This book gives fantasy and mystery in all the best ways with a side of strong Sherlock Holmes vibes. What truly sets it apart for me is its unique magic system - where fallen Titans are dissected for their magic-infused power. This almost sci-fi element adds a spark to the worldbuilding, making the setting feel fresh and immersive.
Beyond the murder at its core, the novel raises the stakes with the looming threat to the Shroud, intertwining politics, power struggles, and moral dilemmas in a way that keeps you hooked. The pacing is excellent, balancing slow-burning intrigue with bursts of action, and the atmosphere is richly drawn, making it easy to sink into the story. If you enjoy clever mysteries with a fantastical edge, complex conspiracies, and a touch of noir, this is a book worth picking up.

Our dynamic duo is back, and all their usual antics are in full force. If you were a fan of The Tainted Cup, you would not want to miss this cleverly crafted sequel. Charismatic characters, compounded with a cunning crime, will keep readers chasing for answers and chuckling along the way! Cozy, good fun...

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett is the 2nd book in the Shadow of the Leviathan Series. I really enjoyed book one, The Tainted Cup, and if you liked The Tainted Cup, you will absolutely like A Drop of Corruption. I am already dreading the wait for the third book. This is a mystery wrapped in a high fantasy. The world building is fantastic and Ana and Din are incredible characters. Comparisons to Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are thrown about fairly frequently but to Ana and Din they are an apt comparison. The mystery is so well done, I'm always still puzzling things out when Ana has the case sorted. Really enjoying this series. If you like fantasy and you like a good mystery - read the Shadow of the Leviathan series. A Drop of Corruption releases today, April 1st. Thank you to Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey for my advance reader copy.

My thanks for the arc goes to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Sci-Fi, Science Fiction Mystery, Mystery, Futurism, Mystery
Spice Level: Some sex on page but not exactly graphic—it could be considered to be part of the characterization but probably could have been cut because it doesn't advance the plot.
Language: Still plenty of f-bombs
Representation: LGBTQ characters, in-world racial diversity
Creativity: Extremely clever

A DROP OF CORRUPTION, the second in the Shadow of the Leviathan, is complex, twisty, and murderous—keeping me glued to the page.

Things I love about this book and the first, *The Tainted Cup*:

- Creativity is through the roof
- Leviathans being used to power and remake this magical world
- Characters are deep and fascinating and varied
- Sherlock-like sleuth is a mystery herself
- Watson-like character is long-suffering
- Political intrigue
- Society at large and the problems
- The actual murder mystery

So, so amazing!!! Literally, the only thing I would change is taking out some of the unnecessary spice and the f-bombs (which is why I drop the rating a star by my policy because it makes the book less accessible to a larger audience). I find everything about the story gripping. I want more in this world. I want to keep exploring and seeing how the characters develop and solve new problems.

Ana Dolabre is macabre to read at times. I feel like the clues are coming together to learn more about her after the first book. Seriously, I can't say more without spoiling things.

Imagine me clapping for an encore, and then you'll have the picture.

Sci-fi readers are going to eat up this book.

Happy reading!

There's just something about this fantasy world that doesn't work for me. RJB's characterizatiom for Ana remains tell-don't-show and as she's the character the whole mystery hinges on, the beauty of the world building is lost on me. 3 stars, interesting amalgamation of the fantasy and mystery genre, yet lackluster.

This is really a mystery set in a fantasy world, by which I mean that the fantasy elements aren't the main focus, so Robert Jackson Bennett didn't need to make them as fully fleshed out and epic in scale as he did. But he did and it's truly one of the most interesting fantasy settings I've come across in awhile. There are monsters and even more monstrous augmentations that have made humans more (or less) than human.

Din has an augmented memory that he uses to help him solve crimes under the tutelage of Ana Dolabra. We return to this fascinating world to solve a string of murders that threatens the Empire itself.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for the eARC of one of my most anticipated 2025 releases!!

The Tainted Cup was one of my favorite reads of 2024 and I was so happy to read the sequel early!!

I personally found this installment to be even better than the first, I think we’ve really found our groove in terms of investigation, world building/magic, and character development!

I love Din and Ana, and I especially loved learning more about them and the political landscape of the world along with how closely tied that is with the actual physical landscape, the way things are very much intertwined with nature. The world often feels like its own character in this series and I enjoy navigating it through Din and Ana’s investigations.

