Do you a fantasy whodunnit with incredible world building, a magic system that is somehow deeply grounded and wildly fantastical, oh and with giant sea monsters? Of course you do. This is the right book for you. This is engaging, clever, and just so much fun. The mysteries are well layered, so you get answers in bits and pieces throughout. The world building is genuinely fantastic. And the characters are so incredibly well done that you'll want to grab drinks with some and punch others. This is going to be one of the books people are talking about.

From the author of the series: The Founders trilogy and Divine Cities comes a great murder mystery fantasy.

I'm already addicted to this series its characters, and world. A murder mystery novel with the classical vibes of the great murder mystery novels but with fantastic worldbuilding, different races, augmented characters, leviathans that at a specific time of the year rampage from the ocean and may destroy entire cities, trees that sprout from the victims' bodies... in and fantasy imperial society.

No change in point of view, the novel is always told through the eyes of Dinios Kol an Investigator's helper who has the mission to go baAck and forth between crime scenes, witnesses, and his boss to deliver all the clues he gathers. He is a shy and young Watson to our super amazing Sherlock... Ana Dolabra.
Each character has their own set of awesome abilities and qualities almost superhuman that bring more into the worldbuilding. Mysterious and intelligent Ana has a (short) bad temper, a potty mouth, and an eccentric personality (I love her) but makes a good balance with the shy young Din who also has secrets of his own.

A medium pace read, great for this type of novel. The first chapters are a sample of the whole novel, as the quick resolution of one crime opens the true story of solving the case of this first book. As well as this first book is a sample and world/mood setting for the larger political/intrigue story of this fantasy world.

It's very well written, compelling, with complex characters and explanations of the crimes. It doesn't have romance or random plot twists just for the sake of shocking the reader, which makes it a perfectly well-balanced fantasy murder mystery. Also, it is not completely predictable.

This book will please fantasy and mystery readers who enjoy a well-done modernization of the great classic format. And as a gamer myself, will please gamers who love mystery/fantasy/cyber story-driven games like the classic Gabriel Knight series or more modern games like Detroit.

I can't wait for the next case to unveil more of this fantasy world.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for this eARC.

The Tainted Cup isn't a bad book by any means but it just wasn't for me. It never held my attention very well and I struggled to get through it. This book's strength is its characters but I didn't find Ana and Din super compelling. I think a lot of people will love this book though, especially if they like mysteries.

A delightful whodunnit mystery and high fantasy mash-up featuring an eccentric duo investigating a bizarre death by plant — as in a spontaneous tree erupted from the body of the deceased. 🤯 😳

This was the most fun that I’ve had reading in months. I was completely captivated from the start by RJB’s imaginative storytelling and immersive world. I adored the characters and portrayal of neurodivergence as a kind of superpower. The pacing was excellent, and I loved the choice to tell the story through Dinios Kol’s POV. I cannot recommend this book enough!!
𝘔𝘺 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨: 5⭐️

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:
🌿 Attack on Titan meets Sherlock
🌿 neurodivergent “superpowers”
🌿 imaginative world building
🌿 murder mystery
🌿 political intrigue

P.S. I do not re-read books. In fact, the only books I’ve read more than once were that series about the boy who lived. Immediately after finishing The Tainted Cup, I wanted to start it over again. 𝘠𝘦𝘴… 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥!!

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett is a revelation. When I picked up this book and started reading it I wondered what I had done. I don’t read fantasy or science fiction and this book has serious elements of both. What I do read, often, is mystery, and this turned out to be an excellent mystery which ended in conspiracy. The names were different. At one point someone referred to themselves as human. Is this the future? Not sure. Doesn’t matter. It was an excellent read, exiting, compelling and serious. Life is different wherever this is but greed and power are the same no matter where they exist and when people want these things so badly that they are willing to kill for the, they must be stopped.

