Received an eARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you very much! to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore.
After reading Tainted Cup, I definitely was looking forward to the next adventure with Din and Ana. I was very pleasantly surprised and very happy to be approved to get an eARC before the official April release date. April is soooooo far away when you want to keep reading. I finished the eARC in 2 evenings.

It starts with a locked door mystery vanishing of an Empire Treasury official, part of a diplomatic mission in an Empire adjacent kingdom, that shifts into a murder investigation.
As previously in Tainted Cup, Ana and Din (our Sherlock and Watson) begin their inquiries and find that this murder is just part of a greater scheme with many possible beneficiaries with varied and conflicting interests. Nothing is ever simple when touched by the Empire. Din’s raw observations and Ana’s unique way through to her strategically revealed deductions continue to keep us wondering if we’re looking at the right details to move forward.

Din is continuing to reconsider his role in the Iudex, wondering whether he really is making any difference through his investigations. I guess this will be an ongoing theme as he resignedly follows through on all of Ana’s off the wall demands, each stranger than the last. His resistance here comes in his attracting and bedding a local while constantly being told by Ana to just rest before the tumult of the next day.

Din is paired with a female Warden (Malo) with augmented smell and sight who up to now had just been chasing smugglers in the wild jungle areas outside the town area. Now she’s up to her nose in Empire and Yarrow politics and a bit out of her element. Her abilities expand the spectrum of available clues and support available for Ana and Din.

This book also takes us further into the work of their “CSI”, the Apothetikal group, and its many secrets as well as exploring more of the history of the Empire.

The variety of types of augmented people and their strengths and weaknesses continues to fascinate me.
The author’s finding value in neurodiversity and celebrating it brings me joy and hope. I also appreciate that he made Din a bi character, and that there is no stigma attached to that element. Bennett’s world building is sufficiently blended in with the action in a way that it’s usually not distracting or boring.

I also appreciated Bennett’s author note discussing further some of the political angles of the book.

Thanks again to NetGalley and Del Rey for this delightful experience. It reminded me of Jack Canfield’s “just ask” mantra used when you aren’t sure something can actually happen.

Reminder: It’s not publishing until April as of this writing.
But it will be well worth the wait 😊

I loved the first title in this series, and this is an equally strong second offering. The murder mystery that kicks off Din's investigation is sufficiently puzzling, and the glimpse of the odd, undulating shroud creepy, but things take an almost Tolkien-esque turn when they travel up to the high city of kings. (The trip to hunt smugglers in the jungle is equally thrilling.) This would do perfect as a standalone, but knowing some of Din and Ana's history makes learning more about them even more thrilling. I don't think of myself as a fan of the fantasy genre as a whole, but Jackson Bennett's sheer creativity and masterful storytelling means I'm waiting eagerly for more adventures.

Bennett dives straight into the action with A Drop of Corruption, picking up the pace much faster than The Tainted Cup. Ana is, unsurprisingly, the star—razor-sharp, unpredictable, and always five steps ahead. Din, while ever-present, doesn’t add much beyond observation, making him feel more like a passenger than a true partner.

The story moves briskly at first, though the middle drags a bit before ramping up again for a strong finish. Even so, the intrigue, sharp detective work, and unfolding mysteries of the Titans keep things engaging. With a intriguing finale that hints at even bigger things ahead, this is a solid sequel that leaves me eager for the next.

Robert Jackson Bennett is a genius! I fell in love with A Tainted Cup, so I was stoked to read A Drop of Corruption, and it did not disappoint. I loved getting to know Ana and Din more, as their witty and quirky personalities pair perfectly. The crime, mystery, and horror were present and kept me chasing for more. This book had a hold on me, and I could not put it down! I can't wait to read more, thank you, Net Galley and Robert Jackson Bennett.

A Drop of Corruption is the sequel to my favorite book from last year, The Tainted Cup. In this second book, we follow Din to the jungles of Yarrowdale as he continues his enhanced sleuthing at the service of the Empire. It kicks off with an impossible locked room murder of a Treasury delegate during an intense political transition, and then we are carried through a twisting and wild ride of monsters and madmen to find the mastermind. Ana Dolabra remains a hilarious and bizarre Sherlock to Din’s Watson, and we’re given more backstory and insight into how she came to be so clever and weird. I’m almost afraid Bennett has told us too much of our heroes now, and that means maybe the series will end at book three, which would be a shame. I’d read these books every year for the rest of my life, given the chance.

