As a huge Sherlock Holmes fan, reading the blurb for The Tainted Cup immediately peaked my interest - and a huge thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC.

First, I just want to acknowledge the cover of the book, which is fantastic. Looking more closely at it after reading the book made it more interesting to me - once I had a better understanding of leviathans and contagion and the landscape of Robert Jackson Bennett's Empire of Khanum.

For the story itself, Din, our Watson, is an engraver - someone who has been magically altered to remember everything they see/hear/witness with the ability to recall and repeat at any time, which makes him the perfect fit to assist Ana Dolabra, the investigator of Daretana. Ana is our Sherlock, an over stimulated genius seemingly exiled from the center of the empire for reasons we do not know. Four months into their partnership, a man is murdered in inexplicable fashion, which sends ripples through the outer rim of the empire, and leads to Din and Ana being asked to investigate the larger impact of this murder in the region's capital, Talagray, where more mysteries and murders lie in wait.

The setting and backdrop of the story is creative, original, and something I wish I had more details on. The Empire of Khanum is layered in rings, with those at the center being the safest; the first, second and third rings each are enclosed within their own great walls, while those past the third ring have great sea walls that are seasonally attacked by leviathans - massive creatures that wish to land in Khanum and follow a land path (perhaps in some sort of migration?). The blood of the leviathans killed onshore creates contagions, dangerous plants, worms, parasites, flora, fauna, etc. that require citizens to be on high alert and to immunize and protect themselves. To gain the potential to move further inland, citizens join the military and civil ranks of Khanum and some go so far as to magically alter themselves to be more beneficial - even it may mean shortening their lifespan and turning their skin pallor shades of grey. Din is an engraver, but there are many other types of alterations that allow citizens to gain all types of skills and tricks. Given what felt like a closed ending to The Tainted Cup, I am interested if the other books in the trilogy will encounter a larger internal struggle within Khanum, or whether they will turn toward the leviathans. Again, the setting is really interesting, and the danger of the leviathans and the attacks upon the wall while Din and Ana work on the case almost felt like background noise at times - but I would have loved to know more and hope to see that in the sequel.

In terms of characters, in Arthur Conan Doyle style I don't feel like we got really deep into the motivations and emotions of Din or Ana - or really any of the characters. As the larger mystery of the story grows and entwines multiple plot points together, it felt like the focus was more on worldbuilding and action points as opposed to character development. Ana, while brilliant, still seems a mystery - though I could imagine her shooting "VR" into her wall when bored. Perhaps she is intentionally still a mystery, given the way the story ends. And while we spend almost the entire story with Din, I felt like his troubles and worries were a bit nonexistent - besides those around his hiring as Ana's assistant. We don't know about the family he sends money home to, and even when he feels desperate it feels surface level. This isn't a bad thing - I think it may be a bit more common in mystery novels - and this is a novel with so many things happening in the setting, in the rankings and political aspirations of those involved in the murders and mystery, in the magical system, etc. that if immediate character development has been delayed, I can wait. Maybe it's just that the description in the book blurb seemed to focus on Din trying to understand Ana - which I don't agree with. Din follows her instructions, helps people navigate Ana, does not ever doubt her skill, etc. -- the story is so much larger and more layered to limit it to just Ana and Din.

In the end there end up being three large mysteries within this story, and they fairly seamlessly snake and twist around each other to create a very compelling tale, and to give a wide view into understanding the setting and players of the series. There was only one part I was able to guess at because the character in question makes a pretty obvious statement toward the end that I won't write here - but all other aspects of conspiracy, revenge, magic, etc. were fantastic.

All in all this was an excellent story, and I am very excited to read the next books in the series. I also might check out Robert Jackson Bennett's other series, as the worldbuilding skills in The Tainted Cup were phenomenal.

I feel that when it comes to authors we’ve read and liked, we readers tend to put them in this rather strange position: on the one hand, we give them credit and are prepared to appreciate the new things they make, but on the other - we whole-heartedly expect them to deliver. Heavy is the weight of this expectation (and utterly unhelpful at that), but oh, what a true delight it is to pick up a book by an author you’ve enjoyed reading before and find that it does, in fact, deliver.

I’m way past the point in life when my primary genre of choice was detective novels, but this one really got me. It has all the best elements of a Sherlock Holmes story married to an Attack on Titan (on steroids) type of situation, with hideous monsters of unknown provenance trying to get through the walls keeping the Empire and its somewhat augmented citizens safe. From Sherlock Holmes, we get an aloof and rather blunt detective armed with her intelligence and a capable assistant, nobility hiding their dirty secrets and the unavoidable politicking and corruption that come with it, and of course a murder mystery so convoluted it borders on unbelievable - which just proves that when you handle even the familiar tropes right, they will blend in seamlessly and add to the story rather than take away from it.

