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!!

With a unique world and engaging characters, this was a hit for me! This is my introduction to the author, and I’m hooked. The world is fascinating, with an empire in constant peril from nebulous Leviathans and a civilization built on bio-engineering the bacteria (?) harvested from their corpses. Bennett doesn’t do the info-dump, which means your understanding grows organically but also sometimes leaves you with only a vague idea of what’s going on. I loved that, and I felt it fit the overall vibe. Because this is a fantasy, but above all, it’s a murder mystery. A series of grisly killings linked to a high-powered family causes massive difficulties as the city prepares for a titan attack, and the eccentric Immunis Ana Dolabra is called in to investigate. The plot is clever - some of the twists I guessed, some I didn’t, and the fact there were any surprises was a nice change for me. Plus, I’m always a sucker for a Holmesian character, and Ana was a delight!

Caustic, isolated, brilliant, heedless of station, and single-minded in focus, Ana has all the necessary traits of a Holmes descendant, though the author says she’s really a Hannibal Lector. Din is a perfect foil for her. He’s young, reserved, and scared shitless someone is going to notice he doesn’t belong here. In a society of people genetically enhanced to perform various tasks in service to the empire, Din is an engraver, modified for perfect memory recall, but he nearly flunked out of training. Confused by being selected for his position as Ana’s Assistant Investigator and hiding a secret or two, he nevertheless carries out his duties with unflagging determination. Add in a hint of a potential queer romance, and you have one of my favorite fantasy reads of the year. If you’re into murder mysteries, Holmes-inspired characters, or unique epic fantasy, this is a must-read!

Fantasy isn’t my go-to genre but I was intrigued by the summary of this book and checked it out. I’m glad I did, it was excellent! While it is a fantasy book, it’s essentially about an investigation which is right up my alley since I love mysteries.

It can take some time to get your footing as you understand the world building in a book like this, but you get thrown right into the story so there isn’t a huge burden from the outset to understand the book’s internal logic.

I really liked the two main characters and the investigation and storytelling was clever. I’ll definitely want to read more from this series.

Two outcasts are paired together in the roles of investigator and apprentice to solve a rather curious string of murders. Hilarity and a bit of grotesqueness ensue.

It took me a few tries to start this story, but once I committed to reading, I flew through the pages. The subtle but immersive world building, the banter (so much banter!), the Sherlock Holmes/Watson-esque partnership, I was hooked! I loved the neurodiverse representation of the two main characters and the overall perspective through Din’s eyes. I would easily read more books featuring this duo!

Highly recommend to anyone looking for a new fantasy series that can be enjoyed for both its standalone quality and potential for expansion.

Thank you to Netgalley, Delrey Books, and Random House for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book had me thinking about it nonstop. I loved how the author pulled together all of the world building as Din and Ana continued to solve the murder mystery. Each revelation had me scrambling to read it faster so I could know the answers to the mystery. I believe this book had a romance tag on it, and I would not deem it a romance at all. Loved the book and can't wait to see where the next book leads.

The Tainted Cup is one of the most unique books I’ve ever read. It is a mystery mixed with high fantasy that is just so captivating and intriguing. There are elements in this that reminded me of Red Rising and Knives Out which I really enjoyed.

Many members of the Empire have augmentations to enhance certain senses or abilities, Din specifically has a memory like no other. He helps investigator, Ana (who can be a very peculiar individual), to solve a series of murders. It is a much bigger investigation than anyone could have imagined.

I loved the characters and dynamic of Din and Ana. They are so lovable and I found myself laughing out loud because of the subtle banter or snarky comments. I will say- this book is very heavy on the world building, but I am someone who enjoys this! I have already added the other untitled books in the series to my TBR!

I received a digital advance copy of The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett via NetGalley. The Tainted Cup is scheduled for release on February 6, 2024.

The Tainted Cup is the first novel following investigator Ana and her assistant Din as they solve mysteries in the fantasy empire shadowed by the Leviathans that occasionally invade from the sea. While Ana is the investigator on record, the story follows Din through this first case he has an an engraver. His magical alterations allow him to observe and report every detail he takes in at a scene. This skill is critically important for Ana, who is plagued by eccentricities that make it difficult for her to visit crime scenes and interact with witnesses. The case they are working to solve in this novel centers on an officer who was killed when a tree suddenly erupted from his body.

As our point of view character, Din works well. While he is not new to this fantastical world, he is stepping into a new role, which allows us to start to understand the world of the story as he does. His boss, Ana, is present throughout the story. We see her through Din, who is trying to understand how her brilliant, but slightly off-kilter, mind works. Din also encounters officials and suspects that are not as large a part of the story, but are believable in this world.

Following the plot of this mystery was challenging in a couple of ways. First, we are not only working through a murder mystery, we are also being dropped into a fantasy world. As a reader, this was a lot to process, keeping me from realizing the significance of some details in this new world. The other challenge was our point of view character. Din is making all of the observations and relaying them to Ana. Ana is the one who is putting the pieces together to solve the mystery. This distance kept me as a reader from being able to solve the mystery myself. We were left sitting with Din waiting for Ana to tell us what happened, rather than being able to put it together ourselves. This makes sense in the story, as Din is an assistant on his first case. I hope that as the series progresses, Din will take more of a role in the actual solving of the murders.

