This was my first murder mystery book in a long while, but I loved the added elements of fantasy! This gave very strong Holmes and Watson vibes, which I absolutely loved, and all the twists and turns had me guessing throughout the whole book. I never knew where the book was going to take me or who the true culprit was, and I loved that I couldn't figure out the ending from the very beginning. A great read for those wanting to get into mysteries and who love Sherlock Holmes' style of investigation!

The author has described The Tainted Cup as “a murder mystery set in a fantasy empire”, it's the start of RJB's new Shadow of the Leviathan series. It features Ana Dolabra, a detective whose brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities, and her new assistant, Dinios Kol. Din is an engraver which means he has the capability of "engraving" what he sees into his mind.

The The Tainted Cup has quite a complex beginning and I found myself lost as I attempted to understand an unfamiliar fantasy world filled with many unfamiliar characters and the unfamiliar names they all had. It wasn't until I was nearly halfway into the book I felt myself being pulled into the plot.

I must say that the mystery of a man dying when a tree grew out of him was definitely unique and I'm not likely to forget it any time soon! I really liked Din and found his engraving capability to be extremely interesting. On the other hand, Ana's near-constant manic grinning felt a bit cartoonish.

Many thanks to both #DelRey and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of The Tainted Cup.

Delicious murder mystery in the style of Holmes but nestled in a world full of magic, strange technology, and monsters.

With all the world building and character creation, the pacing of the first half was a little slow, but things really picked up for the second half. Suddenly our MCs were beautifully fleshed out and the humor and intelligence of the story began to shine through. Ana is such an intriguing presence, a Holmes with spit and vinegar, and Din’s Watson is far more complex than you’d expect, a flawed young man with a keen mind.

Of course all of this is set against such a well constructed backdrop of strange alchemy and monstrous peril: a world plagued by dangers of its own making and creatures of legend. I’m excited to see more of both our intrepid detectives and the strange world in which they live.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Ray for my free copy. These opinions are my own.

I'd never encountered Robert Jackson Bennett's work before, but this was a stellar introduction. An original and thought-provoking fantasy world, an interesting mystery, and - most notably - well-developed and sympathetic characters. It manages to feel both sweeping and specific, leisurely and page-turning. I found myself immersed in this new world and thoroughly delighted to learn that more stories set there will be forthcoming.

I really very little fantasy (and have not read any in years), but I was intrigued with this novel because it seemed to combine some fantasy with a good mystery. So, I thought I would give it a shot, and I am glad that I did! The main character, an extremely eccentric female detective named Ana Dolabra, and her assistant, Dinios Kol, are delightfully quirky and definitely add to the charm of the storyline. Sprinkled with dry humor here and there, the plot has enough puzzles and twists to make this an intriguing story and a real page-turner, which seems to move along fairly quickly for its length. All in all, this mystery/detective novel in a fantasy setting works quite well and made this an enjoyable read for me.

As a new assistant to quirky head investigator Ana Dolabra, Dinios Kol begins to enter realms previously unknown to him, investigating crimes among the well-to-do. It seems a man has been killed by a...tree, and it's up to Ana and Din to figure out the hows and whys of it all. Add to that the fact that it is the rainy season. During that time, there is much, much, more to worry about than rain. Because during the rainy season, the leviathans come. Will Ana and Din be able to find the murderer(s) before they murder again? Will it even matter once the leviathans begin to attack? You'll have to read this to find out!

Robert Bennett Jackson is a world-builder of the highest order. He creates worlds that are believable and relatable, and this book is no different. Din is an engraver. This means that his brain has been altered to remember and report back every single thing he sees or hears. How cool is that? Jackson also creates memorable and sometimes eccentric characters like Ana Dolabra. Ana gets overstimulated easily, so she wears a blindfold all the time in an attempt to sharpen her other senses. It's a strange thing for an investigator to do, but this makes Din a perfect candidate for her assistant.

The murder investigation quickly grows as do the threats from the sea. As the rainy season moves in, the sea walls are under attack and the entire investigation has a dark cloud over it, as many are concerned that they'll all soon be dead and a murderer on the loose won't matter anymore.

Containing magic, leviathans, engravers and other bodily alterations, the world here is supremely interesting and entertaining. I see no real limits as to where this story can go and I am going to be here for those tales. The idea of the leviathans and the rainy seasons is fascinating to me and I am hoping that future books will explore more of that as well as providing more of the often funny interactions between Ana and Din. I need more, please. Stat!

