This was <i>fun</i>! Eccentric main characters, unique magic system, and a classic whodunnit all blended together seamlessly. I also LOVED that it was a self-contained story, but clearly set up a Big Bad that will provide an overall structure and story arc throughout the series.

I mostly read the book, but did switch to audio for a bit in the middle, and the narrator did a fantastic job with all the different characters.

Will definitely be reading the next one!

If you are n the market for a Holmesian mystery packaged in a fantasy world with a well-developed magic system and politics, plus eldritch monsters at the gates, this is exactly what you want, and not only because that was s super niche description. This is my first Robert Jackson Bennett novel, and I can definitely see myself picking up more. When a body is found with a tree growing through it inside of an opulent mansion, Ana Dolabra is called in. But, Anais busy with her experiments, so she sends in her engraver, Dinios "Din" Kol to be her eyes and ears. Din and Ana are both regular passengers on the hot mess neurodivergent express, and watching them solve the case is a trip and a half. The world is so exceptionally complex and detailed, and the mystery is quite satisfying, but the characters are absolutely the high point of this novel. Din is delightfully different, and the way he experiences the world is so incredibly engrossing. I love that this is a self-contained story that will branch out into a broader series in this world, and I do think that I will continue on when he next entry appears.

I'm not sure what drew me to this book, it's a murder mystery (definitely in my lane) set in a fantasy land (veering way out of my lane) with a very cool cover - and I'm even less sure how to describe it. As the description says, it's a bit like Sherlock Holmes set in a somewhat dystopian world. Holmes is the Cumberbatch version - but in the form of a brilliant female detective, Ana Dolabra, who likes to work blindfolded and rarely leaves her house, which is a book hoarder's dream. She may be wildly eccentric, but she's also extremely good at her job. Her Watson is Dinios Kol, who's been recently assigned to her, a young man who's been altered to be an "engraver", someone who looks at a scene and can recall every detail, every word said, every observation made; in essence he's a human tape recorder. The case is a most unusual (and horrifying) suspected murder, and it's Kol's first murder case. And as they work to complete the investigation and reveal the identity of the murderer, they're racing against the clock because a literal monster is knocking at the door, a leviathan threatening the very existence of all.
Robert Jackson Bennett has created a fantasy setting that is at once unrecognizable and yet strangely familiar. The characters are richly drawn and fascinating. And I'm very much looking forward to the next book in this series, because he has totally pulled me into that world.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House/Del Rey for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett is an utterly charming Holmes & Watson-style fantasy mystery novel. The characters are captivating and endearing, and the mystery kept me turning the pages as fast as possible! Bennett is a skilled writer and storyteller with a sharp sense of humor and a unique turn of phrase. The writing is intelligent and engaging, and the story quickly draws you into the intrigue and mystery. The novel skillfully tackles topics such as how neurodivergence is looked down upon, the benefits that can come when our differences are embraced, and the consequences of a corrupt government. I am eagerly looking forward to more books in this series. You don't want to miss this book!

Imagine your first day on the job as detective, rolling up to your first ever crime scene and coming to the conclusion that the only viable suspect in the murder of a high ranking official is...a tree. Thats how readers come to meet Dinios Kol, an engraver with a magically modified memory. Kol is the ears and eyes for the eclectic, reclusive detective Ana Dalabra. Together the two work together in a Watson-Sherlock style to solve a perplexing mystery in a world filled with magic and murderous plants.
An original fantasy world filled with diverse characters representing many ways of life, largely due to the queer and autistic nature of Kol. Author Rober Jackson Bennett introduced a new world with his first installment of an action packed mystery perfect for fans of Sherlock Holme's style mysteries.

This was so good!! I was invested from the beginning and couldn't put it down. I loved our main characters, I found them so interesting and fun to follow. The mystery aspect wasnt hard to follow but there were some twists even I couldn't predict. The world was so unique as well. When I tried to explain it to my partner, I found myself at a loss for words because there's so much to try to explain, but in the best way. I can't wait for the next installment and will absolutely be checking out Bennett's backlist immediately.

