Odd and unlikely duo solves series of gruesome murders in a SFF setting has got to be one of my favorite genres!!

First of all, the characters! Dinios Kol is back, several months and investigations after the events of the tainted cup, and he is ready to suffer. The boy can't catch a break - he's being crushed under the weight of debts, an existential crisis, and a bad case of being a fuck boy? Although the book does mainly focus on the actual mystery and plot, Din gets some little bits of gratifying character development.

Ana is as weird as ever. She is the Sherlock to Din's Watson, with all the expected eccentricities and then some.

A Drop of Corruption is FILLED with mysteries, every time it seems like it's solved another problem comes around to complicate things. I loved how well the foreshadowing and clues were placed throughout the book, where you could slowly start to see the pieces of the puzzle come together before the big reveal.

The world building also continues to be fantastic! I love when a fantasy empire is not uniform, because, yes! It's an empire! The world of the Yarrow is so insanely different from Talagray. Bennet builds another unique society operating in parallel with the expanding empire, that leaves me excited to explore what else the empire has to offer.

I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read the next one! Also fingers crossed that this series will never end and I can continue to read these weird murder mysteries until the end of time.

I was so unbelievably happy when I received A Drop of Corruption as an arc on NetGalley. The first book, The Tainted Cup, was one of my favourite reads of 2024 so I was insanely excited to read the next in the series.

A Drop of Corruption follows our intrepid protagonists Ana and Din, as they once again travel to another domain of the Empire to try to untangle a murder mystery.

This time they are sent to the swamp lands to investigate the murder of a Treasury delegate. And what they find there is a tangled web of insidious corruption, as their culprit seems to be 20 steps ahead of them and has a seemingly insatiable need to murder. He is clearly out for blood by whatever means necessary.

Again, Jackson Bennett has managed to combine the fantasy and thriller genres seamlessly. I was instantly delighted to be back in the setting and world of the Empire of Khanum.
The complexities of the crimes and details are just unmatched, and every reveal is a complete surprise.

Ana and Din are as great as ever as the main characters, they are endearing and tortured in equal measure, making for very entertaining reading.

I was never bored, I kept turning pages, I loved the writing, and the mystery had a wonderfully dark tone this time around.

Honestly, one my favourite mystery series of recent years and, I hope there will be more as Robert Jackson Bennett truly has talent.

Releasing on April 1st 2025, I have my physical trophy ordered, and you should too!

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A fantastic sequel to The Tainted Cup, full of mystery and political intrigue. A Holmes and Watseon esq vibe book set in a rich vibrant fantasy world.

We meet Din as he arrives in the canton of Yarrowdale – a region that’s not quite joined the Empire yet – to investigate the death of a Treasury officer who disappeared from his room without a trace.
What starts as a simple investigation quickly evolves when they discover this may not be the only murder by an adversary who always seems one step ahead of Ana and Din…

Compared to the first book there is far more political intrigue as it takes place in a region that is in the process of joining the Empire, meaning a heavy focus on politics. For a brief period towards the middle-end of the book I did worry that it focused too much on political intrigue, but these concerns were very quickly soothed.

The world building continues to be fantastic, and I loved learning more about the Empire and the region of Yarrowdale. I could honestly read a 20-book series set in this world, simply following Ana and Din as they move around solving crimes. It’s been crafted so well and I’m eager to learn more!

Again, you experience the story through Din’s POV, which continues to be a great choice. When I listened to book, 1 I was originally confused why we were following this Din character, and not Ana the brilliant detective, but I love seeing him make his way through the cases alongside managing Ana’s unique traits.

Ana and Din as always were fantastic. They are such great complex characters, and I absolutely adored how their relationship grew in this book. By the time this book takes place they’ve been working together for a year and a half and Din has reached a crossroads in his life. It was great seeing them navigate this together, and you really learn how much Ana cares for Din. I also loved the new characters we meet in this book, while I was sad to leave characters from the previous book behind, the characters are crafted so well I did not miss them.

There were so many revelations at the end of the book that I cannot wait to see how they impact the next book.

So good!!! Great world building and entertaining story!!!
This is a must read for the spring of 2025!!!
Now the long wait begins for book three!!!

A Drop of Corruption, the second novel in the Shadow of the Leviathan series has proven Robert Jackson Bennett to be one of today’s best fantasy authors.

This kicks off with an impossible locked room murder which is both captivating but also the means used to provide our favorite Investigator, Ana, the information needed to start unraveling the grander scheme that is the heart of this story. With the help of the Apoths (Signum Malo is a whole vibe- I love her)we’re led down a trail of deception, cunning, endless scheming, and betrayal with a string of crimes that are both unique to this series and also mirroring the political climate of today in many ways.

