Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett is a first person-POV fantasy mystery continuation of The Tainted Cup. Din and Ana are back to find out what happened to a Treasury officer who disappeared from thin air. But nothing is going to come easy as they delve into international politics, interact with some of the most intelligent minds in the Empire, and this disappearance becomes a murder.

Much like the first book, what really appeals to me is the worldbuilding. The leviathans and the giant wall aren’t given as much space this time but they are mentioned and the Empire’s efforts to maintain them are explored. Poison comes up as does a new character, Malo, who is attracted to things that are decomposing, furthering the biopunk elements from the last book. As a continuation, the worldbuilding does feel fairly consistent and given Robert Jackson Bennett’s career, I expect it to remain consistent no matter how many books end up being in the series.

Din is a bit more romantically inclined this go around. He has several romantic liaisons throughout the book, though nothing really sticks as he doesn’t appear to be interested in really having a long-term relationship at this point in time. There’s nothing explicit on the page and it’s all fairly short, which will appeal to a reader who isn't interested in a ton of romance in their fantasy. While I’d like for Din to further develop a relationship with someone over time, I also understand that the main focus is his dynamic with Ana and it should remain the focus.

Ana is a more extreme version of Sherlock Holmes based on what I have seen from several films and not the classic stories. She is more interested in solving a mystery than in seeking justice, but she also fully recognizes the importance of justice within the system and how necessary it is to maintain it. She pushes any boundary she can to find the answers she wants and I imagine she’s made more than a few enemies over the course of her life. What makes her interesting as a character is not only her eccentricities but how deeply aware she seems to be of everything and yet she’s waiting for other people to figure it out, like she doesn’t want to just have the answers but to have someone to share them with.

I would recommend this to fans of The Tainted Cup and readers looking for a fantasy mystery with a Sherlock-Watson dynamic

Thanks to Del Rey for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

What an utter disappointment! The mystery plot was convoluted & boring, repetitive writing style, very little character development between Din and Ana, and hollow & dull thematic work on autocracies (which RJB decided to talk a lot about in the Author's Note). Also, I hated that no one stopped him from writing "queerly" as a synonym for "strange, unnatural" EIGHT TIMES!

I truly struggled on how to write a review for something I was anticipating for months only to be very disappointed and angry at. I will not continue this series and no longer will read anything by RJB in the future.

A wonderful addition to a captivating and original series. The characters and the world were both fleshed out in ways that weren't wholly expected. The new lore was a plausible addition to the overall weave of the story universe. Bennett expanded on the themes of the perils of altering natures (both plant and animal) and the prices paid for the empire to achieve their aims. I am eagerly awaiting the next installment!

**4.5-stars rounded up**

A Drop of Corruption is the highly-anticipated follow-up to The Tainted Cup, which published in early-2024. I have been excited about this release since I turned the final page of that book. This may seem dramatic, but its really not. I fell in love with the perfect blend of Mystery and SFF-elements that RJB delivered and wanted more. Each book has its own mystery, and this one was just as, if not more, compelling than the first.

In Yarrowdale, an area at the edge of the Empire, an impossible crime has taken place. A Treasury Officer has disappeared from his locked room, that was in a building with guards at all of the entrances and exits. In order to get to the bottom of it, and hopefully locate the missing officer, the Empire calls upon its most brilliant investigator, Ana Dolabra, who brings along her charming assistant, Dinios Kol.

It doesn't take long for Ana to work out that it's not just a disappearance they're investigating, but a murder. How did it happen though? The doors and windows were locked from the inside. It's a real puzzle. A true locked room mystery.

As they dig further in, it becomes clear that the killer is actually targeting a high-security area known as the Shroud. It's there that the Empire's finest minds are trying to find a way to harness the magic found in the blood of fallen Titans. If the Shroud were to fall, or be destroyed, it could mean the end of the Empire. What sort of madman would wish that sort of devastation on their world, and why?

