I was that kid reading my dad's compendium of Sherlock Holmes stories in tiny print when I was in middle school. I loved the cleverness, the strangeness of Holmes and the down-to-earth doctor who explained his wild mind to us the reader. I thought they were perfect in every way, and went on to read Agatha Christie, and really so many mysteries. Then I got super into fantasy novels. Dear readers, if you're anything like me then this book will just hit perfectly. It's murder mystery, a sleuth too smart for her own good, an assistant who is more than just that by far, and of course the whole thing is wrapped up in an inventive new world that is unique and interesting and drawn out just enough for us to understand the machinations of the plot. Five stars, I absolutely adored this and think you might, too!

Meh, the dialogue and general writing style immediately made me realize I was reading words on a page and not existing in another realm, which was highly unfortunate.

The worst part about this book is that I can't consume the sequel immediately. This book has me in a chokehold. This book is my favorite book so far this year and will probably be in my top five in December. I've been looking for this book in stores to buy a physical copy even though I already read an ARC and I don't ever do that with books I've already read. I LOVE.

There is so much about this book that's going to appeal to such a variety of people. There's a mystery at the heart of the plot that is well-thought-out and twisty, a Sherlock Holmes-level detective with a sense of humor to die for, BIG MONSTERS, politics, a very interesting magic/worldbuilding systems, fantastic writing.

I also cannot give enough praise to authors writing a series who keep their plot arcs confined within a single book. Of course, there are overarching plot points and themes that will weave all the books in the series together and compel you to want to read the next book, but the mystery and inciting incident in this book has been solved. I have answers and I can find peace in waiting for the sequel.

Absolutely cannot recommend this one enough - might become a go-to recommendation for me. A real real great time.

This fantasy introduces a really entertaining pair of detectives in an intriguing world that is constantly under threat from leviathans. It also faces the normal societal threats from within like corruption, political scheming and murder. Now the master detective Ana and her young assistant Din are called to investigate the gruesome death of a man when a tree suddenly burst from his body. This death is just the beginning of a plague.

Ana is brilliant, acerbic and eccentric. Din is naive, inexperienced and unsure of himself, but he has very useful skills. Since Ana generally refuses to leave her home, Din does most of the investigating and reports back to Ana, who ties all of the clues together. I’m glad that this book is the beginning of a new series by this author, because I liked this world a lot. And I loved the pairing of Ana and Din. 4.5 stars

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

Thanks to Ballentine and Netgalley for this advanced copy!

This book had really interesting world building and characters, but let's just talk about the murder that opens this book. Wow. I want to see how this gets dramatized, it just feels like it could be so cool. I really liked a lot of the characters and they different types of people, but the main mystery of how people died and the eventual unraveling were really fascinating and I can't wait to read more about the central duo. I'll definitely be picking up the second book to see what the author does next with this world.

I really had a great time with this book! The mystery elements kept me highly intrigued and the twists and turns were great at keeping me on the edge of my seat.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book!

I was initially intimidated by the length but the writing makes it feel like a breeze. The worldbuilding is handled well and the puzzles are intriguing. There's even a good amount of dry humor sprinkled throughout.

I am honestly surprised at how much I enjoyed this. The worldbuilding is very creative and I kind of wish I could see Bennett's graphic novel version of this. Murder, poison, monsters, and more await you in this romp of a book. A great one for mystery readers who like their characters to remind them a bit of Holmes ;)

