Robert Jackson Bennett is fast becoming an auto buy author for me. I was in love with the Foundryside trilogy and The Tainted Cup did not disappoint and will also be included on my shelves!

RJB is a great author to read as an introduction into the world of fantasy and sci-fi as the worlds created are easily accessible to all and the characters are thoroughly developed and engaging.

While Din is the POV we follow when discovering the complexities of the empire and its hierarchy I personally found Ana to be the star of the book. The quirkiness of her behavior and the brusqueness in which she speaks as well as her level of intelligence made her a fast favorite. She leads Din on an adventure to learn about himself while also honing the skills he will need to be her assistant.

If you are a fan of an eccentric Sherlock Holmes style mystery and also stories about finding truths in every experience you have this is the book for you! I highly recommend!!

This book was exactly what I was in the mood for. There is an interesting and unique world, a quirky cast of characters, and an intriguing mystery. To me, it just had that quality about it that makes books enjoyable to read. There were several times that I just couldn’t put the book down and felt compelled to keep reading.
I liked both Kol and Ana. Though with Kol as our central character, I do wish there was more depth from him. I wanted to learn more about his past beyond what immediately impacted the story though we see some growth as he learns to bend the rules a little bit. We get a singular mention of his family, the barest hints of a romance, lots of anxiety about his disability but that’s really all. The plot, more than the characters, carried the story.
I liked both the immediate plot of the murder mystery and the overarching threat of the leviathans approaching. I thought they were paced nicely - with the mystery unravels slowly and methodically every chapter.
Their world building was a little more “tell” than “show” at the beginning but there wasn’t overly much. I still have many questions about the world but as it’s the start to a trilogy, I wasn’t expecting all the answers straight away.
Also as an engineer myself, I really enjoyed they central role they played in the story.

One sentence to describe this book: If Sherlock Holmes and John Watson lived in a high fantasy world reminiscent of Ba Sing Se that’s constantly being attacked by giant sea monsters, except Sherlock is a chaotic middle-aged woman who doesn’t go outside. I was going to add “and Watson is a messy bisexual,” except I think this is canonically true.

The Characters:

I loved a lot of things about this book, but Ana is the reason it’s one of my favorites. She’s antisocial, she loves books, she doesn’t like most people, and she’s never afraid to speak her mind. ICON. Sometimes I had to pause reading because Ana served so hard and I just needed to take it in. She’s simultaneously the most intelligent character and the main source of comedic relief, and her dialogue made me laugh multiple times per chapter.

I know I said charcterS (plural), so I should also talk about the other main character, Din. Din is technically THE main character because the entire book is from his POV, but he and Ana are partners in (solving) crime. He’s basically Ana’s “intern,” but he does all of the investigative ground work AND has to apologize when Ana misbehaves (which is honestly half the job). As an awkward individual who is not great at connecting with people, I personally found Din to be relatable and I really enjoyed his perspective. It’s also implied in the first chapter that Din is dyslexic, which he is very nervous about (although you don’t know why at first), but it eventually becomes an integral part of the story.


The Magic System:

The magic system is science-based, which I think is really cool. Humans can be “altered” in various ways to be given special abilities (either temporary or permanent), but they often have negative side effects. Din is an Engraver, which means he can remember exact details of everything he sees and “engraves” memories in his mind. Although it’s a bit complex, everything was gradually explained very well (no big info dumps), so I was always able to understand what was happening. My favorite ~alteration creations~ are slothiks, which are giant sloths that are used for hauling large loads. They serve absolutely no purpose plotwise, so I think the author probably just loves sloths and created them for his own enjoyment, which I totally respect.


The Worldbuilding:

I think the most daunting part about starting a new high fantasy series is the worldbuilding, but once again I think the author did a great job of slowly expanding the world. Fortunately, a majority of the book is set in one area, so only a basic understanding of the rest of the world was needed. Society is laid out in “rings” like Ba Sing Se from Avatar: The Last Airbender, and this book takes place near the outer ring. The purpose of the outer rings is to stop leviathans, mountain-sized sea monsters, from breaking through and wreaking havoc across the land.
There isn’t too much focus on this so far, but I can definitely see the next book going more in-depth on the leviathans and the reason behind the layout of their society.


