🌿 Release Date: April 1 2025
🌿 Themes/Vibes
• Body Horror
• Sci-Fantasy
• Political Corruption
• Detective Story
• Neurodivergent Rep!
• LGBTQ+ Rep!

🌿Quick Synopsis

After the events of The Tainted Cup, Ana and Din have been on much less interesting cases, until now. Sent to Yarrowdale, on the line of being part of the Empire and it's own place, Ana and Din try to uncover how a man seemed to disappear without a trace, and end up half-eaten by a canal beast. There is as much terror as there is in the first book, ehich is to be expected in a world filled with modications that can so severely mess up the brain, and also giant sea monsters that have blood that can turn plants to flesh and flesh to plants with just a single drop.

🌿 My Feelings

I cannot get over how insane this world is. The leviathans are barely present in the story and yet are also every facet of it too. I would absolutelt eat up a book in which they were more thoroughly discussed, or if we got to see mkre of the past.

To save you from any spoilers, just be away there are as many, if not more, twists and turns that this book's predecessor. It truly is a whodunnit and, given its fantasy elements, is so richly developed! The imagery in these books makes my skin crawl, and sometimes it almost feels too real.

We also get a big discovery in this book about Ana, and I cannot wait to see that be explored in the next installment!

If you have NOT read The Tainted Cup yet, please get on it ASAP so you can pick this up when it is released. This is perfect for both fantasy/scifi lovers and mystery enthusiasts alike!

3.5/5: I really enjoyed returning to Ana & Din. Their odd partnership is always fun to observe. This mystery though, very complex, yet a little boring. I was expecting more thrill, more weight to the experience. I got more of a cozy fantasy mystery, which is fine but I was wanting higher stakes. I also thought the second book would tie in more from the first book and delve into deeper secrets about the empire. It could almost be a standalone without the reader having to pick up the first book, which felt like a disconnect for me. Overall, I enjoyed the adventure with my dear characters and will gladly return for the third book!

Thank you netgalley and random house publishing for an eARC!

Ana and Din are back in another disturbing part of the Empire. There has been a murder and the villain could be smarter than Ana. The book is fun, with a complex plot and interesting characters. I really enjoyed the platonic relationship between Din and Malo. His glares and her snipes. Din is in the trenches of his life and I thought his grumpiness was delightful, not too over-the-top. If you loved the first book, you most certainly will love this one as well.

I've always been more of a fantasy reader than a mystery reader, so it actually means a lot to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the detective part of the story. Plot wise, I’m really satisfied because the clues really bring all the characters and mystery together so there aren't any loose ends. I could definitely guess the possible twists but it didn't hinder my experience because when it was further explained, it was so well done.

I didn’t think it was possible that I’d fall even more deeply into the second book in this series than the first, but I ABSOLUTELY DID. Robert Jackson Bennett is masterful in building a world around a plot that captivates and challenges the reader to try to solve the mystery before the characters. Ana Dolabra is the Sherlock I always needed and the more we learn about her, the more I’m dying to know her back story. Malo is a character I didn’t know I needed, but I’m here for her masc fem energy and I need her story to continue in the next book as well. Din’s POV is so wonderfully delivered and I so enjoy seeing stories through his eyes. Watching him grow and learn, especially at the end of this book was absolutely amazing. UGH, I can’t wait for this series to continue. I request 100 more stories with these characters.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group – Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore | Del Rey and NetGalley for an E-ARC copy of this book.

If you’re a fan of The Tainted Cup, one of 2024’s standout fantasy-mystery debuts, you’ll be thrilled to dive into RJB’s latest, A Drop of Corruption. From the very first page, Barker wastes no time plunging readers into another intricate murder mystery that’s as engaging as it is unrelenting.

Returning protagonists Din and Ana are as sharp and compelling as ever, their dynamic propelling the story forward with energy and wit. The introduction of new characters, particularly the enigmatic Malo, fits seamlessly into the narrative.

Barker once again delivers on the promise of a “Sherlockian mystery meets fantasy” genre mashup, crafting a story that balances intrigue and world-building with an elegance few authors achieve. Yet, for all its merits, the series does leave one longing for a deeper dive into the magic system and broader world beyond the crime-solving focus. The murder mysteries are gripping, but the hints of a rich, magical landscape feel slightly underexplored—a tantalizing tease rather than a full immersion.

