Another solid entry in the Shadow of the Leviathan series.

I picked up The Tainted Cup on a complete whim last year; mysteries aren't the usual books that I read. I'd been looking forward to the release of A Drop of Corruption, a nice contained mystery in a series that would provide a break from everything else I read. I was looking forward to getting back with Ana and Din and seeing more of these characters and their interactions with the world that Bennett has created. A Drop of Corruption is a beautifully done sequel - it builds on the back of The Tainted Cup, providing the reader with new information and revelations, while anchoring itself in the solid foundation of the previous work.

I've been on a bit of a mystery kick lately, I've watched a lot of Murdoch Mysteries and was getting a little bit familiar with the tools authors / writers use to drop clues and the number of ways that a mystery could be solved. I was worried that I'd disappointed myself by consuming too many mysteries too close to each other, as I'd figured out the 'how' of the Treasury officer's murder slightly before it got revealed on page. Then Bennett reveals the motive (which I hadn't figured out) and the second (and third) layers of intrigue going on beneath this murder. I kept on guessing at the faintest shadows based on no information and did not see Ana's deductions coming.

The characterization in A Drop of Corruption is beautiful work for a sequel. I appreciated how we still had Din and Ana from the previous novel, but they went through different trials in this book. Bennett didn't turn it into a lover per book, and it's been a year since the events of The Tainted Cup, giving our characters an opportunity to grow off-page. The new things that we learned about Din and Ana didn't make them seem like unformed characters in the previous novel, but allowed them to continue to grow in the weird ways that human beings grow. I really appreciate the non-linear character development done in this sequel.

I can see an entry for one more book in the series on GoodReads, but I'd probably read twenty more books.

I'm obsessed with this book! I really enjoyed the first book, and this was an excellent follow up, honestly, it gave me a bit of a book hangover, it was so good. I loved being back in this world, with these characters, and this latest case was so intricate and amazing! This, and this series, is one of my best books of the year, and it's one of my last reads of the year!

Din has gotten used to Ana, they've had a year of cases together under his belt, so he's not quite as subservient, and pokes at her from time to time, which was so lovely to read, in the midst of all the choose going on with this case. Not to mention, the stressors in his personal life, of if he should continue in this branch of government.

This mystery was absolutely incredible! The first book gave us a look into how brilliant Ana is, and how excentric. So to have a case that was causing her difficulty, to really push her to the limits, who seemed to be a step ahead of her...I couldn't get enough!

The first book was in an area shrouded by the fact that the Leviathans come and attack every wet season. This one takes place where they bring the leviathans after they're dead, to extract the blood needed to keep the empire going, which is a complex political situation, and a heavy part of the plot, with the kingdom supposed to be absorbed by the empire shortly, but the details aren't fully worked out. It was epic, and convoluted, and an amazing story.

One idea that this book brought up was the idea of kings, and just how bad they are. The authors note at the end, talking about the concept of kings and how they're viewed in this modern day society, and modern day versions of them, felt very pointed and so very accurate. Here's hoping the idea of them being a positive thing dies out, and dies out soon.

Loved reading this book and I can't wait for more from this series, and I really need to read more by Robert Jackson Bennett!

New installment of leviathan series and i’m OBSESSED with it. I couldn’t put up for how much i devoured every words in it.

Ana’s brilliance and eccentricities paired with Din’s outwitted and engraved memory had led the investigation into its resolution. Ana's unconventional methods and sharp intellect drive the investigation, while Din navigates the complexities of working alongside her.
Their relationship providing both humor and depth. We get to see more of their dynamic as they working together to unravel even bigger and complex mysteries happened in Yarrowdale. I literally had never feel dull nor bored reading these two. 😭🫶

I am deeply astounded by the expansion upon the world building and thus produced a fantastic and enjoyable adventure. It is truly so vivid and the characters feels alive to me as though their expression were described very well.

Thank you again NetGalley for providing me the ARC.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing me with the e-ARC for this book in advance in exchange for an honest review, because let me tell you I could not wait to get my hands on this book. Din and Ana were already two of my favorite new fantasy characters, and the world building here is just absolutely impeccable, so with the addition of the Yarrow culture and Malo’s character, this world is just so vibrant. I could not put this down, reading until 2 in the morning because I had to know what happened next, and just like The Tainted Cup, I figured things out at about Din’s pace, so I was always guessing. I genuinely can’t say enough good things about this sequel, and I absolutely cannot wait for the next book in this series to come out. In my opinion, one of the most exciting new fantasy series’ that has come out in at least four or five years!

