I love fantasy books. I love murder mysteries. It didn’t even occur to me that the two could be combined — but now that I’ve read this book, I’m going to need at least 100 more in this genre.

When a bizarre and gruesome murder happens in an outlying town — a tree has seemingly burst through the body of a high-ranking Imperial official — newbie investigator Din shows up on the scene with a neat trick: He’s been genetically modified to remember anything and everything. After some poking around, he quickly relays the basics of the case to the eccentric and brilliant Ana, whose quirks include a strong dislike of leaving her house and insisting on wearing a blindfold whenever possible.

The two venture off to the sea to continue their investigation, and readers are introduced to a vast empire constantly under threat of Leviathans emerging from the sea and where citizens undergo all sorts of genetic modifications to provide augmented abilities and avoid various contagions. The setting lends itself to the murder mystery vibes nicely, and it kept me engaged. Robert Jackson Bennett’s world is intricate and well-plotted — giant mushrooms function as air purifiers while houses are made of sheets of fern paper — and his dialogue is snappy and fun.

The plot is twisty and fun, although the book definitely felt its length (432 pages). A large part of the book’s fantasy aspects felt designed to provide interesting interplay for the political intrigue at the heart of the case and to further develop themes such as power, greed, revenge, and bureaucracy. There’s good characterization, but I really felt like I understood Din and Ana with about 70 pages left. The case itself is clever if a bit predictable, but it wrapped up nicely and left me excited for future cases with Din and Ana.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House, Ballantine for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Bennett has given readers another great start to what I have no doubt will be an outstanding series. The story unfolds eloquently and rapidly. I have little doubt you will be sucked into this one just like I was.
In a nut shell, this is a murder mystery. The story opens when Signum Dinios Kol (Din) is called to the estate of a very old and wealthy clan to investigate the death of Commander Taqtasa Blas, of the Engineers. Din is an Engraver, meaning he has been magically enhanced to have perfect recall and this will come in handy throughout the story.
Din reports back to his master Immunis Anagosa Dolabra (Ana) and as suspected, the death is ruled a homicide and the investigation begins in earnest. As Din and Ana start to unravel the clues you feel like there is danger lurking at every corner. There are several twists and turns as the story unfolds, though I must admit there was one that came as no big surprise.
The world building was interesting, complex and noteworthy. It is obvious from the beginning that the author put a lot of thought and effort into this world and how the magic would effect and interact with the setting and characters. Also, I greatly appreciated that the author slowly doled out the bits of information on the world, as well as the mystery, versus a big data dump at the start.
The plot moved briskly and there was enough tension that you quickly became engrossed. In addition, the story has a Holmes and Watson vibe to it, with Ana being the eccentric genius (Holmes) and Din as the thoroughly grounded Watson. It worked and the characters played off each other expertly. It made for interesting dialogue which made me laugh out loud at times and roll my eyes at others.
This book is a nice mix of mystery and fantasy and I am looking forward to seeing where the author goes with book two. Regardless of whether you are a fantasy or a mystery fan, I highly recommend you read this one.
I received a free review copy, from NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review. See my book blog at www.thespineview.com for more of my reviews.

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: Medium but does increase to fast during crucial scenes.

POV: 1st person (told from Dinios Kol’s POV)

Series: The Tainted Cup is the first book in the Shadow of the Leviathan series.

Trigger Warnings: There are scenes of body horror, murder, death, gore, violence, injury and injury details, animal death, classism, chronic illness, medical content, death of a parent (off page), fire and fire injury, gaslighting, alcohol, pandemic/endemic, ableism, blood, war, bullying, genocide, physical abuse, grief, vomit, and drug use. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book.

Language: There is moderate swearing in The Tainted Cup. There is also language used that could be offensive to some people.

