Ana soon invokes her uncanny talent for observations and ability to make unlikely connections to find answers. But despite quickly working out how the victim disappeared, Ana discerns that the crime was only the first move in a diabolical master plan.

A dangerous and clever killer is stalking Yarrowdale, one with the ability to think ten steps ahead and effortlessly cover their tracks. Worse, the killer has devious designs on the Shroud and is willing to use the facilities own dark science against it, crippling the Empire’s ability to defend itself. To save the Empire, Ana and Din will need to discern the killer’s schemes and stop them before it is too late. But have the pair finally met an opponent even more brilliant that Ana?

Wow, wow, wow, now that was an outstanding book! Robert Jackson Bennett once again impresses to the extreme as A Drop of Corruption was an incredible read that I honestly could not put down. Another excellent blend of brilliant mystery and inventive fantasy fiction, A Drop of Corruption was so damn good, and I loved every single second I spent absorbed in its captivating pages. A very easy five-star read and one of the very best fantasy novels of 2025.

I just loved the story Bennett cooked up for A Drop of Corruption, and frankly I am still thinking about its many elaborate twists, turns and revelations. Starting off with a good introduction to Yarrowdale, a setting starkly different to the locations from the previous book, the reader is soon brought up to speed about the unusual case within the isolated canton. Told exclusively from the perspective of assistant investigator Dinios Kol, you soon become emmeshed in finding out how the treasury official disappeared from his guarded room, with his body soon discovered in the nearby waterways. Thanks to the combination of Kol’s enhanced memory and the unique mind of lead investigator Ana Dolabra, the manner of the victim’s disappearance becomes apparent; however, this only raises more questions and reveals a dangerous killer stalking the canton.

Now I guarantee that at this point of the story you will be extremely hooked, thanks to the compelling mystery that is developing, as well as the intriguing characters, cool new setting and the hints of a very clever killer capable of outthinking the protagonists. Following some cool moments that indicate just how far the killer is willing to go to achieve their goals, Bennett cleverly ties his mystery into some of the fantastic elements of the setting, including Yarrowdale politics, and the hidden science of the Apothetikal, the branch of the Empire dedicated to the biological alchemy that enhances people. The author really raises the stakes as the book continues, especially with dangerous bioweapons, essential scientific advances, and ancient political turmoil all impacting the plot. Bennett keeps the shocks going with several impressive scenes, especially the killer works to alter the destiny of both Yarrowdale and the Empire.

This leads up to the very exciting and fast-paced final third of the book, where all the pieces of the mystery come together. Despite knowing the identity of their opponent, the protagonists are forced to work overtime to try and catch them as they constantly stay multiple steps ahead of them. The protagonists are soon forced to take drastic action to get answers, and there are some great scenes as some interesting revelations come to light and various characters are forced to face the consequences of their actions. After a particularly powerful scene that hints at dark secrets that will likely become a bigger problem later in the series, Bennett masterfully builds up to the final confrontation, where Ana provides her final deductions, and chaos reigns as a result. This entire conclusion was so damn clever, and it was very satisfying to see Ana bring all the story threads and hidden elements of the mystery together in the climatic revelation scene. This all results in a thoughtful, moving but overall satisfying end to the book that perfectly wraps everything up, and allows the series to continue. Readers are guaranteed to come away from A Drop of Corruption very happy, and I know that I am even more eager to continue this series after this exceptional second outing.

As with the first Shadow of the Leviathan novel, A Drop of Corruption was an outstanding and captivating blend of fantasy and murder mystery storytelling elements, as Bennett wraps a particularly impressive investigation narrative around a distinctive fantasy setting. In many ways an over-the-top fantasy Sherlock Holmes novel, A Drop of Corruption was so damn addictive, with no slow moments as the protagonists follow a deadly trail of a dangerous and unnatural killer. The mystery itself is just perfect, and I loved how well the author enhanced the elaborate investigation with his own unique fantasy elements, carefully blending them together to create and even more elaborate tale. Thanks to the constant revelations, carefully hidden clues, sudden outrageous twists and some very entertaining characters, I honestly found myself unable to put this book down, as I couldn’t wait to see what amazing reveal was coming next. Bennett also successfully balanced the darker tone of the narrative with his own excellent character-driven humour, which ensured some lighter moments amongst the serious investigation and dangerous results. This humour, which mostly lay around the author’s outrageous detective protagonist, often had me chuckling out loud, while never overpowering the murder mystery or fantasy elements. Working well as either a standalone novel or a sequel to The Tainted Cup, there is something very fun for everyone in this book, and all fans of either fantasy or crime fiction can have a brilliant time here.