However, the book’s jaw-dropping finale offers hope for a broader expansion in future installments, suggesting that Barker has much more in store for readers who are eager to uncover the secrets of this world.

In short, if a meticulously crafted mystery set in a fantastical universe sounds like your cup of tea, A Drop of Corruption deserves a spot at the top of your reading list.

Un romanzo che ha le caratteristiche tipiche di Robert Jackson Bennett: ambientazione dettagliata, coerente e credibile, ottimi personaggi secondari, una trama complessa (forse anche troppo), e una voce narrante (quella di Dinios) caratterizzata con competenza. Non mi piace particolarmente il personaggio di Ana, anche se in questo romanzo c'è una svolta significativa che mette in prospettiva molti lati che mi lasciano perplessa o indifferente.
Bellissima anche la nota finale, che ripercorre velocemente vent'anni di letteratura fantasy e di collegamenti con la situazione politica mondiale - si può essere o non essere d'accordo, ma è un punto di vista che dà parecchi spunti di riflessione.

J'ai enfin démarré ma lecture de ce second volume de la trilogie Léviathan. J'espère vraiment pouvoir avancer et apprécier plus ma lecture que le premier, car je ne suis généralement pas le plus grand fan de Murder Mystery

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett was an engaging read that I thoroughly enjoyed. Bennett’s ability to craft intricate worlds and compelling characters shines once again, and while it didn’t blow me away, it still delivered a satisfying and immersive experience.

The plot was well-paced, with plenty of intrigue and tension to keep me turning the pages, and I appreciated the unique twists and turns that kept the story feeling fresh. The characters were interesting and complex, though I didn’t feel as deeply connected to them as I have in some of Bennett’s other works.

Overall, A Drop of Corruption was a solid read that I’d recommend to fans of Bennett’s work or anyone who enjoys imaginative and thought-provoking fantasy.

“The dead cannot be restored. Vice and bribery will never be totally banished. And the drop of corruption that lies within every society shall always persist.”


4.75🌟

gaping gasping shrieking wheezing screaming crying throwing up

I'm sorry it takes me so long to finish this, a bit tmi, I might have little dependence on the audiobook (yep, since I mostly reading the e-book while listening to its audiobook) so it burdens me to read only the ebook. One of two my dearest oomfies suggest me to read while listening to some instrument reading music, and it works, dissyyy if u saw this, I couldn't thank you enough.

Once again, I'm sorry ADoC, It took me so long to read you, it turned out to be a great time🤧 At first this gives me "bingung banget tapi pasti bakalan keren" vibes since we're about join Din's new quest to other side of the country. However, the further I read and delved into the story, the more I was intrigued to find the twists and turns in it.

The storyline and concept were highly intriguing and quite complex. It felt like unveiling a tiny duck toy that also happened to have another duckling beneath its tummy, then another duckling came across it, and so on. The mystery was fascinating, my is almost not braining in every end of chapter. Compared to the last novel, the character relationships were even more apparent in this one. Ana is a fascinating individual who is unpredictable, erratic, and incredibly intelligent. Din's empathy and calm tenacity perfectly balance her wild genius. The story's emotional core is provided by Din's more subdued moments of vulnerability, comedy, and uncertainty, while Ana's genius keeps the case going. Their relationship, which consists of equal parts arguing and implicit trust, is incisive, funny, and never gets boring. And also, we get to see Malo, the new character who appear to be baddass as she seems. I sincerely hope we get to see more of Malo in the future because she was a fantastic addition to this group of characters.

Now, I can't wait to see how the next book will bring us into.

A colossal gratitude to Del Rey and NetGalley for providing a digital arc in exchange for a honest review.

(4.5/5)

Din Kol is back, baby!

My beloved Din— amazingly bi, haunted by his bank account, and somehow always stumbling into homicide cases—is back at it again, with his brilliant but chaotic Sherock-esque boss Ana Dolabra to tackle their most baffling case yet. What starts as a simple disappearance quickly spirals into murder, with an adversary who seems impossible. They're walking through warded doors and predicting Ana's every move.

