"The Tainted Cup" impressed me a lot. It was my first encounter with the author, so I kept my mind open. The first thing that stole my heart is the unique world-building that, so close to our world, has its names and rules. We follow a young apprentice to a slightly eccentric detective who is given a task to solve the murder of some prominent political figure. Of course, the intrigue runs deep and nothing is the way it seems. With Sherlock - Holmes bickering of main characters, and even pacing, I enjoyed this fantasy mystery. Another thing that made me feel at home was narration. The mystery is our main character here. If someone is not a fan of fantasy, this would not stop understanding and enjoying the ride. The scheme is so intricate yet smartly built that I couldn't figure it out on my own - which is a good thing in the end. One last thing: the characters themselves. Our main couple deserves their fandom, mostly because they are so well-built they pop out from a page. The background characters add so much to the story as well. It doesn't happen very often, but they had so much personality that the book would not work at all without them. Despite being out next year (2024 here we come!) it will show up on my top 2023 list.

I do love me a good Robert Jackson Benett book. He always delivers with original and amazing fantasy books, and The Tainted Cup is no exception.

The world building in this book is fantastic, but I didn’t expect otherwise. The characters were well developed, and I loved Ana’s character and her wry, sarcastic banter. And Din, naive guy that he is, really is something.

A fantasy murder mystery that really captures your attention, the writing just flows, the action is well written, and then throw in some monsters, and how can you not love this book?

Another great book from RBJ, I can’t wait to see what next adventure Ana and Din find themselves in. Highly recommend for fantasy fans who like murder mysteries, and seeing them solved Sherlock style.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

This is a unique blend of fantasy, sci-fi, and mystery, with a Holmes and Watson-style dynamic at the heart of the story. Din is an engraver, someone who has been altered to process and retain information with perfect recall. He's the new apprentice to a rather eccentric and infamous investigator, Ana. When an imperial officer is murdered by a tree exploding from his body, it will take all of their efforts to solve and survive. 

The modifications and powers in this world are a blend of science and magic, and fascinating to read about. Din and Ana travel across cantons, realizing the crime is entrenched in political intricacies and grudges. All the while, the threat of titans breaching the sea wall looms, putting their entire world in jeopardy. 

I love a good murder mystery, and this was an interesting twist on one. Ana's sharp tongue brought hilarious levity to tense scenarios, and Din learning to navigate the intricacies of high society and comply with Ana's investigative demands was charming. I didn't feel a strong connection to the characters or the world, though, and I wasn't able to make many predictions while reading since the reasons for the plots were universe-specific. Everything came together in a way that made sense in the end, but I felt less engaged than I otherwise might in a story where I could theorize. While the premise was really interesting, I don't think this story will stick with me. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Personally, this book took me a couple of chapters to get into the groove of the verbiage, and a couple of more to think “I can finish this.” Then a couple of more, I was hooked and didn’t want to put a paise on finding out what happened, whodunnit and the truth.

This felt like a procedural detective story that is submerged in a fictional world of magic further complicated by greed and politics. I enjoyed watching their world unfold with the turn of each page. I feel like if I said anymore out this book, it’s a spoiler and I don’t enjoy spoiling things for others. But if you enjoy Sherlock and Watson (think Cumberbatch version but with a more naive Watson), this is a great choice. If you also love fantasy or want a way to get into the genre, this is a great pick! Also, a very MINOR romantic relationship included.

Bottom line, I highly agree with the hype that I have seen on bookstagram about this book! It was a great book and recommend it to all! Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for allowing to read this.

This was a great book. The mystery was excellent and the fantasy elements made it feel fresh and different. I think Robert Jackson Bennett created such a good atmosphere here, you could feel the muggy, damp weather.

Ana and Din were a good Sherlock and Watson pair and I liked how their interactions were handled. Ana could have overwhelmed the story with her deductions, but these were used in a way that were amusing and helpful in moving the plot forward.

My only small complaint is the pacing seemed slow which made the book feel longer than it was. I was still engaged and interested the entire time, so it didn’t bother me too much. I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next for these characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A gorgeous, brilliant story that seamlessly marries the very best parts of a Golden Age of detective fiction mystery with a fresh, inventive fantasy world. I love mysteries, and I love fantasy, but I never really thought of them being combined in this ‘who got chocolate in my peanut butter’ fashion - but I have to say that I ADORED every word and every page of this book. It held my attention in a vise grip the entire time and I can’t wait for another installment.