Highly recommended!

*Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*

Thank you NetGalley and Mr.Bennett for giving me the opportunity to review "The Tainted Cup." What I really loved about this book and Mr.Bennett's writing is his story contains various quirky characters. They really bring life to this Steampunk mystery. Mr.Bennett creates rich world, The reader is quickly drawn into a complex society with economic classes, the danger of mythical beasts, plagues and of course murder. A great reader for mystery and steampunk fans.

I love this story overall, and I'm looking forward to the next one.

The story was quite fun, and I loved the characters. A good murder mystery is always great, and one set in a fantasy world, with so many twists and turns is even better. I thought for a moment I had it figured out, but easily doubted myself (but hey I was really right, and that was a fun ride!).

The world building overall was fantastic, but I do wish there had been a bit more in the beginning. The map helped give me bearing, but there were just so many terms that it was a bit to catch up in the beginning. A Glossary of more than just titles in the empire would have been helpful too!

Din was quite fun as a man character. It was such a fun twist to have the main character in a murder mystery (but not) be someone other than the lead investigator. The world itself was extremely interesting. I still am so interested in the lore of the Empire and how it was created. At the end, I immediately wanted the next one - but also it wasn't a horrible cliffhanger either (thank goodness).

I cannot wait for the next one! Have I mentioned that? Oh - and the authors note at the end was great :)

4.5/5

This offers a brilliant blend of fantasy and murder mystery. An Imperial officer is murdered and the weapon is a tree erupting from his body. This sets the stage for an intriguing investigation. Enter Ana Dolabra, an eccentric yet brilliant investigator known for her unorthodox methods. Actually, enter Din, because Ana can't be bothered to show up to the scene herself. Din is her newly appointed assistant, an engraver augmented to have a perfect memory using scents as triggers to recall them.

As the duo delves into the case, they uncover a scheme that poses a threat to the Empire itself. The dynamic between Ana and Din is a highlight in the story. I also just adore the representation in the novel, heavily hinting at dyslexia and sensory issues in our main characters. Not to mention that Din appears to be bisexual.

This book really shines when Anna is on the page. She's irreverent and brilliant and hilarious. She's balanced well with her typically straight-laced assistant Din who is incredibly new to all of this detective stuff. This book draws to mind classic detectives like Sherlock Holmes, Benoit Blanc, and Miss Marple. I barked out a laugh several times during this book. Ana's character pays homage to classic detectives, featuring a gloriously labyrinthine plot and a haunting fantasy world.

The world-building is exceptional, especially with the inclusion of Leviathans (kudos on the horror elements!) lurking outside the walls. Did I mention that they sometimes have faces and those faces appear to be saying things? Creepy! I can't wait to discover more about them in the subsequent books. The world hits some similar notes and has some similar vibes to one of my favorite but lesser-known books (The Five Penalties series by Marina J. Lostetter). Humanity is surrounded by terrible things and they're just trying to avert their eyes while power corrupts in their midst.

While the story excels in capturing the essence of classic (kind of unpleasant) detectives, the characters beyond Ana and Din felt somewhat flat to me. Nevertheless, "The Tainted Cup" offers a captivating and entertaining experience, combining the best elements of mystery and fantasy.

I had a GREAT time.

Thanks to Netgalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and Del Rey for the eARC. I also highly recommend the audiobook.

Thank you to Del Ray and NetGalley for this ARC!

I can say I thoroughly enjoyed this read. It was a unique spin on a murder mystery, whodunnit—set in a fantasy world, which I love.

My biggest complaint is that this book was so entirely plot driven at times that the characters felt quite two dimensional. You never really got to know or understand them enough to be attached or enmeshed with them until almost the very end there were some glimmers. I know this is set up for a series so I will probably read the next book but something just felt lacking for me.

Some parts are so Sherlock Holmes esque I laughed out loud.

The world building is initially hard to get in to but once you start to understand it the pacing increases, so don’t let it deter you.

Hope to see more fantasy murder mystery variations like this in the future!

The world that was created in this book is so intriguing and I loved it, fantasy always takes me longer to read but it was worth it. I loved the main characters and can't wait to see more from them!

When I first saw this book, I truly was like "I will probably not at all like this" but grabbed it because... actually I don't know! I'm not the hugest murder mystery fan. I like more fantasy than less. And so much about the story wasn't super appealing.