In summary, this hybrid high fantasy/murder mystery is a phenomenal start to a new series! It might be a tad long, but my attention never wavered for a single chapter. I’ve already preordered a physical copy and can’t wait for the next installment! And for anyone who hates cliffhangers - do not fret! There is a setup for book two, but the main plot from book one is completely closed out and there is NO cliffhanger.

This book is really interesting; it’s a mystery, with a quirky detective and smart assistant, but also a rich fantasy with a complex magic system and history. Consequently, this book was a little difficult to get into. I had a hard time grasping the fantasy elements and paying attention to the ongoing murder mystery. Once I figured out what was going on, it was a really interesting book. The mystery was well-written and blended well with the fantasy aspects. The characters were interesting. I’m interested in seeing what other books in this series will look like, especially now that I have a handle on the world-building.

This was my first time reading Robert Jackson Bennett and I must say that I think he’s a brilliant author. This was such a fun read! It was a slow paced cozy fantasy murder mystery. It does a great job of blending the mystery, thriller, and fantasy genres so seamlessly.
The world this is set in is so interesting: it’s eerie, bizarre, and terrifying. I read another reviewer say that the world reminded them of the one in Japanese manga, Attack on Titan and I couldn’t totally see that.
The writing was descriptive without being pretentious or overbearing. There were familiar twists and turns one expects to read in a mystery book and I think the author did a brilliant job with those. Also, the character dynamic between Dinois and Ana was very reminiscent of Holmes/Watson, which I didn’t mind at all. Ana in particular provided great comedic relief and had me literally laughing out loud at some points. Overall, I do recommend reading this if you are a fan of mysteries. This is the first in a series and I for one am very much looking forward to more stories and mysteries in the future!

There were many reasons this book quickly ended up on my TBR list. For one thing, I really enjoyed Bennett’s “Divine Cities” trilogy when I read it years ago (I enjoyed those books so much that I’ve toyed around with the idea of trying to sneak a re-read in here on the blog). I also somehow never got around to reading his most recent series. So I was pleased to see this book coming out as it was a way to re-acquaint myself with a favorite author without having to commit to a series with a number of pre-existing books. But, almost as important as the author, I’m pretty much always interested in reading a book that is a play on Sherlock Holmes and Watson. And this one sure sounded like a unique take! Not only do you have the classic brilliant detective/assistant character dynamic, but somehow that is then superimposed on a fantasy world that is besieged by kaiju like creatures?? What an odd mix and also count me in!

Let’s start with the world-building first! I was impressed by how fleshed out this world was, and by the careful balance the author struck between the various aspects of the story. It would have been very easy for the entire plot and world to be sucked up by the grandiose nature of the Leviathons. Obviously, gigantic creatures that besiege a continent during certain seasons are an intriguing focal point for a story. However, I was impressed by the way these gigantic threats were held largely in the shadows, serving as a looming threat which inspired more dread than anything else. Used carefully in this manner, the book was then better able to focus on the kind of society and world that would be built up under these sorts of conditions. Not only do you have the balance of constant military action needing to mingle with civilian life, but the Leviathon bring extreme contagions that affect the environment. In many ways, it was these contagions that served as the greater point of horror throughout the story. Not only is the central murder gruesome (a tree bursting out from within a living body), but as the story unfolds, we see many examples of the ways that humanity has had to work to survive in a environment and ecological system that is actively adapting to kill them off.

For all the excellent fantasy elements that went into the world-building as I described above, this book is truly a mystery story at its core. You could take almost the entire plot, adjust the manners of death and a few other small details, and plop it down in any old real-world story and it would largely work as it stands. And, again, the fact that the mystery itself is not over-shadowed by these, at times literally, larger-than-life fantasy elements is proof of the tight control that Bennett has over all of the elements that make up this book. While the fantasy stuff was, well, fantastical, as the story unfolded, my investment was largely focused on these two main characters and the increasingly complicated mystery that they were slowly working through. There were all of the good red-herrings and misdirections that one looks for in a mystery novel, as well as the satisfying payoff when all is finally revealed.