The characters were well-written, if different. It was not always easy to tell the good guys from the bad guys even on a different world. Ana was the investigator. She wore a covering over her eyes most of the time so she could enhance her other senses. Din was her eyes and ears. He could remember every detail after sniffing one of his bottle and associating this situation with that smell. He could not read or write well, even here there appeared to be dyslexia, but he was smart and could think on his own. There were a plethora of other characters, some as well-delineated, some not. The plot was excellent and would be in any setting, fantasy or New York City. The book was well-written, making a very different situation understandable to a reader that is not used to thy type of book. I liked it. It shook me out of the lethargy of always reading the same authors. Thanks for a terrific book.

I was invited to read The Tainted Cup by Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #RandomHousePublishingGroupBallantine #RobertJacksonBennett #TheTaintedCup

Happy pub day to this guy! Many thanks to the publisher and author for inviting me to read this early.

If I hadn't gotten an email from the publisher's marketing offering this arc, this book probably wouldn't have even crossed my path for a while, if it did at all. There's no real guarantee that I'd have picked it up on my own but it was so good? I had so much fun reading this?

The world and systems within it were super intricate and interesting but not in a way that felt inaccessible. Obviously I did not know what any of these things were as they are creations for the story but it almost felt like I DID know. The systems were so easy to follow and understand despite how much information was being presented at any given time.

I appreciated how easy the dialogue was as well. One of the things I sometimes struggle with in fantasy or scifi is how dense the language can be and how stuffy dialogue gets. I understand the reasoning for it but it doesn't mesh well with how I like to read. So I appreciated that the manner of speaking was lighter and even more "modern" even though I can also understand how it might take readers with other preferences out of the story. I liked the banter. I thought they were funny as hell.

Some of the descriptions in this leaned much further into horror than I would have anticipated! It was GNARLY at times and that combined with the eldritch descriptions of the leviathans made for some mental images that I'm still thinking about.

Overall the characters were fun, the mystery and the world were both incredibly compelling, and I'm so pleased I got to read this.

A high-powered mashup of detective fiction in a gorgeously detailed fantasy/sci fi setting. Dinios Kol is a near destitute apprentice engraver, one who has recently been augmented to have a perfect incorruptible memory, useful in aiding investigators at crime scenes. His new fearsome boss, Ana Dolabra, is known for her eccentricities, her flouting of propriety, and her penchant for pushing the boundaries, beyond the boundaries, and getting into trouble with those at the top. She also loathes almost all social interactions and prefers to wear a blindfold to limit stimuli. Din must go out and be an extension of all her senses and report back to her. This is especially challenging for his first case, a odd and grotesque poisoning, causing an imperial captain to spontaneously sprout a impossibly fast growing tree, which shreds him from within. This is just the beginning of an oddly targeted outbreak of these deadly plant contagions, and it’s coming during wet season, which for this canton at the outpost of the empire, is when the gargantuan leviathans attempt to breach the seawalls and obliterate all traces of civilization. It is an end of days’ time, when all levels of society must work together to reinforce the barricades with no certainty of success. And any success is also pinned on the work and estates of the uber rich, who favor patronage and move in highly restrictive circles so elevated to be incomprehensible to Din. As more seemingly random residents are dying, Din and Ana begin to unwind a pattern that hints at a systemic danger as great as the leviathans. The city’s days seen numbered as are Din’s, as he strains to keep the secrets that could ruin him from Ana’s penetrating brainpower. Robert Jackson Bennett creates another fully realized world that steams with atmosphere and suspense. He peels back a complex societal diorama with inexperienced but good-hearted Din as our guide, and as the perfect foil for Ana, whose deductive leaps can be unsettlingly predatory. While Bennett never shortchanges the supporting characters, he also favors a slow building burn for the dénouement. And what a satisfying detonation it triggers. My thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey

“Oh, you’ve always got to smile a little, Din… Even during, you know, the abysmally fucking awful times.”

As the great Alfred Hitchcock once said, "One must never set up a murder. They must unfold naturally, as in life." I believe the same applies to great reads. They are not meticulously planned conquests of our "to be read" piles, but rather serendipitous discoveries. A captivating cover or an intriguing blurb sparks our curiosity, leading us to delve into its pages. This is exactly what happened to me when I decided to pick up "The Tainted Cup" by Robert Jackson Bennett.