Another outstanding addition to the thrilling adventures of Ana and Din. The murder mystery element was very nicely done, with a series of unexpected twists and turns that kept me guessing throughout (mostly wrongly!). The world-building further explores Ana and Dins evolving relationship, while also revealing more about the Leviathans and the Empires origin, rulers and it's people.

Fantasy/Murder Mystery is quickly becoming my favourite genre, and Robert Jackson Bennett masterfully blends the two genres with A Drop of Corruption, creating another page-turner that hooks you from the beginning and is a must-read for fans of both fantasy and murder mysteries!

A Drop of Corruption could be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading The Tainted Cup first.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Ray for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Some time after the events of The Tainted Cup, the dynamic detective duo of Ana Dolabra and Dinios Kol are summoned to the canton of Yarrowdale, a place perpetually damp and moldy, to investigate the strange disappearance and death of a Treasury officer from a locked room. Naturally, the findings of Ana and Din lead to far more questions than answers, and the investigation spirals into a complex web of mystery, twisting and turning every which way.

I enjoy mysteries, especially in a fantasy setting, and I will be the first to admit I almost never know what’s going on in a whodunnit. I am merely along for the ride, and any predictions I make are based purely on vibes. Thanks to this, I did get one tiny little prediction right, but aside from that, I was reading this to be swept along on the tale.

I truly loved the worldbuilding in this book. Yarrowdale is a canton that the Empire doesn’t control, at least, not yet. A century-long treaty is almost up, and when it expires, Yarrowdale will fall under rule of the Empire. The citizens of Yarrowdale all have their own opinions on what they want to happen with their home, and so too does the Empire, which is struggling to stay afloat while dealing with the Leviathans at the outer walls.

We also get more insights into the characters of both Din and Ana, as they navigate the mystery, their allies, and each other. Ana is funny and eccentric as always, making some truly baffling decisions at times that Din just sighs and goes along with. Din is on his own journey this book, grappling with decisions about his career and future, while also trying to solve an ever-increasing amount of problems during the investigation.

I never reviewed The Tainted Cup here, so I never shared my thoughts on the writing quality, but my feelings about it are similar to A Drop of Corruption. The prose and descriptions are so lush and sumptuous. I’ve said before that I typically only pay attention to prose if it’s really bad, or really good, and this is the latter. The world’s magic and structure is centered around plants, and the writing never lets you forget that. I can’t remember where I said this, if I’ve written it down anywhere at all, but the atmosphere is really reminiscent of some of the areas in the video game Hollow Knight, specifically Greenpath, and in this book, the Fungal Wastes. And if you want another series that does plant magic really well, I would recommend The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri.

A Drop of Corruption gets a solid 4.5/5 stars from me. I never wanted to put it down, the story and characters had me hooked from beginning to end, and I just really enjoy the prose, which is something I don’t say about books very often. I will be eagerly awaiting the next installment in the series!

“A Drop of Corruption” by Robert Jackson Bennett, is the highly anticipated sequel to “The Tainted Cup” and the second installment in the “Shadow of the Leviathan” series. This novel continues the adventures of the eccentric detective Ana Dolabra and her assistant, Dinios Kol, as they tackle a perplexing mystery in the distant canton of Yarrowdale.

The narrative centers on the enigmatic disappearance of a Treasury officer from a locked, heavily guarded room—a classic locked-room mystery with a fantastical twist. As Ana and Din delve deeper, they uncover a complex conspiracy that threatens the Empire’s very foundation, particularly the high-security compound known as the Shroud, where the volatile magic of fallen leviathans is harvested.

As in “The Tainted Cup”, one of my favorite reads in 2024, Bennett seamlessly blends both fantasy and mystery. This book is Holmes and Watson in a fantasy world, with sharp humor and witty banter. The complexities of this mystery and growth of the world makes this even more satisfying than its predecessor novel and it’s fun to see the evolving dynamics between Ana and Din. 

Bennett’s skillful character development shines through, with Ana’s brilliance and peculiarities providing a sharp contrast to Din’s sardonic demeanor. Their partnership deepens, offering readers a compelling exploration of loyalty, duty, and the personal costs of unearthing systemic corruption.

