**I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review**

This book… *chef’s kiss*…this book is amazing. It is a Sherlock Holmes style mystery set in a fantastical world that is quite creepy if you ask me! There are twists and turns, betrayal, corruption, political intrigue, MURDER, and so much more!

This book is written in the first person POV following Din, our main character and his Sherlock Holmes boss Ana. A string of murders brings them to a corrupt city on the outer rim of the kingdom where a wall is all that stands between the realm and certain catastrophe. The world is one of dangerous creatures, corrupt governments and contagions that give me the heebie jeebies and remind me of brain eating parasites!

The writing is phenomenal, it was wonderful to see a book with such extensive and unique vocabulary use. This first book could be read as a stand alone, there is no tragic cliff hanger at the end, but I am still beyond excited for the next book in this series!

If you want a grand mystery with wildly interesting characters, a uniquely dark and creepy world, and a plot that will wrap you around its finger….this is your book!

My thanks to Net Galley Random House and Ballantine for this arc to review, but I could barely get thru this. It was so odd I have up. Many strange terms and could not hold focus.

I took a bit of break from reading fantasy books during the holidays, and Robert Jackson Bennett's The Tainted Cup is the perfect book to get back into it.

The Tainted Cup is a murder mystery novel set in a fictional empire, plagued by Leviathan monsters who seek to breach its walls every wet season. And isn't it such perfect timing that the murder that our protagonists, an eccentric yet brilliant investigator called Ana Dolabra and her assistant-in training Dinios Kol, happens in this very season?

I confess I have never read Bennett's books before and have requested this one because the book cover and the summary interested me - and I have never been happier to have received this ARC. Fellow readers, this book is fun. The world Bennett creates evokes similarities to elements I can find in Harry Potter's Herbology Department, Sherlock Holmes and his mysteries, Pacific Rim and its monsters, and yet to compare fully would do the world injustice. Sometimes, things are wholly its own.

One thing of note is that I often struggle to push through the first 50 or so pages of fantasy novels, due to the nature of its worldbuilding. But The Tainted Cup was easy to get through. which is not to say that the world was not complex, but it was done in a way where the world expanded slowly but surely with every development of the plot. I thought it was masterfully done, and is why I would recommend this for people who usually struggle like me or even for people who are newly getting into fantasy.

The characters are also very fun to read and compelling. I found that sometimes with a very large cast, as this book has, it can be hard to keep track of characters, but I did not find that the case here. The characters here are memorable, even the ones that only feature briefly. I like how they all mesh against each other as well. I was surprised by how much I liked Ana and Din's dynamic, as well as other characters like Captain Miljin's, who I thought I would hate but very much liked in the end.

One interesting part of the novel that I found was that in a world full of augmentations (people often get grafts and the like to improve their face or abilities, like memory or strength or even the length of their lives), it makes room for disabilities. Din has dyslexia, giving him the struggle to read writing, which is such an interesting to explore his capabilities as an engraver (one whose ability is to memorize). I felt that made the book so layered and nuanced. I also like how augmentations may also affect self-esteem, like that of Miljin's whose augmentations lie solely on his improved strength, which proves to be not as helpful surrounded by people like Ana and Din . I enjoyed seeing the limitations of such power. It made the world much more believable, despite its fantastical elements.

The mystery itself was interesting too, and I felt very much like Din who couldn't make sense of a lot of the pieces in the puzzle and was amazed whenever Ana put it all together. I love the political elements to it too, the way class is entrenched in the conflict by way of the Hazas. I wish to know more about them and the other gentryfolk. It felt like something that featured prominently in the beginning but as the novel went on, it felt limited considering the narrative stayed within the Iudex towers. This choice did make sense considering the plot development, but I am hoping that for the next books (is there a next book? I think there is considering the ending of the book, not so much a cliffhanger, but a more to come) we get to see more of the Empire.

There was also a very slight romantic element that I wasn't sure I was reading too much into until it happened. I was very pleased when I was proven right, but please know that if romance was something you are curious about it being in the book, it is very very light. This did not affect my opinion of the book, but I know that this can be important (whether the lack or inclusion) to other readers.

Overall, I enjoyed this book very much and recommend it to those looking for a murder mystery novel set in a fantasy setting. Thank you again for giving me an ARC. I hope this book is enjoyed well by others when it finally comes out!

It's like if a gender-bent Sherlock Holmes novel was set in the world of "Attack on Titan."

