A Drop of Corruption is a top tier sequel! It had all the charm and great characters of the first while expanding the world and lore. I enjoyed the mystery much like the first one. All of the clues found build together in such a satisfying way. I am excited to see what the next book brings.

We absolutely loved this one and have both purchased physical copies for ourselves since reading it.

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett

Signum Dinios Kol is an Iudex of the Special Division, which means he is an Imperial Investigator. He works with Ana Dolabra, who may or may not be a “normal” human. Ana’s senses are so fine-tuned that she usually goes blindfolded to decrease her sensory input. The two are in Yarrow a backward kingdom that hosts the Shroud, a refinery for Titan’s regents.

All that sounds so convoluted, but it is simply a murder investigation set in a kingdom that abuts the Empire. The Empire is based on a biological industry as opposed to a mechanical industry. Din had perfect recall as he is an Engraver. His genetics have been manipulated to imprint information with the stimulus of a variety of regents.

Din works with Malo, an Imperial Warden, to discover who has been murdered and why. There is plenty of action and confusion. There are conflicting antagonists taking aim at our stalwart investigators.

Din discovers many things about himself, his superior, his associate Malo and the criminals.

It is an entertaining but often confusing book.

"A Drop of Corruption", the second volume in the "Shadow of Levithan " series and sequel to the hit "The Tainted Cup" is a hard hitting epic fantasy in its own right. This book expands the masterful world building and character development of the first volume to create and engaging and convincing story that almost completely immerses the reader in its vision of a magical and mysterious realm.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing/Del Rey, and Robert Jackson Bennett for my advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

4.75 stars rounded up!

Another muddled mystery for our favorite detectives! I absolutely adore Ana and Din and their incredibly weird, Sherlock Holmes-ish relationship. What starts as a simple murder case quickly spirals for the team as they are once again thrust into a high stakes crisis. These series has such a unique magic system, and we get another layer of that in this installment. Also, loving our new girl Malo and her quirky dynamic with the rest of the crew. Honestly didn't know how much I craved fantasy mystery until this series. And the ending?? Catch me counting the days until the next book is released.

I adored this book. I've realized in the past year or so that I am not a big mystery person, mostly because my mind tends to wander while listening to audiobooks, so keeping track of a big list of characters and the small hints get difficult. This did not happen when I read A Drop of Corruption. I was very engaged with the story, the characters, the mystery, the different areas they traveled to, and the incredible setting. That's not to say that the mystery was simple and easy to figure out. The plot was complex and kept me on my toes, wanting to find out what the characters would discover in each page. Ana has also been solidified as one of my favorite characters of all time.

i waited way too long to review this after reading :’)

this was a much needed sequel to “the tainted cup”! quite enjoyed following ana and din once again on another murder mystery, that was filled with its own unique twists. but like most 2nd books for me, it lulled in some places imo.

i did like how ana’s character has developed, especially in regards to her relationship with din. they have great banter and you can tell that ana cares for din in her own odd way. they mesh so well with each other! i can’t wait to read along on their next adventure.

as always, many thanks to del rey for an early copy ♡

I absolutely love this series. The mystery, the characters, the storyline are to die for (no pun intended)

I highly recommend this series!!!

Thank you the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC for my honest review.

Ana and Din had a much more fleshed out relationship and I am loving how much the world was built upon in this novel. I'm itching for book three already.

I think Din has a lot more depth in this book and Ana too. There are a bunch of good quotable lines in this book that also are very relevant to today.

Loved this! 4.5 stars.
Din and Ana have gone to the far reaches of the empire to solve another case, that of course ends up being much more complicated than they expected. This was a great follow up to the first book with an interesting mystery and fun adventure. I also loved the commentary on monarchy (and the author's note quoting Terry Pratchett).
I wish it had been a little more emotional/character focused but overall still very enjoyable.

A Drop of Corruption
Shadow of the Leviathan: Book 2
By Robert Jackson Bennett
Narrated by Andrew Fallaize
4 ⭐️

Din and Ana are so stinking fun to follow through this series (so far!). I really enjoy their dynamic, humor, and interactions. This story centers on the sociology and politics of their world. I missed much of the biological interest from book 1. While there is a bit in book 2, it’s highly people centered. The audiobook was good. Fallaize did great and was easy to listen to.

Thank you to NetGalley, Robert Jackson Bennett, and Del Rey for an eARC of this gem. I borrowed the audiobook from my library. 🔍

A Drop of Corruption, book 2 in the Shadow of the Levianthan Series.

I am newer to fantasy and I love this blend of mystery and fantasy. I found this mystery intriguing and unique. The storyline and plot had great pace and was engaging.