As for the story per se, the way the world-building is introduced and the mystery unravelled is excellently paced, the characters fleshed out and fun to follow. While the focus here is undoubtedly on the murder that quickly escalates into a matter of national importance, I'm looking forward to the next books telling us more about the way the Empire functions and the real reason why it’s under near-constant siege, which seems to be where the larger story arc is going.

This was the kind of book that you race through because you’re having so much fun reading and you just want to know what happens next, while at the same time you actually don’t want it to be over. In the Acknowledgements, Bennett says that his first attempt at a murder mystery novel turned out to be something else entirely and he basically had to rewrite the whole thing - well, even though throwing away words sounds like a profoundly painful experience, I’m really glad that it eventually led to The Tainted Cup in the shape and form that it is now.

With many thanks to #Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of #TheTaintedCup. It was a delight start to finish.

Part fantasy, part mystery, and a lot of fun - the apparent the start of a terrific new series!

The Fantasy: The novel is set in the Empire of Khanum which spends many resources to build huge sea walls and create weapons with the primary goal of keeping the mysterious Leviathans out. To help in this endeavor, many people undergo alterations, enhancing their strength, speed, eyesight, or even memory, ironically using technology derived from the remains of the Leviathans to create the alterations.

The Mystery: One of the senior engineers tasked with maintaining the sea walls has been murdered, killed by a rapid growing plant that sprouted out of his lungs. Investigator Ana Dolabra is tasked with solving the crime. Ana is eccentric to the extreme, rarely going outside, and often wearing a blindfold; she relies heavily on her new assistant Dinios Kol to act as her eyes at the gruesome scene. Din is an engraver, one of the people altered to have a photographic memory. Aided by various scents, he visits the scene, and is able to later provide Ana the verbatim details which allows her to solve many elements of the case. However, no sooner have they finished investigating the first scene, when word comes from the neighboring canton of the murders of ten more engineers, using the same method. Ana’s quickly recruited to investigate those crime as well, again bring along her assistant Din to act as her eyes. Meanwhile, a Levithan is approaching – a big one, based on the rumblings from its footsteps. If it breaches the walls, it will cause lots of death and destruction.

First, a disclaimer: I primary read mysteries and typically avoid fantasy novels. All too frequently I get caught up in the odd sounding names and places, having to flip back and forth in the book to figure out who's doing what, soon reaching a point where I no longer care enough about the plot to finish the book. And while this book had some of those elements, I never reached the point where I no longer cared – I was hooked by the plot and the characters.

The characters were great! The book blurb mentions a 'Holmes-and-Watson pairing'; I disagree with that. It's more like Rex Stout's Wolfe-and-Goodwin pairing. Like Nero Wolfe, Ana prefers no not leave her residence, only doing so when absolutely necessary, and like Archie, Din has an amazing memory. I think Din is more intelligent and resourceful than Watson too, and Ana would never be caught running around with a magnifying class like Holmes is frequently pictured.

Din is the narrator; he’s young – around 20 years old – and has a case of imposter syndrome where he’s constantly questioning why someone would follow his orders, respect him, etc. For example, Din almost always addresses people as ‘sir’ or ‘ma’am’, while other characters frequently refer to him as ‘boy’ which he doesn’t object to or even comment on. Early in the first chapter we discover at least partly why – he has trouble reading, which my not-so-professional diagnosis is dyslexia (or something similar) that he hides from everyone, including Ana. This has slowed his career; he mentions several times that he’s still an apprentice while others his age have already graduated. However, he is also shown to be very intelligent and observant, noticing details about the cooling plant (yep, they have a shroom for an air conditioner) and figuring out connections that other, more experienced people don’t. (Side note: While engravers remember everything they see, I’m assuming that they have to notice it first – they couldn’t remember that the ball was a baseball unless they actively observe it to begin with). He has a sly sense of humor: Ana asks if he can say a sentence of “more than ten words in length,” he replies with a smirk, “Could, ma’am.” He’s also well-liked by other characters; at the end of the first chapter, for example, after investigating the first death, the character he was intimidated by at the beginning of the chapter tells him “well done, sir.” His only flaw is maybe that he’s too serious, too formal, and too concerned about being a perfect officer, something that I think starts to change by the end of the book.

Ana, the other part of the investigative duo, is also likeable. She’s eccentric, as mentioned above, but never cruel and cares a lot about Din. After he’s in a fight, she takes some time out from the investigation to check on him, make sure he’s not limping, his pulse is good, that he’s not injured; she values him as an assistant. She has a lot of experience and is very confident in her abilities which is a nice contrast to Din who lacks both.