In Daretana’s most opulent mansion, a high Imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a tree spontaneously erupted from his body. Even in this canton at the borders of the Empire, where contagions abound and the blood of the Leviathans works strange magical changes, it’s a death at once terrifying and impossible.Called in to investigate this mystery is Ana Dolabra, an investigator whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities.
At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol. Din is an engraver, magically altered to possess a perfect memory. His job is to observe and report, and act as his superior’s eyes and ears--quite literally, in this case, as among Ana’s quirks are her insistence on wearing a blindfold at all times, and her refusal to step outside the walls of her home. Din is most perplexed by Ana’s ravenous appetite for information and her mind’s frenzied leaps—not to mention her cheerful disregard for propriety and the apparent joy she takes in scandalizing her young counterpart. Yet as the case unfolds and Ana makes one startling deduction after the next, he finds it hard to deny that she is, indeed, the Empire’s greatest detective.
As the two close in on a mastermind and uncover a scheme that threatens the safety of the Empire itself, Din realizes he’s barely begun to assemble the puzzle that is Ana Dolabra—and wonders how long he’ll be able to keep his own secrets safe from her piercing intellect.
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With a fast-paced plot, lovable characters, and a great fantasy murder mystery, it's no surprise that this book was a surprisingly quick read for me! The writing is fantastic and is a light fantasy that could introduce newcomers to the genre to read more! As this is the first, in what I can assume is a series/triology/duology, it took a bit to take off. At around a little over halfway, everything started happening and I couldn't put it down. I enjoyed many of the little puzzles throughout, solving them with the characters is always a great immersive experience. I did not expect to love this book as much as I do and I (impatiently) wait for the next one! :)

I adored this fantasy mystery! Robert Jackson Bennett excels at world-building and indirect characterization here--extra points for the queer-coding and neurodiversity representation--and the dialogue is wryly hilarious. I found myself wanting to learn more about the settings he created as well as Din and Ana's pasts. I can't wait to read the next one in the series (and was, in fact, sad that I couldn't immediately get my hands on it).

Pick this up if you're hankering for a new fantasy series with a Sherlock-and-Holmes dynamic.

I had a hard time getting into this book. I love mysteries, but fantasy can be a little hit or miss for me, and unfortunately, this one was a miss. From the beginning, I had a hard time grasping the world building. I did, however, enjoy the mystery, and the writing was good. The problem was that the fantasy world never clicked for me, and as a result, I didn't enjoy it very much.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Wow wow wow. This was so much fun! I really enjoyed this so much and cannot wait for the next book. Din and Ana as characters worked for me. I loved how formal Din was and Ana is so crass. They work off each other as boss/assistant. The mystery was fun to me. Also the world!! Oh man did I love the botanical elements.

Robert Jackson Bennett has a marvelous mystery, Nero Wolfe style, set in a world that had built a huge wall to protect themselves from the leviathans of the deep ocean. The first victim is poisoned with the spore of an extremely fast growing plant. Ana Dolabra, the Justice agent, is brilliant, but avoids interaction, sometimes even wearing a blindfold. Dinios Kol, who was infused with perfect memory to record crime scenes, is very good at finding small clues. He’s assigned to Ana when she arrives in Daretana. Unfortunately Engineers working the wall are attacked by the same plant, and the plant weakens the wall at the same time a massive leviathan is heading towards it. Of course the murders involve The Tainted Cup (hard from Del Rey) of corruption and they provide a very complex problem to be solved. This is a wonderful introduction to Ana and Kol. I hope this finds its way to an award. I was amazed by it.

Thank you to NetGalley for an e-ARC!

The setting of this world was so immersive. I loved all of the descriptions of the magical plants/spores. It felt otherworldly and had some touches of sci-fi, especially with the ability to add "alterations" to your body. The types of alterations seem endless and I loved discovering the different types of abilities that one can have.

I loved the dynamic and banter between our main characters, Din and Ana. Ana reminded me of a blend of Sherlock Holmes and "L" from death note, and I never knew what to expect from her.

The overall mystery was a lot of fun to unravel. I predicted some of the twists but others truly socked me. I'm glad that the main mystery was solved in this first book. So, it can be read as a standalone. Excited to see what these character get up to in the next book.

I loved this unique mystery-fantasy hybrid. In the Empire, people can have all different "enhancements" that allow them to have great memories, do math really fast, see in the dark, and more. The residents have to contend with contagions, leviathans, as well as political plotting and power struggles. This made for a much more interesting and engaging mystery than the typical, and the book's filled with great characters. Din is an engraver, which means he can remember everything he sees, and his boss Ana is a hilarious recluse who scares people with her boldness and excellent intuition. They make a great team and I loved how Ana was quietly encouraging and believed so much in Din even when he struggles with impostor syndrome. Relatable! Can't wait for the next one.

Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy!