I loved the world building in this one and the background to this world that we see. I found the world building and backstory to be experienced and unfolded instead of told or info dumpy. I really enjoy the unique world hear and learning more about the magic system.

We learned more about both Ana's background and we see more regarding Din's character. We see their dynamic as they work to solve this murder.

I look forward to continuing on with this series.

Thank you to Netgalley and Del Rey for a digital copy for my honest review.

Ana and Din return, in a new mystery that takes them just beyond the reach of the Empire. Ana and Din are summoned to Yarrowdale to investigate the murder of an Apoth officer. There's more than just murder to prevent however - political tensions between Yarrowdale and the Empire are carefully balanced, as the two entities negotiate Yarrowdale's future within the Empire. As information about the officer's death unfolds, they discover that their murderer is wily enough to stay ahead of even Ana Dolabra, and that his sights are set higher than a single officer. Secrets unfold, political alliances are endangered, and kings themselves will fall.

I thought this to be even better than the first! The characters are pristine. The mystery is twisty, horrifying, and interesting. And man oh man the Sherlock fan in me is going feral. I couldn't find one bad thing about this if you forced me at gunpoint. Bennett offers thought provoking commentary on the part of the characters (and in an author's note at the book's end) on autocracy and the nature of kings - and why we as humans are so convinced they're a good idea.

I can't recommend this enough - if you're a fan of Bennett's other work, Sherlock Holmes, character driven stories, mysteries, sci-fi, or fantasy, you'll probably love this too.

I am OBSESSED with this riveting fantasy series and would recommend it to anyone who likes a good Sherlock Holmes style mad genius detective setup. I love the complexity of the world building here and the depth of these characters, and I’ve been surprised by the twists in the story in both novels so far. The writing is so smart & the magical murders they’re solving are thrillingly gross! A million stars, never change.

Thank you so much to the publisher for this ARC! I was so, so happy to read this after being in a serious reading slump.

A Drop of Corruption (Shadow of the Leviathan #2) by Robert Jackson Bennett
Date published: April 1, 2025

Date read: May 26, 2025

Audiobook read by Andrew Fallaize



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.

Ana and Din, together again. I just need to state upfront how much I love these books. I hope this series continues on for a long time.

If you haven’t read my review of A Tainted Cup, I’ll reiterate a few points:

1. Andrew Fallaize is an incredible narrator for these books. He makes the characters come alive and often makes me forget that he’s the one reading all of the characters. Din and Ana seem so individual that I find it easy to get lost in the narration and forget that it’s one man reading both parts.

2. This book is fantasy and a mystery and a buddy cop comedy all rolled into one. I’m still not sure how the author does this without it getting silly or lost, but the plot flows incredibly smoothly and no genre seems out of place among the others.

I also really enjoyed that, now that we’ve had our introductions to the main characters, we were now able to get a little more in depth into their backstories and personalities. Din’s reasons for doing what he’s doing and what he hopes to achieve one day make him an even more likable and interesting character. And Ana is still Ana - enigmatic and quirky and funny and brilliant… and just as much a mystery as always. Although the peek into her backstory at the end is a fun treat (no spoilers!)

My one negative about this particular story is that a lot of new characters were introduced during this journey, and I did find it a little difficult keeping some of the secondary characters straight in my head. This may have just been my own problem, though. And I can’t say that my occasional confusion really took away from my enjoyment.

Overall, this is such a wonderful book. A thrilling mystery, kind of creepy and fascinating fantasy world building, and fun character interactions. There’s something for everybody here. I also wouldn’t let the fantasy genre title put anyone off from reading it - it’s awesome for those who like the genre, but it’s a great mystery novel regardless. Highly recommended to all mystery and fantasy readers.

Rating: 5/5 stars

Content warning: murder, gore/body horror, racism (fantasy), slavery

Note: language

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

I really enjoy the way the world utilises augmentations to enhance human senses. Din has his engraver memory, Malo has her heightened sense of smell, hearing, and eyesight, and Ana has her amazing ability to piece all the information together.
I enjoyed learning more about Ana and Din in this second book.
I found that the story featured a lot more subterfuge, as the perpetrator was a genius who could sense what was coming.

Overall, I had a great time with it! Highly recommend this series.

Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for an e-ARC copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Many thanks to the publisher Random House - Del Rey, author Robert Jackson Bennett, and Netgalley for providing me the eARC. I have provided my unvarnished, honest review.

3.5 STARS

Ever since I finished The Tainted Cup, I’ve been chomping at the bit to read the next chapter in my favorite mystery-solving duo’s partnership. Unfortunately, A Drop of Corruption left me disappointed.

Once again, Dinias Kol and his supervisor/mentor Ana Dolabra must investigate a murder. This time, they travel to the outer reaches, a locality in which imperial politics are complicated and the corpse of a beast quite literally looms large.