In addition to featuring a cool story with some wonderful blended elements, A Drop of Corruption also served as a great expansion of the outstanding fantasy realm introduced in The Tainted Cup. I personally loved the overarching setting of the Empire of Khanum, which not only features gigantic, mutated monsters constantly attacking its walls from the sea, but also features a unique magical system of biological grafts originating from leviathan blood that alters people, animals and plants to benefit the Empire. Many of these unique elements are on full display in A Drop of Corruption, with the focus on new grafts, research into the leviathans, and the existing enhancements of the protagonists all serving as key plot points in the main mystery. Highlights include dangerous bio-weapons, grafts that turn the antagonist into a particularly dangerous opponent, and an elaborate look inside the research station known as the Shroud. These unique fantasy elements are well re-introduced and expanded on as the novel continues and allowed for quite a unique crime fiction read as they are cleverly inserted into the plot.

Bennett also uses this book to explore new areas of his fantasy setting, particularly by introducing Yarrowdale, a semi-autonomous nation under the Empire’s influence that has yet to officially join it. Filled with its own people, politics and history, as well as the influence of the Apothetikal, who have one of their most important bases there, Yarrowdale is a very different place to the previous settings featured in The Tainted Cup, and Bennett paints an elaborate picture of swamps, waterways and disgruntled locals who have their own opinions about joining the Empire. As with the existing fantasy and setting elements of the book, Bennett expertly introduces and utilises this new setting into his narrative, and it serves as an effective and compelling background to the plot, especially when the case gets even more complicated, and the protagonists are forced to become involved in Yarrowdale politics and its royal family. These scenes also allow Bennett to engage in a bit of social commentary, especially when it comes to the overall wickedness of kings (or other autocratic rulers), and it was fascinating to read his notes at the end where he expands on some of these points. I really enjoyed this complex additional world building from Bennett, especially with how well it was utilised in the main story, and every new glimpse of the Empire of Khanum makes me an even bigger fan of this series.

I must also highlight the two awesome main protagonists that helped to make A Drop of Corruption so impressive, as Dinios Kol and Ana Dolabra were a highly entertaining duo. Featuring an often exasperated but loyal subordinate working for a brilliant and eccentric detective, Bennett once again achieves the iconic detective/sidekick dynamic that fans of Sherlock Holmes will be familiar with. In this case, Dinios serves the Watson role as the book’s only point of view, which allows him to be the sounding board for the mad detective, in this case Ana, while also being present for all of her deductions. As such the reader, through Dinios’ eyes and ears, get the full explanation for how Ana reached her conclusion as she brings her assistant up to date.

This method of splitting the load between the detective and the sidekick is a classic for a reason, and I loved seeing the compelling story emerge from Dinios’s perspective, as he was front and centre for all the case’s twists and turns. He was also a witness to all the crazy behaviour of his boss, and Ana did not disappoint, being her usual disrespectful and slightly unhinged self. Most of the book’s humour came from Ana’s insane behaviour and the reactions of the other characters seeing it, which, alongside her incredible detective skills, is quickly making her one of my favourite fictional detectives. I really enjoyed the dynamic that continued in this sequel novel between Dinios and Ana, and you get a great balance of eccentric genius and troubled young apprentice throughout the story. While this partnership hits some snags in this book, especially as Dinios dreams of a more heroic career while Ana proves to be her usual impossible self, it proves to be a strong centre to the book, especially as certain revelations bring them even closer together. A truly incredible central pair of protagonists whose entertaining antics I could not get enough of. Throw in a great selection of supporting characters, including an intelligent and enhanced local assistant who manages to out-sass the protagonist, a multitude of suspicious individuals who have their own secrets around Yarrowdale, and an antagonist who is built up to be an insanely intelligent opponent for the protagonists, and this really ends up being an exceptional, character focused novel with some real emotional heart to it.

