Imagination is key to visualizing this fantasy with the characters and setting. This book involves a different kind of murder investigation.

Dinios Kol is the 20-year-old apprentice to Ana Dolabra. He has been chosen to be her engraver and can experience sights, sounds and smells from a tiny vial of concoctions. She asks Din to interview the staff and witnesses to inquire what happened to the Commander Blas of the Engineers. He was found dead at the start with a tree which was growing inside of him. Ana’s case is an original like no other.

For those who are not familiar with fantasy mixed with a few twists, it may be like stepping through the wrong door at first. It took a while before I was engaged in the plot trying to sort out the foreign names and places. The story is somewhat complex with multiple characters yet the timing with all the factors is in sync. The final part sums it up nicely and the reader has to wonder what will happen in the book which follows.

My thanks to Del Rey and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of February 6, 2024.

Readers will find fascinating world building and a riveting blend of fantasy and mystery in Robert Jackson Bennett’s The Tainted Cup. The empire is under attack from leviathans, and an engineer—essential to the defense of the empire—has been mysteriously killed when a tree somehow erupts from his body. Ana, an eccentric but brilliant detective, and her assistant Din, a genetically altered “engraver” who can remember everything, are called in to untangle a complex plot that may threaten the existence of the empire itself. Full of quirky but engaging characters, an intriguing system of magic, and a plot with compelling twists and turns, fans of both fantasy and mystery should find this one a delight.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced readers copy of The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett. This was my first read by this author and it definitely will not be my last. I really enjoyed sitting down and analyzing my notes to write this review. I almost changed my star rating from 4 to 5 because when I distanced myself I could see what the author was doing so clearly and became extremely excited for the sequel. The quick run down is that this is a quick paced mystery fantasy that is plot driven with an accessible writing style. There is LGBTQIA+ representation and some of the common themes are cynicism, corruption, justice, and playing an active role in government. The magic system has an academic feel to it with unique consequences.

Now the details that made this so enjoyable…the setting and magic system were exactly to my taste. The plant life, the apothecaries, and threat of leviathans were so well woven together that I could easily imagine this world. I was completely immersed. I loved that the consequences of using magic weren’t the typical weakness or physical illness that is commonly seen in fantasy but were represented in emotions like anger and anxiety.

The themes came a little late, and were more impactful on my review. I could better understand how some characters represented larger themes when I distanced myself. Minor spoiler on this topic -Capt. Miljin represents the old government and Din the future of the government- The main character, Din, is young and surrounded by mentors and side characters that are both optimistic and pessimistic and he is really discovering himself and how he views the Empire.

The mystery plot was a lot of fun and was enhanced in my opinion by the humor and banter of Ana, the lead investigator, and the main character Din who is her assistant. I unquestionably will be continuing with the series for the characters, the world building and some of the themes that I predict will be expanded upon.

When a strange and gruesome death occurs at a wealthy clan's country estate, Dinios Kol, assistant to the eccentric and brilliant imperial investigator Ana Dolabra, goes to investigate the scene on her behalf. A high imperial officer was found dead in the guest bedroom, with a tree growing out of his body, apparently assassinated with a genetically modified contagion. Sending an assistant to investigate the crime is a significant slight against the Haza clan, but Ana lives her life mostly blindfolded to avoid sensory overstimulation, conducting her investigations from her office via reports and interviews. Din is her latest assistant, a young man with augmentations that allow him to perfectly remember everything he experiences, and she relies upon him to notice and pursue everything unusual that she cannot pursue herself. It soon becomes apparent that this assassination poses a grave threat to the safety of the empire, and it's up to Din and Ana to find the assassin and unravel their plot in time.

I'm a huge fan of Bennett's works, and this one lived up to my high expectations. I loved the weird world-building, which felt lush and unique and was woven well into the story. Bennett always thinks through the implications of the fantastical elements he introduces, and the way the serious, regular risk of rampaging leviathans affects everything from imperial infrastructure to the layout of communities to the social strata simply makes sense, as does the imperial drive to develop the kinds of biotechnologies they do. As with Foundryside, he straddles the line between fantasy and science fiction, bringing certain modern scientific and technological elements to a distinctly fantasy world.

For a novel with rich world-building, the plot moved quickly, full of twists and turns and political intrigue. It had everything I like about a good mystery, but layered over an unfamiliar world.

