Another really enjoyable entry in the series. This was a little more predictable than the first, by which I mean I was able to figure out a handful of the twists prior to their reveal on page (though not well in advance). To me, that’s a good mystery book—I don’t want the broad strokes to be so unknowable that none of the clues leading up to the reveal make any sense, but still want some mystery to be revealed. This strikes a nice balance on that front. There was also more information about Ana’s past, Din being an absolute bisexual menace, and a little more on the empire, though I still would like more of that. I look forward to the next book in the series!

Once again Ana and Din are hired to investigate a murder. But this one has multiple deaths and it’s very complicated. The addition of the character Malo is very fun. She is crass and unnerves Din, but she’s a good person, who can Smell things about people.
Ana is as bold, brash, and brilliant as ever. We find out things about her in drips and drabs. Events culminate in quite an incentive way. And although I couldn’t always follow along, I enjoyed this mystery.

A Drop of Corruption is an admirable sequel to The Tainted Cup. Ana and Din are back and investigating a locked room mystery that turns into a grand conspiracy full of twists and turns.

The book truly shines when Robert Jackson Bennett continues the world-building he started in the first book of the series. We learn more about the Empire and more about how our protagonists fit into the Empire. Bennet does a great job of giving just enough information to give us a sense of the place without digressing into extensive exposition.

The story does meander a bit in places. Some of the twists and turns aren't needed, but it's a minor quibble in what is a pretty fun read.

I look forward to further volumes in the series.

Oh wow, what a journey this book took me on. It definitely had a bit of a slow start, but once things kick off, they really kick off. The setting for this installment brings with it some interesting political elements. Following Din and Ana to this corner of the world to solve another bizarre crime, so much more unravels in what turns out to be frankly quite a sad story.

My heart was hurting for Din in this one. My boy was really going through it for a variety of reasons and using some questionable coping mechanisms, and I just want to give him a big ol hug. It’s always interesting to see a character working through the internal struggles while juggling a lot of external stressors as well, and Din’s arc in this book is very well balanced. His and Ana’s working relationship continued to be very interesting and at times completely baffling, and it was definitely great to be back with them.

The mystery of this one had me guessing for the whole book, and there were a lot of interesting reveals and turns along the way. The way that the whole plot was interwoven with the different political factions at play was really compelling, and there were some really high stakes for some of the situations. I especially enjoyed the introduction of Malo into the mix, as she brought some fun banter and was a super enjoyable character to get to know.

This was overall a really solid follow up to the first book and I enjoyed it quite a lot! The character progressions were a highlight, and I liked getting to see a new part of this world.

I want to thank Mr. Robert Jackson Bennett, the author, Net Galley, and Del Rey, the publisher, for E-ARC of Drop of Corruption.

Mr. Jackson Bennett continued in A Drop of Corruption from what he started in A Tainted Cup which is the first book in the Leviathan series.

No spoilers in this review.

I would consider A Drop of Corruption to be blend of fantasy with a bit of science fiction, supernatural, and murder mystery. Another way to describe it as a murder mystery in a fantasy story.

The two main characters are a reminder of Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin from the Nero Wolfe mysteries written by Rex Stout from at least a generation ago.

The characters from the two main all the way through to the bit players are well-rounded, three dimensional, and each of them having something to do in the story.

The world building is top notch that Mr. Jackson Bennett creates the setting that enhances the story.

The story flows from start to finish and there are no slow parts and moves at a steady clip.

I rate A Drop of Corruption 5 stars.

I would like to thank Mr. Jackson Bennett, Netalley, and Del Rey for the E-ARC.

*4.5 stars*

This was an excellent sequel to The Tainted Cup. I enjoyed the mystery and the exploration of autocracy and imperialism. The world is so lush and unique it really pulls you into the story. I love the role the leviathans play in the world.

Din is still a disaster bisexual and as relatable as ever. I was happy to get a little bit more of Ana’s mysterious background and I’m excited to see how everything progresses in the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this work. All opinions in this review are my own.

4.5 stars! Not only was this a worthy sequel to The Tainted Cup, but I think it might be even better. It really built on what we learned from the first book, giving a better understanding of the empire and the way it works, as well as giving us more backstory on Ana and Din. I absolutely LOVE both of these characters and I really enjoyed seeing their relationship grow in this one. Seeing them work together is always so entertaining. I also thought Malo was a really fun addition to the crew, and her dynamic with Din was great. I hope we get to see more of her! But the thing I love most about this series is how creative and imaginative the worldbuilding is. Robert Jackson Bennett is known for his creative magic systems, and the biological aspect in this series is so incredible. It's unique and so interesting, and I love seeing all the small intricacies that make everything work. All of this plus another good mystery made for one hell of a book, and I can't wait for the next one!

