TThere should be a word for the melancholy that descends when reading an exceptionally good book and approaching the end. It’s a bit like approaching the conclusion of an incredible vacation, reveling in the wonder of it, while mourning that it’s going to be over soon. That’s how good A Drop of Corruption is, which splendidly extends the complex world building and character profiles of The Tainted Cup, the first book in the Shadow of the Leviathan series. In addition to a baffling locked room, or locked tower, murder this time, the emphasis is also on the mystery of the brilliant enigmatic blindfolded investigator Ana Dolabra, who is faced with the rare mystery that breaks through her boredom to confound and at times enrage her. It begins when a disliked Treasury Official impossibly disappears from a heavily guarded and secured tower room. And his body, or parts of it, is found far away in a body of water. His secure box has been breached, although instead of a theft, there is a grisly deposit, which seems like a taunt. And this is happening against the backdrop of high political intrigue in Yarrowland, which is vital for the secretive Empire industries that distill the leviathan’s body parts to use as strange powerful enhancements for select members of the Empire’s far-reaching bureaucracy. As an engraver, Din, Ana’s ever faithful assistant, has been subject to these augmentations, which make every image, word, and sensation imprinted on his memory. His unaffected and droll tone as the narrator of these events, recall the quiet power of Dr John Watson’s voice, and Ana can be every bit as taxing and brilliant at Sherlock ;she is also beset by disarming personal demons. The murder quest, which also turns into a classified secrets heist, will lead Ana and Din into the inner workings of secret and possible illegal Empire laboratories, into a near inaccessible slave-holding anti-augmentation high kingdom in Yarrow, and into the dangerous and overgrown swamp forests in the boundary lands, which hold their own horrors. As soon as one mystery appears to be solved, two others pop up all orchestrated by Ana’s near invisible rival. The plot is expertly steered, the dénouements are often thrilling hairpin turns, and the larger questions of AI ethics (just substitute leviathan-enhanced) can easily be applied to the questions we now face in our world. Bennett’s imagination must have been augmented to create such wonders. I needed to start rereading it for sheer giddy pleasure almost as soon as I was finished.

I went into this book happy to get another great mystery with Ana and Din and while the setup for it is wonderful, I sadly didn't like it as much as the first one.
The story didn't pull me in as much and somehow I could not connect as well with the characters this time. I will still try the next book because I hope the story and dynamics pick up again.

The second in Robert Jackson Bennett's "Shadow of the Leviathan" series, A Drop of Corruption reunites us with Ana and Din, who are solving a mystery out in the wild margins of the Empire. This one has the same Sherlock Holmes feel, along with a little locked-room Agatha Christie flavor.

Since the world of the Empire was fleshed out in Book 1, this one doesn't have to lean so heavily into that, which in some ways is nice -- it allows more room for story and character development. But if you've forgotten anything about how this fantasy world works, this book won't help you much. This isn't one of those sequels you can read without reading the first book -- definitely read The Tainted Cup first before you dive into this one.

Book 2 introduces us to a potential new mystery-solving partner for Anna and Din, and treats us to more of Ana's delightful weirdness. Din is still figuring out his direction in life, and seems to come a bit closer to some conclusions, as well as some enlightening information about Ana and her background. I look forward to learning more about both in the next book. I missed Din's love interest in this book -- I'm hoping he makes a return in future installments.

I would have liked to meet some actual leviathans in this one. The talk of what becomes of them in the Shroud, and the magic in their blood, just further mystified them when I was hoping this book might provide some clarity after Book 1's mysterious descriptions.

I'm not one to read straight-up fantasy, but Bennett's combination of fantasy and mystery is perfect. Can't wait for the next one! Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book.

This was such a great book! I read book 1 roughly a year ago and was concerned about not remembering the world building details. The first 2 pages of the book were an info dump of the world and it was much appreciated.

The mystery in this book was really interesting and well done. I was able to figure out a few parts but some surprised me. The mystery was really intricate but I was able to follow all the threads. I sometimes struggle with the overly complex mysteries, but this was a great balance.

The characters were interesting. We learn more about Ana throughout the story. We also meet Malo who I wish we get more of in future books. Din, our narrator, is a bit meh, but he's surrounded by fascinating characters who make up for it, and I see him as more of a conduit of the story, so it didn't bother me.

This was a solid book from start to finish and I'm already looking forward to Ana and Din's next adventure!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this advance review copy.

The followup to the first of the Din and Ana mysteries, A Drop of Corruption is a mysterious, twisting, rollicking sequel. The best parts focus on Ana and Din, as Iudex officers and detectives with curious quirks. The plot was even more twisty, with twins, reagents, and the bone marrow (?) of long-dead monstrous creatures. I couldn't say I followed it the whole time, but the vibes and setting are immaculate and Bennett excels at characterization.