Bennett's versions of Holmes and Watson are also excellent and more human than Doyle's characters; in particular, Din is a much more capable and interesting character than Watson ever was. Din is a fish out of water who knows he's out of place and ill-equipped to handle the situations he finds himself in, and yet Ana knows that he can rise to the occasion anyway, counting on his curiosity and survival instincts to keep him alive. He's not just a sounding-board and chronicler, but a real partner to the brilliant detective.

This book was a delight and I had the hardest time putting it down. I loved everything about The Tainted Cup, from the biopunk aesthetics and the rich world-building, to the strong characters to the thrilling mystery with the bizarre murder method. I can't wait to read the sequel.

This book felt like a cross between a Holmes and Watson mystery and Jeff VanderMeer's "Annihilation" with a cyberpunk twist. A brilliant but secretive assistant investigator in training is recruited by an eccentric genius detective to uncover the truth behind a ghastly series of murders, set in a world of body augmentation, political backstabbing, and colossus leviathans that attack the shores every year.

The Tainted Cup is a whirlwind of plot bombshells that doesn't forget to develop its cast along the way. There are secrets buried within secrets, and the deduction skills of the book's leads are impressive. An absolute page-turner and great fun all around. RJB fans, or fans of whodunits with a fantasy twist will find lots to enjoy here. I'm already ready for the next volume.

This was a wonderful way to end the reading year! The Tainted Cup is a fantasy book, a mystery book, and a GREAT read!

Dinios Kol and Ana Dolabra are investigating a murder that happened in a mansion. A murder that was very gruesome and very mysterious and very connected to many other events. Kol, the Watson to Ana's Sherlock, is an engraver- enhanced to remember everything he sees. And he's going to see a lot.

What unfolds is a damn good mystery set in an exquisitely realized fantasy world. The writing is engaging and focused. The characters are well-crafted and interesting. The plot moves along at lightning speed and balances twists, turns, and revelations.

I loved every second of this book and I can't wait to read more from this author and see further volumes of this series!

5 stars

As the rating suggests, I loved this, and to continue the mystery solving, this matters a lot because fantasy is the genre I am most likely to turn on while reading. More often than not, I find myself DNFing or rating very poorly just because I can't get past the lacking plot and characters in favor of bizarro/too in-depth world building. If you like fantasy at all, I suspect you'll love this book. If you're a reluctant fantasy reader like I am, you may still love it!

The initial death scene in this novel is something out of the playbook of an ecologically minded Hannibal Lector. It is...a memorable visual to be sure. What's even more gripping than this wild event is the characters who are going to solve this mystery and the world in which they live. I need a lot more leviathan action in my future.

These characters are layered and interesting, deeply flawed, and filled with possibilities to both surprise themselves and absolutely kick butt. Din, the m.c., serves as the assistant to the investigator Ana, and both characters are fascinating in their own ways, but especially in relation to each other. I really enjoyed how their interactions and observations of each other added a more intriguing layer to the overarching mystery. It's hard to pinpoint everything that's going on with them, too.

While this is definitely a self-contained work, there is so much possibility for a full realized series here, and I'll be clamoring to read any and all future installments. I can't believe I'm saying that about this genre, but I'm a convert, at least where this novel and probably this author are concerned.

This is a great read, and I'm adding extra thanks for the widget since without that, this is one I'm certain would never have even been on my radar.

4.5 stars

I massively enjoyed reading this book! The pacing, writing quality, worldbuilding, and characters were all top-notch. I also don’t typically go for mystery books, so having one placed in a fantastical world worked really well for me, as well as the way you could follow the logic of the investigation and make some of the connections yourself without having the end be totally predictable.
Our protagonist, Din Kol, is an apprentice investigator for the Iudex (sort of like the Empire’s internal affairs), but he’s got a few secrets about how he was able to get his position. Din is an engraver, meaning he has been biologically altered in order to have a perfect memory. He works for Ana Dolabra, a notoriously eccentric investigator who requires an engraver to act as her eyes at crime scenes and interviews - because she typically blindfolds herself and remains at home in order to block out the stimulation of the world. The relationship between these two characters is crucial to the story and something I absolutely loved. Ana is Din’s mentor and boss, but watching them grow closer personally was extremely touching.
The two investigate a series of gruesome murders in which seemingly random imperial officials were killed by plants that grew from the insides of their bodies. Some of these fast-growing saplings caused a breach of the Empire’s mighty walls which hold back the titans of the sea - the killing of which is the entire purpose of the Empire. I found the conclusion of the investigation extremely satisfying, especially the unmasking scene in which Ana reveals the killer’s identity and methods (Benoit Blanc has nothing on Ana Dolabra in terms of detective chops and drama).
I also really appreciated the way this book asks questions about justice, greed, corruption, and empire - and doesn’t answer all of them completely. I loved the author’s emphasis (via Ana) that there is strength in diversity and we need all kinds of people with all kinds of skills in order to succeed. There’s definitely more to come and I am so excited to read more from this series.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House - Ballantine/Del Rey for letting me read an eARC of The Tainted Cup. This was my first time reading a novel by Robert Jackson Bennett, and it didn't disappoint. The world building is fantastic and allows for total immersion of the story. Along with that, having memorable characters made this a brisk and highly enjoyable read. I will definitely read another novel involving Dolabra and Kol as this one was so much fun. If you love mysteries and fantasy, this is a hard recommendation to seek out as soon as you can.