Overall, A Drop of Corruption was another exceptional novel from Robert Jackson Bennett, who did a truly outstanding job continuing his Shadow of the Leviathan series. A Drop of Corruption was so damn good, and I loved every single part of this epic fantasy and crime fiction hybrid. I honestly cannot recommend this book enough, and it easily one of the top fantasy reads of the year.

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Waiting on Wednesday – A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett

On August 14, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Murder Mystery, Waiting on Wednesday6 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. In my latest Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight a particularly awesome upcoming fantasy novel with the gripping second entry in the Shadow of the Leviathan series, A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett.

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Earlier this year I was lucky enough to receive a copy of the captivating novel, The Tainted Cup, by veteran fantasy author Robert Jackson Bennett. An intriguing fantasy murder mystery set in a realm beset by giant monsters, The Tainted Cup was an outstanding read that saw two unlikely investigators, including an eccentric genius and her grounded assistant, attempt to discover the truth behind a brutal death caused by a tree spontaneously growing from someone’s chest. Expertly combining a clever crime fiction story with unique fantasy elements and a hilarious set of main protagonists, The Tainted Cup was an outstanding read that got a full five-star rating from me. Indeed, The Tainted Cup topped the list of my favourite books from the first half of the year and will likely go down as one of the very best fantasy novels of 2024.

Due to how impressive I found The Tainted Cup to be, you can probably appreciate that I am very keen to see how the series continues. Luckily it looks like I won’t have to wait too long to see what happens next, as the sequel, A Drop of Corruption, is coming out in February 2025. Set to once again to pit Bennett’s protagonists against an elaborate magical mystery, A Drop of Corruption sounds extremely epic, and I love the cool new story concept being promised for it.

Plot Synopsis:

The brilliant detective Ana Dolabra may have finally met her match in the gripping sequel to The Tainted Cup—from the bestselling author of The Founders Trilogy.

In the canton of Yarrowdale, at the very edge of the Empire’s reach, an impossible crime has occurred. A Treasury officer has disappeared into thin air—abducted from his quarters while the door and windows remained locked from the inside, in a building whose entrances and exits are all under constant guard.

To solve the case, the Empire calls on its most brilliant and mercurial investigator, the great Ana Dolabra. At her side, as always, is her bemused assistant Dinios Kol.

Before long, Ana’s discovered that they’re not investigating a disappearance, but a murder—and that the killing was just the first chess move by an adversary who seems to be able to pass through warded doors like a ghost, and who can predict every one of Ana’s moves as though they can see the future.

Worse still, the killer seems to be targeting the high-security compound known as the Shroud. Here, the Empire’s greatest minds dissect fallen Titans to harness the volatile magic found in their blood. Should it fall, the destruction would be terrible indeed—and the Empire itself will grind to a halt, robbed of the magic that allows its wheels of power to turn.

Din has seen Ana solve impossible cases before. But this time, with the stakes higher than ever and Ana seemingly a step behind their adversary at every turn, he fears that his superior has finally met an enemy she can’t defeat.

This sounds like another particularly outstanding story from Bennett, and I know I am going to have a ton of fun with it. The mystery premise for A Drop of Corruption is particularly striking, as Bennett produces a high-stakes locked room mystery, where the solution to the crime is likely to be some elaborate form of magic or mutation. In addition, we have the return of the first book’s excellent, mismatched protagonists, whose unusual partnership will likely result in some fantastic humour, while also presenting the reader with a brilliant investigative method. I have no doubt that Bennett will turn these elements into another extremely special story, and I look forward to seeing how he resolves the main investigation, and how it ties into the greater mysteries infecting his fantasy setting.