The story and characters give you all the notes that you would want from a detective novel, and yet they arrive in such fresh, unexpected ways thanks to the unique world and the way they’re crafted that they feel utterly fresh. Yes, a brilliant and eccentric lead detective with a compelling novice partner with his own backstory obviously conjures Holmes and Watson… and yet Ana and Kol are absolutely their own characters and are so engaging that I stopped comparing them after a few chapters. The supporting cast also felt rich and fully realized. The world Robert Jackson Bennet has built here is also so fascinating and I desperately want to know more about it. I believe this is the first in a series of three and I’m excited for the next one.

Thanks so much to Del Ray and NetGalley for a sneak peak!

I’ve come to expect mind-blowing originality from Bennett, but this book exceeded my high expectations. It’s an intricate murder mystery set in a fantasy world with hints of Ancient Rome and a whole lot of innovative magic as people struggle to survive in a setting with aggressive worms, plants, and city-sized titans. The politics are about as nasty as the monstrous elements, too. Quite honestly, this is one of the best books I’ve read this year.

This was a bit of complicated read for me, because it took me a while to get into it and there were several times when I thought about def'ing The Tainted Cup, but I'm glad I persisted and kept with it after all. It starts out really slow, where the reader is thrown into the middle of a crime scene, which might not seem as very complicated or unusual, but that perception would probably change when you understand that the world where our characters live is completely different from ours. A lot of humans are sort of like mutants - they possess additional qualities (mostly physical, but can be mental too) which enhance their abilities. The locations and even month names - this surprised me the most as I don't think I've ever read a book, where these names were changed to something else - are different, as well as the hierarchy of the people that live in the empire. Our main character is Dinios Kol, an assistant to the investigator and an engraver, magically altered to possess a perfect memory. There is also Ana Dolabra, an investigator, who is quite eccentric in the way she does her work, but brilliant at the same time. This duo is as strange as it might sound, but somehow, their dynamic is charming and is probably the main thing that encouraged me to stay with this novel.

As for the pace of the book, although the plot becomes more interesting after you finally start to understand how this world works, for me, felt way too slow and I eagerly waited for all the events and mysteries to be explained sooner than later. This is why it felt like a drag to go through the first half of the book, because I think it really picked up after that. However, I liked the author's writing style and thought that he created an exceptional world, which could be great starting point for the future novels in this series. I also liked the fact, that all questions that I had while reading this, have been answered by the end of the book and little clues that Bennett left throughout the novel, came together quite nicely. I would be interested to continue with this series as I quite enjoyed reading from Dinios perspective and found him more unique than a lot of other protagonists that I've encountered in other books I've read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions!

The Tainted Cup, written by Robert Jackson Bennett, is an inventive, clever mystery constructed like a Russian nesting doll. The story is set in a secondary world where contagion runs rampant and the threat from leviathans rising from the sea and wrecking havoc on land is real. This novel is told from the first person perspective of Din, an “engraver” whose memory has been altered so that he remembers everything, allowing him to gather evidence for his investigator boss, the elusive and eccentric Ana. They quickly become embroiled in a mysterious conspiracy when a tree erupts from the body of a respective military officer, killing him instantly. Soon, this escalates into ten more deaths of engineers who are responsible for maintaining the walls that keep out leviathans, threatening the Empire. I found The Tainted Cup to be an engrossing mystery filled with interesting, flawed characters. The theme of contagion being everywhere helped round out the world and create depth. I’m looking forward to future books in this series. Highly recommended. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an advance reading copy.

📣 a 5⭐️ fantasy murder mystery with romantic elements!

📖 what was your last 5 ⭐️ read? This was mine!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

I was totally taken off guard with how much I loved The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett.

But the book opens with intrigue & maintains a delicate & yet assertive sense of tension & suspense. Bennett weaves a powerful web of mystery & danger & in the background is more of that with the threat of leviathans attacking as apprentice investigator & his mentor Ana try to solve a case.

The interplay between Din & Ana is fantastic. She is a brilliant, vaguely frightening, quirky force of nature & he’s the anchor & the facilitator & the man keeping a secret or two as he tries to unravel the ones surrounding them.