This is implied to be the first of a series, by both the subtitle, “Shadow of the Leviathan: Book 1” and a comment in the author’s acknowledgement about planning to write more mysteries. Thankfully, there are numerous unanswered questions that help good series stay interesting, beginning with both Ana and Din’s background: hints about her past dealings with the Hazas family and hints about his family, for example. There are also questions about the nature of the empire and the Leviathans; they come ashore during the wet season causing lots of havoc, but it’s not clear if they are intelligent and have a reason for their actions or if it’s just instinct like salmon heading upstream to spawn. There’s certainly clues that they might be trying to communicate with markings that look like human and “an open maw working ….as if trying to speak.”

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, a lot more than I was expecting. The world building was terrific, revealing enough to get the reader interested, but leaving some secrets for future books.

Highly recommend.

I received this book from NetGalley.com which I voluntarily chose to review.

I was invited by Random House / Del Ray to read an advanced copy of Bennett's The Tainted Cup on NetGalley. I'll admit, I am kind of picky with fantasy novels, and need to be seriously impressed to invest the time into making sense of a new "world." But the murder investigation and "Homes and Watson" hook in the book description made me decide to give the book a chance. I am glad I did.

The Tainted Cup takes place in a fantasy world, in which a high ranking imperial officer has been murdered - and there is a tree growing out of his body, or I should say erupting out of body. The novel follows the investigation of the murder - and others to follow - by a team of investigators, Ana Dolabra and her new probationary assistant Dinios Kol. Dinios is the main protagonist in the story. But this isn't just a team of detectives. In the world Robert Jackson Bennett created, the assistant investigator is "augmented" as an engraver, with perfect ability to remember and capture everything he sees and hears.

While I could get lost in trying to describe the fantasy world, of augmentations and contagions, and the ever-present threat of protecting the land from an aquatic 'leviathan," it isn't necessary for this review. The book's true magic is in the solving of the puzzle, the intricate twists and turns, the back and forth between Ana (who most of the time is blindfolded, and seems to be a brilliant recluse) and Kol. The book is hefty at 432 pages, but keeps you interested chapter by chapter, and just when you think it is resolved, the story turns again. And while you begin interested in the initial murder, you become more intrigued by the world Robert Bennett has created.

The Tainted Cup hits bookstores on February 2024. Highly recommend it.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this!

This book is a murder mystery, but set in a world with leviathans and people who are enhanced to have special abilities. The cast is interesting and I’m glad this will be a series because I’m excited to know more about the characters and see where they go next!

Tainted Cup

I give this 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️’s

So, if you like old style mysteries, you’re gonna like this.
The world And environment and don’t forget the plants Bring a different check up for the humans who live there! yes, I said plants. They provide a security health diagnosis for the planet and the humans.

So, like all murder mysteries murder by tree. This is no barking matter. But like all murders what you see, isn’t always what seems to be.

Enter Ana Dolabra, the eccentric detective!! ( reminded of Adrian Monk).

Yes, she has an assistant and yes, you’ll be trying to guess who did this the whole way through a lot of twists, and turns of ordinary and in ordinary.

But a great read. Overall, I want to thank NetGalley for giving me an advanced copy to read. For an honest review!!!

The Tainted Cup
by Robert Jackson Bennett
Pub Date: 06 Feb 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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

Assigned to investigate is Ana Dolabra, a detective whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities. Rumor has it that she wears a blindfold at all times—and that she can solve impossible cases without even stepping outside the walls of her home.

At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol. Din is an engraver, magically altered in ways that make him the perfect aide to Ana’s brilliance.

Din finds himself at turns scandalized, perplexed, and utterly infuriated by his new superior—but as the case unfolds and Ana’s mind leaps from one startling deduction to the next, he must grudgingly admit 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.

The Tainted Cup is a story about a woman whose too smart for her own good, a man who forgets nothing, and a murder that turns over not just corruption that runs so deep it fouls the very land, but a complicated murder plot that twists and turns in ways that are both surprising, and make perfect sense.

This is a book filled with an absolutely breathtaking amount of worldbuilding. and a fantastic vibe that cannot be beat. though the world is beautiful, filled with wonders beyond imagining, there is danger lurking under the surface. dangerous and deadly, descriptions that match both the world they live in, the city they are working in, and the people they find themselves surrounded by. This is an extremely thrilling tale filled with secrets, surprises, and an ending that will leave you begging for more. (it's NOT a cliffhanger! no worries!) The characters are also amazing, each one filled with enough personality and interest to burst out of the pages! between the characters and the mystery unfolding before my eyes, I was at the edge of my seat the entire book!