The sequel continues the fascinating world-building from the first book, and we are taken deeper into the bizarre science of the Apoths. I didn’t find the expansion of Din’s woes to be nearly as riveting as the first book, but it sufficed. Luckily, this wasn’t a huge part of the story—how could it be when the stakes of the unsolved murder were so high? I love how there’s just no way to tell where the investigation will take us, and how Bennett keeps a deft hand on the clues and world-building as we go, so I never felt lost. I think Bennett outdid himself with the multiple layers of story happening within and around the actual mystery, and I can’t wait to see Din and Dolabra untangle the next mess.

I may have ranted excitedly at my husband about my joy at reading another amazingly plotted mystery set in such a cool world. I just can't get over how Bennett pulls off such interesting and unique escapades. If you love fantasy and puzzles and the weird, this is for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

3.5
I loved the fantasy worldbuilding of the original, and this built on the elements that I enjoyed. Unfortunately I struggled to get through this one. I think maybe I just don’t like this kind of detective story, and it’s not helped by the emotional distance from the characters and the lack of their development. Also this world continues to feel very neoliberal haha but that’s a personal issue. I think this is well done but not for me!

A great follow-up to The Tainted Cup! For anyone who is considering going into the first one without reading this one, you can do that; there is a "Law & Order"-style intro at the beginning with a couple of paragraphs of background on the world and Ana & Din to orient you, and anything really critical to understanding the world or characters from the first book is reiterated in-text in this one. That said, some of the character building and revelations are going to hit harder if you have read the first book already. However, I could also see reading the first book SECOND being interesting, as you'd have more information and might be able to better see some of the stuff RJB was setting up earlier on... Either way, this definitely doesn't suffer from "second book syndrome," as the plot is so wholly its own and not solely propping up a big series-spanning plot.

Like the first book, this is a Holmesian murder mystery, though we've moved on to a new area. There was a bit more worldbuilding done but it is really being done in drips and drops. You can tell it's there, lurking...but RJB isn't really LOOKING at it fully. And this book has no titans in it, which was the part I found most intriguing about the first book. Still, it got a real sense of momentum going in the later part of the book; the "sidekick of the book," Malo, was great; and there are some verrrry intriguing character revelations happening here. This is an easy auto-read series for me and I hope we just keep getting more revelations! I think RJB's other series have been trilogies, and I hope this one will be longer, because it feels like there's so much left to explore in this world and I don't think we could do it in just one more book.

The first book in this series can be read stand-alone, but if you enjoyed Din and Ana as much as I did - you’ll want to see a new mystery solved in “A Drop of Corruption.” This time it is a locked-room mystery, clearly orchestrated by someone of extreme intelligence. It was great to learn more in this story about Din and Ana, who they are and their character journey. This intriguing murder takes place in an area separate from the empire, offering a unique landscape and cast of characters. The plot kept me guessing as the investigators unraveled the mystery, intertwined with political intrigue as well.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Uno de los mejores libros del año pasado fue The Tainted Cup, de Robert Jackson Bennett, así que tenía poquísimas dudas sobre si iba a leer la continuación. Lo único que no sabía era cuándo, pero la respuesta ha sido fácil: conforme ha caído en mis manos.


En esta ocasión su labor como investigadores del Imperio lleva a Ana Dolabra y Dinios Kol a Yarrowdale, una zona feudal que no pertenece al Imperio propiamente dicho, ya que el reino está pendiente de su incorporación tras la firma de unos tratados hace décadas. Allí ha tenido lugar un asesinato aparentemente irresoluble pero que todos sabemos que Dolabra diseccionará concienzudamente.

El libro sigue el esquema del anterior, con Kol destinado como avanzadilla para allanar el camino de Dolabra, realizando una valioso trabajo previo sobre el terreno. Pero, en esta ocasión, quizá por el hecho de conocer la dinámica o por que es más difícil sorprender con una segunda parte, he de reconocer que tanto la investigación como la resolución del misterio ha sido menos sorprendente y satisfactoria. Esperaba que la llegada del Moriarty de turno avivara la intriga y no negaré que la figura de los augures (humanos aumentados para prever el desarrollo de los acontecimientos con muy pocos datos de los que extrapolar la tendencia) resulta fascinante, pero creo que el autor en esta ocasión ha dejado demasiadas pistas para que el lector pueda dilucidar por dónde van a ir los tiros (o los flechazos).