“A Drop of Corruption” is a masterful continuation of the “Shadow of the Leviathan” series, delivering a richly woven tale that challenges its protagonists with moral dilemmas and intricate puzzles. Fans of the first installment will find this sequel both satisfying and thought-provoking, leaving them eager for the next chapter in Ana and Din’s journey.

I’d like to thank Netgalley and Del Ray for the eARC.

I loved Bennett's book The Tainted Cup, with its excellent characters and incredible world, so I was delighted to jump right into this. It lives up to the first book of the series, full of clever plotting and mysteries to be solved, and continues its welcome depiction of disabled characters. It's a thriller, and the plot moves fast and furiously. Protagonist Din and his mentor Ana are asked to solve a locked-room mystery that quickly spreads and engulfs the local monarchy and government bureaucracy, dangerous harvests, and the stability of the Empire served by Ana and Din. We also get more info about the world, which I find fascinating, and about Ana and Din themselves. You'll probably want to read the first book before this one.

This was everything I loved from the first book!

That being said, it didn’t quite blow me away like book 1 did, maybe because I read the ebook instead of listening? or maybe because when I read The Tainted Cup I had never read anything quite like it and a sequel by nature isn't quite so new and fresh? either way I still loved it.

The setting and magic are incredible. I’m very interested to see where the story goes next and I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a big time jump in the next book. I almost wish this wasn’t a trilogy so that we could keep getting episodic stories of Ana & Din solving crimes. Their dynamic is just as interesting as in book 1 & the new side characters (especially Malo) were fantastic.

Somewhere between a 4 or 5 but I'll round up.

An astounding addition to this vibrant world. The setting is vivid, organic, evolved; the people augmented; but the core of the story is human. I’m so interested in learning more about Ana and her history. Din’s character and perspective is so immersing to read through.

As with The Tainted Cup, RJB has carefully crafted every inch of this to create an experience for us readers. I’ve found that he does an amazing job of engaging all our senses when we read, saying scent, sound, imagery to build the narrative.

A stellar sequel for fans of the first brilliant book in the sequel. The worldbuilding is expanded on well and the characters continue to compel readers.

A Drop of Corruption is the second and latest book in the ongoing Shadow of the Leviathan fantasy mystery series. It’s a direct sequel to last year’s The Tainted Cup (which I reviewed here) and you should definitely go and read that book before this one. I’m going to address this review to people who’ve read the first book and are curious if it’s worth continuing the series - and the short answer is, definitely yes.

A Drop of Corruption doesn’t stray far from the framework established in The Tainted Cup - it’s an entirely separate mystery following Din and Ana as they travel to a new, remote part of the Empire, meet a cast of intriguing characters augmented with bio-magical enhancement, and proceed to unearth a cascading series of mysteries in their effort to get to the bottom of an impossible puzzle. This time, they travel to Yarrowdale, a remote backwater kingdom in the process of being absorbed into the Empire proper (in a scenario somewhat like Hong Kong’s preplanned transference to China) to investigate the death of one of the Empire’s civil servants. Yarrowdale is so politically tricky for Din and Ana to investigate because of its vast importance to the Empire - it is protected from the seaborne leviathan attacks by a massive, bio-mechanical construction called the Shroud, inside which the fuel that provides the Empire’s augmentations is extracted from recovered Leviathan corpses.

Like all his work, its a fast read, with prose simple enough not to get in the way of a binge read, yet still robust enough to feel substantial and elegant. Bennett understands that truly propulsive mysteries can’t be stretched out for long, and wisely constructs ADoC’s plot around a nesting doll of mysteries. The book features several confounding scenarios, whose major questions are answered only to reveal yet another confounding scenario, on and on until the book reaches its satisfying conclusion.

A constant stream of answers that lead to new questions is a requirement for a good mystery, but what makes these books great mysteries is the influence of their genuinely inventive and fascinating setting. In the hands of a lesser writer, this could make all mysteries easily solvable by deus ex machinas, as the answer is some heretofore unseen magical spell. But Bennett grounds his supernatural elements by laying out their rules as they’re revealed. No one casts spells in these books, or draws energy from demons. Instead, many people are augmented with bizarre drugs and alchemical concoctions that give them specific enhancements. Din can remember everything he experiences, though he needs to sniff particularly unique scents during a scenario to help him recall them later. New character Malo has enhanced hearing and smell, which lets her act as a ward against would-be eavesdroppers and as a dog when tracking down a fleeing suspect. These magical abilities are just really fun flavors to add into the mix, as they open up new ways of gathering clues while also necessitating that Bennett (and his villains) come up with more and more elaborate ways of working around them.