The third point of success came down to our two main characters. The story is told from the perspective of Din, our “Watson-like” character, as he works with a brilliant, but eccentric investigator, an older woman named Ana. I think Bennett did a brilliant job with these two, perfectly honing in on many of the dynamics that make the “Sherlock/Watson” duo such time-tested favorite. Din is endearing and an approachable “everyman” type character. He is at times bewildered by his strange boss and her ways, but loyal and devoted to supporting her in their investigation. I also liked the hints of his own struggles and secrets that are slowly revealed over the course of the story. We also see the strengths that he brings to this team and that, while brilliant herself, Din has unique contributions that are crucial to their success. In this instance, he has a unique skill (pulled from some of the magic systems of the world) to essentially permanently memorize everything he sees. But, even here, not everything it as it seems.

For her part, Ana is an excellent character in that she is used effectively but sparingly. The risk is always to overplay a character like this, but Bennett wisely and carefully chose his scenes and moments during which to play up Ana’s strange, but brilliant, approaches to investigation. The author also nailed the perhaps predictable, but no less appreciated, moments where Ana effectively lays out all of the pieces of the puzzle as if they were oh, so obvious. While anyone who reads a mystery novel with a detective like this at its heart knows that these sorts of scenes are coming, these moments are somehow always just as satisfying as ever. Especially when the author has been sparing with the build up, as Bennett is here.

I really enjoyed this book! I could probably go on and on praising it, but I think we all get the idea. I’ll say perhaps that the pacing, especially in the first third of the book, was a bit on the slower side. But as that time is spent laying down the building blocks of this world and who both Din and Ana are as characters, I think the slower start is earned. If you enjoy mystery novels as well as unique fantasy settings, definitely give this one a shot!

Rating 9: Genre-blending at its finest, Bennet’s brilliant take on the Sherlock/Watson character duo is only one part of many that makes this creative fantasy novel a must-read!

(Link will go live on The Library Ladies on February 23).

Title: The Tainted Cup
Author: Robert Jackson Bennett
Genre: Scifi/fantasy
Rating: 4 out of 5

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.

This was an odd read, frankly. I liked Din and Ana and how their relationship worked, but I found the worldbuilding itself to be a bit clunky. I could have used a bit of explanation about how the alterations worked, and how the culture itself worked, because that kept confusing me a lot. I enjoyed the mystery and the sheer sense of adventure in the book, and I’d like to read more, but the feeling of being thrown into a wildly different world/culture without a hint of explanation was a deterrent.

Robert Jackson Bennett is an award-winning author. The Tainted Cup is his newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Random House Publishing in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 2/3).

This review will be published on Goodreads on January 28, and the respective link will be listed below!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this e-arc. I think this will probably be one of my top reads of the year it was SO enjoyable!!

The Tainted Cup is a wonderful Holmes and Watson-esque fantasy with a captivating plot and a wonderful cast of characters. The world that this story takes place in is wonderfully fleshed out and is enjoyable to read about every step of the way. Sometime in mysteries, I find myself either completely lost or bored by how obvious the ending is; this book, however, was the perfect combination of the two, never leaving me too confused, but still not simply spelling out the answers. There was always some sort of conflict occurring or some hint present in the plot that may or may not have been clear to the reader and I ate it up. All of the discoveries led into each other perfectly and kept me glued to this book, not wanting to put it down!

The dynamic between Ana and Din was an absolute delight and was always fun to read! While Ana is this mysterious yet endearingly quirky (only to the reader and definitely not in universe!) character, Din is the complete opposite, oftentimes being teased or berated by Ana for being such a cold and seemingly emotionless guy. Their conversations were always fun to behold and I always looked forward to seeing Ana show back up! I will say that initially, the way Ana spoke was a bit jarring since she definitely loved profanities more than I was expecting, but over time I found it to be quite funny in comparison to how everyone else spoke. Besides these two characters, the cast was amazingly entertaining--even when you hated them. Every character in this book was always fun to see, especially in how they interacted with the two main characters. It is important to note, if you are looking for romance, this book has almost none, so keep that in mind.

The story is action packed right from the start and never leaves the reader bored. For readers looking an enticing mystery set in a wonderfully captivating fantasy world that just sucks you right in, I DEFINITELY DEFINITELY DEFINITELY recommend The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett. I am eagerly awaiting more books in this series!