Seeing as this was my first time reading anything by Bennett, and I selected The Tainted Cup on Netgalley based solely on the cover, I really didn't know what to expect. If I am being completely honest, I went in expecting an epic fantasy series, given my familiarity with his Foundryside series; instead, I found myself with a murder mystery that was as fun to read as it is to play a good old game of Clue, with friends.

The story hinges on two main characters with the first being Ana Dolabra, a veteran investigator known for her sharp wit and biting sarcasm that could make even the gruffest sailors blush. Combine that with her distinct quirks, and readers will quickly fall in love with her character.

“I have never liked the company of too many people, Din. I have always preferred patterns and the consumption of information to socializing. I have preferred and will always prefer staying in my residence and will avoid stimulation at all costs. This is simply who I am.”

Joining Ana is her new assistant, Dinios Kol. Din possesses a remarkable ability known as "engraving." This magical talent allows him to combine scents with memories, granting him the power to relive any experience at will.

In Bennett's world, the Empire, financial status starkly determines your living situation, mirroring our own. The closer you live to the sea walls, the poorer you are, and the higher your risk of being ravaged by leviathan attacks during the dreaded wet season.

Though the threat of leviathan attacks loomed throughout the story, it wasn't what truly captivated me. As a character-driven reader (you likely noticed from my past reviews), I was enthralled by how each character we met unfolded like an onion. Layer by layer, their true motivations and roles in the larger narrative were revealed.

Beyond the outstanding character development, Bennett unleashes a truly unique magic system inspired by the intricate wonders of botany. Whether he has a green thumb in reality or not, the way he seamlessly integrates plant life into the narrative's core was fascinating.

The Tainted Cup, a murder mystery teeming with lies, political entanglements, vendettas, and good old-fashioned greed, hooked me from start to finish. I can't wait to devour book two of the Shadow of the Leviathan Series! I'm eager to see what adventures await Ana and Din in the Empire.

In a world of giant monsters, enhanced humans, and organic contagions that wipe out entire communities; Dinos Kol is just trying to live paycheck to paycheck working for the eccentric detective Ana Dolabra. The latest unexplained death leads Kol into politics, conspiracy and a little bit of adventure - - all that while simultaneously trying to save the empire from titan sized creatures from the sea. Will Kol rise to the challenge?

This was a fun murder mystery in a well thought out fantasy setting. I feel like we only scraped the edge of the world building the author has done for this series and I am excited to see more of the empire through Kol and Dolabra’s oddly matched detective work. As each new piece of the puzzle was revealed we learned more about the players in the story. The growth of characters supported each story thread perfectly for a fantastically well woven mystery. I loved the quirks and antics of Dolabra! 5 stars.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group/Del Rey and NetGalley for sending this digital Advanced Reader’s Copy for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Robert Jackson Bennett for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Tainted Cup coming out February 6, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.
 
This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I really enjoyed the Sherlock Holmes aspect of the book. I thought Ana and Dinios were a really good duo. I did love the eccentricity of the characters. I thought the writing was really good. I usually love fantasy, but I think some of the world building went over my head. I wasn’t as invested in the characters as I wished to be I think they weren’t that many secondary characters that seemed fleshed out to me. I think the main focus was on Ana and Dinios and I would’ve liked to see a little more of other characters. I would definitely check out other books by this author.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys high fantasy books!

This book is about to become my personality, I swear. I'm a sucker for Sherlock and political intrigue, but when you add in giant sea monsters? Yes please!

Also it's absolutely phenomenal on audiobook - I felt like I was listening to a fantasy true crime podcast. I'm not sure if the effect would've been the same in text. I loved how they flipped Sherlock on its head by having it be an eccentric female instead, and adding an assistant with an analog of dyslexia. The plot bobs and weaves until we finally get the ouroborosian ending of my dreams. As is classic in an Arthur Conan Doyle book, everything is connected. And the worldbuilding?? There's so much going on between aquatic kaiju, botanical contagions, and mysterious powers that grant the bearer strange boons and flaws. I definitely need to annotate my copy to keep this world fresh for the sequel.