I received an electronic ARC from Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore through NetGalley.
This sequel does not disappoint though the overall tone shifts somewhat. The pair has been sent to the kingdom of Yarrowdale to solve a mysterious disappearance. A treasury official has vanished from a locked room - a common literary plot point but still masterfully presented. Even at this point, Ana and Din suspect there is a bigger mystery to solve and realize early on that they are up against a brilliant strategist. From here, the story unfolds with more murders and odd events that offer twists to the mystery and further information for Ana to sift and Din to investigate. Ana is one of my favorite characters and the author continues to reveal hints about her background. In particular, toward the end, she offers Din a huge clue to who she is.
I appreciate how Jackson Bennett weaves mystery and fantasy together. His descriptions bring the world to life. We see court intrigue, empire building, unequal citizens, and those who rebel against the system. The most difficult to see is why the antagonist creates the plans he does. Even that becomes clear as more is revealed about him through the investigation. The last dining scene is hard to read but offers so much information for the story and about the characters.
Hanging over the entire story is the Shroud. It is wrapped in mystery but Din is allowed to see parts of it and see how awe inspiring and depressing it is. Portions of the novel feel repetitive as the Shroud is addressed and re-addressed.
Overall, it was a fun read and I look forward to more of their adventures. I hope we see some of the secondary characters return in future mysteries.

I have mixed feelings about this book. The first in the series was fantastic, so I came in with very high expectations. I really enjoyed getting back to following Kol and Anna, and the beginning did a good job setting the scene for another mystery. I also enjoyed the ending, and thought the mystery wrapped up nicely and Kol’s future plans were addressed. The middle, however, was a slog to get through. Not sure if it was the pacing or if the mystery details became too tedious. I will continue the series, just hope the next one is as compelling as the first.

It is a great follow-up to the 1st novel. The best part of course is the relationship between Din and Ana, but the author introduced some great supporting characters specifically Malo, a feisty local Apoh. I was told that this story seemed to ramp up compared to the first book, and boy did the stakes skyrocket. While the first novel felt like a cozy murder mystery, this one had a much bigger worldview. I was here for the ride, but I missed the more intimate and little mystery storyline from the first book.

It made sense the author had to punch up the storyline since he started planting the seeds of what we could see from Ana and Din in the future. Knowing more of the Empire inevitably means we’ll get closer to the inner ring and perhaps this elusive, mysterious God-like Emperor.  Overall the central mystery was convoluted but well-crafted, and immensely satisfying to see it come together.

Something Robert Jackson Bennett does well is that he will blatantly give you the clues, but it’s still maddening to figure out how to put it together. Any reader can understand when a character says, “That’s an odd thing” then you know to latch onto that and realize it means something. But knowing it’s important and putting it together is two different things. So for Ana to casually put it together, it’s a great way to hammer home her brilliance. Something I think this book does the best of all is to show Din in a 3 dimensional way. Being an engraver one might think him rigid and boring, but he is a vulnerable person with deep concerns, loneliness, and pain.  Just like Ana, you realize the great depths of these characters who are otherwise trying to be decidedly closed off.

Final verdict
4 out of 5 stars. A great murder mystery follow-up to the 1st novel. Higher stakes. More action. Crazier plots. A level-ed up villian.

Favorite quotes
Can you imagine how many yard of guts it takes, Din, to prance into such highly guarded institutions with little more than confidence to aid you?

I feel we needn't bother looking at faces to find this man, Din! Just keep an eye out for the fellow with testicles large enough to cause back deformities, and we shall have our culprit!

"...when we come, the deed is already done. The body is cold, the blood cleaned away. We often find the killer, but that heals nothing, as far as I can see. It only leads to a rope, or a cage, and many more tears." I swallowed. "Is it so strange a thing, ma'am, to helplesly look upon the slain and dream of instead saving lives?"

Could that be love? Could a thing capable of that also love?

"...all over now. No more riddles, no more need for imagination. And all was so small, at the end. It was for money, and land, and brutal, petty nihilism. Honestly, how...how tremendously disappointing."

Bennett has this wonderful way of building plots around plots. While that may sound weird, once you read this second book in the Shadow of Leviathan series it will all come together. There is a bigger picture, a bigger plot still unfolding, one last big mystery that us, the readers get to experience as the plot of the book unravels. Bennett is telling two stories in one book, and you might miss it if you blink!
The mystery in this 2nd book will take you on a journey with our favorite cast of characters, Ana and Din, and some new faces which I truly hope to see more of. The way the author writes, made me feel like I was right there during the investigation, listening to Din replay conversations. There was not one point while reading where I knew the story was going or who the culprit was. Anytime I had to set the book down to work or sleep, it was all I could think about. My fingers itched to pick it back up again as soon as I could.
Mysteries don't usually hold any appeal to me, but the fantasy-esc setting was so interesting. I devoured any little tidbit of world building the author snuck in. I thoroughly enjoyed the setting, the pacing, the side characters and the plot. I cannot wait for more mutuals to read this so we can discuss that ending!! I will be *not so* patiently waiting for the Third installment.

