Unforgettable page turner that had me thinking I was a detective. Sent it to by bestie who loved it as well. Wonderful read and can't recommend it enough!

Robert Jackson Bennett’s The Tainted Cup is the first book in his new Shadow of the Leviathan series. Taking inspiration from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories, The Tainted Cup introduces readers to Signum Dinios Kol, the Watson of the book, who arrives to investigate a grizzly death. A grouping of trees appears to have grown up through the floor of a home, and up through the torso and head of a person. It’s all a bit reminiscent of Bryan Fuller’s dearly departed Hannibal.

The Sherlock Holmes to Din’s Watson is Ana Dolabra. She’s quirky. She’s brash. She’s outspoken. She’s very good at her job. And she prefers not to leave the house. Ana and Din must work together—okay, Din does most of the legwork—to solve the mystery of who is killing people with trees and why before more people get hurt.

Dolabra and Din are very well-defined, well-written characters with distinct, complete personalities and complex backstories that the narrative only just scratches the surface of in this book. Dolabra is at turns abrasive and off-putting, but also incredibly intelligent, capable, and respected in her field. While Din is largely sympathetic and relatable as a guy who seemingly just wants to do his job and do it effectively.

All of this is happening against a rich fantasy backdrop, or so the pitch for this book—and its place on bookstore shelves—would have readers believe. The people of Daretana and the Khanum Empire live under perpetual threat from the sea. Large leviathans periodically rise from the depths and attempt to ram themselves into the cities for reasons unknown. This has resulted in the building of large sea walls complete with heavy weaponry to repel these aquatic invaders.

Unfortunately for fantasy fans, this element of the story comes secondary to the mystery plot. This is a mystery novel set in a fantasy world, not a fantasy novel with a mystery plot. Maybe this balance will shift a bit in future installments, allowing readers more access to the fantasy elements of the world Bennett has so meticulously created. But while this may be disappointing for fantasy readers, readers who favor mystery novels and are fantasy-curious may find this novel an approachable way to dip their toes into the fantasy waters.

As someone who doesn’t often enjoy fantasy, I was surprised by how quickly I was drawn into the story. There’s just enough of a mystery that makes the story fun and the main investigator’s (Ana’s) quirks are odd enough that it seems like a real wonder that she can solve as much as she does without showing up to the scene or by relying on Din, her assistant. Din and Ana’s interpersonal relationship is wholesome and it’s just very wholesome to see how Ana supports Din’s growth.

20/10 recommend - I’m patiently waiting for the sequel!

An Imperial officer lies dead in a nobleman's country house. A brand-new investigator - Dinios Kol engraves what he sees in his memory using scents so that he can report to his boss Ana Dolabra exactly what he saw, heard, and smelled. Shades of Nero Wolfe and Chip Harrison but in a fantasy setting! The pair, having solved the how and part of the who, are then summoned top the next canton where a series of similar deaths have erupted, allowing a leviathan to breach the sea wall. A very nice twisty mystery with interesting characters! I will be interesting to see what Kol and Dolabra get up to next!

This book had great world building. This book kept me so intrigued. The characters and plot were great! Cannot wait for the next book!

If you’re like me and read a ton of fantasy then you can probably know the excitement of discovering a book that introduces a completely novel system of magic. From the start I could tell there was something special about this mystery story set in a lush and darkly surreal world. I loved the premise of magical flora and fauna that act as both malady and cure. The underlying story of an empire that is at constant war with savage leviathans that live beyond a massive sea wall is incredibly compelling and I wanted to know more. The writing itself is polished and the characters are unique without trespassing into the stereotypical. I don’t want to spoil anything but the ending feels like it was setting up for a series which I recently found out is the case and I’m absolutely thrilled! Thank you so much to Netgalley, Random House and Del Rey publishers for the digital ARC.

Once again, Bennett's world-building is amazing. I read this book as soon as I got hold of it, and couldn't stop. The characters were intriguing and the descriptions fascinating. I love the way the mystery plot evolved as we learned more about the world. Can't wait for the next installment!

I adore every world RJB creates and this one was certainly no different. This book has everything from monstrous leviathans, contagions, and people with special powers to alter themselves (my favorite part!). I loved the exploration of neurodivergence and embracing your differences when the world seems to be against you. This biopunk murder mystery is perfect for those looking for a fun reading experience. I loved every second of it!

It’s always the books I least expect that I end up enjoying the most. I had been on a romantasy kick for too long, so picking up this murder mystery was the perfect way to avoid falling into a reader slump.

If you’re looking for a book that has Sherlock and Watson vibes but in a purely unique fantasy setting, this is the book you want to read. As well as being a completely original world which was a pleasure to read from start to finish, the banter between the two main characters is so well done and humorous I found myself chuckling many times.

I can’t think of anything constructive to say on this story. The pacing was perfect, the characters developed, the plot wasn’t predictable, and there’s even a very sweet but small romance side plot in here for those that are interested in that kinda thing.

Would I recommend this book? Most definitely! If there’s a book that you should be adding to your TBR this year it’s definitely The Tainted Cup. I can’t wait to check out more works by this author.

Such a good book! This is a murder mystery set in a time before technology, which I really enjoy. I had figured out who the culprits were prior to the end of the book, but it did not diminish my enjoyment of it. The twists and turns and reveals were done well, leaving me quite excited for the future books in this series.

It has been a long time since I read a fantasy that brought so many aspects that kept my attention. This was a wonderful book with a gripping plot.