There's a lot to love in this book: there's Din, a well-meaning civil servant with perfect memory recall, Ana Dolabra, the eccentric genius investigator he assists, a string of bizarre murders with dire consequences for the country's defenses, and a great overarching message about what it takes build a nation. Oh, and kaiju (or as the book calls them, "leviathans.)

I had so much fun with this one. Firstly, I think Din is such an endearing character who just wants to do good and serve his country, and I especially loved the dynamic between him and Ana. The little bickering they do with each other makes for really well-placed bits of humor.

The world-building in this book was very immersive and the magic system was totally unique, yet the book isn't overwrought with background exposition and learning more about the world doesn't overwhelm.

The question of "what is the empire?" pops up several times in the book, which I am reading more as the question of "what is a nation?" So much happens in this book between the murders, the contagions, the corrupt officials, the leviathans, the many locales and characters, but this question of what makes up a country provides a nice lifeline to come back to when the story feels like its getting lost or becoming too much. In the end, the story answers that a nation is built by its people, by the civil heroes who have the grueling and thankless job of maintaining the everyday humdrum of civilization, whether that's by repairing the roads, submitting the paperwork, patching up holes, or solving murders.

4.5 stars

I had such a blast reading this book. It’s like a sci-fi Holmes & Watson murder mystery, all set in a world where there are enormous city-destroying monsters that can come from the sea. It sounds insane but wow does it work. It’s just a fun story to read. The characters are great, the world-building is intense but understandable, the multiple murder plots keep you guessing, and then there’s the tension underlying it all from the sea monsters. I absolutely loved both Din and Ana. They’re both endearing and smart and play so well off each other.
It's all so fresh and unique and I really enjoyed myself. I’ll eagerly be awaiting more installments from this investigative duo!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the preview. All opinions are my own.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
I’ve never read Robert Jackson Bennett before, but I got offered an ARC of The Tainted Cup, and it sounded fairly interesting. While most books with Knives Out as a comp have historically not worked for me, since that usually translates to “cozy” (I have no idea if that’s how the movie actually is, I haven’t seen it), I generally liked this, especially the way it employed a Holmes-and-Watson dynamic, not to mention setting it in a fantasy world. The fantasy world is immersive and accessible, with a subtle, easily understandable magic system, perfectly complementing the other aspects in an interesting way.
In Holmes-inspired fashion, the story is narrated by “sidekick,” Dinos “Din” Kol, partner to eccentric detective Ana Dolabra. While I was a little disappointed to not get insights directly into the mind of such an eccentric character, who goes so far as to wear a blindfold at all times and never step outside her house (#relatable), Din serving as her literal eyes and ears makes it worth the reader’s time. And despite being more of the “straight” man (in the comedic sense; he’s also queer) to Ana’s off-kilter presence, Din is fairly entertaining to follow in his own right.
And the plot has a lot going on, making for a fairly fast read for the most part, in spite of the book being over 430 pages. The mystery itself is compelling, and while there were some slower moments where that was concerned, the intrigue was present throughout and picked up steam at the halfway point, with the story coming together in a satisfying reveal. And while this works as a self-contained story, it’s also a great start to a series of books in a similar vein.
I really enjoyed this, and will be reading more from this author in the future. I recommend this both to non-fantasy readers looking for an accessible book to get into the fantasy genre, or readers who enjoy books that blend fantasy and mystery.

I received an ARC from netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a fun read! I highly recommend for readers who enjoy both fantasy and mystery. In The Tainted Cup, we follow Din, an apprentice assistant investigator to a Sherlock Holmes/Hercule Poirot-esque brilliant detective. We start off at the crime scene of a singular murder, but we quickly learn that underneath this crime lies a greater conspiracy that could unravel the very foundation that the Empire is built upon. The stakes were high, the world building immersive, and the magic system unique. Although a murder mystery, this book is full of political twist and turns as well. Towards the second half, I could not place this book down. I am giving it 4 stars instead of 5 because it did take me a little bit to get into it and I felt that the characters were not as fully fleshed out as they could have been. However, I eagerly await the sequel!
Review posted on 1/10/24 on goodreads.

A slow burn mystery that’s told in a classic whodunnit fashion but with a sci-fi/fantasy backdrop. I would say it’s more science fiction than fantasy. I didn’t always understand the lore of this world but still didn’t find it overly complex. It’s just enough information to carry the mystery but there’s certainly more to be uncovered as the series continues.
I was not as invested in the mystery up until the first quarter because I didn’t really understand the vision but as more information about the world is revealed, everything gradually began to click.
I liked both Din and Ana, the two main characters, and their unique mentor-apprentice relationship. I look forward to following their journey and where it leads them next.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine, Del Rey for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

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.