Here's a rare confession—this sequel might actually outshine the original. Robert Jackson Bennett has crafted a perfect storm of fantasy, mystery, and wit. I think, this book, for me, was walking in a delicious setting without the world-building learning curve of the first book. This installment hits the ground running, letting the mystery and mayhem take center stage.

The political commentary is so deliciously sharp, we're talking tackling humanity's obsession with kingdoms and savior-figures while making bureaucratic failings genuinely entertaining. But the real stars (as always!) are Din and Ana—he's a beautiful mess of contradictions, she's brilliantly weird, and together they create the kind of chaos you can't help but root for.

Digital review copy provided by NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group—Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore.

I love mysteries and this did not disappoint. Fantasy needs more detectives. I hope there will be more in this series!

A huge thank you to Del Ray and Netgalley for this arc!!

A Drop of Corruption is simply an incredible read. Shadow of the Leviathan is the rare fantasy series whose sophomore entry improves on every aspect of the original. The world is significantly expanded and made more compelling. The plot is tense the whole way through, with greater intrigue and more twists. I didn’t think the stakes of the plot could be raised above the first book, and was so happy to be proven wrong. I could read a dozen books in this series if Bennett is interested to continue writing them.

The exploration of Din and Ana’s relationship is excellently done and has me eager for a third entry. The new characters introduced are particularly engaging and they’re better fleshed out than the characters in the first book.

I was gripped by this book the whole way through and devoured it in just a couple of days. Bennett’s execution is perfect.

A Drop of Corruption is a peak example of queer representation in the fantasy genre, while simultaneously also a peak example of blending the classical murder mystery with fantasy. This book is a huge accomplishment and I’m already confident it will be one of my top releases of 2025.

Another great story with Dinios Kol & Ana Dolabra
This time with another murder, political intrigue as we follow Din going to Yarrow, a place that's not under the govern of the Empire.
We get to know Malo, and personally I absolute love her character, although I admit I did miss some of the characters we met in The Tainted Cup.

This did feel more like a crime story, there was less emotional connection and more tension and focus on the possibilities of what could happen next. The stakes seemed higher than a Leviathan making landfall.
I thought I had grasped what would happen next, only to find a twist I did not see coming. They truly were 30 steps ahead.

I am looking forward to what happens next in this story

This book was wow i have no words. The plot twist had my mouth agape and at the end i thought i knew what was going just for BAM another plot twist. This was such an amazing book I don’t think I’ll ever get it out of my head all year it’ll be my top five also to finally possibly find out what Dolabra truly is powers wise I screamed!!!! I hope for everything there’s a book 3

WHAT.A.BOOK. Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for providing me with an arc.
I had a feeling i would love that book, having adored the first one. I was not mistaken.

What can i say ? I am a sucker for fantasy and for a good murder mystery. And boy, does Bennett deliver on those fronts. A fantasy world like i've never read before. Not only are the landscapes incredibly picturesque (i was tempted more than once to pick up a brush and paint the images that would inevitably start popping in my head while i was reading) but the world itself, its history, its peoples, its societies, are so well-crafted and interesting. I was eager, after reading The Tainted Cup, to get to know more about the organisation of the Empire, about its roots and potential relations with other realms. I was eager to know more about these magics, these augments, how they came to be, the science behind them and what extraordinary applications they served. A Drop of Corruption provided many delightful answers, made this world even bigger, more intricate, more alive. In this book, we delve even deeper into the political aspect of things, the hierarchies, the intrigue, the secrets. To be honest, the inner workings of the Empire and its Iyalets, the many intrigues and various projects operated within it and outside of it was as fascinating as the closed-door murder mystery afoot. Bennett weaved a tale that seems to only grow bigger and bigger. It makes me eager to read book 3 (and yet i know, book 2 hasn't officially come out yet...).

I cannot review this book without mentioning the characters that hold that story up. Ana and Din were already amongst my favourite characters of all time when i read The Tainted Cup and in A Drop of Corruption, not only did they live up to my expectations but they even exceeded them. I liked seeing a new side of Din, and getting more of his doubts, his aspirations and challenges. At the end of book one, Din learns more about himself and grows more confident. In this one, he tackles more universal questions about desires, duty and morals. As he is learning about the world around him, he grows, aided, as always, by Ana. Ana, mysterious, weird, a bit disgusting, immensely fascinating. I had a few theories about her after book one and i am glad to learn i was on the right track. Some of those theories seem to have solidified and i simply cannot wait to learn even more. But what a development ! Ana and Din are great individual characters and together, they form an incredible duo. They have so much chemistry, their banter is unreal and the way they care for each other... it is very endearing.

