A brilliant murder mystery that takes place in a world with plant based contagions and huge sea monsters. There’s an eccentric investigator, Ana, who is smart and sarcastically funny. Ana stays in her cottage, while her assistant, Din, does the ground work. He finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation that has so many harrowing twists and shocking revelations that you will be entertained and intrigued from the very beginning. The interactions between Ana and Din are quite amusing and witty.The descriptions of this frightening world and magical systems are intricate and mind blowing.If you love fantasy and mystery, this is a wonderfully strange and original story.
Thank you Del Rey and Netgalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

This was a Read Now book on Net Galley. The synopsis intrigued me, a murder mystery wrapped in a fantasy world. I did find it hard going at first. It took awhile to understand this very unique world. Once I understood it better and the story started to take off, I enjoyed the story. This is the first in a new series for this author. While I ended up enjoying the book, I don’t feel that interested in continuing the series. I do feel that, for the right reader, this will be a great series.

The Tainted Cup is a very fun and engaging who-dun-it set in a new and unique fantasy world, and I can't wait to read the next one! I found myself pulled into the investigation on all sides, and really trying to pinpoint clues in the scenes Din is investigating that he's not even aware of. I loved Ana, she really kept me on my toes and I loved seeing her put all the clues together. Every time she would come out with the explanations of what she had figured out, I was like WHAT? I was constantly surprised and had no idea what was coming next.
The world this takes place in is pretty amazing and complex, I'm really excited to learn more about the Leviathan and see what kind of thing Din and Ana are going to be in the middle of next.
This is the first book I've read by this author, and I'm really excited to dive into his backlist while waiting for the next book in this series.

It's been a minute since I've really indulged in fantasy stories, but by fair my favorite sub-genre is hard fantasy. If the book has complex political intrigue and (ideally) a good dose of economic speculation, I will munch it right up. And perhaps my favorite author in this space is Robert Jackson Bennett. I've been a huge fan since I first read The Divine Cities trilogy and have loved everything he's written since. It helps that many hard fantasy novels have that same puzzle element that I love in my mystery stories...

...And so when I found out that Bennett had written a murder mystery, I could not wait to get my hands on it. And one set in a fantasy world - blending some of my favorite genres! (I am so, so grateful for the gift copy from NetGalley and Del Rey Books!) The Tainted Cup follows Din, an assistant investigator, as he helps his boss Ana investigate a suspicious murder. Din is an Engraver, who's been physically altered to perfectly memorize his surroundings with a scent trigger. He's the perfect assistant to the reclusive Ana, who rarely leaves her house. As Ana and Din investigate, they realize that the single murder may have deeper roots than they expected. Specifically, the murder may implicate the safety of the entire Empire from the giant sea beasts that attack it annually.

One reading binge later, and here we are: how well can Bennett go from political fantasy to murder mystery?

Genre-blending with the best

It can be tough to evaluate genre-blending books. Do you evaluate them on the merits of the stronger genre? Of both genres? What makes a fantasy mystery tick?

I'm happy to report that The Tainted Cup eliminates that dilemma by excelling at both its genres. Bennett establishes an intriguing fantasy world and delivers on the political intrigue while also writing a satisfying mystery. On the hard fantasy front, Bennett effectively establishes a world and an Empire set up to optimize for protection from these massive sea creatures. His society centers around factions of government officials: Engineers who build the walls, Legionnaires who fight the beasts, Apoths who manage science and alterations, and the Iudex, who govern and investigate. And on the mystery front, Bennett avoids (IMO) the most common trap for these types of stories - relying on a fantastical insight to solve the story. Instead, the puzzle feels perfectly fair-play, and based on human motives (though the fantasy bits help too!)

If there's one element that could have been expanded a bit, it's the characters. Ana and Din must explore a vast conspiracy, and there's little room for truly spending time with the suspects or the victims. This is very much a plot-driven adventure, following our protagonists as they bounce from clue to clue. In my perfect world, we would have spent a little more time with each of our protagonists, learning about each of them as personalities. This is more Sherlock and Watson than Marple and Dolly, if you take my meaning. But Sherlock and Watson are wonderful to read, and so is this pair - I'd certainly enjoy reading more of them.