Overall, The Tainted Cup was an enjoyable fantasy twist on the typical murder mystery. I would absolutely read more in this series.

The Tainted Cup is a compelling mystery from Robert Jackson Bennett. While this was my first book from him, it will definitely not be my last! The dynamic between Ana and Din was excellent and reminiscent of Holmes and Watson. Ana is very quirky, but has a brilliant mind. She is able to see cobwebs of connection that allow her to chase down overlooked leads. Din is initially a long suffering companion to Ana, but their relationship changes as the mystery deepens. Din is very clever, but both blessed and cursed with a perfect magical memory. This was such an interesting plot point, because it made it very hard for suspects to lie convincingly when their conversations can be played back word for word.

Robert Jackson Bennett creates an original and creative fantasy world in The Tainted Cup. The world-building felt rich and included lots of interesting details. I really enjoyed the dialogue between Ana and Din, especially Din’s internal thoughts as he dealt with Ana’s idiosyncrasies. As the mystery unfolded, there were plenty of red herrings and misleading clues. At times, I truly found it hard to guess what was going to happen next and how/why the murder had been committed. Readers who enjoy a Holmes/Watson dynamic, murder with a twist, and excellent world-building should check out The Tainted Cup. I hope to read more stories about this duo in the future!

Thank you to Robert Jackson Bennett, Del Rey, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc

THE TAINTED CUP is a mystery fantasy that begins a new series. Dinios Kol has won a position as an assistant to Ana Dolabra through some slightly shady means. Ana Dolabra has been exiled to a dangerous canton near the sea walls that keep might leviathans from coming ashore during the wet season and wreaking magical havoc.

To battle the leviathans, the Empire has made changes to many of its citizens. Din has been altered to remember everything that he hears, sees, and reads so that he can bring the information back to Ana who is wildly eccentric and not at all eager to leave her home. She spends her time devouring data from books and other things Din brings her. She is able to put together all the input from what she has read and what Din brings to her from his onsite investigations to come to startling deductions.

Their new partnership is tested when there is a murder. An Engineer is found dead at the home of one of the wealthiest families in the Empire. He is found to have been killed when a tree grew out of his body and devoured him. Such contagions aren't unknown in the Empire. In fact, one whole canton was abandoned and burned to the ground when overtaken by a similar contagion.

Ana's investigation into the murder takes the pair to a canton even nearer the dangerous wall where they discover that the engineer's death was only one of a number of strange deaths and discover political intrigue that has been building for years and threatens the security of the Empire.

The worldbuilding was intriguing and complex. The characters were interesting people with depths and secrets. While the blurb compares the main characters to Holmes and Watson, I saw more of a similarity to Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin and was glad to see that those characters were part of the author's own reading history. A smart young assistant with some secrets of his own and a reclusive genius of an employer brought Wolfe and Goodwin to mind. But while Wolfe and Goodwin worked for profit, Din and Ana work as agents of the Empire keeping it together despite many threats from inside and outside of it.

I look forward to reading more adventures for these characters in this world.

It was a slow start but the fact that it had 3 of my favorote genres (thriller/murdermystery/fantasy) made up for it.

I love a good mystery and The Tainted Cup did not disappoint.
This was my first by Robert Jackson Bennett and it will not be my last!

Thank you @netgalley and @delreybooks for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

4⭐️

I really enjoyed this story a lot. It was a bit slower read that in typically read but I found it to be really captivating. It reminded me so much of Sherlock and Watson but in a fantasy/dystopian setting.

This kicks off with a bang, there is a murder of a military engineer. It's horrifying, it appears to be a contagion that cause a tree to grow out of him. Engraver Kol is sent to investigate the murder (his first) and report to the lead investigator Daretana. Daretana is a bit odd, she's very smart but also has purposefully blinded herself to enhance her senses.

The mystery is really interesting but I found the world to be the most captivating part of this story. This kingdom has 4 layers of different seawalls. They get taller as they go to keep out the Lethlians. These are titans of the sea that are trying to break thru these walls. This mystery may be so much more than just a murder and could destroy the populace.

The pacing held it back to be a 5⭐️ read for me. At times it was captivating but found at other times it dragged and I would struggle staying in it.

I would recommend this book for any readers who love fantasy and mystery books. It's a great blend of the genre and this first book showed great potential of a wonderful series that I will be continuing.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House, and Ballantine/Del Ray for this advanced reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.

I loved the main characters of this Sherlock Holmes-esque murder mystery set in a fantasy world. But it is so much more. Just substitute USA for the Empire in the novel to see what I mean. It is a constant commitment by all inhabitants to keep a society existing and functioning successfully. The mystery itself is almost secondary to the fun of watching the investigators work and deduce the guilty parties. I look forward to the 2nd book in this trilogy.

Thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey/Penguin Random House for the ARC to read and review.

I received this DRC from NetGalley.

I liked this one. It's a crime mystery with fantasy elements. I think it's hard to find a balance between having obvious resolutions vs. clues being too obscure; I found some of the answers to be too obvious, which made me question why the main character was surprised at some of the revelations, especially when his boss just seemed to know more than everyone else. I think the strong part of the book was its worldbuilding. I would read the next one just to get more answers about what's going on with the leviathans.