Another winner! I loved this continued collaboration of Ana and Din in the strange land of the Empire. The mystery here seems unsolvable until uncannily brilliant Ana peels back the layers.

Notes for the copy editor:
Chapter 9 "I cannot say," said Sujedo slowly. I believe the speaker should be Tufwa, not Sujedo.
Chapter 25 "There is a seat e, and many of these eerie stone sculptures, but nothing else." I don't know what "seat e" refers to.

I found this sequel falling into the normal stereotype of the second book slump. I did not like Din questioning leaving the Iudex so soon. I think that would have been a fair storyline in later books but only five investigations and he was done? Also I did not connect to Din at all in this book. He had no emotional capacity. He was heartbroken for his missing partner from last book but also never talks about it, or his inner monologue doesnt. Also, the mystery will interesting because of the use of the leviathans, it was completely easy to guess, and I found myself frustrated it took them so long to catch on, and it took me completely out of the book.

WOW, another great addition to the series. As I read through the book I slowly picked up where it was going and I enjoyed that. It wasn’t too predictable but if you followed the story and the hints that were dropped you’d see where it was going. I love Din and Ana, they’re amazing and the addition of Malo made it better. The characters in this book were nicely written. Only thing disappointing to me has nothing to do with the book itself but I show the same disappointment that Ana did to our antagonist in regards to their motivations. Oh what could’ve been. But excited for more if there are any to come

I was beyond floored I received this ARC and will forever be grateful.
This story is wildly entertaining just like the last. We got to learn more about Ana and Din, discovering more about our main characters. Along with this we also had expansion of the world building and new magic/tech. At the heart of RJB stories I am thinking about our world and how it can relate with the worlds he creates. The authors note especially left me feeling raw. Highly recommend this book and series to fantasy, sci fi, and mystery lovers all.
I hope to meet up again soon with Ana and Din on their next adventure.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC.

4.5 ⭐️
A Drop of Corruption is a brilliant continuation of The Tainted Cup, delivering an intricate mystery steeped in political intrigue and sharp world-building. Ana Dolabra and Din Kol return to solve a locked-room murder, uncovering a web of danger tied to the Empire’s expansion and the Leviathans’ magic. The dynamic between Ana’s sharp intelligence and Din’s photographic memory adds depth, while the exploration of non-Empire territories and the Shroud facility expands the series’ rich setting. With compelling characters, a masterfully woven plot, and thought-provoking themes, this is a must-read for fans of fantasy and mystery alike.

This second book in the series (after the amazing Tainted Cup) does not disappoint. Ana Dolabra, the Empire's best investigator and her assistant, Dinios Kol, are sent to the seaside town far from the inner (and safer and nicer) parts of the Empire. Headquarters of a major part of the Empire's Treasury. a Treasury officer has disappeared -- from a locked room with no exits. It does not take long for Ana to solve this mystery or to find out the missing officer has been murdered. This part of the Empire is actually still an autonomous kingdom that should eventually become part of the Empire. It turns out however that both sides are not that eager for this merger to happen.
The magic in this world is supplied by the Leviathans of the series names and these creatures are dangerous, as is their magic that is harnessed. In this kingdom there is a major secure facility, called the Shroud that is working on something that has to do with all this but due to security, most people have no idea what is actually done there (even Ana who seems to know a lot about the inner workings of the Empire). Her assistant Din is an engraver -- someone who can remember everything they see or hear, and Ana sends him regularly to investigate different paths thrown up by this mystery and report back to her in detail.
We find out more about Din's family life before becoming an engraver and towards the end we seem to be finding out more about Ana, but you can tell you are being led to the next book in the series. The author will have his many readers waiting for what comes next.

This was an excellent follow up to The Tainted Cup, with the mystery being more expansive than the mystery in book 1. There was less world-building in this installment, which makes sense, but the reader also learns a lot about non-Empire countries, different monarchy systems, and the Shroud, which is where the reagents all come from. I really liked the themes and the author’s note at the end where Bennett explains his frustration with high fantasy’s obsession with monarchies and autocracies. The writing was just as good as book 1, as were the characters. I found the mystery to be really satisfying and its conclusion was apt given the overall themes of the book.