Setting: The Tainted Cup is set in and around the city of Talagray in the country of Tala.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

When a high imperial officer is murdered by a tree erupting from his body, Investigator Ana Dolabra is called in to investigate. Instead, she sends her assistant, Dinios Kol (magically altered to take in and remember everything), to assess the crime scene. But, the murder of the imperial officer soon isn’t the only one. People of all classes are dying of trees erupting from their bodies. Called back to Talagray, Ana and Din are soon embroiled in an investigation that takes them from the front lines of a battle against sea leviathans to the gentry folk who run the city. With the death toll mounting, Ana and Din are in a race against the clock to find out who is killing these people and why. But the answers that they uncover will shock them.

Characters:

The main characters in The Tainted Cup are Ana Dolabra and Dinios Kol (Din). Several secondary characters regularly appear, but the author keeps Ana and Din as the book’s main focus. I found them interesting. I was fascinated with Din’s magical alteration—he can remember and recall anything he has heard, read, or seen (also called a Sublime). The deeper into the book I got, the author revealed more about both Din and Ana. I also loved the relationship that they had. It was one of mutual respect which shone the most at the end of the book.

The secondary characters were interesting, adding extra depth and insight to the storyline. I will warn everyone, though, that the author is not very attached to his secondary characters and does kill a bunch off. So keep that in mind when reading, and don’t get too attached to the secondary characters.

My review:

I was excited when I checked my email and saw I had gotten a widget for The Tainted Cup. I loved the author’s Foundryside series and wanted to know when he would publish a new book. In the past, I have been disappointed by books that I get my hopes up for, and because of that, I temper my excitement a little. But, once I got reading, I allowed my inner fantasy geek to scream with joy. Why? Because this book was excellent!!!

The storyline of The Tainted Cup was very intriguing. It starts with a gruesome murder and takes off after that. The author kept the murder (and soon, murders) in my focus. The storyline is very complex and has a ton of layers to it. Once one layer was peeled back, another was there. That multilayering of the storyline added to my enjoyment of it.

The mystery angle of The Tainted Cup was excellent. Not only did I not see who the killers (there were two) were, but I did not expect the book to go in the direction it did. That twist at the end threw me and turned everything upside down. And guess what, I loved it!!

The fantasy angle was terrific, too. I had questions about the sea monsters and why they were trying to get further inland. The author never explained it, but the explanation should appear in upcoming books. I am also sure it is something super simple (breeding grounds/intelligent creatures/who knows).

The end of The Tainted Cup was interesting. Again, the twist took me completely by surprise. The author did wrap up the murder storyline in a way that left me satisfied. But he left so much more open, and I look forward to seeing how he expands upon them in upcoming books.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey, NetGalley, and Robert Jackson Bennett for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Tainted Cup. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

I was intrigued by the idea of a murder mystery set in a fantasy. But maybe I have to admit fantasy is not for me. The murder victim is killed because a tree grew inside him. This takes place in the mansion but that's about it. The lead investigator is Ana who rarely leaves her home and prefers to wear a blind fold. Instead she sends out her investigator, Dinios, an engraver meaning he remembers everything he sees or hears. The thing is I found Ana annoying. For instance they are riding in a carriage and she asks Din to describe what she sees. Really? Just take off the blindfold. Obviously I don't know anything about this world and didn't feel it was really explained about sea walls and leviathans. Terms and words kept coming up, weren't really explained and I can't even look them up. There is a map and a list of what the rankings are but no glossary. Ana's dropping of F bombs is very off putting. Heck I use the word myself but totally unexpected in this as would have been in the Trilogy. By the way I loved the Trilogy. This book was not for me but I can see the appeal for someone who really loves fantasy.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Random House Ballantine for providing me with a digital copy.

The Tainted Cup is a fascinating detective-mystery story set within a new fantastical world, one filled with Leviathan sea monsters, and humans who have been altered with magical powers of mind and body. The story follows Din and his boss Ana, two investigators, as they attempt to solve a strange murder set within the high classes of society. Their journey takes them across the Empire, engaging with soldiers, landed gentry, fellow investigators, and more. This book is an engaging Sherlock-type story set amongst a beautifully-designed world of magic and supernatural abilities. Bennett's story is a great read for any fans of murder-mysteries, if you can tolerate a hint of fantasy thrown in. The world-building of the Empire is top-notch, and I can't wait to dig into this Leviathan universe further. An excellent read! Thanks Netgalley for the ARC :)

This book is such a good fantasy murder mystery combo. The magic system is so interesting yet straightforward and it helps propel the story forward. The characters are also great. Din and Ana are such a good combo they play off each other so well. This book is an excellent starting place for someone who hasn’t read a lot of fantasy books before. The magic and world have complexities but the way it’s written is easy to grasp. But the interesting world building also makes it a great book for people who’ve read a ton of fantasy books before. I would recommend this book to so many different people and I think they would thoroughly enjoy it.