4.25 stars / This review will be posted on goodreads.com today.


This book blends a wonderful fantasy world with a murder mystery. I am so excited to know that this will be a series of books, hopefully focusing on the two main characters from this book.

Din Kol is a Signum - recently graduated assistant investigator for the Iudex. He is still probationary and has been assigned to the canton Daretana to assist Immunis Ana Dolabra. Dolabra is a strange one. Often interrogating individuals for hours and known to wear a blindfold to avoid overstimulation. Kol is young and apparently quite handsome.

Kol has secrets. He is an amazing Engraver - his brain has been augmented to record everything it sees, hears, or reads. We don’t quite know what his secrets are, but they tend to impede his normal abilities. And he’s keeping a big secret, we just don’t know what.

Dolabra is given a case to solve - the murder of an Imperial officer in a mansion owned by one of the wealthiest families in the empire. She sends Kol off on his own to interrogate and engrave the scene to bring back to her. What Kol finds is unbelievable and frightening. Yet he does as expected and brings back information to Dolabra that will allow her to piece together the mystery of this officer’s death, and the deaths of others.

This book is so wild and unusual. It is appealing to anyone who loves a good mystery, but also loves a fantasy world. I could not put it down! I would read another installment today if it were given to me. Bennett so clearly explains and describes this unusual world that these people inhabit. You feel as though you’re a part of it.

I would absolutely recommend this one, and might even indulge and read it again!

This book was such a perfect blend of fantasy of mystery. Great for those that don't enjoy complicated world building or keeping track of too many pieces.

Din is an engraver, magically altered so that he has a perfect memory and recall of any situation. He is an apprentice for one of the most eccentric and outspoken investigators -- he is quite literally her eyes and ears as she prefers to seclude herself and remain blindfolded. But what Ana lacks in tact she more than makes up in wit, as she is able to put together the pieces of a mystery to solve it quickly and impressively.

The two are tasked with solving a unique rash of poisonings that causes trees to grow out of its victims, a plot that is much larger than the original singular murder scene they are called to. Filled with intrigue and multiple layers of crimes, Ana and Din's investigation takes you all the way up to the spectacular and showy reveal of all of the culprits. Read like an Agatha Christie but with some great magic and fantasy weaved in.

Just a really great read, looking forward to future mysteries with these two!

It took me a little while to get into this book. I have known of Robert Jackson Bennett for several years and have his City books sitting in my TBR pile, but this is the first book of theirs I have read. It is an interesting worldbuilding with all of the "tech" being plant based. I really enjoyed finding out about all the pieces of the kingdom, worlds, and segments of the society. The murder mystery and conspiracy aspects were very fun and well done.
I think the difficulty in getting into the book was just me and not the book itself. It starts off well and introduces the characters as you begin the investigation into a murder, which I really liked. Jumping right into the mystery and not having a bunch of set up happening beforehand. The aspects of the world are revealed as the characters interact with each other and I liked that aspect as well. Pieces of the world, it's history and politics all getting revealed a bit at a time.
I really enjoyed it and am hoping to see more of this world and these characters in the future!

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for this Arc!

A world structure akin to Attack on Titan meets Eldrich horrors in this lush, botanical, body horror mystery.

If that sentence doesn't slightly appeal to you then reader look elsewhere.

I for one found this book to be an absolute delight. The worldbuilding is immaculate and terrifying, with man being grafted and willingly mutated with organic materials to enhance abilities.

