Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book was honestly just so fun. It had a very Holmes-ian feel, with fun fantasy/sci-fi elements in a well-fleshed-out world with complex characters and a really great mystery. It's certainly not for the squeamish (a tree literally grows OUT of a man here, after all), but those who have the stomach for it will find much to love. It has neurodivergent and queer representation, which I always love to shout out when I see it. This is apparently the first in a series (which I'm happy about, because I'd love to see more of these characters and their quirks), but the story itself is pretty self-contained and draws to a satisfying conclusion.

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett is a mystery combined with fantasy book. Fantasy is not my normal genre, but I feel this is a good one for someone that is new-ish to reading fantasy books. The story moved at a good pace and kept my interest throughout. The story was full of twists, which I enjoyed.

Great world building combined with a superbly layered Whodunit! The two main characters were eccentric, quirky and I wanted to know more about them. What a different reading experience! Please tell me there will be more books!!!

The synopsis had me excited to read this story but unfortunately my mood or the pacing of the book made it a slight struggle. I did enjoy the mystery and investigation which is what kept me reading along. The world was described well and was immersive especially the information about the leviathans and the illness. I found the characters a little tricky to keep a part but towards the end, found myself wondering what would happen next. Readers looking for a mystery with a slow build will enjoy this story! Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an advanced copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Murder mystery

The characters are able to gain/buy/build enhancements to theirself
An Apprentice w/ a memory enhancement is investigated a murder where a treee or plant grows inside the body and burst through the skin - of course he dies.
But what I really loved was the investigator. I loved how sassy smart and fun she was

Ballantine eARC
I’m going to start with I actually read this on audio and I am so glad I ended up reading it this way, because the protection was top notch. The narrator did such a good job with all the different voices that it was easy for me to keep these fantasy character straight. I am not the biggest fantasy reader, but I didn’t find the story too hard to follow or understand. The magic in the world was laid out in a way where it was easy to digest, and you were just given just enough to understand at that moment, instead of having an info dump. I thought the mystery was solid, it surprised me, and it was just so much fun to spend time in this world with these characters who had all of these different abilities. I see that this is going to be a series, and I am so excited to continue in this world with these characters.

Oh my! This book totally caught me by surprise! I absolutely love it when an author combines genres and weaves a story that sends me into joyful binge reading. This story is so different - loved it!

Bennett mixes dystopian fantasy and mystery together with great skill. I was a bit afraid that the world building for the fantasy portion of the plot or the suspense of the mystery might take a hit as both are so complex to write and write well....but he pulled it off. I was almost immediately sucked into the world and the mystery. I don't often end up binge reading an entire book in a bit over one day, but I did this one.

The basics: A high ranking officer is killed in a particularly strange and gory way. Detective Ana Dolabra and her sidekick Dinios "Din" Kol are on the case. And, it turns out that there is a lot more going on than just a mere murder. The entire plot as it unfolds is a threat to the very Empire itself.

I'm not going to say much about the world or further details about the plot, because this story is really best read with no advanced knowledge beyond the bare basics. Let it unfold from the pages.....not spoilers!

Loved the characters, the world, the premise -- so different and entertaining to read! Very clever. Skillfully written. And, just a joy to read!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Random House Publishing. All opinions expressed are entirely my own**

Robert Jackson Bennett has become one of my auto-buy authors over the years, and The Tainted Cup is an excellent example of why. The author has a unique talent for world building, that allows him to bring readers into a complex and layered world without overwhelming the reader with the info dumps that can be so common in fantasy. His development of unique cultures and peoples within these worlds makes the read feel immersive in a way many do not. I also greatly enjoyed his approach to the mystery in this book. Many times when a work is described as "Sherlockian" readers are kept in the dark until the big reveal at the end. I didn't find that to be the case here. Ana, our lead investigator, can't keep her observations to herself as the book progresses and it's a much more enjoyable read for that. Overall, I highly enjoyed this book and I can't wait to see how the series continues to grow from here.

While this book explored incredibly intriguing themes, I had a hard time connecting with the story. However, that is obviously on me and not the book. I recognize that it has great potential to appeal to other sci fi readers and I encourage others to try it out! The world building is fantastic! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book.

I really enjoyed this fantasy novel. It is quite different compared to the fantasy novels I have consumed recently. In a way, it almost gave me Attack on Titan vibes with the Leviathans vs. The Walls.

I almost wish the book was more about that instead of the murder mystery, but I also enjoyed that aspect as well. At times I got confused since there were a good amount of characters introduced all with their own specific titles.

I feel like this story wrapped up nicely, so I am interested to see what the second book entails.

After The Founders Trilogy, I was very excited to see the new world Bennett would build and was not disappointed. It’s unique, engaging, and wonderfully odd. This take on a Holmes-esque mystery was incredibly entertaining at every moment, with a very colorful cast of characters.