Din’s first dead body would be hard for anyone to forget- an Imperial officer killed by a tree sprouting from inside his body is neither a pleasant nor usual sight- but for Din, it’s literally impossible. As an Engraver, Din’s brain was altered using substances derived from the very goliaths that threaten the empire he serves to be able to remember everything he sees in perfect detail- a useful skill when working as the assistant to the empire’s best (and most eccentric) investigator, the recently disgraced Ana Dolabra. Din took the augments and the job to send money to his family, but working for Ana is not a normal experience- even before the plant-based murder. He’d have enough to handle with weathering her quirks and hiding his own secrets from her sometimes terrifying powers of observation, but the Imperial officer is not an isolated incident. As the conspiracy becomes more vast (and terrifying), the giant beasts bear down on the city’s walls. Din may be able to help Ana expose corruption in the highest levels of power, but only if he survives the threats of plant-murder, regular-murder, and being squashed by a giant monster (not to mention the existential horror of never forgetting a thing).

Creative, engaging, and so much fun! I’ve been recommending it to a lot of people, generally pitching it as Holmes and Watson, but Watson is a dyslexic bisexual disaster with low self esteem and Holmes is an agoraphobic super genius who likes to lock herself in a trunk (mostly the same) and they live in something like the Roman empire but they’re under constant threat from kaiju. Loved the magic system (it leans towards SF with the augmentations but placed in a firmly fantasy setting), loved the characters, loved the mystery.

Also, great disability representation. While I don’t have the experience to comment on how Din’s dyslexia specifically was handled, I can say that the way Bennett handled neurodivergence as a concept interacting with the fantasy elements of the world was GREAT and felt surprisingly real to me. It’s a bit of a spoiler, so I won’t get into details, but something I thought was some allegorical representation of some issues more close to home for me turned out to be literal in the last few chapters and I almost cried. It’s representation that’s neither just slapped on nor patronizing and that’s unfortunately hard to find. It ruled.

Anyway, I’m recommending this book to a lot of people. It’s very early in the year and I still think this will be hard to knock from my top five reads come this December.

Thank you, NetGalley and Del Ray Publishing for this ARC
Rating: 5 Stars

Robert Jackson Bennett masterfully combines mystery, fantasy, and suspense in The Tainted Cup. From start to finish, this novel hooked me, and I couldn't put it down. If you love Sherlock Holmes or Agatha Christie-style detective novels then you'll be obsessed! This was my first book by RJB and was not at all disappointed. Such a great introductory author into the fantasy genre with very accessible writing and incredible worldbuilding. We follow our two main protagonists, Ana who is the main investigator, and her assistant Din, to discover who murdered a high imperial officer. This unique world does have magic but it's very subtle where people are magically enhanced to have heightened abilities. For example, Din is an engraver so he has a perfect memory. When Din arrives at the scene of the crime he realizes the man was killed most peculiarly, by a tree growing from his chest. Not only are they trying to unravel the secrets of a plot against the Empire but Din is also trying to figure out the mystery that is Ana Dolabra herself. Overall an incredible book with a hilarious Holmes and Watson style duo that you'll fall in love with. I also love how there is a slight cliffhanger at the end leaving it open for more books yet this one stands well on its own. Can't wait for the next book!

Utterly brilliant...a Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson-esque mystery set to the backdrop of a whole new world where hulking, giant, formless beasts wreak havoc on the peoples of an Empire.

Bennett brings a story full of imaginative world-building; where humans are augmented to fulfill specific needs. Our main character, Din, is one of those... he can remember EVERYTHING. It's this talent as a "Sublim" that he is assigned to the mad genius talent of Ana Dolabra, an empirical investigator. Through her eccentricities and Din as her eyes, Ana and her new assistant embark on a murder mystery that shakes the very foundation of the Empire and the power struggles within.

Bennett creates a world through his descriptive imagining, with colorful language and quick wit. The case is an onion, layers are peeled back one at a time. Both gruesome and highly complex, you'll be amazed as Ana draws her conclusions, Din finds that while he "sees" he's constantly one step behind. Joined by a cast of intriguing characters, this is one you don't want to miss. This is just book one! Give me more!

Bennett skillfully constructs a vivid world through his imaginative and descriptive prose, employing colorful language and clever wit. It is simultaneously gruesome and intricately complex. The case unfolds like an onion, revealing its layers gradually. As Ana deduces her findings, Din discovers that although he is the 'eyes' for Ana, he remains consistently one step behind. The narrative is enriched by a captivating ensemble of characters, making it a must-read. An excellent first book to a series!