The mystery is compelling, as is the worldbuilding—the safety & danger of Empire—the preciousness that can be enjoyed even when the leviathan stands at one’s back. The characters & the story mesmerize with complexity.

I highly recommend this book for fans of thoughtful mystery.

5 ⭐️. Out 02/06.

Please see a trusted reviewer’s list of CWs.

[ID: Jess, a white woman wearing a blue shirt that says “Just a small town reader who can’t get enough fantasy,” holds the ebook in front of a white wall.]

The Tainted Cup takes place in a different world, one where people are altered to perform better in specific roles, plant contagions proliferate, and leviathans regularly attack the outer walls. Bennett deftly builds both the world and the mystery, giving readers what they need when they need it. Kol manages to pass exams after several tries and is assigned to assist the brilliant eccentric Ana Dolabra with discovering who's behind an unusual murder. Din is keeping a secret. Ana is behaving peculiarly. But they work spectacularly together and use their secrets and peculiarities to discover the perpetrator while pushing against those in power. I can't wait to learn what Din and Ana will get up to next.

I received an electronic ARC from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine through NetGalley.
Jackson Bennett immediately draws readers in to this world where intrigue and human experimentation flourish. We meet an eccentric detective, Ana, and her rather serious assistant, Din. They have been called on to solve a rather gruesome murder. The mystery surrounding this death spirals down into further complications in the neighboring area and leads to more deaths. The author provides subtle hints about characters being more than they seem but leaves it to readers to sort out the clues or simply accept the variety of characters at face value.
Though this is the first in the Shadow of the Leviathan series, it reads as a stand alone as well. The story is contained and resolved by the final chapter. The reference to adventures to come opens the door for the next book without leaving the main plot points unresolved. I'm looking forward to reading it and the rest of the series.
This is light fantasy for those who may want a taste of this genre.

Fantastic. I am not usually into fantasy but I read this and was blown away. I loved the mystery/ detective element.
Many thanks to Random House and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this book. The cover really drew me in. I was intrigued, and I found it very interesting to read, and I can’t wait to read what is next from this author.

Din, an apprentice assistant investigator to the crazy lady in town, Ana Dolabra, is sent to investigate a murder of a high-ranked Imperial Officer. Din's job is to report everything he sees back to Ana as he is altered to remember everything. The two quickly discover the cause of death, dappleglass. Dappleglass is a contagion, when combined with hot steam, infects the host and eventually kills them, sprouting trees from their insides.

The two are sent to the city of Talagray to investigate another murder. Upon arriving, 10 engineers are killed in a very similar fashion. Din is sent on a journey to figure out what is causing this, by interviewing a multitude of people and in some cases, breaking the law.

I enjoyed this story. It was paced perfectly and every chapter led itself to revealing more of the story. There were no chapters that I struggled through or thought were simply filler chapters. I liked the idea behind people being altered to allow them to do tasks that ordinary people cannot, although they are all still flawed as characters.

I also really enjoyed the apprenticeship between Din and Ana as Ana was one of the realest characters in the book. I absolutely loved her and her intolerance for putting up with a lot of social interactions.

I would recommend this book to anyone that likes stories about mysteries, fantasy, or sci-fi.

Dinios Kol is a quirky apprentice to Ana Dolabra, both are assigned to investigate the suspicious death of a high imperial officer. If you think you might enjoy a combination of fantasy and murder mystery, give this one a try.

While I liked the overall concept and underlying themes, I found this novel to be partially bland and it dragged a bit. I have seen many glowing reviews of this book, so I keep wondering if I somehow missed details along the way.  In my opinion, the story was quite promising, but something crucial was lost in the translation . . . a delivery of facts, somewhat lacking in excitement or tension.

I'd like to thank NetGalley for an advanced copy of The Tainted Cup for my unbiased evaluation.  3 stars

This book was a little bit of a slow burn for me. I had a difficult time understanding the alterations and the complex government system. In all honesty, I think there were parts I still didn't understand after I finished the book. However, I still found it to be a pretty enjoyable read, and by the end, I was flipping pages so fast to see the conclusion.