A Drop of Corruption finds the perfect balance of worldbuilding; as a sequel, Bennett can drop readers back into the world with only a brief and very helpful refresher prologue, trusting that they’ll understand the basics and explaining the rest as it comes up. But at the same time, he hands out little nuggets of interesting lore that are like catnip to worldbuilding sickos like myself, continuing to solidify Bennett as one of the best conjurers of unique fantasy worlds working today.

All in all, this is a really fun and satisfying mystery novel, though like most of Bennett’s work, I think the plot details will fade away as time goes on. But that’s the side effect of an enthralling read that keeps you hooked until the end, so I think it’s a worthwhile trade. I can’t really imagine anyone who liked the first book not enjoying this one too. And if you’re weird and just want to read this first, you might be a little lost with the setting, but not with the story. I’ll be sad to see the last of Din and Ana’s adventures, but I’m sure it’ll be wrapped up in yet another expertly-crafted mystery.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts expressed are my own.

I love love love love the mystery case in this one. It was suspenseful and confusing but don't worry the plot ties up nicely at the end. Ana is still my favorite character even if she's really odd. Hmm I would say the characters feelings aren't much explored especially Din he seems distant here.

"The Tainted Cup" was such a pleasant surprise when I read it last year, with it combining fantasy and murder mystery perfectly while also offering an intriguing magic system and lovable characters. Needless to say that I was thrilled when I got an arc for book two. I even made it my first read of the year, hoping for a 5-star book, and well … I was not disappointed.

"A Drop of Corruption" brings a new murder case for my favorite supernatural investigators Din and Ana, this time not set in the Empire but in the hot and swampy Kingdom of Yarrow. At first they are confronted with a seemingly impossible locked room mystery and some severed body parts, but the story quickly becomes something far bigger than that. The investigation leads them from a seaside town to the jungle to the high court and reveals political schemes, biological weapons and more gruesome deaths. And what can I say? I followed along with greatest interest for the entirety of the book.

Book 2 is expanding the world in the most interesting way, for Yarrowdale is home of the Shroud, the place where gigantic leviathan carcasses are brought to and are experimented on. It's a mix of body horror and magical science talk, making it very fascinating to read. The characters are explored a little more as well, but I wish there would have been even more of that for I like them very much. Ana is still the eccentric and rude yet brilliant creature with the strangest habits, and Din is a stressed-out bisexual icon, who is struggling with money and his job, and somehow always finds himself in the world's most deadly places. Book 2 also adds Malo as a new character and I did like her no nonsense, ever slightly annoyed personality a lot as well as her alterations. With her heightened senses, Din's infinite memory and Ana's gift for comprehension of basically everything they are quite the unstoppable trio now. I don't know if Malo will return in book 3 though, because no side character of book 1 returned in book 2.

I do hope for many more books in this series. There is not really an overarching plot throughout books 1 and 2, and I'm sure there are more mysteries to solve and places to go for Ana and Din. I'm very excited to see where this series is going in the future. (I also take my enjoyment of "A Drop of Corruption" as a call to finally read "Foundryside". I've owned a copy for years now, why in the world have I not picked it up yet?)

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

Another fantastic book from RJB (my second of his) and a wonderful continuation to this series. I am newer to the fantasy genre (read it very sparingly) and this is perfect for newbies like me. You still get a lot of complex world building, but the characters do a lot of summarizing (that isn't overly obvious or annoying) to help someone like me keep up. The mystery (just like the first book) was complex, but not overly difficult to follow (helped by previously mentioned summarization). I loved returning to this world and beloved characters and cannot wait for the next installment.

So grateful to Netgalley & Del Rey Books for the gifted ecopy in exchange for an honest review.

I will post a full review on my Instagram feed closer to pub date. I plan to do a re-read of both books in audio form to capture anything I might have missed the first go around. I enjoyed listening to the audio of the first book so much I cannot wait for the second. I hope the narrator is the same!

4.75/5

It was so great to go back to the little canton of Yarrowdale, with my favorite neurodivergent duo! I hope this series keeps going and going. It's such a fun and refreshing mystery fantasy world.