THIS BOOK THOUGH?

I can't tell you how much I enjoyed it! I really liked all the different characters, I adored Ana and Din's relationship (I think one of my favorite scenes is when she's telling someone how absolutely dull and boring he is and he's like "I am literally right here."). I liked that there were truly *gasp* moments with reveals, as well as aspects throughout the book that were truly well plotted out!

I had SUCH a wonderful time with this book that the only downside I have about it is that I have to...what? Wait a year for the next release???? But at the very least, when I see it, I'm going to grab it and gobble it up as fast as I did this time, instead of waiting like I had.

Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for a chance to read and review!

The Tainted Cup is the perfect mix of fantasy and mystery. The head investigator is quirky and brings great humor to the story. The author has an invented a creative world and includes a main character with learning disabilities which I loved! The pacing is along the lines of an Agatha Christie novel but with the strange fantasy world you delve into it adds additional intrigue. From the very beginning of the book I was hooked. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC for my honest opinion.

Thank you, NetGalley, for my advanced reader copy.
My rating: 4.5 stars.

I've never read from this author before, and I realize now that I've been missing out. The Tainted Cup is about a detective named Ana Dolabra and her assistant, Dinios Kol. Together, they investigate the death of an imperial Officer who died. Cause of death, a tree spontaneously erupted from his body. The relationship between Din and Ana is quite unusual, as Din acts as her eyes, collecting evidence and information in her stead as she refuses to leave her home. During this investigation, the two uncover a scheme that threatens the safety of the Empire itself.

I believe the world itself is the best part of this book. It was very detailed and highly intricate. I would even say it should be high fantasy. But it is also 100% a mystery novel. It's not exactly thrilling, but because of the tone of the story and the way it was written, it didn't need to be thrilling. And while I would say this book is way more plot-driven than character-driven, I do believe the characters were well done. Likable, and at some parts, absolutely loveable.

I loved that this story is in the POV of Din, the assistant, rather than the main detective, Ana. The dynamic between these two was enough to get me laughing at a few parts. I loved Ana, and getting to watch her eccentric attitude through the lens of Din's more subtle and exasperated attitude was delightful.

Even after getting a very satisfying ending, I still have so many questions. I'm thrilled that this is the first book in a series because it means I'll be able to revisit it. I still want to know more about the Leviathens and the main characters themselves. I'm so curious to see where the series takes us.

4.5⭐️

1) I will now be reading all of RJB’s backlist because omg this was so good and 2) I cannot believe I have to wait over a year for the next book.

This BLEW me away. The world was so interesting. I mean GIANT leviathans trying to break past the wall at all times?! Body mutations for different enhanced abilities?! The politics of the empire!?

But truly the mystery in this was impeccable. It kept me turning the pages so fast. If I didn’t have life responsibilities (tragic truly) I would have binged this is one day.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an e-arc in exchange for my review.

The Tainted Cup was such a fun and fascinating read! Robert Jackson Bennett’s newest novel is an extremely clever murder mystery in the style of Holmes and Watson. However, it’s set not in London, but in a fictional Empire beset by eco-disasters, contagion and Leviathan invasions.

Here, we follow a brilliant, eccentric middle-aged investigator (and boy is she foul-mouthed) and her brand new assistant who is sweetly earnest and suffering from imposter syndrome. Their dynamic is so diverting that I need Bennett to make this a very long series!

I believe this is my first time reading this particular genre mashup of high fantasy and mystery— not only did it feel wholly original, but I am also so impressed at how natural the world building process felt. Sometimes starting a high fantasy novel requires some mental work, but this novel went down easy from the start. And in the background, Bennett explored themes of imperialism, wealth inequality, and ecological precariousness. In other words, The Tainted Cup was dark and exceedingly relatable.

Highly recommend! I’m already ready for a sequel.

Robert Jackson Bennett (https://www.robertjacksonbennett.com) is the author of more than 10 novels. The Tainted Cup was published a few days ago. It is the 8th book I completed reading in 2024.

Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to scenes of violence and mature language, I categorize this novel as R.

Dinios Kol is only 20, but has completed training and undergone magical enhancements to become an Imperial Engraver. He has perfect recall of everything he experiences. For the past 4 months, he has been the assistant to Ana Dolabra. Dolabra is a quirky, foul-mouthed, but brilliant detective. They had been handling relatively minor crime cases.