Solid and fascinating 4.5 stars. Book 2 of the Shadow of the Leviathan series takes all the good things from The Tainted Cup and makes them even better!

A big thanks to NetGalley and Random House for allowing me to read this book early for an honest review. The Tainted Cup was one of my favorite reads from last year. And the story and characters stayed with me, rent free in my mind, for long after I finished the book. So I was thrilled when I found out book 2 was on the way!

Dinios Kol and Ana Dolabra are back with more seemingly impossible mysteries to unravel. The obvious comparison to Sherlock and Holmes is good, but if you wrote the book from Holmes's perspective and if Sherlocks eccentricities were dialed up to eleven. They get thrown into a all-new murder mystery this time. And while I loved the plot, I really loved getting to see more of this world. This series has the most memorable and unique settings, filled with plant and fungi life. The science and biology of this world is a magic system unto itself, providing everything from housing, air conditioning, and body/mind modifications. The possibilities seem endless and I am glad for it, because I want to see it all.

Highly entertaining from start to finish, A Drop or Corruption was a page-turner throughout. I cannot wait to read more in this series.

I've been telling everyone that RJB's The Tainted Cup was my surprising favorite book I've read in 2024. I read it early in a year, having gratefully received an ARC from publishers. I was eager for a sequel, but unsure if there was going to be one as there was no information from it anywhere. I kept thinking about Ana and Din, their world and its mysteries. Imagine my surprise opening an email one day from publishers to news not only of a sequel, but that I had received an ARC of it. For this, I was eternally grateful.

One of my struggles with reading fantasy books sometimes is how difficult it is to get used to the world they've built. Being confused for the first fifty pages is kind of part of the usual reading experience - I do not take this into account when evaluating how good a book is, but it always does factor when I recommend one. And this series, this book, just like the first one, is always so easy to get into. I think it takes real talent and mastery of craft to write such an interesting, complicated world and drop you in it gently.

It helps that our POV, Din, is a dry, entertaining character subject to anxieties. He proves such a wonderful contrast to the crazier, fantastical character of Ana. They have such a fun dynamic together, Holmes-and-Watson-esque, while still being distinctly their own. There is no one I'd trust more than them to handle a murder mystery. I genuinely think I could read 20 more of these books with them. And what's amazing is that even though the two of them are the clear stars of the books, RJB never misses in creating interesting side characters. In this book, they're all clearly new and they've made an impact on me - I hope to see Malo, specifically, in future books (will there be future books? is this a trilogy? more in the series? please?). The relationships between characters were dynamic and I often found myself laughing out loud at their banter.

As for the actual plot, it was very engaging. I always enjoy political intrigue in fantasy, and there were multiple "warring" factions in this book. Between the Kingdom of Yarrow, the Empire, and all the little people in between that get caught up in power struggles, RJB masterfully weaves it all together and ties it up neatly. I find myself as shocked as Din at some of the reveals, they are so smart. It has made me curious about RJB's plotting technique, about how he lays it all out.

Overall, I recommend everyone to pick this book up. If you haven't read the first book, please do so. If you're struggling to get back into the habit of reading, this book will save you. And I think there's no better way to get back into it than with this.

Thank you again for providing an ARC. It's the first book I finished reading in 2025 and it's made me so excited for its release.

My favorite book last year was The Tainted Cup. I loved the quirky strangeness of Ana, the bewildered staidness of Din, and the progression from fairly straight forward impossible mystery to a tapestry of dire issues in the bizarre strangeness of the empire. A Drop of Corruption has followed that by upping the stakes in the even more surreal kingdom of Yarrow where a Treasury officer has disappeared. He is soon found dead in unpleasant circumstances which send Ana and Din to investigate. Yarrow is tied to but not a part of the empire and events involving the reagents need for health and augments produced in Yarrow spiral into a dangerous situation that threatens everything. Ana and Din find themselves thwarted by a cunning and seemingly prescient antagonist whose motives are difficult to grasp. I love the interactions between the main characters and the ambivalence of many of the major characters. This book would seem to be the end of a duology in that most questions are answered though there is scope for further books.