I really enjoyed this speculative mystery. I think it was perfectly balanced between the fantasical elements and the mysteries that kept Din and Ana busy. I was immediately hooked from the very first page and constantly found myself saying, "Just one more chapter" because I wanted to know what was happening next. I look forward to reading more from this series; there were a few easter eggs (?) that I need to know more about. Specifically when the twitch mentioned attempting to kill Ana and her son...was she talking about Din? Also, Din and his assassin memory makes me think there is more to the story. Overall, I'm a fan and can't wait for the next book in this series and will also read RJB's backlist because I really enjoyed his writing.

A sci-fi fantasy murder mystery with neurodiversity and a world that I can't wait to read more of.

We're following Din, a trainee to be an assistant investigator in the Empire. He's been assigned to Ana who is probably the best female character written by a man I've ever read in my life. That woman is brilliant, hilarious, and fierce. She loves hard and feels a deep loyalty even if it's not shown in a way anyone would expect. Din could have no better mentor on his journey to embracing who he is and trusting his gifts and abilities.

This is a perfect book to sink all the way into and block out the rest of the world. You will disappear inside the Empire and try and solve this gruesome mystery, and follow this complex conspiracy down to it's increasingly twisting resolution.

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett is an adult urban fantasy novel with a touch of mystery and science fiction. I was definitely intimidated by this book because I knew it would be a more in-depth fantasy world. However, I did not have anything to worry about because this book is great if you want to read fantasy but are intimidated by other high fantasy novels. I really enjoyed that the magic system was not over the top and blended seamlessly into the story. I think that the mystery aspect and following din and ana were my favorite part!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for a review!

“ In Daretana’s greatest mansion, a high imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a tree erupted from his body. Even here at the Empire’s borders, where contagions abound and the blood of the leviathans works strange magical changes, it’s a death both terrifying and impossible. Assigned to investigate is Ana Dolabra, a detective whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities. Rumor has it that she wears a blindfold at all times, and that she can solve impossible cases without even stepping outside the walls of her home.”

This book was a perfect blend of mystery and fantasy. Robert Jackson Bennett has been one of my favorite authors since Foundryside and this book did not disappoint. Hearing it described as ‘knives out but in a fantasy world’ I knew I had to read this. This was a fast paced, page turning read full of twists and turns and all of the strangeness. I could not put it down. I can’t wait to see where he takes the series next. This is a perfect pick up if you’re looking for a fun adventure featuring some sea monsters., sword fighting, and all of the mystery

Thank you so much to Random House Publishing Group and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book. I will be giving my honest opinion of this title. This book was an odd one. It starts out with a mystery of people dying from a contagion where trees grow out of them. There is very little introduction to the main character, or his master whom he is representing. As the book goes on you get to know the main detective a bit more, yet the book just never seemed to draw me in all the way. I felt detached from the mystery personally and more lost in this world where Titans were attacking, people were enhanced, and the contagion was feared yet such an odd way to die. I guess as a reader I wasn't able to fully visualize the world or how everything fit together. The characters were just kind of bland and I never really got behind them and their mission. I loved the description of the book, but the book itself didn’t enchant me the way I was hoping that it would. Was the book bad, no. Was it great also no.

The Tainted Cup brings you all the Agatha Christie/Sherlock Holmes vibes set in a vibrant fantasy world and leaves you wishing it was acceptable to keep reading well into the night. I Couldn't put this novel down and I absolutely hope there will be more books featuring these quirky yet loveable characters.