No sé si lo que más me gusta es la construcción de mundo que ha llevado a cabo el escritor o el elenco de personajes que nos muestra, lo cual es una clarísima muestra de lo trabajada que está la novela. El sistema mágico-científico sobre el que se basa el relato es consistente y a la vez apela al sentido de maravilla que tanto gusta al lector de género. Todo el entramado gubernamental de apoyo a la investigación del enemigo a las puertas para aprovechar sus recursos mágicos resulta sencillamente fascinante. Pero este trabajo de zapa no sería igual de disfrutable si la historia y los personajes que lo utilizan no fueran igualmente arrebatadores, incluso los nuevos secundarios que Jackson Bennett presenta en esta entrega y que no cabe duda tendrán su importancia en un futuro. Un delicado equilibrio, una apuesta de la que el autor residente en Texas sale ganador.

No es menos cierto que A Drop of Corruption tiene una vena de crítica social contra las autocracias y los regímenes autoritarios que ya pudimos atisbar en otra obra del mismo autor, Vigilance, aunque un poquito más sutil. También resulta inquietante la dosis de body horror que nos cuela así como quien no quiere la cosa en el transcurso de la investigación.

No negaré que el epílogo aumenta las ya de por sí elevadas ganas que tenía de leer los siguientes episodios de la saga, que seguro que nos proporcionarán horas y horas de entretenimiento. Ojalá nos llegue esta saga en español en algún momento.

I absolutely loved the first book in this series, The Tainted Cup, and had high hopes for the second book. Now that I have it in my hands, and have had the pleasure of finishing it, I can affirm that it exceeded my expectations!
A Drop of Corruption brings us even closer to Ana and Din, two fascinating characters in their own rights, but made phenomenal in their pairing. The way they sharpen and play off of each other is a delight. Ana is such a distinctive, peculiar and quirky character, one can’t help but love her even as she is preening and squawking and tearing her food (and her interviewees) to bits. Din’s introspectiveness as he strives to do his best feels so human, there is also so much to love there, and the lush, verdant biopunk-esque world that Jackson has created for them is wildly imaginative and fascinating to the core. I cannot WAIT for more Ana and Din!

ANA AND DIN ARE BACK, BABY!!!

Crazy insane locked room murder mystery? Check.
Ana being weird and disturbing and then BOOM dropping solutions on you? Check.
Din making you want to wrap him in a blanket with a mug of cocoa and unlimited hugs? Check.
Insanely addictive world building and weird gross leviathan insides? Check, my literary friends, check.

I cannot, will not, shall not stop raving about this series. A Drop of Corruption doesn’t just meet the promise of the first book, it exceeds it. Ana and Dinios are back in fine form, using their unique partnership and abilities to tackle a case that seems unsolvable.

It begins with a classic locked room murder mystery, but inevitably bleeds into something bigger, stranger, and darker. The world building is stunning; the Empire and this world don’t feel like just a setting, but almost a character of its own. Every detail and choice aren’t just window dressing, but ingredients that affect the story and the plot in integral ways.

Robert Jackson Bennett doesn’t just excel at creating a compelling mystery with multiple threads, and epic worldbuilding that gives you a sense of incredible depth. His characters are phenomenal and their relationship elevates a good story into an awe-inspiring one.

As the investigation proceeds, you can see little tidbits being dropped here and there that point towards something even bigger, something yet to be revealed. The edges start peeling back, and you get a sense of what may be coming next, and its jaw dropping. The author has layered tension on top of tension and is building towards what promises to be an incredible climax.

I don’t know if this is planned to be a trilogy or a larger series, but I’m honestly keeping my fingers crossed for many more books. This world is fascinating and I want to live with these characters in my head for a long while to come.