A fun romp and an interesting new world. Din and Ana reminded me of Berenice and Orso from Foundryside, both of whom I loved. The mystery was intriguing but the most interesting part to me is the Leviathans, I really look forward to learning more about them in future books. Achillean romance (g-rated) and only a tiiiiny part of the plot, though I'm sure we will see that develop as the book goes on. Just a short, fun, cute, funny, at times gorey magical mystery.

I have no idea what I was thinking when I requested this book - but I am so glad that I did. Monsters, and strange people operating under a weird government structure, a wet season and so many other things that were totally outside my sphere of comprehension, but when you boil it all down it is a murder mystery, told in the most ingenious and absorbing way.

So, if you are looking for an Agatha Christie, Hercules Poirot, Gregg Hurwitz, Anthony Tata, Nora Roberts, Daniel Silva, type of murder mystery, this is not going to be it. But if you are willing to put aside most of what you know and believe and stretch to unknown lands inhabited by transformed creatures, this is going to be a treat of immeasurable proportions.

The writing is great. The dialog contains substance and humor This was so clever it borders, no, it is brilliant. A million thanks to Del Rey and NetGalley for a copy.

I really enjoyed this fantasy murder mystery combo - the world building kept me engaged and the murder mystery was well-paced. I was able to actually predict the ending, but the journey to get there was full of the unexpected. I would definitely recommend this as an entry point to the fantasy genre.

Absolutely loved the humor, mystery, action, and... flippance? I haven't read this author before, but now I'm feverishly looking at what books my local library has. I can't wait for the second one.

Brilliant tale of a murder during an empire fantasy time period.
There is the detective with all of her eccentricities and her sidekick fresh out of training. Very much like a good Sherlock team, they find the clues that get the answers they need by various means including her sidekicks ability to remember everything and her use of a blindfold and refusal to leave her housing..
Fun read.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me this ARC.

The Tainted Cup was a really fun read and combined some of my favorite genres into a twisty story that kept me on the edge of my seat. I really enjoyed that is was like Sherlock Holmes but fantasy. The characters were interesting, the world building was immersive and the plot of the story kept me completely intrigued.

Bennett is a wonderful storyteller and I hope we get more adventures in this world!

Definitely check this one out.

A high imperial officer seemingly dead of contagion elicits an investigation from brilliant and eccentric master investigator Ana Dolabra. With the help of her new assistant Dinias Kol and his magically altered brain, she sets off to discover what truly happened to the officer and ends up stumbling upon a potential plot to take down the entire Empire.

Sherlock Holmes meets Benoit Blanc, but make it fantasy! Does it get any better than that? Well, it does if the world-building draws you into a magical new world with minimal disconnect and that is exactly what Bennett does with this story. It hits heavy in the beginning while establishing the rules of the world, so it took me a little bit to get into, but once the world is established, it was game on, rushing as fast as possible to get to the end because the story was so twisty, confusing (in the best way!), and compelling.

One of the best parts of characters like Sherlock Holmes and Benoit Blanc is that their minds are absolutely extraordinary, allowing them to process things in a way that a regular person does not. This is also true of Ana Dolabra and makes her quite an interesting character to follow. But this story centers more around her assistant, Dinias Kol, who has been magically altered to have a photographic memory—literally. He has perfect recall, though we find later in the story that there is one exception to this rule and it haunts him and makes him worry that Ana will find out and kick him to the curb. These little pieces that Bennett sprinkles upon the characters makes them feel more grounded even while visiting them in a fantasy world.

With expert ease, Bennett weaves together a story that keeps you guessing throughout. Each twist and turn leads the reader deeper into a world that is hard to untangle, but still manages to be compelling and intriguing. The plot of this story finds its resolution by the end, but also leaves us wanting more and ready to jump on the next book in the series upon its release.

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher for free and have voluntarily written this review.

Review copy (eARC) provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review (which I apologize for providing late).

I was eager to read this based on highly Petrik Leo speaks of this author. And while I get why this book/author works for some, it just didn't click for me. It's a murder-mystery style adventure.

3.5 out of 5 stars, rounded up.

The Tainted Cup is a highly entertaining combination of historical fantasy and murder mystery, with wonderful central characters. The book starts with a brutal, strange death of a high-ranking individual, seemingly speared by a tree in his own home.

Enter the eccentric Ana Dolabra, a Sherlock-esque, reclusive investigator. Her newly employed assistant, Dinios Kol, is thrown headfirst into this strange case, using his powers as an engraver; a person who can remember everything they hear and experience.

Ana and Din begin to build a bond, and as a single death reveals many other wrongdoings, the reader is dragged into a weird society, with many other wonderful characters. Not to mention the literal leviathan that may break the city walls and destroy everything at any time.

I must admit, I was pretty hesitant to read The Tainted Cup, as I’m not a huge fan of epic fantasy. But I was so pleased to find that this book is incredibly character focused, and all the world building is done through natural, well-written dialogue.

A great example of Bennett’s character focus comes towards the end of the book. There is an opportunity for the author to create a huge, epic scene to close the book with a literal bang. Instead, he creates a gorgeous, intimate scene between Din and Ana, which I highly appreciated, and was one of the most memorable moments.

I opted for the audiobook reading, and Andrew Fallaize delivers a flawless performance. He effortlessly creates the huge cast of characters; he took an already impressive book to a whole other level.

I’m so glad this is part of a planned series, as I was genuinely bereft when the book was over. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a “gateway drug” to fantasy.