As we delve further into the mysteries (yes plural!) we are also treated to an expanding view of the Empire as this novel takes place in the canton of Yarrowdale which does not see Leviathans during the wet season but instead is where the felled Leviathans are taken for study in the Shroud. No spoilers but this place is wild as are the augmentations used in order to study here.

We are given a glimpse into Din's motivations for joining the Iudex and are shown his desire to join the Legion but ultimately he finds that his place is at Ana’s side as his role is just as, if not more important as they work to preserve the way of life he initially wanted to fight to protect.

Overall this story was very immersive, gripping from page 1 and made you second guess every thought you have until the very end when Ana makes easy work of explaining every twist and motive for every action taken by all involved. This is quickly becoming a top tier fantasy series and I look forward to what is next.

Loved this!!!

Fantasy-mystery is a genre I didn't know I'd enjoy so much, but after The Tainted Cup I knew I wanted to read more! A Drop of Corruption delivers on those genres, with a twisty puzzle of a who-dun-it style mystery, court politics, weird plant magic, and classified lab work.

Ana and Din are a delightful pair as always. I adore the Sherlock/Watson relationship between them and I'm glad we got a smidge more Ana backstory (perhaps setting us up for future books?) Ana's mind is incredible... the way she puzzles things out fascinates me to no end. Poor Din gets shoved into so many scenarios he absolutely did not sign up for but he dutifully goes for it anyway.

I can see how some of Ana's monologuing may get tiresome for some readers, especially since she tends to deliver all her epiphanies in big large dumps on information. But my love for the dramatic Poirot-style reveal meant I was hooked on her revelations.

Overall I am thrilled about this instalment and am considering rereading book 1 now! Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for the ARC!

The Tainted Cup was one my favorite reads of last year, so when the sequel became available in Netgalley, I couldn't have requested it faster, beating even the email that said I was pre-approved/invited to read and review it. And man, WHAT a sequel! It was long and ponderous in all the best ways, with so much delicious worldbuilding and intrigue, both political and magical. The setting of Yarrow for this installment is fascinating. The political situation is one not dissimilar to ancillary "territories" of modern day hegemonic behemoths, which dangle the benefits of incorporation while sucking the region and its people dry for its own purposes. The Pithian language read like some Romanized version of Hindi to me, and that was distracting at times but honestly it fit well with the kind of regional mood that was intended. The central mystery was convoluted and made for a lot of meandering in every direction but I think that was intentional to show the largest cross section of how a society is made vulnerable and crippled by the collapse and scrambling greed of native hierarchies, as they're co-opted and corrupted by an encroaching behemoth of an indifferent Empire. After this, I'm convinced that no one does commentary on contemporary colonialism in Fantasy as masterfully as RJB. In this series, he has struck upon the perfect protagonist vessels to really explore the nuanced nooks and crannies of Empires and autocratic institutions that inevitably cultivates the rot that culminates into their inevitable downfall -- but not before hurting, displacing and disenfranchising as many vulnerable populations as possible. It's WILD to read this as an escapist work while living in dystopian America, but somehow it doesn't draw me into despair. A big part of it is the characters -- Ana and Kol's dynamics as an eccentric pair of traveling investigators make for hilarious banters and exchanges and it draws in secondary characters that are equally fascinating and wry. Their internal lives are at once commonplace in the face of extraordinary circumstances, and you can't help but root for these extremely quirky, messy characters. I also enjoyed the author's note at the end that did much to give context to what his thoughts are on the zeitgeist that birthed a work like this and others in the genre. I hope he writes more of Ana and Kol, because I will read the heck out of them, but also, I appreciate how his works always end satisfactorily enough that I wouldn't be mad if he didn't.
Thanks immensely to Netgalley and Random House for providing me a copy of this much-anticipated sequel by one of my longtime favorite authors in the genre.

The first book in this series, The Tainted Cup, was a favorite in 2024, so to say that I was looking forward to this book was an understatement. I've discovered something about second books in the series. I think one of the reasons people so often talk about 'second book slump' is that the second books become the opportunity for a deep delve into both character and world. Sometimes this works, sometimes less so. In the Divine Cities series, Bennett does a clever sidestep and focuses on a different character and moves forward a few years. A Drop of Corruption moves forward a few years, but it still centers on Din and the lead investigator Ana.