The mystery is better off going in wholly blind like I did. I will say that it was satisfying and with each development I wanted to read on and on and on.

This is the first book in a new series by this author; and like his “founders trilogy,” it is off to great start. Where the previous trilogy opened with a “great heist” trope, this one begins with the “great mystery” trope that makes it hard to avoid a direct comparison to the my favorite detective adventures by the likes of Sherlock Holmes, Nero Wolfe and Hercules Poirot. Here the great detective is an eccentric, Imperial Investigator, recently assigned to the boondocks of the outer regions. In a world where everybody is trying to move to the interior, it is presumed that some mysterious reversal of fortune is the reason for her exile. To aid in her investigations, she selects a local assistant/sidekick to serve as her “eyes and ears” and subsequently provides the PoV for the story (think Mr Watson’s diary) … but Din has a few secrets of his own, which only adds to all of the mystery … and there is plenty here: Why was Ana, the investigator transferred to the borderlands? How did Din suddenly and unexpectedly do well enough to finally get the success his so desperately needed? Who assassinated the military officer while he was visiting a villa of one of the most powerful families in the empire? Why and how did they do it? Of course, Ana is up to the task and solves mystery after mystery, often without leaving the confines of her own room (using just the observations reported back to her by her assistant Din). It is all a well worn and effective plot that still works for me when told as well it is here.

As good as the murder mystery is … I though the world-building was even better. The driving force behind the empire, is the destruction wrought by “Leviathans “ that periodically come ashore during the wet season. To defend against these “attacks,” the empire is divided up into walled cantons where the outer cantons use increasingly powerful bombards, guns and walls to turn back these sea titans. This whole scene had me making favorable comparisons to “Pacific Rim.” This adds yet another mystery to the plot (what are these abominations and why are they attacking). Next up is what could arguably be seen as the magic system, which could just as easily be seen as quasi-scientific biohacking. As part of the respond to these attacks, many people has augmented themselves to give them incredible (aka superhero) powers. Some of these alterations are temporary and some are permeant (and a few are inheritable, although the most extreme render the host sterile). The ones most frequently encountered in this story were Cracklers (strength), Axioms (human calculators), and Engravers (eidetic memory) … the later is what Din, the assistant investigator, is and the vivid description of his ability (and the his subsequent disability) helped make he a very relatable character. Additionally, the population was also divided upon by social function, with soldiers, engineers and iudex (justices) being the most prominent. All of this contributes to a very entertaining and natural feeling story that pulls you quickly through to the end (almost reading this in one sitting).

I was given this free advance reader copy (ARC) ebook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

#TheTaintedCup #ShadowoftheLeviathan #NetGalley

Imagine a plant spore rapidly growing inside you, causing a painful and disfiguring death.
Sounds awful - the author goes into enough detail describing this death to make my skin itch.
But was this contagion an accident or murder? That is the mystery that is at the heart of this new release.

The bulk of the story is told from Signum Dinios "Din" Kol's POV, who is assistant to the investigator. That investigator, Immunis Anagosa "Ana" Dolabra is an odd character, who spends most of the book blindfolded. So how does she solve the mystery? Great instincts using some solid reporting from Din.

As the contagion spreads and the deaths pile up, the race to determine who is behind it all and how the deaths connect is on. While some parts of this story felt a little slow and drawn out, I loved how the story comes together at the end as Ana puts the pieces together. It all becomes clear as to the who, the why and the how for all the deaths. Now it is just a matter of capturing the killer(s).

Overall, this was a captivating and unpredictable story from a new-to-me author. If you enjoy fantasy with a bit of mystery, check this one out!

"A Holmes and Watson-style detective duo take the stage in this fantasy with a mystery twist, from the Edgar-winning, multiple Hugo-nominated Robert Jackson Bennett.

In Daretana's greatest mansion, a high imperial officer lies dead - killed, to all appearances, when a tree erupted from his body. Even here at the Empire's borders, where contagions abound and the blood of the leviathans works strange magical changes, it's a death both terrifying and impossible.

Assigned to investigate is Ana Dolabra, a detective whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities. Rumor has it that she wears a blindfold at all times, and that she can solve impossible cases without even stepping outside the walls of her home.

At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol, magically altered in ways that make him the perfect aide to Ana's brilliance. Din is at turns scandalized, perplexed, and utterly infuriated by his new superior - but as the case unfolds and he watches Ana's mind leap from one startling deduction to the next, he must admit that she is, indeed, the Empire's greatest detective.