Based on how impressive the first book in the series turned out to be, I am already extremely excited for A Drop of Corruption. However, the epic plot synopsis above also sounds very cool, and I cannot wait to see what madness and mystery Robert Jackson Bennett unleashes next. A Drop of Corruption will probably be one of the very best fantasy novels of 2025, and I am so very keen to get my hands on this incredible upcoming book.

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackon Bennett

On March 7, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Five-Star Books, Murder Mystery13 Comments

Publisher: Hodderscape (Trade Paperback – 13 February 2024)

Series: Shadow of the Leviathan – Book One

Length: 420 pages

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

Acclaimed fantasy author Robert Jackson Bennett kicks off a brilliant new series with the captivating and impressive novel, The Tainted Cup, which sees two unique investigators dive into an enthralling magical murder.

Robert Jackon Bennett is an outstanding author who has been writing since 2010 with his debut novel, Mr. Shivers. Best known for his iconic The Divine Cities trilogy, as well as the intricate The Founders trilogy (of which I read Foundryside), Bennett has been on a real roll of late, and I have been meaning to read more of his works. I finally got the chance when I recently received a copy of his latest novel, The Tainted Cup, an intriguing combination of the crime fiction and fantasy genres. I instantly fell in love with The Tainted Cup’s awesome sounding plot and The Tainted Cup ended up being one of my most anticipated reads of 2024 for very good reason.

In an opulent mansion in the backwater province of Daretana, an unusual case emerges when an important Imperial officer is apparently killed when a tree spontaneously erupted from his body. Even in the unpredictable Empire of Khanum, which is constantly besieged by Leviathans, giant beings from the ocean whose blood and bodies can mutate the land and create unique contagions, this is a shocking death.

The job of discovering what caused this unusual death falls to Ana Dolabra, an Imperial investigator known both for her staggering intellect and her many oddities. Able to make connections no-one else can, Ana begins her unique investigation, using her new assistant, Dinios Kol, as her proxy. Din, an engraver magically altered to possess a perfect memory, acts as his boss’s eyes on the case, and begins to gather all the raw information Ana needs to uncover the full mystery. The conclusion she makes about the case: murder!

Determining the case to be an unusual and deadly form of magical poisoning, Ana and Din manage to find one of the culprit’s accomplices. But it quickly becomes apparent that this is only the beginning of their investigation when several engineers responsible for maintaining the great outer walls of the Empire against the Leviathan threat are killed in a similar manner in the next canton. Determined to discover who is responsible for both the murders and the resulting Leviathan attacks, Ana and Din journey to the wall to find out more. What they discover is an elaborate conspiracy, one that threatens the entire Empire and could result in the death of everyone to the Leviathans.

The Tainted Cup ended up being an incredible read from Bennett who masterfully blended a complex mystery with unique fantasy elements and amazing characters to tell a gripping and powerful story. I had such a great time with this book and honestly couldn’t put it down until I worked out every secret and twist that Bennett loaded into this outstanding five-star read.

Bennett comes up with an excellent premise for The Tainted Cup that is essentially a twisty Sherlock Holmes tale of intrigue and conspiracy, set in a cool new fantasy realm besieged by giant monsters. Told from the perspective of main character Dinios Kol, who works as the eyes of his peculiar master, Ana Dolabra, the eccentric criminal investigator, Bennett quickly and effectively introduces the mystery of a man killed when a tree explodes out of him. I’ve read a lot of amazing mystery novels over the years, and frankly this must be one of the more unique murder tools I’ve seen, and Bennett uses it to full effect to tell such a great story. The initial investigation proves to be quite impressive, as Ana manages to quickly solve the murder using the observations provided by Dinios, finding the catspaw responsible for this first crime in a fantastic scene that really highlights to the author what a great investigator this protagonist truly is.