I would like to thank Del Rey, Netgalley and the author for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

“The crowd departed, yet I remained, my thoughts black and cloudy from all the suffering I’d witnessed, memories I’d never scrub from my soul. Then I saw I did not stand alone…”

Read if you like:
🌿 Deadly plants
🪐 Interesting world building
🧩 Puzzles
😆 Snarky characters

Eccentric investigator Ana is called in to solve the mysterious death of an imperial officer: he was found torn apart by a tree erupting from his body. Ana’s assistant, Din, is an engraver, he’s been biologically altered to possess perfect memory. The mystery quickly escalates and the entire empire is under threat with a leviathan looming, ready to bring destruction with it.

This book was so much fun! If you enjoy Sherlock Holmes and fantasy, read this matchup. Ana brings the eccentricity and Din is a great stoic Watson. They play off each other so well. On top of that, the world building is incredible, the fantasy elements were so satisfying and the magic system is really unique. There were so many elements that the action got held up in some places but it’s so interesting that you have to just keep turning the page to see what happens next. The way all the puzzle pieces fit together in the end definitely has the Sherlock feeling. I’m looking forward to reading the next book.

Robert Jackson Bennett does it again! A genre bending fantasy/scifi masterpiece with well developed characters, a stunning and immersive plot and surprises around every corner.

Dine and Ana are most definitely a Stand Out team. They are banter and ways of interacting with each other. We're extremely relatable and very real. They were both extremely well developed characters that only got more interesting as the plot line further.

Speaking of the plot, what a wild ride. This was a Sherlock Holmes/Watson type mystery, and I really enjoyed it. There was lots of twist and turns, and I absolutely did not see the majority of things that unfolded coming. A few things were slightly predictable, however, the amazing twist and turns to get you to the endpoint, as well as the way it was revealed, completely outshined the fact that I had an inkling of what was going on.

Even the side characters invoked strong emotion and added so much to the plot line. There is a very small thread of a budding romance towards the middle to end of the book. But it is absolutely not in anyway part of the story itself.

A character I want to go a little deeper into is Ana. It is worth mentioning that while not specifically stated, Anna shows tendencies of being neurodivergent. And the best part about that is, it is extremely relatable and realistic. It's also seen as an advantage in not only her line of work, but in who makes her a person. I love the way that was handled and I thought it was done very well.

Book Name: The Tainted Cup
Author: **Robert Jackson Bennett

ARC

Thank you to NetGalley and **Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Del Rey** for an ARC of Robert Jackson Bennett’s The Tainted Cup

Stars: 1 (DNF)

- Slow
- Weirdly Clunky
- Fantasy wasn’t Fantasy-ing
- Mystery Felt Very “Removed”

Ok, this is on me, because obviously, this is a book that is being received well. Maybe it was the writing style or fantasy element but everything felt dulled in this book. it just felt off. Which is a personal issue, not an author or book issue.

Due to the Negative Nature of this review, I will not be posting it to Goodreads or retail sites with respect to the publisher and author.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC! I am very grateful and happy to explore everything this author will write in the future as well!

Yes yes yes!! This was my first book by Robert Bennett and I can 100% say I will be reading more by him!!!

A fantastical trip into a strange and mesmerizing new world with murders to solve. There is not much you could look for in a book that this does not have: Mystery, a sympathetic hero, a quirky investigator and a world full of sights, smells and sounds that do not exist in our world. There are moral challenges to ponder and relationships to forge. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to this unique and thought-provoking land.

A truly spectacular read! I was hooked from the beginning! A great mystery solving duo, the perfect level of snark and sarcasm, all built upon a compelling fantasy world. I want books in this series forever and ever. These characters have great chemistry and compliment each other incredibly well. The newbie and his imposter syndrome paired with the quirky experienced detective who *might* think a bit too highly of herself (but maybe she's just that good). The pairing is perfect.

The world is fantastic. I want to know everything about these Leviathans, the empire that blocked their path, the infusions and augmentations that were enabled by studying these great beasts and all the secrets I'm sure are hiding in this lore. Somebody please tell me book 2 will be coming soon.

4.5!

A fun mix of Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie and Knives Out! The Tainted Cup was such a refreshing read! I loved that it was a murder mystery set in a fantasy world with a really unique, yet understandable magic system and the characters were engaging and quirky.

Loved it!

Dinios Kol serves as the assistant to Ana Dolabra, a renowned Immunis (detective). Din is her eyes and ears as she confines herself to her quarters. He is also an engraver, enhanced to have a perfect memory triggered by scents. When an elite commander is murdered in the home of a powerful family, the two work together and are stuck in a web of a great conspiracy.

There is great world building without a big info dump, which I always appreciate. The characters, especially Ana and Din, are wonderful. There is also Neuro divergent representation. Din is dyslexic and Ana is agoraphobic. Din is desperate to keep his secret. He comes up with very creative solutions when faced with the necessity for quick reading.

This seems like the start to a series, and I very much hope it is!