I'm completely in love with this series. When I first picked this up, I was so happy to be reunited with Din and Ana, I was practically giddy. It felt like seeing old friends after a long-time apart. I loved how RJB really leaned into the world in this one, and built it out further than before. I feel like I walk away with a deeper understanding of the Empire, and the way it functions, which is something I was hoping for going in.

RJB excels at meshing a completely intriguing mystery with a lush Fantasy environment. Even the way the detectives go about solving the various crimes are so out of our world; it's fascinating to read. For example, the details Ana is able to glean just by eating assorted foods.

We also got a new character, Malo, who assisted Ana and Din during their time in Yarrowdale and beyond. I absolutely adored her, and hope she'll be sticking with the series for a long time to come. Could our dynamic duo be turning into a tantalizing trio? I hope so!!

Another aspect I was impressed by was the pace. This story never takes a break. It is pedal to the floor the whole way through. There is something happening at every moment, with so many details being uncovered. I would love to read this again before the next book is released. I feel like maybe I would pick up even more the second time through. This time I was flying, because I needed answers, but I feel like if I read it again, I could make it a more leisurely read, focusing on the finer details.

I can't recommend this series enough. If the thought of a high-concept-SFF Mystery tickles your fancy, and for some reason you haven't started this series yet, you need to drop everything, run to your local library, or bookshop, and get yourself some copies. It's that good. Don't wait.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Del Rey, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I'm so excited to see what mystery we get to solve next. Ana and Din are the absolute best detective duo in SFF!!

4 out of 5

A Drop Of Corruption was slightly boring compared to The Tainted Cup but was still an enjoyable Sherlock Holmes retellings.

Robert Jackson Bennett returns to an Earth beset by leviathans, Humans have learned to modify the blood of these huge creatures to create chemicals that give people extra talents like perfect memory, or better senses. In the kingdom of Yarrowdale, the Empire has created a huge living shroud that every year they capture a leviathan and bring its blood to be processed. Within ten years the Kingdom is going to be absorbed by the Empire according to treaty. The strange Ana Dolabra and her assistant Dinios Kol come to this squalid country because a treasury agent was kidnapped and murdered out of a locked room at the top of an aging hotel. A Drop of Corruption (hard from Del Rey) is at the heart of the puzzle and the corruption reaches from the chemists working on the Shroud to the rulers of Yarrowdale. A great act of terror is planned and only Ana and Din can stop it. This is the best book so far this year and I would be disappointed if it doesn’t get an award nomination. Wow!

Every time I hear about this series being talked about, I nod along with enthusiasm. This is a testament to how far the fantasy genre as a whole has come and how amazing minds have innovated and experimented with their personal brands of brewing genre blends.
I can't help but imagine if Holmes came across this one he would enjoy it thoroughly, and admit it begrudgingly .
The book is clever, in places it is teetering on the edge of being arrogant but it does serve its purpose.
We readers are always a tad sceptical that the seconds in our favourite series may just fall victim to the "second book syndrome." Not this one. It keeps pace with book 1 , goes toe to toe in world expansion and ups the mystery antics quite a bit.
What truly catches my attention here is that the whole series under its cover of a great , satisfying mystery that you one needs to pick up on a particularly rainy afternoon it is a commentary on autocratic rule– in a genre known for guilded empires , grand political mysteries and sinister magic Ana's eccentricity has truly stolen my heart .

A Drop of Corruption is a fantastic sequel to The Tainted Cup that has cemented this series as one of my favourite ongoing fantasy series. Once again RJB creates an intriguing mystery that our Sherlock and Watson duo - Ana and Din - again go about solving with all the eccentricity and excitement we saw in The Tainted Cup.