However, this is only the start of the case, as several similar deaths occur in the next town over, killing multiple engineers and damaging the massive walls that protect the Empire. The resulting chaos results in Dinios and Ana travelling to the nearby garrison town where the engineers were billeted to try and work out who is responsible and why. The situation swiftly degenerates as the protagonists uncover additional murders, corruption, secrets and lies, as everyone tries to hide who is responsible for the killings. What results is an elaborate and addictive investigation as Ana sends Dinios on a series of investigative missions to get closer to the truth and uncover the conspiracies infecting the Empire, while the threat of an approaching Leviathan literally looms on the horizon. I was on the edge of my seat the entire way through the second half of the book, as I desperately waited to see who was responsible and why. While I saw a couple of the big twists coming, the full picture that emerged was extremely impressive, and I honestly loved every clever reveal and surprise that Bennett loaded into the story. Not only are the main mystery and the underlying conspiracies behind it solved perfectly, but Bennett sets up the entire trilogy to be something truly special. I cannot wait to see how this series continues in the future, and I already know it is going to be amazing.

I really loved how Bennett set out The Tainted Cup, especially as his great blend of storytelling elements and genres helped to turn it into a particularly fun and captivating read. The elaborate and intriguing mystery blended well with the other unique elements of the book, and Bennett did an outstanding job of keeping the pace of The Tainted Cup fast and exciting, layering the story with reveals and hints to keep the reader firmly attached. There were so many times that I needed to stop reading but just couldn’t as I wanted to see what was going to happen next. While this book is mostly a little dark and emotionally charged, Bennett also layers the plot with a good amount of humour, mostly tied into the main investigator, which I think really turned The Tainted Cup into something special. This humour tied in nicely with both the more serious mystery and fantasy elements and helped to cut down the tension in an effective and targeted way. Throw in some fantastically elaborate action sequences, unique fantasy battles, and vivid descriptions of the world through the eyes of a complex protagonist, and you will come away with a great appreciation for Bennett’s fantastic writing style.

One of the more memorable features of The Tainted Cup was the awesome new fantasy realm that Bennet imagined for the plot, as well as the intriguing and unique magic that infested it. The plot of the book is completely set within the Empire of Khanum, a walled-off nation completely dedicated to protecting itself from the Leviathan, gigantic, mutated creatures from the seas that are constantly trying to make landfall and destroy everything within. I also loved how the magical elements of The Tainted Cup revolve around the manipulation of strange plants and biological grafts that enhance the physical and mental abilities of the humans. A lot of these plant elements are tied into the Leviathan, and it was fascinating to see the impacts it has both on the land and on the people within it. This is a pretty awesome background for this already fantastic plot, and it reminded me pretty strongly of Attack on Titan or Pacific Rim. Bennett does an outstanding job working the plot of The Tainted Cup around this cool background, and it was fascinating to try and work out how the protection of the wall and the threats of the Leviathan and other magical concerns plays into the main plot. There are some unique conspiracies produced as a result, as well as a some very distinctive killers and suspects, and I was really impressed with how Bennett came up with all these new elements and ensured that become so intrinsic to the plot. The author also makes sure to hint at some future secrets throughout The Tainted Cup, such as the true nature of the Leviathan, which I have no doubt will be revealed in future novels in a big way.

Another awesome element I really need to highlight about The Tainted Cup was the two main protagonists, Dinios Kol and Ana Dolabra. These two honestly make this entire book, with Dinios serving as the harried subordinate while Ana is the brilliant, if slightly unhinged and blunt, investigative savant. Bennett expertly captures the classic detective/sidekick dynamic that was made so famous with Sherlock Holmes and Watson, with Dinios serving the Watson role as point of view character and the sounding board for Ana’s observations and solutions to the various murders encountered. Not only is this very cool in the fantasy context, but Bennett works to make Ana even more outrageous than some of the more recent Sherlock Holmes adaptations, as she is an agoraphobic, disgraced, drug-addicted figure, who mostly goes around wearing a blindfold and terrifying everyone she encounters. I loved Ana so much, and so much of the humour of the book comes from her unusual behaviour. Despite these eccentricities, Ana is still shown to be a brilliant investigator, and I think that Bennett masterfully found the balance between genius and madwoman for this protagonist.