Another fantastic effort from Bennett, who never fails to deliver the goods. It's a detective/crime/mystery/fantasy novel all rolled into one, and it's a good as it gets. I'm not a fan of fantasy but I make exceptions when Bennett writes them. An investigator and her fresh-faced apprentice assistant, reminiscent of Holmes and Watson, are tasked with looking into a mysterious death involving the possible poisoning of an important officer in the Empire. Conspiracies, lies, patronage, revenge, corruption and powerful families all factor into the story in some way. The story slowly unravels over time as more clues are deciphered and more people are killed. A complex resolution brings everything to a close for now, as this is part of another trilogy. Needless to say, I am awaiting the second installment with bated breath. Bennett is one of the most talented authors around, starting with his terrific Mr. Shivers. If you haven't read him yet, you really should start. Very highly recommended. Thanks to Netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“The Tainted Cup” combines murder-mystery and science fiction fantasy in the most unexpectedly witty and captivating way. I’ll admit, I was intimidated about the world-building before I started to read this book. But I am happy to report that I had no reason to be worried! This story does contain some complex world-building, but it is introduced gradually and understandably to the reader. At the very beginning, the reader is dropped right into the mystery. And from that point on, I was so intrigued by the progression of this story. The characters are so eclectic and charming; they are a huge reason I was so invested in this book.

Do you ever want to pick up a book without really knowing what you’re getting into because it doesn’t fit into any one genre? Pick this one! Trust me, you will enjoy it!

Thank you Random House Publishing Group Ballantine and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I am new to this author and this book was offered to me by the publisher. It’s a murder mystery fantasy novel with terrific world building and great characters. I absolutely could not put it down. The imagery is very clear as is the terrain. Our protagonist is a new investigator for a very unorthodox boss. I love the easy way the author places female characters in non-traditional roles. The book is LBGTQ friendly. I found it very engaging and want more of this story and the author. The book does resolve its mystery so no cliff hanger here. Very pleased to have had the opportunity to read this. Delightful.

Okay this was a little hard for me to get into at first- diving into the world of as a little intimidating for me and it took me a minute for my brain to catch up. BUT, once I did, I was hooked. Fantasy Sherlock Holmes with a twisted mystery?? Yes please. Overall I loved this!! Such a cool and unique story that really pulls you in from the beginning.

Holy crap - I loved this book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity read in advance of its publishing date. It was such a treat!

I tore through this book and couldn't get enough. Bennett crafted an immersive world that was A) fun and different and B) easy to follow and not overly complicated. His ability to weave in character building amongst world building is impressive.

I'm only mad that I can't buy this book and gift it to my friends today! I set a note in my calendar for its pub date next year so I can shout about it from the rooftops then.

If you love a good murder mystery set in a world with giant sea creatures, people with artificially enhanced abilities, and witty dialogue this is a good book for you.

When a murder takes place in a mansion in Daretana, Dinios Kol is sent on behalf of the region’s lead investigator, eccentric and brilliant Ana Dolabra, to inspect the scene and interview the household. As an engraver, Din is specially augmented to remember everything he sees and hears. Din’s memory and Ana’s genius combine to uncover a conspiracy that goes far beyond the initial crime.

When a contagion is revealed to be the cause of death in their investigation, Ana and Din head to the capital of the Empire. There, they consult with doctors and team up with soldiers as more bodies are discovered with the same infection. As the puzzle becomes more convoluted, Din and Ana will have to lean on each other’s skills to solve the case – and to keep themselves alive.

This book was so good! I can’t begin to tell you all the details I loved about it, so you’ll have to read it yourself! The world the author built was unique and fantastical. There were so many layers to this mystery, and the dynamic between Ana and Din was filled with humor, affection, and mutual respect. They had a Watson/Holmes-esque relationship that I really enjoyed. I don’t know if I liked the fantasy world or the mystery better, but both were so well done! I highly recommend this one!

Thank you NetGalley!

This book was not for me, I was so confused the whole time. I think I would of liked it better as an audiobook. I didn’t know who was who. It was just ok.

Seen people on TikTok talk about this book so much I had to try and get it. Sure enough NetGalley gave me a chance to read it and I’m so thankful, this book is was one of the best I’ve read so far. I literally read it in one day.

4.5 stars. I was so excited to find out that I had gotten approved for an ARC of this while currently still awaiting a weeks-long hold on Locklands, I didn't even read the blurb before I started reading -- I knew I would enjoy it. And I'm happy to report that I wholeheartedly did.