I loved the murder mystery storyline but set in an incredibly unique fantasy world. I surprisingly didn't feel lost even though I could not pronounce a single name in this book. The world building is done in a way that makes you feel at home in the world pretty quickly and is a great way to dip your toe into fantasy without it being too overwhelming

The characters were the absolute selling point though. Din and Ana are incredible MC's. They feel like real people because they are, Din and Ana both struggle with their own issues and neither of them are anything more than ordinary but still special in their own ways. Their banter was the best, it was snarky and hilarious. I will cry if I do not get another book with them as the MC's.

This was my first Robert Jackson Bennett novel and it truly did not disappoint. I will for sure be reading more novels by him. For fans of mind bending murder mystery that you surely wont guess what's coming. This book is a wild ride that I could not put down. 5 Stars!

4.5

A fantasy, murder mystery, whodunnit for the ages! I loved the pacing of the story and it kept me engaged the whole time. Many twists and turns that kept me guessing. I think this works well as both a standalone and the first book in a series. Looking forward to reading what comes next!


Thank you to NetGalley and random house for an advanced copy

One of my favorite books of the past year!

You will like it if you like:
- fantasy that's plot driven
- murder mystery with a classic obnoxious-and-aloof-Holmes/vaguely-irritated-at-being-a-sidekick-Watson
- bringing down The Man

You will not like it if you do not like:
- fantasy-style proper nouns
- plants
- The Gays (but then I will not like you either and also how dare you)

A complex mystery set in a fantasy world that's full of riveting details played out with a character that's likable and empathetic. Dinios 'Din' Kol has been enhanced to remember everything he sees and his job is to assist eccentric investigator Ana Dolabra in the little border town they live in. But a gruesome death in the estate of one of the richest families in the Empire sets off a series of events that have Din facing dangers he never imagined.
It's sold as a mix between Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes, and this is one of the rare instances where the book delivers on the promise. It's twisty and very complicated while also somehow feeling cozy.
The fantasy elements are fantastic on their own, to the point that I think a book just exploring the complex world the author created would have been great. The fact that they're the background to a fully realized and intricate mystery works to make them stand out and show how much thought was put into it.
The only reason I'm not rating this as a 5-star read is that even with all that happens and a solid, well-developed plot, it ultimately feels like an introduction to a bigger story. It technically is an introduction as it's book 1 in a series and that's kind of the point, but I don't like that it left me feeling like I didn't get the full story. A definite push to pick up book two, just one that left me feeling like I didn't get a whole story despite the very satisfying ending.

Very happy thanks to NetGalley, Ballantine, and Del Rey for the excellent read!

This book was a departure from my usual reading habits. When I read fantasy, it tends to be sweeping, swashbuckling, and romance-forward. This treasure of a novel was none of those things, but it was a delight from start to finish. The culture and politics of the world Bennett created are so rich and intriguing, and I'm dying to know more about the bizarre system of nature-magic that keeps their world turning.

Dinios Kol is an Assistant Investigator in the Iudex, the branch of the Imperial government that investigates and prosecutes crime. His brain has been altered through the application of magical suffusions to give him complete, perfect recall of everything he sees and hears, making him a useful tool for his boss, the eccentric, foul-mouthed recluse, Ana Dolabra.

Din is called upon to investigate a peculiar death scene on Ana's behalf: an Imperial officer has been found in a house belonging to the influential Haza nobles with a tree growing out of his chest.

Their investigation takes Ana and Din to the outer limits of the Empire, where heavily guarded sea walls are the only thing protecting the people from incursions of gigantic monsters who come from the deep. There, ten more officers in the Engineering division have died under similarly botanical circumstances.

This book manages to balance complex worldbuilding, dark and violent intrigues, and humor tremendously well, with Din playing the straight man to the other characters' eccentricities. He proves to be a competent investigator, but he's like the Watson to Ana's Sherlock, who keeps most of her intellectual machinations to herself until they can be revealed to the best possible dramatic effect.

I loved to see the representations of neurodivergence, particularly with Ana (who has sensory issues, among other complex needs) and Din, who has dyslexia.