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey and Robert Jackson Bennett for an advanced e-copy of this book. Check it out on February 6th!

Such an interesting mix between a murder mystery and a fantasy novel!!

This book takes place in “the empire” which is under constant attack by Leviathans during the wet season. Our story picks up when our main character, a genetically modified human being who can remember everything he sees/hears/etc., investigates a military officer’s suspicious death. Our main character isn’t an investigator himself, merely an assistant. so he is EXTRA shocked when he finds that the officer was killed by a tree growing out of his stomach!!!


Our investigator and her assistant must go to the front lines of the empire to investigate the corruption and murders- all while under threat from a leviathan attack at any second.

I was so intrigued by the world building just as much as the murder mystery. I cannot wait to figure out what happens next!

A totally original fantasy/mystery set in the world of the Empire where a person's attributes and skills can be enhanced using plants. But plants can also kill in this world and the story opens with an apprentice investigator named Dinios Kol arriving at the scene of a horrific murder at the home of a wealthy landowner, Kaygi Haza. The murder victim is Commander Taqtasa Blas of the Engineers who had spent the night in the villa and seems to have been poisoned.

Dinios is 'an officer for the Index, the imperial administration responsible for managing the high courts and delivering justice throughout the Empire.' He works for Immunis Anagosa Dolabra, currently the Iudex Investgator of the Daretana Canton. Ana rarely leaves her home and keeps herself blindfolded to avoid too much stimulation. But Din is an 'engraver,' meaning he has been enhanced to be able to remember everything he sees and is told, so he can come back to Ana and describe the scene of the murder in detail and repeat the testimony of witnesses.

It is later learned that 10 other Engineers have been similarly poisoned in neighboring Talagray. Their deaths have weakened the Empire's defense system built to keep the Leviathans in the sea from coming ashore and attacking the cities and their citizens. Ana and Din are called in to investigate these deaths as well. There they find lies, greed and intrigue and perhaps more than one killer at work.

Jackson has built quite a unique world where danger lurks around every corner which makes for a riveting mystery. The author mentions in his acknowledgments that his reading of Nero Wolfe mysteries inspired so much of Ana, but he 'eventually decided she was more like Hannibal Lecter than Wolfe.' LOL

I was invited to read an arc of this novel by the author and publisher via Net Galley. Many thanks to them for the opportunity. I will definitely look forward to reading more in this series. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

A new world, plots unveiled, a TREAT!

Wow! A mysterious fantasy that just became more complex and intriguing the further I read.
Anna Dolabra, an eccentric imperial investigator is assigned to uncover the truth behind the death of an imperial engineer by contagion of a tree. (Truly horrible and bizarre, as are many things in this fantastical, almost mythological world).
We see most of the action through Anna’s newly genetically altered assistant, Dinios Kol. Kol is unsure of his actions, and only slightly bewildered by his superior’s ways such as seeing the crime scene through Kol’s reports, whilst constantly wearing a blindfold.
All this in an Empire sporting improbably altered beings, holding at bay leviathans whose blood infects, and contagions that have had whole regions and their peoples destroyed, the country side razed and closed off.
Off course there’s plots within plots but who is behind the contagions that are so selective? Most importantly what are they hiding?
I loved this tale combining two of my favorite genres, mystery and fantasy.

A Penguin Random House ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

This was such a fun read from the beginning, but after I hit the 50% mark, I was staying up at night and saying, "Just one more chapter." The reveals, the characters, the abilities, the world, everything was so interesting, and I can't wait to find out more. My only criticism really is that I wanted more world buidling but since this is the first in a series, I'm sure we'll get that in the next one.

I heard about this book somewhat randomly, and I'm incredibly grateful I did, because this is everything I LOVE. I love a good mystery that plays fair with the audience, I love an interesting sci-fantasy with some complex worldbuilding that is somehow not overwhelming, I love competent characters who get stuff done... this was everything I could have hoped for. I picked it up because I saw it described as a Holmes-Watson dynamic merged with an Attack on Titan kind of world... I don't know Attack on Titan, so I can't comment on that, but I would argue this is more Nero Wolfe meets Pacific Rim (sans mechs), and it was delightful.