Absolutely excellent. I thought it was going to be difficult to surpass the first, but RJB has outdone himself. Reading the writing in this book feels like eating at a three star Michelin restaurant; no word is wasted, all perfectly placed and chosen. The words RJB crafts is so unique and fascinating; it's exactly the type of fantasy world I adore and wish I could see so much more of. The formula of having each book have its own contained murder mystery while having an overarching plot that makes you excited to continue reading is so well executed.

Needless to say, I need the next book in my hands as soon as humanly possible.

Thank you as always to NetGalley for the ARC!

I was lucky enough to be introduced to Robert Jackson Bennett's writing last year with the "The Tainted Cup" and eagerly awaited news of future novels in the series... and jumped at the chance to read the second book. "A Drop of Corruption" picks up right where the first left off, and pulls readers back into the world of the Empire and the work of Ana Dolabra and Dinias Kol.

The two are pulled to Yarrowdale, a canton that has been pending acquisition by the Empire over the years, where the shocking murder of a Treasury officer has taken place - but there is no evidence of the criminal and just how the feat was accomplished. It is the first of what eventually becomes a stunning series of crimes, each seemingly more impossible than the next with no trace of the assailant or clear motivations for the act. Kol continues to act as Ana's eyes and ears, utilizing his skills as an engraver to perfectly remember the scene of the crimes and the multitude of conversations that take place, all while juggling his own personal aspirations and the weight of his father's debt. And for the brilliant Ana, the series of crimes seems to become too much as even she struggles to understand how the pieces tie together and to capture the criminal before he gets too far.

Bennett once again does an incredible job of world-building, fleshing out a new realm with its own system of governance and political hierarchy as well as a new cast of characters - all while still tying into the world at large and the lingering dependence the nation has on the leviathans. Within this second novel, we also get further context on both Kol, as we come to understand his own motivations and aspirations, and Ana, as her own backstory and the reasons for her incredible intelligence and powers of deductions are revealed to some extent. While I did find that some of the first half of the novel seemed a little extended and at times redundant as Ana and Kol are repeatedly stumped by the antagonist, the pacing by the second half quickly picked up and I found the final reveal to be both satisfying and unpredictable.

Thoroughly recommended when "A Drop of Corruption" is released in April 2025!

This was just as swell as the first, and I was thrilled to get an early copy. With so much entertaining dialogue, it worked well as a read-aloud, although I'm sure I was mispronouncing a bunch of the words and names when reading it to my husband.
My kingdom for a glossary, though! The only supplemental material to refresh my memory was a chart of the military hierarchy--which was good to have--but as I was reacquainting myself with this insanely imagined world, I could have used a refresher on terms. Maybe the published version will have one.
The mystery is twisty, and more is revealed of the wider world and the secrets behind Ana's genius. I enjoyed Din's first-person narration and the camaraderie he developed with new character Malo as the book progressed. I do hope their paths cross again.
Book 2 is another winner! I love this author's imagination, and I look forward to more books in this world.

A Drop of Corruption
Is a continuation of the story started in The Tainted Cup, with a reprisal of Ana Dolabra, the fiery investigator who blindfolds herself to think better, and Dinios Kol, her partner with perfect memory. Ana and Din are tasked to solve the crime of a treasury man, gone missing and found murdered in the far reaches of the almost-annexed kingdom of Yarrow. But what they find when they get there unravels into a much deeper conspiracy that has far reaching consequences not only for Yarrow but for the entire Empire they serve.

I will be frank, this world that RJB has conceived of is one of the coolest fantasy settings I’ve seen. Plants rule here, where buildings are grown and people are augmented to have superhuman powers such as perfect recall and enhanced reasoning power. I love the descriptions of the world, the buildings, the jungle, the high city, it’s all just so imaginative.

The diversity of the characters is so refreshing as well. Women with bald heads, bisexual men, strong personalities, people with autistic tendencies. It’s a vibrant world with such great characters. Ana is hilarious and Din is the perfect foil. I loved the new character of Malo, she fit in perfectly with the strange cast.