Leviathans that spur progress

It wouldn't be a Robert Jackson Bennett story without a creative fantasy world, and we've got another intriguing one. This story centers on an Empire built to face Leviathans, giant sea creatures that surface annually and wreck everything they hit. (It's not clear they intend to do this, they're just massive.) The Leviathans shape the Empire, both literally and figuratively - given enough time, their bodies become giant landmasses. And responding to them effectively requires massive levels of coordination and bureaucracy - thus was the Empire born.

The other major fantasy element of this world is the physical alterations that characters can use to enhance their abilities. Our protagonist, Din, is an Engraver - he can perfectly inscribe memories. Other alterations include night vision, super-strength, and physical immunity to parasites. In Bennett's world, these are tools of the trade rather than magical gifts. Their mundanity allows them to blend into the background, sometimes adding a level of intrigue to the puzzle-solving and suspense to the action. The world and the powers feel lived-in, rational, almost like science. And yet, because they require a choice, these skills allow Bennett to explore questions of identity and self-actualization.

Bennett's bureaucrats

I would have been impressed enough if that were all Bennett had delivered... But he takes the hard fantasy a step further to interrogate questions of government efficacy. Because Din and Ana work for the government, they get a view into its inner workings. As the story progresses, they experience multiple levels of government bureaucracy, from efficient dictatorial responses to frustrating red tape. Bennett makes sure to highlight both the good and the bad, describing the trade-offs inherent in a large government like the Empire. And he interrogates both the role of individual actors and the system that surrounds them. To my delight, The Tainted Cup has no easy answers to the challenges of governing.

To be clear, this is not an overweight, expository screed on the challenges of government. Bennett shows, as his characters balance the immediate challenges of their investigation with the broader challenges of ruling in a time of national crisis. Unlike in prior novels, the characters in The Tainted Cup really are bureaucrats - there are brief bursts of action but the main focus is on the investigation and the challenges of governance. It somehow gives me "Tamora Pierce, but with more politics" vibes - which I, personally, love.

Reader’s notes and rating (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Oh man, I loved loved loved The Tainted Cup. And I wish I could say everyone would as well, but that's probably not true. If you're not into hard fantasy that explores government and political machinations, I might give this one a pass. But if that kind of complexity and layering appeals to you, there's no better author than Bennett. Four stars.

Read this if...

You know and love Robert Jackson Bennett

The idea of a well-executed hard fantasy crime procedural sounds exciting

You enjoy hard fantasy and wish it focused more on the good governing stuff

Skip this if...

Government / political complexity in fantasy bores you

You're hoping for something more in the action line

You're not thrilled about mixing magic and mystery

The Tainted Cup will be published on February 6, 2024.

I thoroughly enjoyed this fantasy crime novel mash-up. The author is one of the best, most imaginative world builders in fantasy today. Combine that with the quirky, funny, interesting and complex characters he created to put in The Empire, along with the "whodunit" story and you have The Tainted Cup. An excellent, fast and fun read. Definitely will read other stories set in this world.

This was a very unique book for me. I haven't read the Sherlock Holmes series of books (but have watched shows and movies), so was intrigued by the description. I can definitely see similarities in this from what I know of the detective. I loved the combination of Ana and Din in this story and would love to read more about their further cases and adventures.

The world in this was very unique and unfamiliar. It took me quite a while to feel like I was understanding it and what was going on in it. Even after reading the whole book, I'm not sure I fully understand the classifications and rankings - I was happy there was a reference at the beginning of the book to help with this. This is a minor argument though - it really only mattered when I was trying to figure out who was whose boss; and again, I'd be very interested to read and learn more about what is going on in this kingdom.

Overall, an enjoyable read that was somewhat out of my comfort zone - which I definitely appreciated. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this.

4.5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group, and Del Rey for this advanced copy! You can pick up The Tainted Cup on February 6, 2024.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book! The blend of fantasy and murder mystery really captured me, though. And, of course, the characters really popped off the page.