While I slightly preferred the mystery solved in The Tainted Cup, RJB did a fantastic job expanding the world with this sequel and I cannot wait to read the next book in the series.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ana and Dinios are back in action investigating a disappearance. The disappearance turns into a murder mystery, with even higher stakes than ever. The world building was great, and there was plenty of action and suspense. Ana continued to be a quirky character, who really relied on Din and his abilities. It may be because I read this one right after finishing The Tainted Cup, but it felt a little bit repetitive, drawn out, and predictable. It was well paced and really interesting, I just wasn't quite as invested in this one.

Many thanks to Del Rey and NetGalley for the ARC!

I was so happy to read more about Din and Ana. I love how eccentric Ana is and this book didn’t disappoint. In Drop of Corruption, we’re thrust into another murder mystery that was just as intricate as the last while we learn even more about the world and characters. I’m ready for book 3.

A Drop of Corruption is the perfect sophomore novel to follow The Tainted Cup, both being of the Shadow of The Leviathan series. The author focused on much of the world-building in the first book, whereas, in the second book, he doubled up on the suspense, thickened the plot, and intensified the mystery.
Din and Ana find themselves in Yarrowdale, investigating another mystery- this time a man has seemed to vanished and it is up to Din and Ana to find out what happened to him and who/what caused this mysterious disappearance. Just like The Tainted Cup, this book is intense, suspenseful, fast-paced, and has everything you could want from a fantasy mystery! (Plus, more secrets as we are on the verge of discovering something new about Ana!)
Thank you NetGalley, Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore, and Robert Jackson Bennett for a wonderfully intriguing read!

Robert Jackson Bennett returns to the world of The Tainted Cup with another locked-room mystery filled with baroque worldbuilding, high-stakes intrigue, and the endlessly eccentric Ana Dolabra. The setup is immediately compelling: “In the canton of Yarrowdale, at the very edge of the Empire’s reach, a Treasury officer has disappeared into thin air, vanishing from a room within a heavily guarded tower, its door and windows locked from the inside.” What follows is less a disappearance and more a murder mystery, one with world-shaking consequences for the Empire itself.

For fans of the first book, this sequel offers more of the same: Ana’s manic brilliance, Dinios Kol’s quiet competence, and a series of twists grounded in a bizarre and meticulously constructed fantasy world where magic is extracted from the blood of fallen titans. The stakes are high again, and the compound known as the Shroud, where titan blood is stored, may be the killer’s ultimate target.

Unfortunately, for me, that wasn’t enough. While The Tainted Cup kept me engaged with its unusual style and inventive premise, A Drop of Corruption felt like a longer, more drawn-out rerun. The mystery structure is familiar, the rhythm is identical, and Ana’s eccentricity, while entertaining in small doses, started to feel performative and repetitive. The few new locations introduced didn’t add enough variety to compensate for the sense of déjà vu.

To be fair, readers who adored The Tainted Cup will likely find this installment just as satisfying. It leans into the formula that made book one successful for its fans, and Bennett continues to write with the dense detail and methodical pacing that appeals to lovers of cerebral fantasy mysteries. But for me, this was where the series lost its spark. I skimmed more than I wanted to and found myself wishing for a quicker conclusion.

Ultimately, A Drop of Corruption confirmed that Bennett’s style, while impressive in craft, simply doesn’t resonate with me. Those who enjoyed book one will likely feel right at home here, but I think this is where I exit the Shadow of the Leviathan series.

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

Thank you so much @delreybooks for the gifted copy of “A Drop in corruption” by R J Bennett💚🙌. Returning to this world with Ana and Din was a delightful experience. I loved Ana’s uniqueness and brilliance in the first book, and the second book certainly did not disappoint in that regard.

This world is so unique, the mystery was once again excellent, and the humor and characters were just as engaging.

If you enjoyed the first book, you will definitely love the second one as well!

I loved this! I love sequels because you can vibe with the story now that the world building from the first book is out of the way. I still learned a LOT about the world and how things are outside the Empire, but it wasn't info-dumping.