A Drop of Corruption is the second installment of the Shadow of the Leviathan series. After Robert Jackson Bennett introduces us to the unique world in The Tainted Cup, he expands it even more. Another engaging mystery is dropped before Din and Ana, and we are sent to the furthest reaches of the empire. I found this sequel to be just as great as its first book. Our favorite characters have changed before our eyes, and we see them adapt to bigger challenges. I loved the new aspects we learn about the world and the revelations revealed about our characters. A Drop of Corruption is a strong sequel solidifying that the Shadow of the Leviathan is one of the best new fantasy series.

I didn’t realize this was the second book in the series when I requested it but I still read it anyways!

I love mystery books so anytime a book is mystery-fantasy, I have to read it! Ana and her assistant Dinios are investigating a murder. Will Ana be able to defeat her enemy?? There were times when I was on the edge of my seat. I was so invested in the investigation. I plan to go back and read the first book.

Thank you NetGalley, Robert Jackson Bennett
and Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore for the ARC!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publication Date: April 1st 2025

#NetGalley #ADropofCorruption

Absolutely loved diving back into this world and getting to be apart of another mystery with Din and Anna. I’m addicted to this series and will read a million more if they are written!
Highly recommend

After The Tainted Cup, I was so exited to get into A Drop of Corruption. And it was just as good as its predecessor. It is a captivating and darkly immersive read that dives deep into themes of power, loyalty, and deception. The world-building is rich and intricate, pulling you into a world full of political intrigue and moral ambiguity. Din and Ana’s struggle with their own sense of right and wrong adds a compelling layer to the story, making it easy to get invested in their journey.

The pacing is well-balanced, with just the right mix of action, suspense, and character development. There are moments of real emotional depth that add weight to the plot, making it more than just a thrilling ride. While the story is intense, there’s also a subtle beauty in the writing that keeps it grounded.

Overall, A Drop of Corruption is a strong, well-crafted story that hooks you from the start and doesn’t let go. If you enjoy complex characters and morally grey worlds, this one’s definitely worth reading. 4/5 stars.

5/5

A sincere thank you to Random House/Del Ray and Net Galley for an advance reader copy of A Drop Of Corruption.

I was tremendously excited to read this prior to launch. In truth, this book is the entire reason I signed up for Net Galley access. I greedily wanted early access and I was given it despite having precisely zero followers on this website. Don't know who made that mistake, but thank you!

In sum, I fucking loved this book. In length, without spoilers:

Few things excite me more than taking a fantastical idea seriously. It's not enough to make a character have random character quirks or magic powers that don't relate to anything. You have to ask, what if this idea was real? What ripple effects would it have on society and culture? Fantasy novels that fully explore the ramifications of their own setting have become one of my favorite niches for this reason (I am thinking of Adrian Tchaikovsky's Tyrant Philosopher series in particular). It becomes an exercise in sociology, history, psychology, and perhaps a bit of a personal author manifesto on principles.

Bennett takes high concepts--the heightened sensory abilities that operate as magic, the murderous march of the Titans--and pushes those ideas to their logical extremes. How does a society built around plant alchemy actually operate? Who thanklessly toils in the background to keep the Empire's engine churning and who takes center stage to keep the Titans from dismantling that house of cards? To what lengths does a competing society go to secure their own future and whose backs are broken to see it done?

To explore these questions, Bennett uses several smaller locked room mysteries to guide us through the overarching whodunnit. I was able to predict quite a few of the bigger mysteries but was pleasantly surprised by many smaller details that eluded me. I loved that the mysteries were solveable at all and didn't rely on withholding information.

There is one sublime sequence that plays out towards the 70% mark that is telegraphed fairly early on that had me holding my breath. While I had again surmised the main gist of what was revealed, the build up and execution was immaculate. The visual composition of this sequence was so unique and so wonderfully fucked that I wanted it to be an animated series immediately.

Social and emotional truths just as present throughout, particularly in the last 20% of the novel. This is what sets Bennett apart and why works from prolific authors such as Brandon Sanderson don't personally click with me. Sanderson characters are like carefully crafted game pieces expertly laid out in a complex game of chess, but I feel very emotionally distant to them. Bennett has equally complex maneuvers in his plotting (the only way I see this book being written is with the aid of a True Detective style red string board) but I was very sympathetic to Din's plight.

Din is having a crisis of faith, in his future and how he fits into the world. Duty has called him to leave behind the man he found himself enamoured with in book one. He is stuck doing drudge work. He has to endlessly examine crime scenes which he can literally never forget. The murders have already happened, the oligarchs and autocrats already embedded, the corruption already present. What difference can one man make?

Sometimes it helps to see the bigger picture. The ocean instead of the waves. The ending left me feeling at peace and hopeful.

Anyway, Ana Dolabra is the absolute character of all time and if this doesn't get picked up for a dozen installments I'll riot.

🌿 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.