The plot line was also fascinating, and the mystery so convoluted at times I had trouble following. But, it all became clear and the payout was worth it. I don’t think the pacing was maybe as good as the first novel in the series, but it kept me coming back for more.

4/5 stars!

I received an ARC from netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed this sequel to the Tainted Cup. Though the story in this sequel stands apart and independently of the first, I would recommend reading them in order. The mystery was interesting, though I felt as if it was convoluting at times . We do learn more about the magic system and about one character's mysterious background, which I am excited to read about in future books. This was full of twists and surprises, and I thought the conclusion to be quite satisfying. Overall, this was a great read!

The Tainted Cup was one of my favorite 2024 reads because it differed from what I had been reading—it was still fantasy (my genre of choice) but with Sherlock Holmes vibes. So, I was so excited to dive into A Drop of Corruption.

I loved certain aspects of the second installment, although I wanted a little more from some elements. Would I recommend it? Yes! If you enjoyed the first book, you should definitely read the second. The world continues to expand, and I look forward to what’s to come in the next book.

I enjoyed…
…continuing to get to know Din now that he has been in his role a bit longer, he trusts his abilities more, is piecing together clues on his own accord, and is confident in his understanding of Ana’s quarks. I still enjoy the story unfolding, where you get pieces of information as Din does, so you are coming to your conclusions as Din does. It also expands the view of the empire as you learn about Yarrowland, which I love as you are introduced to new characters and a new side to politics.

My one gap…
My biggest bummer of the read is Ana. I LOVED her in The Tainted Cup - she was running her own game. She was shrewd and confident as things unraveled. She had everyone’s number. However, in this read, I felt she was coming undone, which was likely on purpose, and I was just not ready for that yet. I wanted more of what I read before. Not someone who seemed to be yelling all the time but someone who was quietly figuring it out and strategically dropping the truth when she needed to.

All in all…
There continue to be many twists and turns to uncover “who did it,” similar to the style of book one. Although I wanted a slight shift from book one to keep me on my toes, this was still a fun read.

4.5 stars...first off thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the eARC of this book. It was quite the journey. I love the characters so much Ana and her neurodivergent-isms and Din was certainly put to the test on more than one occasion. These character are so well developed and the plot was great. A puzzle within a conundrum for sure. This story gave me Sherlock Holmes vibes and I'm not mad about it. It had magic, murder, mystery, mayhem, sleuthing. I would definitely recommend it to readers, especially if they read the first one.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the ARC! I enjoyed revisiting the world and Ana and Din. This story had similar energy to tainted cup with the painstaking interviews and evidence collection.

That said there were times this book dragged somewhat. I kept expecting there to be a point at which the plot picked up but they never really came.

Read if you think: Sherlock Holmes, Occupy Wall Street, and quiet quitting would all be more fun in a sci-fi fantasy setting.

Continue reading only if you've finished Book One.
Ana and Kol have spent a few years sleuthing together since The Tainted Cup, and they have now been sent to a region being annexed by the Empire to solve a locked-room murder. Ana, a brilliant detective in the tradition of Sherlock and Poirot, may have finally met her match in this book's antagonist, as the murderer seems to anticipate her at every turn.

This is a really fun mystery that keeps you guessing at every turn. I was a bit disappointed not to see more continuity from some storylines in the first book, but I loved exploring the Leviathan-haunted empire further. I look forward to discovering what hotbed of corruption Ana and Kol will expose in Book Three!

Rating: 4

Thank you to Random House Publishing for providing me with an advanced e-copy!

My nonspoilery review is that this was an enjoyable 4/5, but a step down from the first book. The world building and the mystery was still good and I really enjoyed how the mystery specifically pulls you into the different layers of the world and you see different perspectives on how people are affected. My main complaint is that this book didn’t seem to trust the reader as much as the first one. Clues were repeatedly pointed to, even having many sections where Dinn repeats them verbatim. I know that’s his whole thing, but it mostly felt heavy handed by the end of the book (with the exception of one particular moment that I loved and felt so much more like the first book). The characters are still strong here, but they also feel kind of static. I wanted more from the dynamic between Ana and Dinn, but it’s hard to talk about without getting Into spoilers. I am very curious/hopeful for book three to see how the groundwork laid in this book pays off.