Dinias Kol remains the young, eager, slightly awkward assistant (if a bit more weighed down by life), while his reclusive Sherlockian mentor Ana Dolabra maintains her sharp wit and sharp tongue. While Dinias Kol's change in demeanor shaded him in as multi-dimensional person, I definitely missed the more buoyant, inquisitive vibe he had the last book which served as a better counterpoint to the edginess of his boss.

Everything I loved about the first book Robert Jackson once again appears in this follow-up book, albeit less novel and surprising. The world is wondrous, mysterious, and expansive. If book 1 introduced readers to curiosities at the fringes of the Empire, then book 2 drags readers to the axis of this society: The Shroud. I relished experiencing more of this world’s weird science and biology, including that of the leviathans.

Once again, the sociopolitical and ecological factors contextualize and continuously affect the whodunnit murder. The mystery itself was the sticking point for me—and where this book differs greatly from its predecessor. While still intricate and odd in detail, the mystery didn’t read as smoothly and dynamically as the one in the first book. At times, advancement of the plot seemed to heavily rely upon lengthy dialogue. The tipping point of the plot occurs at the 50% mark. Although the ambitious reveals and intricately laid-out details made for interesting reading, the delivery remained at times laborious and did nothing to shatter the detachment from characters and world I'd been struggling with from earlier in the book.

Although the experience wasn't everything I wanted, the marvel of Robert Bennett Jackson's worldbuilding ideas and promise of more room for expansion in this world bump up my rating.

~ ~ ~
“But a prideful creature can talk themself into believing every deed they do is legitimate. Thus, they both giddily and greedily spin their own doom.”

Having thoroughly enjoyed The Tainted Cup, I thought I would read the next in the series. Unfortunately, A Drop of Corruption wasn’t quite as good. I found the first two thirds of this book to be a bit tedious and repetitive, but things did pick up towards the end. The main characters are still super wonderful, and the writing is good, but the story line did not grab me and make this a page turner. Thank you NetGalley for providing the ARC.

Tainted Cup was one of my favorite reads last year, and I still have the stunning Broken Binding edition proudly displayed on my shelf. As soon as A Drop of Corruption was announced, I requested it right away. I was ready to dive back into this strange, atmospheric world, and once again, Robert Jackson Bennett delivered something clever, immersive, and a little off-kilter in the best way.

This second book in the series keeps the fantasy mystery style that fans will expect, with plenty of twists and layered storytelling. However, the tone feels noticeably different from the first. While Tainted Cup was more focused on driving the mystery forward, A Drop of Corruption feels like a more relaxed read. It takes its time and gives more space to the characters. I really appreciated that shift. If you're the kind of reader who enjoys character depth and slower development over nonstop plot, you might enjoy this even more than the first book.

The Holmes-and-Watson dynamic between the two leads is still very much intact. The banter is a highlight, filled with smart humor and emotional undercurrents that make their relationship fun to read. Their conversations bring a lot of personality and weight to the story, even in quieter moments.

The worldbuilding continues to shine. In this installment, we get a broader view of the empire, including more of its politics, history, and strange biological systems. There are leviathans, blood harvesting, and unsettling rituals that give the story a gothic horror edge. The setting feels fresh and bizarre in a way that’s completely unique. It’s clear that a lot of thought has gone into making this world feel complex and alive.

If I had one small complaint, it would be that the central mystery didn't quite grab me as strongly as the one in Tainted Cup. The stakes felt a little softer, or at least less urgent. Still, the richness of the world and the strength of the characters more than made up for it. I was consistently engaged and left wanting more by the end.

All in all, A Drop of Corruption is a strong follow-up that leans more into character and atmosphere while still delivering enough intrigue to satisfy. It may not top the first for every reader, but it holds its own and keeps the series moving in an exciting direction. I’m already looking forward to whatever comes next.

A Drop of Corruption was an excellent follow-up to The Tainted Cup, which I also really enjoyed. The second book in this fantasy mystery series follows the main characters from the first book, Ana and Din, as they solve a complex murder turned terror plot with unending twists and turns. Set in the far reaches of the Empire, this book takes place in an Amazon Rainforest-esque setting, with winding rivers and jungle and oppressive heat. I love the magic system in this series - the use of plants for everything is fascinating - and I really love the eccentric genius + assistant combo that is so reminiscent of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. An excellent mystery read for the dog days of summer.

✅ Fantasy with unique magic system (plants!)
✅ Sherlock Holmes style murder mystery (with lots of twists!)

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫 - 4.5 stars

📅 - A Drop of Corruption is available now!

Thanks so much to Robert Jackson Bennett and Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey for this ARC through NetGalley! All opinions are my own.