I cannot wait for the next installment!!

I’m not a big fantasy /sci fi girly but oh my word are these books incredible! I felt so fully submerged when reading this story. I loved everything about this book and it’s just so damn beautifully written. Ana is my spirit animal. 10/10 would and will aggressively recommend. This is a series I can see myself continuing to read as long as he writes them!

This mystery begins in Yarrowdale, where a Treasury officer has disappeared after being abducted from his locked quarters, which were guarded at all times. Ana Dolabra is called to investigate the disappearance but soon realizes that it is a murder. The killer is targeting a high-security compound known as the Shroud, as the Empire’s people try to harness the magic found in their blood. Ana and Din must put their skills to the test to uncover the truth behind this mystery.

Din's backstory is revealed, detailing how he became an engraver and the motivations behind his choices.

Throughout the story, the world-building is beautifully crafted as the characters navigate the unfolding mystery. There are plenty of twists and turns as the plot develops, and at one point, Ana solves a crucial part of the case while wearing a blindfold, with Din, the engraver, by her side.

This book pays homage to classic mysteries reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple, and Hercule Poirot, as well as the TV series Elementary.

I highly recommend "A Drop of Corruption." Five stars Robert Jackson Bennett has created a beautiful magical world filled with an engaging mystery. This is my second book by this author, and I look forward to reading the next installment in the Shadow of the Leviathan series and the Foundryside series.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book.

Reviewed "A Drop of Corruption" by Robert Jackson Bennett. #ADropofCorruption #NetGalley

I was beyond excited to dive into this second book, and it did not disappoint! The magic system in this series continues to intrigue me—it’s so different from anything else I’ve read, and even when I don’t fully grasp every detail, I love every bit of it.

Din remains one of the most enjoyable narrators I’ve come across. He’s smart but also refreshingly human—hesitant when I’d be hesitant, thinking the things I’d probably be thinking, but always stepping up when it counts. And Ana is just brilliant. She is eccentric, unpredictable, and so much fun to watch in action. I love how she uses Din’s strengths in ways that always feel both unexpected and exactly right, and their dynamic is just the best part of the book for me.

This mystery was so cleverly put together, full of twists that kept me completely hooked. Just when I thought I had a handle on what was happening, the story would throw in another surprise that made perfect sense but still caught me off guard. The stakes felt even higher this time, and I was on edge in the best way.

Honestly, I could read Ana and Din solving mysteries forever. Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for an eARC of this book for an honest review!

Characters:5/5
Story/Plot: 5/5
Writing: 5/5


Dinn and Ana are back and I am so happy! I loved every minute of this sequel, and ate up every tidbit of world building. This mystery is just as good as the first, but delves deeper into characters and the bizarre world of Leviathans.

The mystery was fast paced and had many twists. There is also quite a bit of political intrigue in this one, as we learn about the setting of Yarrowdale which is just outside of the Empire from Tainted Cup.

It begins with the death of a Treasury officer and a locked room mystery, but quickly becomes much more. Just when I thought we'd get an answer, I was instead left with more questions. The ending wrapped up everything and left me craving the next mystery already.

The character's growth in this book was great as well, as we see Din struggle with finding a purpose in his role, and we learn more of Ana’s past. This one also threw in new side characters that were a treat to see as they interact with the strange duo, and I do hope they pop up in future books as well. I was a little bit sad to not see some of my favorite side characters from the Tainted cup (Captain Miljin for example) however as this takes place in a different city, it makes complete sense.

All in all, this was a fantastic read and I cannot wait for the next adventure with these two!





Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review!

First of all, i’d say thank youuuu to Random House and Netgalley for the ARC! Because omgg i love The Shadow of Leviathan series~

Someone said book sequel might not be as good as the first book, but here we have A Drop of Corruption that i would proudly happily say that it’s even more excellent!

The murder mysteries is always thrilling, in this sequel Ana had an on-par enemy and it made the story itself more unpredictable for me. The layer of riddles that RJB creates.. more riddles for one revelation (Unputdownable book!)

I love that the world is expanding, that we can see one of important parts of the world building “The Shroud”. I still couldn’t fathom how complex it is!

I was so upset when i thought the book will end just like that and have no satisfying twist, but okaaaay i need to fully trust RJB because oh the twist at the end of the book was good. There’s a clue given, but i’m not as careful and clever as other readers so i didn’t see it coming.