A million thanks to Random House Del Rey for the advance copy of this enthralling book, in exchange for my honest opinions. This is out on April 1, so mark your calendars!!

absolutely loved getting ana and din back. easily one of my fav mentor mentee relationships but unfortunately i do think this book fell under second book syndrome. it didn’t exactly pull me in the same way that book1 did, mostly bc idt we learned new things except for the very end. i loved the mystery and uncovering the plot as well as learning about a new place but i just wasn’t as connected as i was with book1.

truly wish we could have had learned a bit more about them individually bc din and ana both have a lot of hidden secrets. i did love seeing more of their relationship though, ana always staying by his side no matter what even if he tells her he can do it all by himself and din choosing ana even when she gives him a very easy out 🙂‍↕️.

will be seated for book3 with the return of kepheus (hopefully?). also the sheer amount of times people would refer to din’s looks 😭 his disastrous ass was always so lost (silly dumb bisexuals forever loved my me).

This series is written so well. Robert Jackson Bennet is one of my all time favorite authors. I will read everything this man puts out. I love his characters are so unique. This being Attack on Titan meets Sherlock Holmes in a unique plant based world is so amazing! Never seen anything like this. I loved every second of this series so far.

I absolutely LOVED this sequel. Ana and Don are such a great duo. Din evolved more in book 2 and I enjoyed seeing more of his personality and coping mechanisms (wink wink). I'm almost sad I read this early because now I can't wait for the next book, which I hope will be in the near future. The world that RJB created is so amazing, intricate and fantastical. On the one hand it's so descriptive, but to the point where it's almost hard to actually imagine! RJB is just fantastic at writing fantasy murder mysteries and I need more of this series!

4.5/5

Wowowow. No one does world building quite like Robert Jackson Bennett.

It was exciting being back in the world of Ana and Din yet again solving quite a banger. We find ourselves in Yarrowdale, yet another richly layered world, with so many complexities, political machinations, and rich environment.

I think what I find impressive is the way that RJB manages to write these complex mysteries while also immersing us in this world. Both aspects of the book are equally important and given their due. We also get a deep dive on humanity while exploring Din and Ana’s relationship, the relationship of the people with their government and each other.

I don’t know how many books this series is going to be but it does feel as though we could get countless stories within this universe without getting bored. I look forward to reading #3.

The author is also slowly weaving in a huge overlying story whose pay off is going to be huge once it comes to light. In a world of quick media and attention deficit due to constant scrolling, it is nice to not be given all of the answers quickly.

This is the kind of book where you have to give it your full attention lest you miss something of importance. It’s not a quick palate cleansing read but rather something to sink your teeth into. There are a couple times in the story when I felt as though we were moving a little slowly and my attention was waning, but then we’d turn a corner and pick up speed and id be fully immersed again.

Thank you to net galley and Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for offering me a free copy of the e-book. My opinions are my own.

Utterly gripping and exciting, a real page turner. Love the protagonists. Din is so precious, Ana is wonderful and horrible, love reading about their investigations. The Empire grows more fascinating with every bit of information we gain. Here we have everything - a locked room mystery, forged identities, leviathan marrow, a lot of dead people - and even more mould than there are dead people.

I can't wait to read the next installment, and I do hope it's a longer series, not a trilogy.

I want to be Ana when I grow up. This is easily the most fun I’ve had reading a mystery in so long. The characters are masterfully developed, and their relationships are to die for. There were so many twists and turns to keep me on the edge of my seat, but they never toppled into “nonsense”/out of control spiral, which many thrillers and mysteries can fall victim too. I also love that all of the keys to solving the mystery were hidden and available for the reader to solve beforehand. I could read hundreds of stories with Ana and Din and never grow bored.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the eARC!

4.5 stars
Ana and Din are called to investigate a case in Yarrow, an independent kingdom political connections with the Empire. Yarrow and Empire have a give and take relationship, while Yarrow has its own king, culture and ancestry. An imperial tax collector is found dead in the canals, half eaten. Now it is up to Ana & Din to find out who is the killer.
Plot twists and turns with many interesting Yarrowdale characters, posing new puzzles and mysteries again and again. A gripping high fantasy mystery novel with clever detectives to keep company. A must read for all mystery-fantasy lovers.

I thank Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Happy Reading!!

God damn it I'm so mad at this book for being so good. The only way it could possibly be better is if there were more of it.

An absolute masterclass is fantastic mystery - the author weaves all the intricate and complex threads and by the end of the story brings them all together in such a clever way.

I love Din as a main character, he’s just a disaster and trying his best!

Cannot wait for the next one!