This was SO FUN. It definitely has knives out and Sherlock vibes. I don't always love fantasy, but this was a very digestible fantasy with an easy to follow world. The writing was perfect. The characters felt. full and complete and I was laughing the whole time--while also being very engaged in the overarching mystery. I was so into the story the whole time and the reveals throughout always caught me by surprise. I can't wait for the sequel and need someone to pick this up for a tv series asap.

I loved The Tainted Cup. The world-building was so good. Ana Dolabra and Dinios Kol morphed into the perfect detective duo, and the mystery they had to solve was wonderfully intricate. I also would recommend giving the audiobook a try. I jumped between both mediums and couldn't recommend this book more. It receives a glowing 5/5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the opportunity to review The Tainted Cup. All opinions are my own.

DNF.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this. It started out with promise and felt like a very expansive world was going to unfold but I found this very difficult to chug through. It’s takes weeks of picking it up and trying to finish it as I didn't want to submit it to the DNF shelf but I’m 42% in - getting there mostly by wilfully skipping paragraphs altogether - and really can’t bring myself to continue.

This was my first book by this author, but I’ll definitely be continuing the series! The Tainted Cup is at first a conventional mystery, but it’s set in a fantastical world with a threat of leviathans looming. There is lots of intrigue, some politics and plenty of murder!

Narration: First person past tense, single POV
Diversity: bi main character with dyslexia

👍
+ I just really enjoyed the world of this book. I especially found the concept of engravers and how they contribute to the justice system ingenious.
+ I loved the two main characters. Ana was my favorite, she was so eccentric, fun and brilliant, I would love to spend an afternoon with her. I thought Din (the MC and narrator) was going to be more like the Watson or Hastings of the story, but he really is brilliant and badass on his own.
+ The actual mystery was very well woven together and there were so many layers that even though I guessed the main culprit(s), there was a lot more to it that I would never have figured out. There were a couple spots in the book that made me audibly go “No way!”
+ With themes of corruption, and justice, there were also many references to the way our systems are broken. One of my favorites parts was close to the end when the two main characters talk about what an empire is for.

👎
- As someone who doesn’t read fantasy that often, I needed a glossary 😆The number of times I searched the same word on my Kindle was honestly embarrassing. A glossary would have definitely made it easier.
- I did find the first half a bit slower. I might have preferred less time on traveling etc.Though for regular readers of fantasy these parts might feel more interesting than they did for me.

Overall rating: 4.3 ⭐

Thank you so much to Ballantine, Del Rey and NetGalley for the eARC!

Robert Jackson Bennett is an author whose work was previously unknown to me. Thankfully, that’s no longer true. His writing snags your attention quickly and then never let’s go. A murder mystery is largely formulaic, but this certainly breaks the mold and does so in a dangerous world of magically augmented people and wild plants and animals that present their own unique dangers to the populace. The characters are complex, the hints present, but the interplay between the investigator and her assistant sings with multifaceted urgency on every page. A thrilling story, well told. Highly recommend.

I thoroughly enjoyed this tale and am glad that this is book 1 in a new series. There’s a Holmes/Watson feel to the mystery but the setting was so different from any other sci-fi books that I’ve read. It was reminiscent of Frank Herbert’s “DUNE” in that computers weren’t there and humans had developed their skills to fill the void such as Din closely resembling a mentat. It’s written really well and kept me flipping to get to the end. I was disappointed to say goodbye to this world for now.

Thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for an ARC of this book.

Typically, I don't really love mystery/Sherlock Holmes-esque books, but I surprised myself by actually really enjoying this book. I think a big part of that was the two main characters, Din and Ana. I found their dynamic to be really intriguing- not necessarily because of this book or the way they interacted in it, but because I could see the potential for their partnership moving forward into future books. They were clearly still new to working with each other and figuring out how to work together and who the other person was in this book, but I feel like they'll only grow closer and develop a much stronger partnership as the series continues. I love watching characters grow independently and with each other, and I think both Din and Ana are going to be so fascinating to watch develop. I'm really looking forward to reading the rest of the series!

A very interesting concept and thankfully not as hard to grasp this new world as some fantasy I’ve read in the past. I thought it was original in its entirety with unique characters, a mystery, and an unexpected ending.