A Drop of Corruption: An Ana and Din Mystery by Robert Jackson Bennett, book two in the series.
This is not, in general my preferred reading, but having read book one I got really intrigued by the whole story and was looking forward for second one to be available.
I enjoyed this book so much that now I cannot wait for the third one.
Again, we have a mystery to solve. A bizarre case in the least. I do suggest you read the “Tainted Cup” prior to “A Drop of Corruption.” That way you get whole feel of the story.
Dinios, our main character, is an engraver magically altered to obtain the perfect photographic memory. His eccentric boss blindfolds herself to be more aware to solving the problem at hand. To many distractions otherwise.
We see Dinios Kol and Ana Dolabra getting a better understanding of each other which helps the working relationship.
Again, we have political intrigue, monster that might destroy the Empire. The disappearance of a Treasury officer and lots more.
This is a fast and interesting read, so much is going on that it will keep you engaged through the whole storyline.
Even if you do not read fantasy stories you might give this one a try, I am glad I did.

A Drop of Corruption is the second installment in the Shadow of Leviathan series. After reading the first, A Tainted Cup, I eagerly awaited another adventure with Din and Ana. The follow-up to such a fantastic first book managed to hold its own, and I cannot wait to dive into the next book in this series.

How Robert Jackson Bennett manages to blend a complex mystery with absolutely stunning fantasy world building never fails to impress. In this second book you get some more depth into Ana who continues to have fun, witty banter to bring levity to the mystery and social commentary. Din continues to be awkward and endearing, loyal to those he cares about.

Everything about this book and the author can be summarized in his author’s note at the end of this book, which only made me want to continue the series that much more. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this eArc in exchange for my honest review.

This sequel gets right into the mystery but it did take a minute to fully captivate my attention.

I loved how quickly the initial mystery was solved but lead to even deeper, more complex mysteries/problems.

There were excellent interpersonal elements added in this instalment. Din’s familial struggles, the mystery of Ana’s augmentation. It provided extra depth and layers to an already very interesting and complex mystery.

The mystery in this one was intense. Every time you thought the duo was a step closer to finding the murderer, something crazy would happen and make you realize how far off they still were.

Ana did seem a bit angrier in this one than the previous book and I’m interested to see if that is just a quirk of this novel or if it will continue into the other books in the series.

The world building is great yet again, expanding the empire and not only the elements of it you know, but adding on more political and social complexities. The setting of this story is very well described. You almost feel humid and damp while reading it.

The story is great at not repeating itself too much, despite Din being an engraver than constantly reports back what he sees. The only time things are repeated, it is deliberate and therefore does not bog down the pacing.

Near the end I could see the pieces come together and was right in my thinking. It was very satisfying that it had not been really obvious but was discoverable with the clues sprinkled into the story. Not too obvious, not unfairly unsolvable for the reader.

A solid hopeful conclusion despite the absolute chaos that was the plot and enough enticing open threads to have me eager for the next instalment.

Master detective Ana and her young assistant Din are again required to solve murders in a world threatened by leviathans. The book begins with a locked room mystery and progresses to other puzzling deaths. They are assisted by warden Tira Malo, who is gruff, perceptive and determined.

My favorite book by this author is still “City of Stairs”, but I am also enjoying this series/ trilogy. This book was a little too busy for me, with more political intrigue than I wanted. Sometimes I found the plot too convoluted and difficult to follow. However, I still love the Ana/ Din collaboration, and Malo was also a very entertaining character. If there is a third book, I will definitely read it. Andrew Fallaize did an excellent job narrating the audiobook.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

Thank you Del Rey and NetGalley for an eARC!

4.5 stars

Another fun murder mystery with Din and Ana! I think I still liked book 1 just a tiny bit more, but this one is still amazing. We got to learn a lot about Ana even though now I just have even more questions. The new characters that were introduced were great and I hope we see more of one in the next book.

5/5 stars
First book in a long while to leave me with a STRONG book hangover. Thanks Ana and Din (and Malo- god I love Malo)!

Hey guys, I’m starting to think, maybe kings are a bad idea? Just putting that out there-

This is going to be less coherent than most of my reviews because I just sat down and read half the book in one sitting. I’ve been yelling about this series to my friends, so I’ll start with the pitch I’ve been giving them:

Murder mysteries! Political intrigue! Eldritch horror! Magic-meets-science derived from the kaiju attacking their cities! Holmes x Watson, with the Holmes stand in is sufficiently off-putting (forget opium use, she’s chowing down on psychedelic mushroom and calf liver slurry!) and our Watson is sufficiently put-upon and queer (but not for Holmes, which is great). The Holmes/Watson dynamic honestly feels reductive here, but it’s a good shorthand. This series is VERY different from “Psych”, but does something similar in starting with the basics of this classic dynamic and zigging in a direction all its own.

I love the puzzle box of the mystery, I love how Bennett lets the reader figure out parts of the solution before the characters but still has Ana’s grand explanation tie everything together in a surprising way. It’s a great combo of feeling so smart for getting some of it and facepalming for the things you missed (for me anyway, your mileage re: mystery solving may vary).