When a death is reported at one of Daretana’s greatest mansions owned by the wealthy Haza family, Dolabra and Kol respond to investigate. They find Commander Taqtasa Blas, a high imperial officer, dead under strange circumstances. As they pursue their investigation, they uncover more deaths that had occurred around the same time as Blas.

Blas had been an engineer. One of those responsible for maintaining the seawalls that keep the leviathans out. There had been a wall failure and an incursion near the time of the deaths. Are they somehow related? Or is the crime connected to the Haza family? Their investigation leads them into danger and multiple discoveries as they search for who is behind the murders.

I enjoyed the 11.5 hours I spent reading this 410-page fantasy. I have had the opportunity to read two other books by Bennett. Those are Foundryside and Shorefall. They were both enjoyable reads. The plot of this novel was different, and I enjoyed it. There is a touch of LBGTQ in the story that doesn’t really add anything, but because it is so minor and near the end of the novel, it does not detract from the story either. The cover art is simple but feels appropriate for this novel. I give this novel a rating of 4.2 (rounded to 4) out of 5.

You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

So I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I loved the fantasy mystery combination. I felt like I was reading Sherlock Holmes, but with magic I am super excited that this could be a series and I can tell you right now I will absolutely be reading these. I did only give it four stars instead of five stars because parts of it I found a little slow overall, it was a solid read, though.

* I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*

I want to start off by saying that I think I am in the minority when it comes to Robert Jackson Bennett readers because I wasn't the biggest fan of the Foundryside series. I read them all, and while I found them interesting, I wouldn't say that stuck with me or became my favorites. However, when I saw The Tainted Cup on NetGalley and read the synopsis, I knew I wanted to give this one a chance.

This book, while totally strange, was fast paced and a super quick read for me. I have recently found that I do enjoy the mystery element when done well in fantasy books, and this one definitely was enjoyable.

If I were to be critical, I would say that this just needed MORE. More detail. More explanation. Just more. For example, what are these characters? I know they mention different races with skin color and sizes of noses but WHAT ARE THEY? I feel like they are never described so in my brain I just made them humans with gray skin, because unless I completely missed it somehow, this book just doesn't say. I guess they could be like aliens. Or robots. But I do believe that it never just comes out and says what they are. And also, there is clearly a class system or a something of the like where society is divided by wealth (I would assume based on the gentry), but that isn't explained either. It also never mentions the WHY of the leviathans. Like how they came to be. Why they just are killing them. Where they were before. It's an empire but we have no scope of the outside world at all. And there is this magic system, or maybe it's just alterations, but again, I feel like most of this is just unspoken and left up to the imagination. I just feel like I am left wondering so many things.

And I am aware how negative that sounded, but don't get me wrong, I actually enjoyed this book. The two main characters are both interesting. I loved the banter and Ana's sarcasm most of all. I found them to be a super enjoyable duo. I can also appreciate when a fantasy book doesn't need to make a romance front and center these days. So while this book has a hint of a relationship, that's all it is. It isn't in your face or overdone and does not take away from the story at all. I did see on Reddit that the author said he would like many books in this series, and I would definitely pick them up to read about their adventures across the empire because I do think most of my complaints could be addressed in later books.

So like me, if maybe his other books didn't quite work for you, or if you're a fan of Richard Swan's The Justice of Kings series, I would encourage you to try this one out.

3.5 stars for me. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC and the opportunity to read this early.

After reading and really not liking Foundryside, I really thought Robert Jackson Bennett just might not be an author for me. But when I heard about The Tainted Cup, I was really excited by the premise and decided I needed to check it out and give RJB another chance... and my god am I glad I did because I loved The Tainted Cup. This was magnificent. Leviathans? Plants and poisons? Yes please to all of these!

I found myself obsessed with the general world-building and setup: an empire surrounded by seas with Leviathan that need enormous, insane sea walls to keep them out. Anything on a Leviathan/gigantic scale is just so terrifyingly and horrifyingly captivating for me. I also loved the relationship between Din and Ana. Din was also just such a delight and a pretty adorable character overall. I was fascinated by the idea of all these alterations people can do to themselves and how they often do them for the state. Everything about the way this world was crafted and the story was told was masterful and highly entertaining while also constantly filling me with wonder and making me feel like I really couldn't put the book down.

Overall, a highly recommended read from me! Perfect for murder mystery fans and fantasy fans alike!