I cannot wait for the next one and to see where our intrepid investigators uncover next. You killed it, Robert Jackson Bennett.

*Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review and to PRH Audio for the gifted ALC*

OK so, I LOVED THIS BOOK. I loved it SO MUCH I think I might be a little incoherent in this review, but I'm going to try to tell you why it was so good and why you should read it, even though there's only the tiniest little smidgeon of a hint of romance. Let's do it:⁠
⁠
First off, we're thrown into a fantasy world with pretty minimal exposition. We see the world through the eyes of Dinios Kol, a young Assistant Investigator. Din is a "Sublime," meaning that he's been given enhanced abilities through "suffusion" and can now remember everything that will ever happen to him. This is his first "real job," and he's been assigned to work for middle-aged, eccentric Investigator Ana Dolabra. We know that Din has somehow finagled his way into his position, but we also see that he's working really well with Ana. His impostor syndrome is intense, but he doesn't let it stop him from doing a good job.⁠
⁠
This is for sure, 100%, an epic fantasy. But the relationship between Ana and Din also feels like it's been inspired by one of the most famous "investigator and assistant" duos: Sherlock and Watson. In this case, Din goes out and does the legwork. He sticks his nose everywhere it needs to go and regurgitates it for Ana. Ana spends most of her time in her quarters, blindfolded and in seclusion from sensory overload, but she's able to deduce all sorts of conclusions from his investigations. Din is an integral part of Ana's work, and their evolving relationship was wonderful to read.⁠
⁠
This book focuses on the investigation itself, which takes Ana and Din from their starting provincial canton to a slightly larger, still provincial, city, as they follow leads. There's an overarching sense of dread, too, since the city where they spend most of their time is the first defense against an existential threat. Will they discover whodunnit? Will they survive long enough that the answer matters?⁠
⁠
I was enraptured by the entire book, especially Din's earnest efforts to do the very best job he can coupled with his stoic acceptance of Ana's "guidance."

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

The Tainted Cup is a murder mystery fantasy that just hit all the right notes for me and is my favorite Robert Jackson Bennett book yet. Dinios Kol is an engraver, enhanced to have perfect memory, and a newly minted assistant investigator to Ana Dolabra, an eccentric but brilliant detective, able to analyze clues and find patterns out of them. When a prominent Imperial officer dies in a grotesque and targeted manner within the opulent estate of a prominent wealthy gentry family, they are assigned the case and uncover a vast conspiracy that may bring the Empire’s downfall. All this while set in a world where vast leviathans rise up from the sea to threaten the Empire which has adapted to a militaristic Imperialist system.

I love me a good murder mystery and I love epic fantasies, and The Tainted Cup just blended the two together perfectly. With the ever-present threat of leviathan monsters breaching the outermost of the tiered walls of the Empire, there is this constant simmering tension throughout the story that builds on a rather bleak world where our main protagonist Din only allowed himself to be enhanced and join the Imperial system for the pay in the hopes of lifting up his family into the inner walls. As much as I love me a hard magic system, I thought the book’s plant-based magic system was really interesting and Robert Jackson Bennett was really innovative in how he incorporated the plants into every aspect of his story and world, including the very method of murder (a fully grown tree bloomed out of the person’s body) in the inciting incident.

It needs to be said that this is first and foremost a murder mystery, just with a high fantasy setting. There is undoubtedly a Watson-and-Holmes dynamic with Din and Ana. We see the entire story from Din’s perspective as he observes everything for later recall then analysis by Ana. New to the job and desperate to do well, he hides a shameful secret—he is dyslexic and even his engraver modifications cannot help. That he is gay was also a pleasant surprise, but doesn’t factor in the plot. We don’t get much out of Ana yet, but see her as this brilliant but difficult to deal with figure thar Din see her as.