I love the characters. There were a couple things about Ana and Din that seemed like they might be getting retconned at the start of the story, and I was sad, but everything balanced out by the end. I love their dynamic, I loved Din’s interactions with his lust-interest in this book (such a humorous foil to his love/lust interest in the first), and I loved Malo. Most of the quotes I sent my friends were from her.

The best sequels expand on the world of the first- we got that here. The eldritch horror of the Veil (and the jungle camp, though no spoilers there) were well done and the political differences between the Empire and Yarrow were interesting. I love how the magic system of grafts and work with other Leviathan parts straddles the line of magic and science in the way of alchemy. It reminds me a bit of quantum mechanics, trying to divine rules based on study of phenomena that are just so strange our minds have trouble holding them. I can’t say whether or not the Veil is scarier than a Black Hole, but rest assured, I am afraid.

Anyways, 10/10, thank you for no dog murder on the page, I was worried in a few moments, but we made it. Ana and Din forever, I hope Malo comes back, but I trust Bennett to make more side characters I love just as much.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

3.5
While I enjoyed this book, I was also rooting for the culprit most of the time. The author intended the book to be a commentary on autocracy, what it completely missed is the themes of Imperialism and colonialism rampant within the story.
The Empire wants to annex Yarrowdale for its promising geographical location. We are seeing events unfold from the pov of Dinios Kol, a servant of the Empire. Obviously he'll see the Yarrow people as uncouth and uncivilized, in need of the civilized rule of the Empire.
I was expecting the author to subvert these notions in the latter part of the book but that never happened. We didn't see faults in the Empire as a system or beginnings of doubts in Din's mind about the efficacy of the Empire. Yarrowdale remained savage and pitiful in the end and it was unclear what would happen to it now that the Empire has the marrow.
This story uncomfortably reminded me of the British Raj in India. I couldn't help but want the culprit to succeed in the beginning when I was under the impression that he was like a freedom fighter, fighting for the people of Yarrowdale. But that was not the case.
This book was ultimately a quick read and I liked the mystery although I had come to the conclusion before our characters (there were a lot of clues).
Overall, don't think too much if you want to enjoy this book.

an amazing sequel where we follow din & ana while they work out an even more compelling mystery than in the tainted cup. the world and lore get expanded so much in this second installment and i can't wait to find out even more in the next one. rbj is so incredibly creative when it comes to his worldbuilding!

A brilliantly written journey following powerful characters on their mission. Loved the characters and how easily it was to connect with them. And an amazing sequel.

The Sherlock-and-Watson like investigation team from The Tainted Cup take on a new seemingly impossible murder mystery in their leviathan-threatened fantasy empire.

This case quickly expands into a great deal of worldbuilding digging into both the botanical and scientific works that make much of the universe's fantastical forces possible as well as a heap of courtly politics. Every detail matters and the mystery's final solution could rival Agatha Christie at her best.

This second installment in the series also introduces more mystery as to who our Holmes counterpart truly is and where her abilities come from.

While reading The Tainted Cup before this book is best, there is enough of a worldbuilding recap at the start of A Drop of Corruption that you could probably read it on its own, particularly if you love high fantasy. (If, like me, you are more of a mystery fan than a high fantasy reader, stick with the start of the series.)

Despite being different to my usual tastes, this has quickly blossomed into a favorite series! In fact, for the first time ever, I've purchased a special edition of a book that I already read in ebook format. I love it that much.

A twisty, turny captivating read. Despite the length, I tore through this in record time. I was happy to have a few theories from the first book confirmed, and now am anxiously awaking the next one.

It’s been a rainy spring here in Southern Oregon, and coupled with a three week long virus that eventually brought multiple rounds of steroids and antibiotics, I’ve found myself reaching for cozy mysteries that transport me to another world just for a bit.

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett (which came out 4/2), has been exactly what I needed in that regard. It’s the second book in the Shadows of the Leviathan series, which means Ana Dolbara and Dinios Kol are back to solve another mystery. In this case, they are called to investigate a Treasury officer who has disappeared from his locked room and guarded room…into thin air.

True to form for Bennett, the mystery was complex and layered in and of itself while ALSO examining in inherent corruption and greed of autocracies. It has a high fantasy setting with a really complex world and magic system…and yet it also read like a cozy Louise Penny mystery.

Overall, I have really enjoyed this series and think it’s a great fit for people who enjoy Sherlock Holmes style mysteries with a side of high fantasy. Thanks to @netgalley and @delreybooks for the ARC of this one!

This book was just pure delight. The unfolding puzzle box of a mystery never bored, and we spend more time getting to know the horrifying and intriguing Ana and learning more about the world setting and the empire. Din somehow is both very proper and a disaster bisexual, love that for him. But, I am impatiently waiting to learn more about the leviathans!