This was a really fun read, with a lot of different bits of mystery woven in, but the author played fair - I was able to solve each bit of the mystery, but not so early that I was bored or frustrated. I was intrigued by how it all came together, and how the different aspects intersected. I also liked at how the mystery hinted at more of the world that we didn't get to see in this book (but which feels like we'll definitely see in the rest of the series, based on the ending). I think any mystery well-done is impressive in and of itself, but to have a mystery in a sci-fantasy setting, where you have to teach the reader everything about the world while also making a mystery make sense? That's amazingly impressive. I think the author did a phenomenal job.

Ana is an interesting main investigator, but I knew that I would love her. I have a weakness for eccentric genius detectives. I appreciated that she was clearly a powerful character who could command a scene, and when she was the focus of the book, she was a character I couldn't take my eyes off of. But the real surprise for me was Din. Oftentimes, when you read a mystery with an eccentric genius detective, their "sidekick" is... let's say underwritten, rather than uninteresting, as John Watson from the Sherlock Holmes stories remains a favourite of all time. But they aren't the focus, just the POV, and so they just don't have as much as an impact. But Din was an AMAZING character. I loved him so much. He was capable and competent and cunning and clever, and absolutely fascinating in his own right. And the author KNEW that (they sometimes don't!), so we didn't just get the Ana show all the time, but instead got a truly balanced book between two really interesting characters and an interesting mystery and an interesting world. Further, the secondary characters are fleshed out as well, and I really liked several of them and hope we'll see them again.

I am intrigued by the themes of this book, with its focus on civil servants and what keeps an empire running. It's not a theme I've ever really seen before, especially in a fantasy book (though it sometimes comes up in sci-fi, and I really would classify this more as sci-fantasy than one or the other). I'm desperately curious to meet some more of the power brokers in future books to see how those themes are either explored or shift.

I'm really looking forward to the second book, because I think we'll get to see and understand more of the world and learn some more about the mysteries that are remaining. I'm very impressed by this book, and will absolutely be picking up a finished copy when it comes out. Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC; all opinions are my own.

As a person who is a newbie to this particular brand of sci-fi+fantasy, I cannot emphasize enough how excited I was when the publisher reached out to me. This book immediately set up a Knives Out-esque narrative style, then hit heavy with the Sherlock and Watson dynamic between Dinios and Ana. While the pacing dig snag a bit at times, it always recovered quickly and the plot progression more than made up for any slow moments. I also have to say how much love I have for the disability representation!

One thing I want to particularly highlight is how grateful I was for a map being provided!

This was my first RJB title and I’m hopeful to get my hands on more.

Thank you to Netgalley, Del Rey books, Random House and Kathleen for this early edition.

This was a good one. I greatly enjoyed the Sherlock/Watson dynamic we get with our two main characters: Ana (Sherlock) and Din (Watson). The world created has a pretty strait mannered society that minds social structures and expectations fairly wholly. Ana is our neurodivergent exception. She’s brash, insensitive, quirky, foul mouthed, and doesn’t give a shit about etiquette. I like her. Din is gets the most character development. He starts as an apprentice who is timid, unsure and green in most every way. (Gotta read the book so see how he does.) I enjoyed him as well. The mystery they work together on is elaborate and evolves nicely. It for sure has the classic Sherlock info dump to wrap it up. I think enough clues are dropped to keep the reader on track but nicely veers enough that some aspects aren’t easy to link.

We get a fantasy world where the entire society is set up to withstand massive titan creatures that come ashore and obliterate anything in its path. Descriptions of these titans are vague as: 1. Most people don’t see them alive. 2. Their features vary from one to another. 3. I think the knowledge of them will evolve throughout the series and details are intentionally withheld. I picture them as a massive alligator/blob-fish mashup. I’m excited to see how the perspectives of titans evolves (if I’m right 😉).

One of my silly pleasures from reading fantasy books are all of the unique ways to swear that they have. “Titan’s taint” was a particular favorite of mine from this story. 10 points for creativity!