While other characters in the book have had alterations done that make it so they can see in the dark or smell contagions, Din has been altered to have perfect memory and recall. These alterations seem to be a combination of magic and technology. It wasn't ever really explicitly stated. I don't think that's a bad thing; it gives the world room to build across other books. There were several minor plot points that make the world seem magical, like how many worm species a person could get or the highest level of "government" personnel basically living forever while also being as large as a house. It's also made clear that the leviathans have earth-altering blood and are studied to help with grafts and other scientific advancements.

This book at its heart is a murder mystery, and it's done very well. While we have a suspect pretty early on, the book continues to draw the reader in by slowly revealing new deaths and new angles. The author does an excellent job of relaying the stakes and of making Din's anxiety pop off the page. Din has dyslexia, though in this world, there isn't really a word for it. Din worries that his difficulty reading and writing will cost him his apprenticeship or make him bad at his job. This constant fear ups the stakes several times while he's looking for clues. His boss Ana is too sensitive to the world and, as such, Din must be the eyes and ears.

One other thing I really didn't enjoy about this was that the author continually mentioned the size of Din. Almost every chapter had mention of Din's height. It was kind of annoying. No one's inner monologue refers to their own height that frequently. I'm tall, and I don't constantly compare myself to others. It was a weird character quirk.

Overall, I had fun reading this even though the beginning was a bit of a slog to get through. It felt like I was reading the second book in a series and that there was something I missed from the beginning.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey for the ARC.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to enjoy this book early!

While this had a slow start for me, it was such a good time.

It was an intricate new world to explore and had a lot of ins and outs that I definitely didn’t perfectly keep track of.

I love the Sherlock/Watson vibes and it was absolutely delightful to experience Din’s POV. The characters were enjoyable, the world was intricate and diverse, and honestly once I got into it I didn’t want to stop reading (I’m writing this past my bedtime).

This has definitely pushed me to go find and read this author’s other works.

If you like
- Sherlock Holmes inspired fantasy
- fungus and mushroom magic
- complex murder mystery plots
- a dyslexic main character

Then you simply absolutely must read The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett out in Feb 2024!

4.5 Rounded up

I was so excited for this book as Foundryside is one of my favorites series (no I haven’t read locklands yet I’ll get there) and it did not disappoint!!

I am fascinated by RJB’s magic development and world building. He creates worlds that rely on magic, use it as a commodity and in their technology. It was the same in foundryside, the magic is not inherently in the people but they have monopolized what their world has.

And Din, oh Din, I adore our honest and rule following main character. And the JOY I felt when his dyslexia was revealed. To see myself in such a well written character who does such important work was so incredible.

I love RJB’s writing style. It’s descriptive and witty. He writes in such an engaging way that was perfectly applied to the mystery genre. His characters are incredibly compelling. Din was complex and well developed. I would have liked a little more depth from Ana and the side characters though.

The plot was so engaging, I really had no clue what was going on but as things were revealed, they made perfect sense. There was a side plot/conflict/impending doom with the leviathans and I found I wanted more from that. I expect that will develop more in the rest of the series considering it is the series name.

This was a fantastic read overall and I hope it finds its way into so many readers homes.

Thank you Del Ray for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve always been a fan of murder mystery books, and something about this mystery unfolding in a fantastical world full of plant contagions and leviathans just made it so enjoyable. The world building was definitely the highlight for me. I was constantly wanting to know more, and I loved visualizing all the organic elements, as well as the different character designs. It was all very vivid, and I would love to see this in a graphic novel format as well.

The majority of the focus of this book was on the plot, and unraveling the mystery of a series of murders. Din was a great protagonist to be following on this journey. He is the assistant to the very intense and enigmatic Ana, who was one of my favorites. Din’s humor was another highlight of the book for me, and I love the way he seemingly flails his way to success. That’s my boy!! I was so hoping for him to have a romantic rendezvous with one of the other characters, but I foresee lots of pining in Din’s future.

Overall I really enjoyed the plot, but I was wanting the characters to be just a bit deeper. Many of the emotions felt more on the surface level, and I wanted things to go past that. The biggest challenge I had was the end of the book. The last few chapters felt like there was way too much dialogue and everything was just being told to us through that, which started to feel a bit monotonous.

I would give this a solid 4⭐️ and would definitely love to read more stories either with these characters or in this world.