This is my first book that ive read by Robert Jackson. His writing is such a good gateway for people who are looking to get into fantasy, but aren't ready or don't want to dive into the deep end with worldbuilding. I'm so impressed with how accessible his storytelling/writing is. It has a highly immersive quality, but never to the point where you are in over your head.

The particular magic system in this book is subtle and digestable, it plays a significant part in the story, but it doesn't demand attention. It felt natural and was integrated very well into the setting and plot. It lends well to the murder mystery atmosphere and provides a good vehicle for the two main characters to shine.

I also really enjoyed how this feels like a self-contained story within the series. I have no idea if this is going to be the pattern moving forward, or if there is going to be a more central/connected plot across the following books, but I'm super excited to see what mystery Din and ana are going to solve next regardless! I hope to receive another ARC to this story. Looking forward to what comes next. Thank you for the E-ARC.

I was given an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett is a mystery plot in a secondary world fantasy setting with a Sherlock and Watson dynamic. When a tree sprouts from an imperial officer, killing him, detective Ana and her new assistant, Dinios, are tasked to find out who killed him and if there’s a contagion loose. Meanwhile, the sea wall keeping leviathans at bay from attacking their home is breached and the wet season has only started.

Ana and Dinios really do embody that Sherlock and Watson dynamic. Ana is eccentric and incredibly intelligent, even having enhancements done on her fingers so she can absorb information, while Dinios can relay information flawlessly when he smells mint, but he’s still learning about Ana’s job.

The worldbuilding was probably my favorite part. The Attack on Titan-esque walls keeping leviathans out paired with the various positions in the empire and how magic plays a part were so engrossing. Dinios’s enhancements of total recall are fascinating and the weaknesses of it felt really thought out. Scent being the trigger was the best part because scent memory is something that I would love to see more of in fiction.

I would recommend this to fans of fantasy mysteries, readers of Sherlock Holmes who are also into fantasy, and readers of fantasy who prefer more hard worldbuilding.

Oh, "The Tainted Cup" by Robert Jackson Bennett was a journey I wasn't fully prepared for, but absolutely loved. Bennett has this unique talent for mashing up genres in a way that feels both fresh and deeply engaging. This book wasn't just a fantasy for me; it was an intricate dance of mystery, history, and so much more, all woven into a narrative that felt as enlightening as it was entertaining.

The world Bennett constructs is nothing short of mesmerizing. He paints every scene with such detail and vibrancy that I felt like I was walking the streets alongside the characters, immersed in the chaos and beauty of it all. And speaking of characters, they're the kind that stick with you—flawed, complex, and faced with choices that make you ponder what you'd do in their shoes. Their struggles felt real, adding layers of depth to the story that kept me invested from start

When was the last time I’ve read a follow-the-clues mystery? I’m confident that this is kind of a first. I’ve read mysteries, I’ve read thrillers, but there is something about a Sherlock Holmes type mystery I have never experienced, but fully enjoyed. AND it’s a fantasy too? My head was spinning!

The Tainted Cup had a slow start for me and I found myself constantly putting the book down after a few pages. By the time I hit about 35%, the story took off and the real action started! I really liked the militaristic positions within their society, especially the engravers! What an idea! I loved that scent helped with triggering memories and how they remembered EVERYTHING. Honestly that’s what’s going to bring me back for the next one.

I also liked seeing the chemistry between Strovi and Din. The ending was so cute and I hope we get to continue following their relationship.

And Ana! What a hilarious firecracker!! She was witty, quirky, and had no filter. She loved to play with people (not in a mean way) and watch them squirm because of her blunt truths and observation. What a mysterious and interesting character! Can’t wait for that to be explored. While Ana is sharp, Din was soft but meticulous and honorable. His naivety was charming and his heart and mind bold. He was a fun character to follow.

I did give it 3.5 because I wasn’t IN LOVE with the story. It was a good read, but I couldn’t fully grasp the story. It felt like something was missing for me and had a bit more plot holes than I liked. But I will be back for the sequel. Maybe then, things will be explained!

I'm a huge fan of Bennett's Founders Trilogy, so I was excited to hear that he's starting a new series.

I really enjoyed the "murder mystery in a high fantasy setting" premise of this story. I liked the characters, and the mystery kept me guessing. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.