Spoilers from here on! My big spoilerly complaint was that I felt like the one decision Dinn really makes in this book is spoon fed to him in a way I didn’t enjoy. I appreciate the themes of the story overall in terms of how thankless, invisible work can still be important but I also would’ve appreciated it more if that felt more like something Dinn had decided on his own. There’s literally a section where Thelani turns herself into justice and talks about how important and thankless the work of the Iudex is. Very heavy handed. Especially because one of the through lines of this story is corruption within the empire, but then the Iudex is treated like it’s somehow outside of that because they’re the ones hunting corruption? I think that the way that Ana is asking Dinn to watch over her for potential corruption was really good, but only glancingly dealt with at the end of the book! Maybe issues within the Iudex will be in the next one? Fingers crossed. Anyway, if we’re talking about Ana’s transformation to try and figure out the mystery, I feel like her need to go into an elevated state to sort things out was undercut by the fact that the mystery felt like it was too easy to solve with certain clues being repeated multiple times. The fact that the antagonist was the prince’s twin was something I guessed early on because we kept mentioning twins in the family, for instance.

Thank you Del Rey Team and Netgalley providing the ARC!

I ended this book with two main thoughts: first, I love the dynamic between Ana and Din. The connection between them is fantastic, and Malo's arrival brought new energy to the story. I would love to see them as a fixed trio in the investigations. Now, I can only think about how I need the third book as soon as possible!

The second thought is that this serie has already become one of my favorites. Since The Tainted Cup, I knew she had the potential for it. The universe created by the author is fascinating, and in this second book he managed to surpass himself.

Everything it's all so well written and planned that reading becomes a unique experience. Stories like this make it worth being a reader.

Ana and Din are, without a doubt, my favorite pair of investigators!

Loved the second book in the Shadow of the Leviathan series. It's a little bit slower than the first but still captivates in various directions that don't necessarily make sense at the moment but are blended together as the story and mystery progress. You still have the quirky, brilliant, and outlandish blindfolded Ana on the hunt with Din at her side and abroad collecting clues. You learn more about the world & realms they live in, the backgrounds & development of Din and Ana which gives additional context to the characters. The main mystery pulls you through wondering how it's going to shake out. Really enjoyed it, doesn't necessarily end on cliff hanger but leaves you wondering & hoping for another book. Would recommend to those who like Sherlock Holmes but in a fantasy novel & while it helps to read the first, you don't necessarily need to which is always refreshing.

Review also posted on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7033143669

4.5 stars. What a pleasant surprise to enjoy a sequel more than the first book in the series!

I've always been more of a fantasy reader than a mystery reader, so it actually means a lot to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the detective part of the story. The clues are nicely set up, and quite a few of the twists/schemes are delightfully clever. I was also glad to see that one of my main complaints about the first book -- the fact that many mysteries got solved by someone knowing a piece of information that the reader does not (oh! I didn't tell you this poison would cause mold on the wall!) -- no longer applies to this second installment. All the hints are skillfully tucked into seemingly unimportant dialogues and details, which makes it so satisfying whenever I manage to spot a cue. And when I don't, that just adds even more fun to the ah-ha moment.

The fantasy side, however, especially in the last part the book, is what made this story truly resonate with me and left me thinking. The tonal shift midway in the series is interesting, and the thematic emphasis on cultural clashes, bureaucracies, power corruptions, etc. makes it feel more like RJB's other fantasy mystery trilogy rather than the first book in this one, but that's exactly the way I like it. The occasional philosophical commentaries about the divine and the ephemeral, or about glory and duty, or relating to the bold references made in the author's acknowledgements, are precisely the reason why I love fantasy worlds. Seeing them in this book was a little unexpected, but very pleasantly so.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a pre-approved ARC, which forced me to fit this read into a terribly managed schedule that would've otherwise not allowed it. 3.5 stars for the first 70% of the book, 5 stars for the last 30%. Now I'm looking forward to the next one more than ever.