Shoutout to Malo, a great addition to the cast and one i hope we get to see again in the future. In The Tainted Cup, i was obsessed with Miljin, the grumpy veteran with a heart of gold. His type is my fav. Well, Malo deserves as much praise. Bennett really knows how to create and breathe life into his characters, even the secondary ones. All the supporting characters feel real, you can tell they have their own stories, motivations and fears. It is what make this world alive.

All in all, what a great continuation. I've heard RJB had said he'd love this series to have many installments, à la Miss Marple. I can only encourage this idea. I would devour 20 tomes (and more !) of Ana and Din's adventures across the Empire and beyond.

My thanks to NetGalley for making an eARC of this book available for me.

The worldbuilding continues in this, the second book in a series. We learn a bit more about the background of the main character (the Watson equivalent), while the almost main character (the Holmes equivalent) remains quite mysterious, but with a few promising tidbits. The author leaves us plenty of clues, but the solution to the primary mystery in this book doesn't show until almost the end of the book. And as it should be. A fascinating read, I look forward to more of this series in the future.

[5 stars!]
Wow. Truly did not disappoint!
I think I was taken aback by my enjoyment reading this second installment. Robert Jackson Bennett has conjured up this reimagined mystical environment that has bits of familiar fantasy elements, but is written and constructed in such a fresh way. I just could not get enough!

In A Drop of Corruption, we get to see our familiar protagonists, Ana and Din, try to solve the unsolvable once more. I feared, like I do with most extended mysteries, that this would get repetitive and therefore cause my attention to wander, but no! While you enter this book knowing which direction you are facing, you have no idea what your end destination will look like.

While I can rave about many of these aspects forever, I largely admired the growth and character development we see in both Din and Ana. In the first novel, we meet Din fresh and wide eyed while in the second, we get to see him in a more seasoned light. Both the progression and development of our main characters felt well thought out as well as important. This too goes for the majority of the plot. Robert Jackson Bennett continues to do a splendid job storytelling through his vivid and picturesque descriptions while simultaneously managing to not excessively overwrite! Stepping back out of this world and just sitting with my completion of this book, I found a deeper appreciation for how crafted and refined the writing felt. Truly the way to my heart is through deeply descriptive words and a juicy plot. Ugh, it was just so good.

So if you toiled through my messy thoughts and are still contemplating if you should continue through the Shadow of Leviathan series, think no further! Just read it! If you enjoyed The Tainted Cup, I am sure that you will be delighted by this one as well. I shall now sit patiently on my hands and wait until book three comes out for I fear, like Ana and her strange dining habits, that I am starting to develop an uncontrollable appetite for these novels.

Note || Thank you immensely to NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore for providing me with this digital ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Another banger from RJB! I love Ana and Din and their fantastical buddy cop vibe. This world is so filled with a grimy type of whimsy that is absolutely addicting. The banter is endlessly entertaining and I found myself laughing at points just from the simple way that Ana and Din would converse with each other. Din is the most lovable oaf around and I loved this book and seeing all of his misery and pining about Kepheus. We need Kepheus back in book 3, save our boy Din!

Additionally, I loved Malo as a character so much and it made my day that they secured her a new job at the end. All the wardens were great characters and I'd love for them to be involved more in the future story.

Lastly, so much lore drop about Ana and her various augmentations. Don't wanna spoil it for anybody, but it's good stuff. I also loved how she helped Din with his debt situation at the end :) she's a good boss

Can't wait to get back into this world for book 3! The wait will hurt immensely.

When I really enjoy the first book in a series, I always find it a little nerve-wracking to anticipate the release of the second: Will the story hold up? Will there still be the elements that I loved about the first book? I am happy to report that I found Bennett's A Drop of Corruption a successful follow-up that maintained the same great characters, world-building, dialogue, and smart mystery (and a bit of body horror). The pace did drag in parts, and some sub-storylines probably could've been dropped completely. And petty observation, but good grief, the word "grin" is overused to the point where it became distracting. But overall, I happily recommend this!