This is definitely a world I will be revisiting, I’m very much looking forward to the next one!

Thank you Random House Ballantine for the arc via Netgalley!

The Tainted Cup was a book that was WAY out of my wheelhouse. I tend to get very confused with science fiction, but I was drawn to this one because of its description of having an Agatha Christie-like mystery wrapped in a sci-fi setting. While The Tainted Cup was actually very enjoyable, it was not quite enough to convert me to being enough of a sci-fi fan that I would continue to pursue other books like it. That said, ARE there other books like it? That was part of what I enjoyed so much about it. It was unique in how it combined the classic mystery, science fiction, and a classic duo ala Holmes and Watson. It it did it well.

3.75

I loved Robert Jackson Bennett's Foundryside, though my enjoyment decreased with each of the sequels, so I was hesitant to go into this new book. Pitched as a fantasy mystery with a Holmes-and-Watson style detective duo, I was intrigued, and I think RJB delivers.

I loved the world he created here. There is so much depth to the worldbuilding that I know I missed on this read and I look forward to rereading to get a better grasp. I also appreciate how well the mystery plot held together throughout the book, making this a satisfying read both as a fantasy reader and as a mystery reader. What really shines here though is the characters. Din is a disaster bisexual and I love him and his interactions with Ana, who is a grumpy genius and fantastic in her own right, were perfect.

I thought this was a great book and loved that it stands well on its own, though I will be interested in checking out the sequel despite being burned by the Foundryside sequels.

The Tainted Cup is a mystery-fantasy that follows a memory-augmented investigator and his eccentric supervisor as they trace a series of murders during a season of environmental catastrophe. I had a great time with this- I found the mystery compelling and the solution believable without the build-up being too obvious. I liked our main protagonist and wider cast of characters, but I'll note that this is not a character and relationship focused book. I felt like the wider world-building was a little light, but I also think it was intentional. There is a lot going on in this world, but the point of this story is to follow the micro-events of these specific crimes to then build into the larger ramifications of the choices of a few people. While I have many questions about the magic and the Leviathans and the social structures, the questions are born out of personal curiosity and investment in the story world, not out of a lack of proper context for the story at hand.
I hope that future books allow us to see more of this world, as I trust this author's inventiveness and thoroughness.

I think the unique take on this magic system of highly augmented humans lies in the fact that every benefit has a blatant cost. A photographic memory eventually drives the owner mad, enhanced size and strength eventually wears away at the person's skin and joints, people deal with shortened lifespans, infertility, etc. While this depiction of "cost" is not unheard of in sci-fi or fantasy worlds, I do feel like this book has a slightly different vibe in that we know this information from the beginning, it is a known and accepted part of their society, and I feel like there are many real-world parallels to disability accommodations and treatments without the analogy coming off as preachy.

My first Robert Jackson Bennett book but definitely not my last. Incredible, tangible fantasy worldbuilding paired with a unique Holmes-and-Watson-style detective pairing. The characters were really vivid and alive, and I need Bennett to do a class on how their brain and craft come together.

A fantasy and a mystery with fantastic world building. That is The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett, first in the Shadow of the Leviathan series.

A bigwig in this fictional empire is found murdered, with a tree growing through him. Enter Din, the engraver sent to assess by his boss, the eccentric and brilliant investigator Ana Dolabra. Ana steals the show with her wildly inappropriate language, parading around blindfolded. Din's naivete paired with Ana's bawdiness and expertise make for many laugh out loud moments.

My thanks to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for the ARC.

Captivating fantasy/ mystery set in another world (with a touch of romance)! Din is an engraver-a person who has been altered to never forget and have perfect total recall. He also has some severe form of dyslexia which has limited his options. The world he lives in is constantly at risk of having large sea dwelling monsters breach the sea walls and lay waste to the empire. Din is provisionally taken on as an assistant to a disgraced investigator in a town close to the sea walls when a murder of one of the engineers who supports the sea walls occurs and he is sent in to investigate. I hadn’t read anything by this author before but was given a copy by Netgalley to review and I thought the storyline and world building were great! I will certainly look for future works from him!