While Din and Ana are great characters and an excellent pair of neurodivergent leads, this is very much a plot driven narrative. It is about the mystery, and what a twisty one this is. Think Sherlock Holmes or Knives Out. Robert Jackson Bennett manages to build a really effective mystery and leaves enough clues and uncover enough layers that readers may actually be able to figure it out for themselves (I did figure some stuff out but most I did not). Comparing this to his other works, The Tainted Cup is more in line with his The Divine Cities than his The Founders Trilogy.

The Tainted Cup is a brilliant murder mystery in a high fantasy setting with a compelling lead duo of neurodivergent investigators. I am eager for more.

This was a well-crafted mystery, with a sparkly new duo hunting through the bodies and clues in a deadly fantasy world. I loved the dynamic between Ana and Din. It was strange and laugh out loud funny, while sometimes touching. The world the author built was interesting and felt complete without being overwhelming. I ended up really loving this book and will for sure pick up the next in the series when it comes out!

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for access to this arc.

This has all the makings of Watson and Holmes on a fantasy level! Robert Jackson Bennett brings us a clever multi-murder mystery combined with a detailed fantasy world and characters.

The Tainted Cup is a murder mystery set in the Empire of Khanum. Signum Dinios Kol has been called in to investigate a strange killing in which a tree has sprouted and bloomed THROUGH Commander Taqtasa Blas. But Dinios Kol is an Engraver, meaning he remembers everything he sees or hears. He deduces that this killing was no accident and this rapidly poisonous plant, called Dapleglass, is currently being weaponized through out the whole Empire. Kol is the assistant to Investigator Anagosa Dolabra, who has an incredible knack for solving murder puzzles. Together, Kol and Dolabra are determined to solve this murder case, but as they dig deeper, they are unsure who they can trust now. The murders by Dapleglass are growing in number and there are greater issues looming. The Leviathan has breached the walls of the third ring and will destroy the entire Empire if it remains alive. The clock is ticking. Can Kol and Dolabra get to the bottom of this murder before the Leviathan strikes again?

I thoroughly enjoyed the cleverness of Dolabra and Kol in their solving of these murders. Bennett left no stone unturned and covered all bases by the end of the story. In addition to his incredible world-building, there were many moving parts to this plot - so many that it was difficult for me to keep up at times. I admire the differences in characterization of Kol and Dolabra. However, often times, I felt exasperated by the character of Dolabra. She was like drinking from a firehose! Our narrator, Kol, was at the opposite end of the spectrum. He came across dull, impersonal, and reserved. Overall, this was a thought-provoking and very creative story. Many Fantasy readers will love it!

A very special thanks to NetGalley and Random House for giving me this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Having read another of his novels, this author is adept at creating worlds. There is a real sense of place, but at the same time it's not overly descriptive to the point of boredom. The plot here is interesting and gets a bit complex as the novel goes on, but things do get resolved in the end. The primary characters are interesting and far from typical. There are some really good action scenes as well.

Thank you Del Rey Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I absolutely adored THE TAINTED CUP (TTC) by Robert Jackson Bennett! THE TAINTED CUP is a showcase of Bennett’s creativity and range as a fantasy writer. TTC is much different than his Founders Trilogy in which I have only read FOUNDRYSIDE, but I found myself enamored with the way Bennett can construct vivid landscapes within a brand new world.

TTC has several story elements that will appeal to a wide range of readers. Fantasy world? Check. Murder mystery? Check. Monstrous leviathans trying to destroy the city? Check. A unique magic system? DUH. There’s even more things I could list but I don’t want to exhaust myself nor you. The heart of this story is a murder mystery so you can expect plenty of reveals and twists throughout the novel. The pacing of TTC is great and kept me engaged throughout which I feel is important for a story centering a murder and corrupt politicians.

TTC follows an eccentric investigator, Ana Dolabra and her apprentice Dinios Kol. I loved the choice RBJ made to write the story from the apprentice Din’s perspective. I think it added another layer of complexity to the story because you never know what Ana is thinking as the lead investigator of the murder. Ana and Din are reminiscent of Holmes and Watson. Their evolving relationship was always fun to read and I thought they had great (platonic) chemistry as partners.