A Drop of Corruption is the gritty sequel to The Tainted Cup, probably my favourite book from 2024 and an incredible fantasy mystery novel. Bennett’s world-building and sharp prose continues to grab my attention and refuses to let go.

This time we’re in the canton of Yarrowdale, a state that is about to be absorbed into the Empire but holds a lot of its old traditions and resentment. It’s a very familiar situation to real-life politics and a great way to build the world but also distinguish itself from the first book.

We also meet new characters with rich back stories, motivation, and personality (Malo is great) as well as new threats and technology. I find there’s a little less lore around the Leviathans this time around, but more around how people use their parts to influence this world. I liked that a lot.

Our Iudex investigators, Din and Ana, remain as weird and captivating as ever. Mostly it’s Ana being weird and intense and Din just trying to do his job without losing his mind (or his neck). But this time, the mysteries around Ana’s peculiarities and her genius start creeping in. And somehow, Din is canonically super hot now.

I found that there were parts of this book that felt slightly repetitive, especially when it came to Ana and how she “grins” like a menace or “purrs” when she speaks. It made her more caricature-ish and I hope this will change as her backstory unfolds. But these are small nitpicks in an overall excellent mystery. This is a worthy sequel to The Tainted Cup and I can’t wait for the third book!

I really loved this book. It was a perfect continuation of the first one in terms of further development of both characters and worldbuilding. I particularly enjoyed learning more about Ana - I think we learned just the right amount to stay intrigued without getting annoyed that we aren't getting enough. The new side characters like Malo brought a freshness to the way that Din interacted with the world and brought out different sides to him which fleshed him out even more. Furthermore, the mystery was just as gripping and twisty as in The Tainted Cup. I put some of the pieces together right before our characters figured things out which made me feel so accomplished, but there was a lot that took me completely by surprise. I will definitely continue to recommend this series and author. Thank you very much Del Rey and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this early.

This is excellent fantasy. The first book was a standout for me the year I read it due to both the fantastically unusual world building and the fiendishly complex mystery. I leapt at the chance to read this one with that very high bar in my head and it did not remotely disappoint. Everything I loved in the first book is just as brilliantly drawn here. (Though I would have liked to see something of Kepheus.)

Visiting another far edge of the Empire, this one so distant it is not technically part of it Din faces a new host of fascinating problems in the local architecture and a mystery that grows in glorious twists and turns. There's some truly terrifying stuff in these books and it is delightful. As befits a sequel the reader learns more of both Din and Ana themselves but also more of the Empire and its complex workings, yet none of this intriguing world building ever overshadows the feel of the characters.

I liked Din even more in this than in the first, and as always felt a heaping helping of sympathy for what he suffered in the pursuit of justice. Ana continues to feel withdrawn and oddly alien but their rapport is growing in this book and it was interesting to learn further very intriguing tidbits about her along with the mystery. She is still not entirely a likeable character in some ways but I very much feel she is not quite intended to be. She is an interesting one and I liked seeing not only that growing rapport between them but Din coming a bit further into his own. Malo, new in this one, and very central to this investigation was also wonderful.

I really enjoyed the atmosphere of this book. It's well drawn enough to feel extremely visceral at points and both setting and story are likely to linger in my thoughts for some time. There are new characters here and new systems within a world that already felt very complex, but they are introduced with such a deft hand that I never felt bogged down in exposition. Everything comes about very organically in the story.

As a second book in a series I cannot fault it. There is no dragging here, no feeling of things unsatisfying left untouched at the end, yet there are looming lurking questions and I am desperately curious to see where it will take us in the future. I loved this. It is really brilliant stuff and was an absolute joy to read. Absolutely recommended without any reservation to those who read the first. Delightful stuff and a great way to finish out the previous year and begin the new one. This book is likely to be a standout read for the year as well.

As a long time murder mystery genre fan, A Drop of Corruption does a wonderful job of combining that genre with a fantasy world that I got lost in while reading. The fantasy genre has never been my favorite, but this author made this accessible for novice readers like myself. I envy the imagination that can dream up this type of world! This is the second book in the series and we now visit a different land in this wonderful world. I loved that we got to travel with the investigators from the first book and get to learn more about their unusual grafts. While you could read this as a standalone, I highly recommend reading A Tainted Cup first!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodderscape for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.