It begins simply enough, with a missing person and a locked room. It become more ominous as Ana and Din discover an empty bank drawer. Each individual scene makes a sort of sense, but the way they are strung together gets confusing. Like beads in a necklace, you have to hold them separately, trusting that when they come together, the piece will work. Jackson-Bennett states elsewhere that he would love to have a series of these, "like Miss Marple," but the wonderful thing about Miss Marple is that the microcosm of the mystery echoes the human condition. JB strays much too far into complicated society politics to even begin to think of this as Christie.

As they investigate, Din wrestles with deeply ambivalent feelings about his job. He acts out in ways that seem unrecognizable from the hard-working provincial in book one. I'd have to do a deep dive to be certain, but I also think his inner thoughts are more limited than in Tainted Cup. My empathy was challenged, witnessing what I perceived to be uncharacteristic behavior without clues as to how he had become that way. He seems to have become disengaged from the job he wanted so badly to do. Ana too seemed more exaggerated but we've been set up to expect both omnipotence and mercurial behavior, so it doesn't seem quite as outlandish. Eventually, it becomes clear that numerous jobs have passed since the episode of The Tainted Cup, so I begrudgingly shelved my concerns under, 'Time in Book-world Has Passed' and read on.

The investigation that seems so small and incidental, is the tip of a much larger iceberg. While that kind of complexity can be enjoyable, it is also just a little big sometimes. I think I'm finally catching the themes through Bennett's works.

The writing remains beautiful and evocative. I enjoyed the side characters, though Malo is the one who stood out the most.

I enjoyed it, to be sure. I will give it a re-read some day, and it might fare better.




Many thanks to Kathleen Quinlan at Random House Publishing Group and Netgalley for the advance reader copy.

I've really been enjoying murder mystery stories in fantasy settings.
A closed door one was intriguing, so was learning (a little!) more about the magic system but Ana is my favorite part.
Looking forward to reading more in this series, until then I'll be busy recommending this to everyone!

Wonderful gothic crime novel set into a well-written fantasy world. I didn't know what to expect but got totally immersed with the world, the characters and the overall feel of the book.

When a Treasury officer vanishes from a locked room in a heavily guarded compound, Ana Dolabra and her ever-loyal assistant, Dinios Kol, are called in to unravel the impossible. But what begins as a disappearance soon reveals itself as a murder—and the work of an adversary who seems to anticipate Ana’s every move.

As the investigation deepens, the case becomes more than just a battle of wits—it’s a fight for the very survival of the Empire. With Ana struggling to keep up with their opponent and disaster looming at every turn, Din can’t shake the feeling that she may have finally met her match.

Y’all… I loved this.

I couldn’t put it down. Like, sneak-a-peek-while-in-traffic levels of couldn’t put it down.

In my oh so humble opinion, it was better than the first.

Why? One major reason is that Din and Ana’s relationship has already been established—they know how to work together now. This makes their banter and interactions richer, more dynamic, and much more entertaining.

I also genuinely enjoyed this plotline more than the previous book’s. When it comes to locked-door mysteries with Sherlock Holmes-type detectives, I can be a bit picky—I want them to strike that fine balance between being ultra-complex and still giving the reader a chance to connect the dots, and this book pulled it off brilliantly.

If you were a fan of the first, you’ve got to read this one. For those new to the series, if you enjoy fantasy and locked door mysteries, you should definitely give these a try! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 (Rounded up for NetGalley)

Pub Date: April 1, 2025

Thank you NetGalley & Del Rey Publishing for my free e-reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I'll preface this review by stating the first book of this series was my favorite read of 2024 and I was greatly anticipating this book.

Now onto the review itself. This book was a fantastic read the author continued building on the strengths of the first book exploring more about both Ana and Don while taking them through another case of importance to the empire. This book also continues the excellent world building of the first and left me hungry for even more stories in this world.

One thing I loved with the first book and continues in this one as well is the author drops you hints along the way giving you all the same clues the characters work based on so you can attempt to solve the crime alongside the characters.

This book is a rare 5/5 for me even with going into it with high expectations.



Thanks to Del Rey and NetGalley for the ARC.

Bennet continues the Ana and Din mystery and as a non-mystery reader, I really enjoy this combination of fantasy and mystery with some Sherlock vibes thrown in. Ana and Din are called upon to figure out a small mystery that balloons out into something seriously important. All the while there is a political backdrop that undergirds their investigation.