The conclusion of the mystery was so satisfying, and I quite enjoyed the dynamic between Din, Ana, and the other principal characters. And, as a dedicated romantasy reader, I appreciated that there was one teeny tiny little kernel of a romantic spark, which I have put in my pocket and will treasure forever.

I sincerely hope that Bennett will be giving us more of this world, and soon.

This book was exceptional! What a great story! It totally kept my attention from start to finish even though it was heavy on the world building, and technical when it came to explaining how things functioned in this original fantasy world.

The plot was so well developed and thought through! I love the unique setting with the massive leviathan monsters that are kind of looming over the entire book as a potential threat. The gigantic layered walls built to keep them out and a military society built constantly fight them off is very reminiscent of Attack of the Titans and I'm not mad about it.

The murder mystery element was amazing as well. No random tidbits thrown out throughout the book are wasted and every character we meet has a purpose.

Din and Ana were such great characters, and were the perfect duo; very reminiscent of Holmes and Watson. I love how brilliant and chaotic Ana is, and how she held all of her deductions close to herself to surprise both the reader and the other book characters when the time was right. Din on the other hand is straight-laced and proper but is willing to step outside of this box when necessary for his ambition and the greater good.

I'm really hoping that future books would give us more background information and insight into Ana character. There is so much more that can be explored in the plot and I cant wait to see where this series goes!

I'm so impressed with this book and would recommend it to anyone what wants to read a solid murder mystery set in a fantasy world with great characters, unique setting, and captivating plot.

Thank you to Del Ray and NetGalley for an eArc of this title in exchange for an honest and unbiased review!

Robert Jackson Bennett’s The Divine Cities trilogy is one of my favorite fantasy series, also featuring a mystery in order to ease you into the worldbuilding. The Tainted Cup sounded like a similar premise. To start with: I LOVED Din as a character and the queer and learning disability representation present in his story. I also LOVED the worldbuilding of this fantasy setting. The exploration of augmentation magic and its pitfalls and advantages, the incorporation of plant life in the architecture and the central mystery, and the looming threat of enormous leviathans destroying life and property always in the background.

What fell short for me was the mystery part of this novel’s genre. Din does all the work: investigating crime scenes, interviewing suspects and witnesses, and then with the help of his memory augmentation, reports all to his blindfolded employer who in turn waxes poetic in monologues where she reveals twists and catches the culprits. This might be satisfying if it were the climax of the mystery part of the story, but it happens multiple times. I can’t help but feel like I would rather this be a high fantasy story instead of a fantasy mystery.

And while this is the start of a series and undoubtedly the leviathans will play a larger part in the next installments, their inclusion in this story felt really underdeveloped (the series is called “Shadow of the Leviathan” and for this to feature the leviathans so little, that felt weird) The romance felt a bit tacked on as well.

Overall, I love this fantasy world and really rooted for Din as a character, but the mystery itself left something to be desired.

Many have attributed this new book to Knives Out if it were set in a fantasy world and I have to say I agree! This new murder mystery is bold, fun, and keeps you up late into the night. RJB has created something that people will come back to for years to come, and that’s due to his wit, his accessible writing, and the depth he has given this world and these characters. I eagerly await what book two holds for our characters.

Robert Jackson Bennett, Quill to Live favorite, is back with a brand new series about a pair of detectives in a world threatened by enormous sea monsters. The Tainted Cup is the first book of the Shadow of the Leviathan series and it is overflowing with dark, damp, leafy mysteries. These shadowy secrets contrast perfectly with the vibrant warm cast, all of which have full rich personalities that shine like beacons in this terrifying and stressful world. To top it all off, the beating heart of this story is a murder mystery in the style of Holmes and Watson. All of Bennett’s stories have featured delightful mysteries, but The Tainted Cup finally takes them and puts them on center stage.

So what is The Tainted Cup about? Well for one, a horrifying murder in an opulent mansion. With seemingly no warning, a high Imperial officer lies dead when a tree spontaneously erupts from his body. This is greatly surprising to everyone, but not as surprising as it could be. This world is one of alchemy and biomancy, where people from many walks of life get grafts to alter their bodies for jobs, combat, and pleasure. Grafts fundamentally change your biology, granting you things like super strength, eidetic memory, or academic aptitudes. But, even knowing all that, a tree exploding out of someone is a mystery. It likely is a deadly contagion; alchemy gone rogue or the blood of the Leviathans working strange magical changes. Oh did I not mention the Leviathans?