This book blended together two of my favorite concepts -- a detective duo mystery and biopunk fantasy -- in a way that genuinely surprised me. This book is so unique, I feel lucky that I got to be one of the early eyes on it. For mystery fans, the mystery aspect absolutely delivered. Ana and Din are such a fun, endearing pair, and although the mystery itself was on the more predictable side, I still enjoyed Ana's moments of revelation à la Knives Out. More than anything, though, I loved their dynamic, and I'm looking forward to reading more of it in future installments. And I absolutely will be reading the future installments, if only to learn more about the aforementioned biopunk fantasy world itself. The world of The Tainted Cup is a wholly unique one that seems inspired in equal parts by Japanese kaiju media/anime and ancient China in a way that scratched my brain so good. I've always been a sucker for worlds that blur the lines between sci-fi and fantasy, and I was pleasantly surprised (again, after having not read the blurb) to find such a rich and unique world in The Tainted Cup. I have certainly never read a book set in a world like this before, and I couldn't get enough of it.

I reserve the last 0.5 stars of my rating out of a desire for a bit more characterization of the characters besides Ana and Din, and the fact that I found the mystery just a bit predictable, but The Tainted Cup was a solid first installment in a new series from an author that is quickly becoming one of my favorites. My only regret is that, having read this book early, I'll have to wait even longer for the sequel.

This engaging and original story is the first in a new fantasy series by the author of The Founders trilogy.

Buckle in and prepare yourself for some hefty worldbuilding, but part of what was admirable about this book was the fresh and unique setting. The Empire of Khanum is arranged like a succession of spoked wheels, with the the wealthiest citizens living in the center, the farthest from the outer ring's sea walls. This is because every wet season, leviathans surface from the deep and try to breach the walls, destroying everything in their path. Branches of the military are dedicated to shoring up and defending the wall from the monstrous titans.

Some people who serve the empire are given grafts or suffusions, altering their abilities in specific ways. Our main character, Din, is an engraver; he has been cerebrally altered to have a perfect eidetic memory of everything he sees and hears. He carries little vials of different scents with him to use as cues to associate with particular memories. With this ability, he acts as the eyes and ears of the exceedingly eccentric, and brilliant, Ana, the investigator to whom he is apprenticed.

The bulk of this novel focuses on a murder investigation Ana and Din undertake, one that winds up with far-reaching political implications. But there's also a lot about the uncertainties of living in a world that is routinely under threat, not only by the titans of the sea, but also contagion, worms, and a host of other worries. It addresses the nature of civilization, and the question of whether people exist to serve their Empire, or vice versa.

One of the highlights of this book is the relationship and banter between Ana and Din (and a few other characters introduced during their investigative proceedings), which are charming and often downright hilarious. Ana is irreverent, Din is sincere. I really wish I could share some quotes here to show just how funny the dialogue is at times, but since this is an ARC, I'm not supposed to until I can check that nothing about them is changed for the final published version.

And as if all of that wasn't enough to secure a place for this book in my esteem, is also included great representation: of disability and neurodiversity, plus the minor romance included was queer.

I highly recommend this refreshing and entertaining tale of a murder mystery that unfolds in a new and interesting fantasy world, and I can't wait to read about what Ana and Din get mixed up in next.

Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this advanced review copy. This review will be posted to my blog and Instagram account closer to the book's publication date.

Robert Jackson Bennett is, by far, one of the most unique fantasy authors of our time. The Tainted Cup only proves how versatile the man building worlds, magic systems and characters after such a wondrous series that is The Founders Trilogy. That series kicked ass, and now it’s time to rave about this new series, Shadow of the Leviathan.

Colossal Monsters, yes.
Classic Whodunit, yes.
Fast-paced Mystery, yes.

The strongest quality Bennett has is his the way he makes his characters believable in such a demanding and unique environment. He has a staple in his books that gives the reader comfort knowing they’ll have a fantastic story. The Tainted Cup is awesome in every regard. The setting, story and characters are great. We’ve got an eccentric female detective that is quick to love and exciting group of events that immediately get the story rolling. This is one of those stories that’ll be thinking about for a long time.

I’m pumped to read the sequel. Until then, I’ve gotta read Bennett’s first trilogy, The Divine Cities.

This one astounded me in the most magical and thought provoking ways! If you’d like something resembling Sherlock Holmes but in a twisted dystopian society where the plants are more than just plants… give this a try! The mystery of this story was laid upon us so beautifully woven it leaves you guessing up to the very lasting second. I thought I had it pegged quite a few times. Fantastical world building with political intrigue wrapped into one, this mystery might gobble you up!