This was a great continuation to the series. The two main characters are very quirky and fun and their working relationship was highly amusing. The character development slowly unravels the bsckstories of the characters and I definitely wanted more, but know that is part of the suspense. I found this book to have a little more inconsistent pacing than the first book. A climax happened halfway through and then another at the end so it took me a little longer to finish the book.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me early access in exchange for my thoughts!
I've been eagerly awaiting this sequel to The Tainted Cup, and I'm happy to say it lived up to the high bar set by the first book. Like book 1, this was a fun blend of mystery and fantasy set in a unique world. I really enjoy the relationship between Din and Ana--they are just so fun to follow, especially when they are together.
This one picks up with Din having a bit more investigative experience under his belt since book 1 . Some time has passed and he and Ana have been traveling around conducting special investigations for unusual or challenging crimes. In this book, they are brought in to investigate the murder/disappearance of an engineer who vanished from a locked, guarded room only for a few remains to be found miles away.
The investigation pulls them in to court politics and government secrets surrounding the Shroud.
This book expands on the world we were introduced to in The Tainted Cup and gives us a deeper understanding of how the leviathans are used after they are defeated while still leaving plenty to be divulged in future books. I found myself immediately drawn in by the immersive writing. It almost felt like I was watching season 2 of a favorite television series in my head. Looking forward to book 3!
4.5 rounded up

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett, an excellent continuation of the series and I really want more! If you havent started this series yet you really need to Now!

Second in the series with Ana Dolabra and her assistant Dinios Kol. In this tome, a Treasury officer has disappeared in Yarrowdale; his quarters were locked from the inside. Was it a disappearance--or a murder? The high-security compound, the Shroud, is a target; the killer[?], most shrewd, is always a step ahead of the investigation into the crime against the Empire.

The book introduced many new characters--I particularly liked Malo. Every time Kol used his skills as an engraver, I was captivated.

A drop of corruption--moves the story forward--vice and bribery are prevalent. Mystery and fantasy are woven together.

New [just a few!] words:
apophenia--tendency to perceive meaningful conections between unrelated things
pauldrons--part of armor
thurible--censer/incense burner hung from chains
thaumaturgy--practical application of magice to make change in physical word using occult principles
chitin--fibrous substance consisting of polysaccharides and forming major comstituent in exoskeleton of arthropods and cell walls of fungi [phew]

I loved The Tainted Cup; this sequel not as much. Still kudos to the author for his imagination, descriptions of this other world, and storytelling.

Be sure to read the author's note! [I believe it resonates with the current state of affairs in the US.]

I love this series! It feels like such a unique take on a fantasy story with the leviathans and the mystery elements. It’s such a fun series and a great progression to the first. If you liked the first I recommend this one!

I was so happy to be back in this world with Kol and Ana, whom I adore. I thoroughly enjoyed all the new characters as well. The sense of place and descriptions of the stone buildings, and the forest, put the reader wholly into the world without bogging down the storyline.
Great pacing, lots of twists and turns to the chase, and a satisfying conclusion to all the loose ends.
I have been recommending Book 1 to my readers who don't think they like fantasy - it's a terrific "gateway book" and a terrific genre-crossing series.
Well done on Book 2 Mr. Bennett!

A gripping second installment in the series. The focal mystery is enticing, ongoing questions are satisfyingly answered, and the new questions posed will keep me coming back for more!

“A Drop of Corruption”* is the second book in Robert Jackson Bennett’s *Shadow of the Leviathan* series, following *The Tainted Cup*.

In this new chapter, we return to join the eccentric investigator Ana Dolabra and her trusted assistant Dinios Kol as they tackle a mystery that threatens to shake the foundations of the Empire. A Treasury official mysteriously disappears from a room locked from the inside in a guarded tower, and the disappearance turns out to be just the beginning of a case that intertwines sophisticated murders, political mysteries, and corruption that goes far beyond appearances.

Bennett never misses a beat! This second volume is a compelling and layered read, where the mix of mystery and suspense is expertly balanced. The author manages to combine a complex plot with a unique setting, providing the backdrop for an increasingly intricate investigation. His writing is sharp, witty, and full of that subtle humor that has won me over since the first book.

Once again, the investigative aspect is flawlessly constructed, giving us a mystery that keeps us hooked and allowing us to explore the Empire more deeply, with intrigue and the ever-present shadow of the leviathans.

Ana and Dinios continue to shine as the leading duo. Ana is a headstrong, unpredictable character with extraordinary intelligence, making her irresistible, while Dinios reveals a more human side, showing new facets of his character. Their interactions are brilliant, full of sharp and ironic exchanges. Their bond is one of the most fascinating elements of the series, blending action, introspection, and humor in a masterful way. In short: I adore them!

*A Drop of Corruption* is a must-read for anyone who enjoyed the first book in the series and for those looking for an investigative fantasy that keeps the tension high and surprises until the very last chapter. I can’t wait to read the next volume in this series, which has now become one of my favorites.

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for the e-ARC!