Dinn and Anna have such great chemistry; they crack me up. It's like grumpy sunshine but.... not? Anna continues to be the main comedic relief, making me literally laugh at loud. Poor Dinn, though, leave the main alone! He is allowed to blow off steam how he wishes.

The murder mystery was again, delightful. The botanical body horror was top notch. and the insights we get about Anna at the end! Insanity. I kind of had a feeling, but it was really cool the way it was confirmed.

I hope this is going to be an on-going series of murder mysteries, because I am having so much fun with these books and these characters. 5 stars!

Loved The Tainted Cup so my expectations were really high for this one. And it is really good! However, there are less interactions between the two main characters and the world is less explored which brings my overall review a bit lower than the first one. The case is really fun to read and there are few elements that made me engage with the reading. Can´t wait to read the next case!

Simply fantastic. This will be one of my top books of 2025. I love the world building. I love Ana and Din.

Usually I find the second book in a trilogy is not as good as the first. That is not the case with this book. The mystery was interesting, the setting of Yarrowdale was so well described I felt like I was there.

If you’re a mystery lover who likes to branch out into other genres I highly recommend this series. It is a unique blend of fantasy and mystery. I can’t wait for book 3.

**Thanks to the author and Del Rey books for the e-arc I received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I also bought a hardcover special edition from Aardvark and the audiobook from Audible.**

In the second book of the Shadow of the Leviathan series, an impossible crime has occurred. When Ana Dolobra and Dinios Col have been called in to investigate, it appears that they may have met their match. The stakes are higher than ever and the antagonist seems to always be a step (or two or three) ahead of our dynamic duo at every turn.

This is one of the rare instances where the sequel is better than the first book of the series- and I say this as someone who quite enjoyed the first book. ADOC remedied all of my complaints of the first book and amplified all of the elements that I enjoyed.

This book is much darker than the first. There is a lot of fungal, botanical, and body terror which I enjoyed. The deaths are more haunting.

The themes were more intense, as well. Not only are we examining how (if?) a “justice system” can truly bring justice but also the ethics and corruption of empires.

I was on the edge of my seat while reading this. While I formed my suspicions of who the murderer was, I was never certain.

We also got more development around my favorite character, Ana (who is autistic coded). I think her story is going to be more prominent in the next book and I can’t wait to read it.

Thank you so, SO much to NetGalley and the publisher, Del Ray, for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Robert Jackson Bennet, Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, and NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

A fantastical murder-mystery thriller with a Sherlock Holmes-esque FMC and a first-person MMC POV. Each book deals with a mystery but there is overarching larger ‘game afoot’ within the empire. Think Knives Out with an interesting magical system - Benoit Blanc is injected with titan’s blood to ramp up the pattern-recognition.

All in all, the world-building is rich and each character is unique. I loved the first book and the second book has lived up to it!

4.5 stars. Thank you to Net Galley and Random House/Del Rey for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. I really enjoyed the first book and loved this one! Fantasy is not a genre I usually gravitate towards but this author's world building and storytelling are wonderful. We are back with Din and Ana as they have a new case to solve. The Empire had reported a disappearance of a somewhat important person. As they follow the clues it looks to be much more complicated as it seems to be a murder and a robbery of something in a bank safe deposit box that people wanted to protect at all cost and someone else wanted at any cost. There are many twists and turns to the story and we learn more about Din and Ana, their relationship and their personal histories, and world they live in (places and people). This is a series I'll definitely keep following and look forward to the next book!

This is the second book in the series. This is such an interesting world. This was a little gross with the scientific type experiment that was occurring. Kind of serial killer in a way but all family motivated as usual.
Din is such an interesting character he’s bi maybe pan but they don’t appear judge or label. He’s always looking for companionship and is pretty so can always find it. He is a an assistant investigator and he memorizes the crime scenes.
Ana is scary with her abilities. She’s blind but can read the room and what’s in it better than a sighted person. She’s always 10 steps ahead.
Very enjoyable fantasy detective story!