As the two close in on a mastermind and uncover a scheme that threatens 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.

By an "endlessly inventive" (Vulture) author with a "wicked sense of humor" (NPR), The Tainted Cup mixes the charms of detective fiction with brilliant world-building to deliver a fiendishly clever mystery that's at once instantly recognizable and thrillingly new."

Take what is standard and add a twisted tree.

DNF 30%

I’ve had Robert Jackson Bennett on my radar because I’ve heard a lot of good things about Foundryside, so when I had a chance to read The Tainted Cup I was excited to give it a try. Unfortunately this is a book that is not working for me. The world building and method of murder are all intriguing, but the pacing feels extremely slow and I’m not enjoying it as much as I’d like. I definitely see the Sherlock-Watson influence and can see it appealing to fans of Sherlock mysteries. I think I’m just not the right audience for this book.

I read RJB’s Foundryside several years ago, but left it a bit letdown and not really wanting to continue the series. I found its magic system convoluted, unnecessarily layered, and full of infodumps about why exactly something works one way and not another. Other people really dug it, but I thought the word salad it turned into was hard to follow. Having said that, I’m really glad I gave him another chance, because I think The Tainted Cup is something special.

Dinios Kol (or, Din to just about everybody in the book) is an assistant to Ana Dolabra, something of an investigator in the realm of Daretana. Rather like a certain Sherlock Holmes, Ana is very eccentric, a bit unreliable, and rather brusque and sarcastic to just about everybody around her, but is brilliant at what she does. Din is her eyes, ears, and hands into these investigations, and we follow him as he begins the investigation into the mysterious death of a rather prominent officer involving a tree mysteriously (and gruesomely) growing out of his body. The investigation quickly starts snowballing, and the two find themselves called to the very front lines of Daretana’s most dangerous battlefront against a most massive foe.

Right off the bat I like that, this time around, the magic system is much more subtle, requires less infodumping, and feels more organic (hehehe) to the plot and setting. Rather than it being the pivot point and purpose of the story like it was in Foundryside, it takes a bit of a backseat here where it’s still involved and necessary, but doesn’t feel like you’re being beaten over the head with it. I also really like the overall plot. Once upon a time I lamented to a friend that there was a distinct lack of fantasy murder mysteries. This is exactly in the realm of what I was looking for. It really does feel like a Holmes/Watson adventure, with clues and leads and a mystery that Holmes (Ana) solves early on and Watson (Din, our eyes and ears) struggles to keep up with. The last 10-20% of the book was my favorite section, where things click into place, suspects are hunted, and just enough is left teased and hanging for there to be both a satisfying ending and an anticipated sequel to look forward to.

There’s also a bit of a romance! It’s not a major plot and not a ton of time is spent fleshing it out, but it’s there, and I’m actually kind of hoping it’s continued in the next book.

Keep this one on your radar if you’re a RJB fan, if you’re like me and love the idea of a fantasy murder mystery, or if you’re looking for something fast paced and fun.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free ecopy in exchange for an honest review.

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett is a start to a new fantasy series to at opens with a young investigator looking into the death of a high officer who has had a tree burst from his body. The story takes off from there but that was enough to get me invested. This feels like Sherlock Holmes meets fantasy with maybe a sprinkle of Godzilla to spice it up. Din and Ana are big Watson and Sherlock vibes and I was living for it.

I really enjoyed this story for the most part. The magic system is very interesting and I love that the author kind of just drops you into it and you figure it out along the way. There aren’t big chunks of world building. The story feels like a fantasy but it also has a modern tone to it. The characters speak in a modern way which makes this book very accessible to many readers.

I also think the plot felt very contained in this book. It is a murder mystery so most of the time, we are following the main characters around as they look for clues. While there are a few other things going on that will be explored in later books, this book itself could almost be a standalone which is something I really enjoy with a first book a series. It gives the reader a good taste of what the story will be without it being a big commitment.

I do think there were a few parts that dragged in this book when our main character, Din, was interviewing people about the mystery. I think it’s mostly because there were a lot of characters introduced and it was hard to tell who to pay attention to but other than that, I really enjoyed this book and cannot wait to see where this series goes.

I was not interested in the characters after I started reading this one. Others seem to love this book but not me. Thanks for the review copy.