I really appreciated how Dinios proves to be the perfect foil for his unusual master, and it was great to see the story unfold through his eyes, especially as he proves to be a keen student and an interesting figure in his own right. Initially shown to be a little desperate and naive, with secrets of his own, Dinios slowly becomes more confident as the book continues, and I enjoyed seeing him come into his own the more involved with the case he became. His student/friend relationship with Ana was heartwarming at times, and he also serves as the more responsible member of the team, using rules and commonsense to stop Ana from going too far. Dinios gets a well-written glow-up as the book continues, thanks to a revelation about his abilities, and while that potentially makes him a little overpowered as a character, I assume that Bennett has some interesting long-term storytelling involved with them that I cannot wait to see.

Thanks to the masterful combination of mystery, unique fantasy elements and amazing characters, The Tainted Cup was an outstanding read that really showcased Robert Jackson Bennett’s ability as an author. Inventive, entertaining, and emotionally charged, The Tainted Cup is perfect for both fans of fantasy fiction and unique mysteries, and there is so much to fall in love with here. Easily one of the best books of 2024 so far, The Tainted Cup comes highly recommended, and I cannot wait to see how Bennett follows this amazing read off in the future.

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Waiting on Wednesday – The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

On December 13, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Murder Mystery, Waiting on Wednesday6 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. For this week’s entry, I check out one of the most anticipated fantasy novels of early 2024 with The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett.

The Tainted Cup Cover

Amazon

Robert Jackon Bennett is a highly regarded fantasy author who has been producing captivating reads since 2010. Have started out writing several intriguing standalone novels, such as his debut, Mr. Shivers, Bennett is probably best known for his complex fantasy series, including The Divine Cities trilogy and The Founders trilogy, both of which had elaborate settings and compelling stories behind them. I personally had a wonderful time with his awesome novel, Foundryside, and while I haven’t had the chance to read anymore from Bennett since then, I have been keeping my eye out to see what he comes out with next. As such, I heard some interesting stuff about his next novel, The Tainted Cup, which is already getting a lot of love from fantasy fans.

The Tainted Cup, which is set for release in February 2024, is the first book in Bennett’s new Shadow of the Leviathan series. This first entry has a great story behind it that looks to combine a complex murder investigation with inventive fantasy elements and two fantastic sounding central characters. The synopsis below sounds pretty damn amazing and I love the idea of a brilliant, if highly eccentric, detective, trying to solve a murder caused by the spontaneous growth of a tree in someone’s body. Everything about this book sounds extremely cool and if Bennett is on his usual form this will probably be one of the top fantasy releases of 2024.

Plot Synopsis:

In Daretana’s most opulent mansion, a high Imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a tree spontaneously erupted from his body. Even in this canton at the borders of the Empire, where contagions abound and the blood of the Leviathans works strange magical changes, it’s a death at once terrifying and impossible.

Called in to investigate this mystery is Ana Dolabra, an investigator whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities.

At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol. Din is an engraver, magically altered to possess a perfect memory. His job is to observe and report, and act as his superior’s eyes and ears–quite literally, in this case, as among Ana’s quirks are her insistence on wearing a blindfold at all times, and her refusal to step outside the walls of her home.

Din is most perplexed by Ana’s ravenous appetite for information and her mind’s frenzied leaps—not to mention her cheerful disregard for propriety and the apparent joy she takes in scandalizing her young counterpart. Yet as the case unfolds and Ana makes one startling deduction after the next, he finds it hard to deny that she is, indeed, the Empire’s greatest detective.

As the two close in on a mastermind and uncover a scheme that threatens the safety of the Empire itself, Din realizes he’s barely begun to assemble the puzzle that is Ana Dolabra—and wonders how long he’ll be able to keep his own secrets safe from her piercing intellect.

Featuring an unforgettable Holmes-and-Watson style pairing, a gloriously labyrinthine plot, and a haunting and wholly original fantasy world, The Tainted Cup brilliantly reinvents the classic mystery tale.