4.5 ⭐️
eARC - thank you netgalley and Random House

Wow, this was an unexpected treat! I was very excited to be offered The Tainted Cup by the publisher – my first of many, I hope. Usually, I am solicited by the authors themselves, which is equally fantastic. The Tainted Cup is outside of my usual historical mystery/romance genres, and in the related fantastical mystery (mysterious fantasy?) genre. This made me skeptical, at first, as I am not a big fantasy person. I have very little bandwidth for invented worlds as I couldn’t even begin to conceptualize one. However, I couldn’t have been more wrong. I found the world-building well-done, plot excellent, and characters endearing. I give this novel four stars – I felt five would have been a little unfair as this is the only mysterious fantasy that I’ve read and have little to compare it to.

In Daretana, the backwaters of the empire, a high-ranking official is found dead with a plant sprouted from his chest. Asked to investigate are Ana Dolabra, banished to the region for unknown reasons, and Dinios Kol, her apprentice – who, up to this point, has only investigated fraudulent tax documents. After they tidy up the investigation as much as they can and send off their report to the governing body, they’re surprised to find the government on their doorstep. As Ana and Din get drawn deeper into the investigation and its many ramifications, they realize they’ll have to tread incredibly carefully to find the culprit and come away with their lives.

Disclaimer: I have a hard time with fantasy as a genre because my imagination is very limited – I can accept fictional characters in real settings, but that’s the biggest stretch I can reach, usually. My father read the Lord of the Rings series to me when I was little (it is a foundational part of my childhood) and I thought that the Balrog (big, fiery demon) was a ball on a string (ball). So, that tells you what you need to know about my imagination, I think. It is why I 100% struggle with fantasy books. I just can’t conceptualize.

Disclaimer 2: I will be using some words in this review that will only make sense in the context of this book.

As I said in my first paragraph, I was not looking forward to reading this book but thought I’d give it a go because the mystery sounded good and it was a solicited review. As I’ve also stated, I was incredibly wrong. I probably conceptualized and pictured 40% of Bennett’s intended world but boy, was it a good one. I was very engaged in the strange plants, creatures, gifts, etc. The characters were well done and I was impressed with how their gifts shaped all of their personalities and purposes.

Din is an engraver, which means he remembers everything. He’s a valuable tool for an investigator and discovers along the way that he’s not so bad at interpreting information, himself. He’s as honest as the day is long and has a great sense of integrity and honor. This makes it a little difficult for him to function in the workings of the Empire as, like most governments, corruption is rampant. Ana is an excellent counterbalance for him, as her world is almost a completely grey area, she has no issues bending the truth, and gives very few explanations. Together, Din and Ana make an unusual but very effective team.

Din and Ana make their way through a multilayered and convoluted plot. There were some well-done red herrings, quite a few surprises, and nice reveals. There is an element of added danger, too, as a leviathan may be about to breach the sea wall. So, aside from the internal turmoil of the case and the threats posed within that, there’s also the greater threat to Ana and Din’s entire world. It’s quite enthralling!

The case itself takes us from the backwoods of the provinces to the world of the gentry. It introduces a variety of characters, all moderately suspicious, and world-builds very thoroughly for a book that’s only 400 pages. I so enjoyed the world-building; Bennett is a wonderful writer in that he can convey a lot without having to write very much. I see books where the world is described separately from the events taking place within it, which can get tedious. Bennett weaves his descriptions among the dialogue and action, which produces an eloquent and engaging novel.

All in all, there was a lot that was appealing about this novel. My only question is why, in this world, are they still using carriages, horses, and swords? It’s probably more of an evolutionary question that Bennett can answer, but the modifications in this world made me wonder why there aren’t more efficient transportation methods or personal weaponry. It’s just a query and something I felt was a juxtaposition. Regardless, I really liked The Tainted Cup and would have read the second one immediately if it was available. If you’re up for a mystery whether you like fantasy or not, give this a try!

I certainly gobbled up this book! It is reminiscent of a Sherlock and Watson murder mystery with a original twist that keeps it fresh and the characters so interesting! Din is an engraver with a unique ability. He pairs well with the super genius that is Ana and it is nicely twisty how the murders are solved. This is also a very interesting and scary world that they live in. Those leviathans give me the creeps, especially thinking on the sizes they are. The way the people upgrade themselves with the grafts and augments are cool too. I really want to read more about this world! And of course Ana and Din. There is so much more to discover and I can’t wait!

I really do enjoy entering the worlds that this author creates!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an advance copy of this book to read and review.