Din was a fascinating narrator, and his mentor/mentee relationship with Ana was brilliant. Plus, we love seeing queer rep in adult fantasy! I really enjoyed how we saw this world through his eyes, and how Robert Jackson Bennett used Din's Watson-esque persona to relate the mystery to the reader (keeping up with Ana/Sherlock would've been impossible otherwise).

And the mystery was super satisfying! Nothing felt out of left field, and while I predicted some twists, I was pleasantly wrong about others. The fantasy aspect only enhanced the story, from Din's engraving skills to the Apoths' plant manipulations to the presence of the leviathans.

While I wouldn't call this a cozy fantasy, it had an element of patience while we unraveled the mystery that felt cozy. The story was interspersed with some action, but the rest was mostly character interactions as they tried to find the murderer!

I'd recommend you pick this up when you're in the mood for something less quest-driven but still fantastical, with a plant-driven world and magically altered humans.

Actual rating: 3.25/5

I was initially drawn in by the synopsis, as I love both Sherlockian type mysteries and the epic fantasy genre. However, I think I was disappointed perhaps less by the synopsis and more by my own expectations.

But first I will address the positives:

The two main characters, Ana and Din were fun to follow, and I loved their dynamic whenever they were "on screen" together. As the synopsis indicates, they are very reflective of Holmes and Watson and emulate their relationship closely with Ana being secretive regarding her background and the nature of the mystery while Din attempts to gather data with his more relatable perspective.

The fantasy elements are actually very unusual, and this was one of the most surprising things going into the book. There are two major elements to this setting: first, that there are titans or leviathans that periodically attack the Empire, so the inhabitants created rings to secure themselves. It put me very much in the mind of Attack on Titan, but unlike Attack on Titan, things appear to be less dire. Secondly, there are augmentations that people can apply to themselves that allow for magically enhanced abilities (i.e. heightened memory, reflexes, etc).

However, as I'd mentioned previously, I was somewhat let down by the story. I think this is partially my own fault as I'd expected the story to segue into a more epic story and was a little frustrated to see that it firmly remained a murder mystery from beginning to end more or less.

More specific things that I didn't altogether care much for is:

The murder mystery and fantasy combination. I was enticed initially by the concept but I later on realized this made following the mystery less fun than I'd expected. Murder mysteries are enjoyable because not only are you finding out about interesting, sinister plots, but also because you can try to solve it yourself. Unfortunately, I found this more complicated when I wasn't sure what the limitations were, given the fantastical setting we're in. And when things were revealed, I was more or less indifferent to them.

The culprits are somewhat easy to identify. I could not necessarily hope to understand the intricacies of the plot by myself, but the villains seemed obvious.

This altogether made the book a little more on the dry side of things, but I think if you do not extend your expectations beyond what the synopsis indicates, you will probably enjoy this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this book!

Coming in as a huge Founders trilogy fan, this was extremely different, but has me excited to see what comes next. My favorite parts were absolutely the worldbuilding, how the world came to life through specifics of the murders - I adore RJB's worldbuilding in general, but here it felt so comfortable and matter-of-fact that this was how the world worked. My main issues were just that I personally am not one for mysteries, but the interpersonal relationships brought me in anyway - one particular conversation between Din and Ana towards the end, during the falling action, cemented the heart of this book, making it less about the crime and more about how they as people interact with the world around them. Will love to see how this world develops in the future!

It's been a long time since I've honestly not been able to put down a book. This one was so fascinating, I stayed completely enthralled through every page. In a land where the blood of leviathans can cause changes at a molecular level causing contagion as well as new possible attributes, a man is killed by a tree sprouting full size out of him, and it takes a while just to determine it is murder and not contagion. Anna Dolabra is a justice investigator so receptive to detail that she wears a blindfold to stop sensory overload, so she can THINK. And it is Dinios Kol, her Sublime assistant who has had augmentation to his brain making him an Etcher, one with photographic memory, that brings the pertinent details to her, as much as she wants and always available. It is Din who goes to the death scene to etch it, and interviews witnesses and relevant people, their every twitch burned into his brain.
The characters of Anna and Din are extraordinary and fascinating. Anna is likened to Sherlock Holmes, and there are parallels, but Anna seems far more dynamic, and really ENJOYS her work. Like Holmes, she is way ahead of everyone else, but the clues are all there. Din is no Dr. Watson; he is far more intelligent, and there is no bumbling in his character. The way he handles some of his interviews is masterful, and Anna appreciates him and his skills. The world building is also original and well-drawn. And the Leviathan as the instigators of both horrendous destruction and at the same time, seemingly unlimited creation, is an intriguing element. So much and all good. Highly highly recommended.