Society at large in this world is structured around fighting an endless stream of gigantic sea Leviathans. One season a year, they try to push their way up into the central area of the Empire, and each year the army and engineers of the empire repel them. But, every year the Leviathans seem to get bigger and harder to repel – thus the grafts of the Empire must get stronger to combat them. Anyway back to the mystery: called in to investigate is the brilliant and eccentric Ana Dolabra. At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol. Din is an engraver, magically grafted to possess a perfect memory. Due to some complications on Ana’s part, most of the sleuthing is done by Din and most of the solving is done by Ana. It’s a pairing that works incredibly well in the format of the story, as we spend all of our time in the fabulous mind of Din as he feeds information to Ana who slowly pieces together what happened.

As always with Bennett’s work, the characters are a great time. The setting is so bleak and upsetting that they really stand out against the dark. Din and Ana have great chemistry and their back-and-forth dialogue is witty and fun. The myriad of support/suspects are all dramatic and interesting, each possessing secrets that must be uncovered. Each character has their own little quirks and personalities, but they all feel like they contain a heaviness that just pervades the story. These are people who live in constant fear of immediate violent death at the hands of forces they can barely fight or control and it shows in the traumas and coping mechanisms of the people who inhabit this world. Some have vices that are disastrous toward just themselves, and others (like the rich) have crutches that are a problem for everyone. But, it wouldn’t be a Bennett novel if the rich weren’t being super problematic and I am here for it.

Speaking of great pervasive ideas in The Tainted Cup, the themes are absolutely on point. There are a number of central ideas in this story and they all feel like they pop out with clever insights through attention to detail on Bennett’s part. The biggest theme is around cause and effect, or how changes in an ecosystem have larger magnified effects. Grafts change your biology and can cause huge unexpected changes in the body. Biologically modified flora and fauna in the series are carefully studied before they are introduced to the wild. This is because previous less controlled experiments and changes to the world reaped horrifying results and untold deaths. The Leviathans themselves represent enormous mobile ecological disasters. Killing one saves the Empire from being run over, but even in death the Leviathans decompose and release alchemical agents that alter the land in wild ways. The Empire has entire military divisions for the study of ecological and alchemical change. There is a real scientific vibe throughout every one of the characters involved.

The mystery itself is enjoyable, but I think it could have been slightly grander given the focus of the book on investigation. A large portion of the book is devoted to establishing how people live under the Leviathans and it pulls the focus away from the case a bit. Yet, this presented more time for character introspection which was the best part of the book. Given that this is clearly supposed to be a mystery series I was hoping for who-dun-it to be slightly more interesting, but it’s still pretty great so I have very little to complain about. The Tainted Cup itself is a very well-contained story but is clearly planting seeds for a larger series spanning mystery. Although the first book stands well on its own, it does feel a bit like the tip of an iceberg and it left me wanting to read the next installment immediately.

As always, the Bennett trademarks are here. 1) a wonderful world that blends fantasy and modern society to create a place that feels like I could live without it being urban fantasy. 2) Deeply visceral action and a nice helping of horror mix into the story to make the entire experience of reading the book feel constantly edge-of-the-seat. 3) Characters you adore will shatter your heart at an unspecified future point in the story. 4) It is full of smart commentary on current society–generally reflecting worker class dissatisfaction with how the elite rip all the resources from the world and leave our children a burning husk to live on. So, great times all around.

The result of all of this is another banger of a first book in a series that will likely rate among my favorites. It is a safe bet that The Tainted Cup will be one of the best books this year and I wholeheartedly recommend it. I have only known Din and Ana for about a week and if anything bad happens to them I will be sending a very strongly worded letter to Bennett. Anyway, read this book, it won’t disappoint.

Rating: The Tainted Cup – 9.5/10
-Andrew