There is a lot to love about THE TAINTED CUP and I can’t wait to see what everyone thinks when it comes out on February 6th! And I can’t wait to see where the rest of the series goes!

4.5/5 stars

Wow, what a ride! This was a mix of fantasy with contemporary language, sci-fi, and a Holmes/Watson-style whodunnit detective story…with a side of closed-door romance. It had LGBTQIA+ representation, a main character that seemed neurospicy, some really funny moments, and insane world-building. I’ve never read anything else even remotely like it!

Initially, I was a bit nervous to realize that it’s part of a series—I don’t know if my brain can handle another series where book 1 ends on a cliffhanger—but I was happy to discover that this was more like an Inspector Gamache novel by Louise Penny in that the major mystery of this book actually gets solved within this book.

This was my first Robert Jackson Bennett novel, but it won’t be my last! The Tainted Cup is out TOMORROW (Feb 6th, 2024), and I absolutely recommend picking up a copy. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

I loved this book so much! An absolutely incredible take on a Sherlock Holmes/John Watson style mystery, and I was obsessed with these characters. The pacing and plot were so well executed, and while a few of the reveals in the mystery I could see coming, it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book.

It's higher. stakes but it reminded me of Emily Wilde and Veronica Speedwell, two cozy mystery/fantasy series. I loved loved loved this one. I need the second book, like, yesterday.

Thank you to DelRey and Netgalley for the advance digital galley of The Tainted Cup! This is my honest review of an an unfinished advance copy with all my own thoughts and opinions!

*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

The Tainted Cup is a fantasy murder mystery about an Assistant Investigator who is assigned to his first death case alongside his master/mentor, the Investigator of their small town. What started as a odd murder that was quickly wrapped up, turns into something much larger than he realized it would be. With the clock counting down, Din and Ana must work quickly to solve the mysteries that continue to mount up, all before the tragedy strikes the Empire's shores.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

OVERALL: 5🌟
STORY: 5🌟
WRITING: 5🌟
CHARACTERS: 5🌟
ENJOYMENT: 5🌟

*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

STORY:
I LOVED THIS STORY! What an imaginative version of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson! Mr. Bennett had me hook, line, and sinker with this tale. From the wide, unique, and creative worldbuilding, to the variety of characters with their own quirks, eccentricities, drives, and histories, to each twist and turn that just adds to the mystery—I could not put this down. I was up till 5am finishing this book, purely because I could not go to sleep without getting to discover all the secrets and answers to the rising amount of mysteries. This was beautifully crafted and I just could not get enough.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

WRITING:
Mr. Bennett's writing is an joy to indulge in. He's got a fantastic way of immersing you in his world and holding you captive there. The placing of his plot was immaculate. This is absolutely one of those books I need to go back and re-read, but also annotate to find all the foreshadowings he peppered this tale with. Incredibly well done.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

CHARACTERS:
I love with neurodivergent characters are the heroes of a story. And this one is no different.
Minor spoiler? Our main character, Din, whose perspective the story is told from, is dyslexic and while he himself struggles with this fact, it turns into a valuable power that just made me smile. Ana, (his mentor) is on the autism spectrum, which gives her mind a sharpness and ability to see patterns that most neurotypical people just normally cannot catch. Together, these two make a sharp team that push the tale forward and keep things incredibly interesting.

I especially adored the banter and back and forth we received from Kol and Ana. Their interactions were sharply written, true to the spirit of Sherlock and Watson.

Alongside our intrepid duo, we have a host of side characters with ranges of personalities, histories, and drives. And all of them do a wonderful job of complimenting our main characters.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

ENJOYMENT:

i stayed up till 5am reading this. i posted a slightly feral I LOVE THIS BOOK reel and 2 insta stories at around 60% through my read through. safe to say... THIS BOOK IS AMAZING. I've already informed my partner that we will be getting a physical copy of this book and I'm making him read it.

If you love immersive fantasy with unique world and magic mixed with fast paced and plot twisting murder mystery, this is the book for you! I HIGHLY recommend this book. I wish I could give this one more than 5 stars dammit.