Sherlock Holmes, meets Knives out, meets...Attack on Titan?

A young man with the sniff of a vial can engrave whatever he sees and hears into his memory, but he has a secret that he fears will be exposed and cost him everything. He works for an eccentric detective who is easily overstimulated and wears a blindfold...which leads to some hilarious moments. Meanwhile, they have entered the wet season and the Leviathans (huge creatures that come ashore and are harvested for magical materials) are attacking the wall. Now a murder has occured but not just any murder, a tree that has sprouted from inside a man.... This sets the stage for a tale of murder, mystery, corruption, and the never ending fight for power.

The only flaw I saw in the book was that I wish we would have learned more about the characters. Though, though this may have been a plot choice, to keep the element of mystique around them. The world that RJB created was fascinating and I hope that this is just the first in a series of adventures.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House/Del Ray for the ARC

It’s a fantasy detective novel! A Holmes and Watson-type duo are charged with solving a murder, but it quickly grows into much more than that- and not just because the victim had a tree growing out of him. (I did say it was a fantasy detective novel.) The most powerful family in the empire may be involved, and the sea walls that hold back ocean leviathans could be in danger, risking the lives of thousands.

Some people in this empire are altered for enhanced abilities, and the straight-laced assistant has the ability to remember everything. The detective is eccentric and wears a blindfold most of the time. It’s an interesting story, full of intrigue and secrets, that kept me reading and entertained. I really enjoyed this fun read. I liked the author’s other books that I’ve read, so this continues the trend. It comes to a satisfactory conclusion with no cliffhanger, but since it’s book one, I’m looking forward to more adventures with this duo! It comes out February 6. Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for the eARC.

I read the Foundryside series and really enjoyed it, so this was one of my most anticipated reads for 2024. Sadly, it didn’t work for me. I couldn’t get into the pacing and found the first half of this rather dull. Which is saying something since this is supposed to be a gripping murder mystery. I almost DNF’ed it a few times, but kept pushing through, hoping it would get better. While I did eventually get hooked into the mystery and I thought the world Bennett created was cool, I never felt connected to any of the characters. I’m definitely in the minority of reviewers for this one, and I do still think fans of Bennett’s will eat it up, it just didn’t fully work for me.

What a fantastic book this was. I don’t even want to divulge any details and allow readers to simply immerse themselves in this fantastical world that is equal parts Sherlock Holmes and Knives Out mixed with the perfect amount of fantasy elements. A perfect read for those wanting to slowly get into the fantasy genre. I couldn’t put this one down.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I don’t really read much fantasy anymore, I find it takes me a while to get into bc of the world building and whatnot. When I first started this, I had regrets about requesting it bc I was worried I wouldn’t be able to get into it. It did take me a little while, and it kind of slowed me down, but once I got further along, I found myself looking forward to picking it back up again. I can’t even say why. Most of it seemed like the set up to a bigger story but a lot of the main plot seemed to be resolved. Though I do have some thoughts about where it’s going to go.

Admittedly, the narrator is a bit.. I don’t want to say dull.. but he doesn’t have a lot of obvious personality. But that seems to be intentional and for some reason I liked him for it. For Ana, I felt picturing Sisu in human form from Raya and the Last Dragon. Am I alone in that?

As a mystery person, I enjoyed that aspect of the story and that’s what made me request it in the first place.

Considering I don’t read much fantasy and usually get remorseful when I decide to tackle one, I’m glad I picked this up and I’ll probably request the next one.

Gorgeously unique fantasy mystery with the most amazingly disaster bi of a protag and a wise detective figure. Thanks for the arc!

When an imperial officer spontaneously sprouts a tree from his body, assistant investigator Dinios Kol is called upon the strange scene. However, as similar deaths start cropping up and engineers begin dying, Dinios fears a larger conspiracy may be afoot.

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett weaves an intriguing Sherlockian fantasy murder mystery with a fascinating world for readers to sink into.

In the Empire of Khanum, plants are engineered into light sources and people magically alter themselves with grafts or infusions. For instance, our MC is an “engraver” who can store his memories in vials so he can perfectly recall them later.

I may be biased, but I really loved the cosmic horror undercurrent playing out in the background as well. Every wet season, tides rise and colossal leviathans (sometimes referred to as titans) emerge from the sea and it takes three layers of fortified walls to hold them back. I couldn’t help but think of Attack on Titan here and I’m curious to see how this subplot develops as the series progresses.

Unfortunately, I think the weakest part of the book for me had to be investigator Ana Dolabra. She felt more like a caricature of Steven Moffat’s Sherlock and her anachronistic dialogue sticks out like a sore thumb compared to other characters' antiquated manner of speaking. For instance, she uses profanity like "goddamn" in a world with multiple gods instead of something like "godsforsaken.”

The saving grace here though is that we spend more time with her assistant, Dinios, who I find the more fleshed out of the two. I’m hoping that Ana will get more nuance and backstory in the upcoming books.

Overall, The Tainted Cup delivers a fun and unique genre-bending murder mystery that’s filled with twists and political intrigue.

Thank you, Netgalley and Del Ray, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I got a review copy of The Tainted Cup in exchange for an honest review. A fantasy murder mystery was all I needed to read to get me excited about this book. Din is an augmented apprentice, who is designed to remember everything, and an investigator, Ana, in the Empire get roped into a string of murders and are in a race to solve them before a leviathan breaches the sea walls.

I really, really enjoyed this book and will be reading the rest of the series when they come out. I was nervous at the beginning as it felt a little slow and I was not connecting with the characters immediately, but it all connected a few chapters in once I met Ana and their investigation really got underway. I am obsessed with Ana and could not get enough of her character. Din is very likeable and I loved trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together. I have no idea how RJB kept all the facts straight; it was so impressive. I highly recommend this book.

Author Robert Jackson Bennett has proven many times before that he is exquisite at building fantasy worlds. The Tainted Cup proves no different. Set in a society that designs plants for protection and civil duties, the Tainted Cup quickly grasps the reader's attention in a fantastical murder mystery.

Like his other works RJB, proudly displays representation of neurodivergence and disabilities. Din, the main character, has a form of dyslexia, he can read words but it’s very difficult for him and he can’t use his ability unless he modifies how he reads.

I'm looking forward to the next book!

Thank you to Random House - Ballantine and NetGalley for this eARC!

I readily admit that I had never heard of Robert Jackson Bennet and began reading with no expectations. I was offered an ARC of the book and somehow thought it might be about Ancient Rome. Well, I was in for quite the surprise to find this is a fantasy murder mystery, and the first in a series.
In a world where plants are the basis for everything, and Leviathans are the monsters who attack, the people of the world live in a kingdom ruled by an Emperor and "the Gentry"
The world is corrupt, and people live with enhancements that come from graphs that are made with Leviathan blood and flesh.
There is a murder of a highly ranked officer. He has been murdered in the house of a very important Gentry family. He has been murdered by a poisonous plant.
There is a huge cast of characters ,but our main characters and the 2, who I believe we will follow through the series are an investigator, a woman who rarely leaves her room and stays blindfolded so she can think without being stimulated by sights, and her apprentice. He has been enhanced to remember everything he sees and hears, and can repeat it all back to her. They are both fabulous characters who bring intelligence and humor to all that happens.
We slowly learn about the world, the government, and all that happens as more murders occur, and we watch our characters solve them.
There are many twists and turns, and many surprises. I will be watching for the next one.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the EARC. This is truly a book I would have never found on my own and I enjoyed it so much.
But don't just take my opinion, read this book!!