And how happy i am when i get to see there’s a hint of Ana’s alterations! More more adventures with Din and Ana! I CAN’T WAIT FOR THE NEXT BOOK 😭

4.75 stars
close to no notes

If you enjoyed the tainted cup, I think you’ll have a tremendous time with this- we’ve got the convoluted and rewarding mystery plot that comes alongside politics and some good ole political commentary, we’ve got Din and Ana snarking at each other, we’ve got the fantastic and ever-unfolding worldbuilding… what more could we ask for?

honestly the only thing I’m left craving is a little more vulnerability from the characters, particularly Ana. we get more moments of struggle or vulnerability from her in this book, but I’m still hoping for a little more of that to provide emotional resonance. but it does make sense that we would have to wait until future books. thankfully, there are emotional stakes for other characters that were meaningful for me, and kept me invested.

all in all, a close to perfect sff mystery book.

Thank you for the opportunity to preview A Drop of corruption. This is the second book in a series and although I didn’t read the first one I was addicted.
Very different and a book that gave me pause to think. And think. Very good!
Enjoyed it and the book is thought provoking. 3.5 stars

https://onereadingnurse.com/2025/04/01/book-review-a-drop-of-corruption-by-robert-jackson-bennett/

Also on Instagram @OneReadingNurse and GoodReads

I think Del Rey spoils me more than any other publisher, and I thank them once again for the early digital review copy of A Drop of Corruption in exchange for an honest review.

I liked but didn’t love The Tainted Cup, but I had a feeling that Bennett was just warming up with this world and these characters and I was right. I always live and die by publication order so I would recommend reading that book first although each one will read as a standalone within the series.

We move to an isolated, swampy area known as Yarrowdale which the imperials have been trying to bring into the empire for over 100 years. Finally the negotiations are coming to a close and when a delegation member disappears and only pieces are found, Ana and Din are brought in to investigate.

It’s crazy because right from the start this book just oozes dark, oppressive atmosphere. It’s not a good time for the yarrow court or for the empire, smugglers are everywhere, and there’s corruption in The Shroud – oh yes, we get to see where the Leviathans are brought to be harvested for unstable regents. Everything is unstable and the tension stays high as more deaths occur and the stakes raise.

We learn a lot more about Ana too. She wasn’t a sympathetic or terribly likeable character in The Tainted Cup but now I’m equal parts intrigued and icked out by her appetites. She is as much of a mystery as the mystery they’re solving and I’m hoping in the next book to learn more. Malo was a great addition too, she added enough humor and created better banter with Din which just made everything more readable. As always, I think these unconventional partnerships are so much more interesting to read than forced romance!

I also loved just about every aspect of the unravelling mystery because there was truly no idea to know what was happening before it did, but Ana figured it out.

So if you like highly immersive fantasy settings with great world building, small magic based mostly in alterations and “science” more than a traditional magic system, and setting & atmosphere for days, I’d recommend this series. I don’t think RJB can go wrong, he’s been absolutely solid in every one of his books so far.

4.5⭐️!!!

I enjoyed this even better than The Tainted Cup. This series is so much fun. It’s the first time I’ve read a fantasy/mystery genre and it just is perfect for me.

I love Ana and Din as characters . The banter between them and in the book in general is just fantastic. The story moves seamlessly through and never gets dull. There was no point at which I was bored throughout the course of this book. I love watching Ana and Din work side-by-side as the books progresses. They can be so different in their personalities, year also mesh so perfectly. Gosh, I loved this.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore for the chance to read this eARC!

The Tainted Cup was one of my favorite books last year, so this sequel was one of my most highly anticipated reads of this year. And I’m thrilled to share that it did not disappoint!!

The series follows Ana and Din, our Holmes and Watson-esque duo, as they travel across the Empire solving seemingly impossible to solve murder mysteries. I adore these two, and seeing their dynamic as they work together. Ana is enjoyably eccentric, while Din is her more serious but still clever assistant.

The world is incredibly detailed, which an interesting magic system that I really enjoy reading about (even if I don’t quite understand everything). The world that Bennett has created here is so rich and complex, and I can’t wait to see how he further builds on this in the next books.

The mystery is well-crafted: complex, twisty, layered. I never knew where it was going next, but it was fun and engaging the whole time.

Can’t wait to see what Ana and Din get up to next 😌

6 ⭐️
0 ❤️‍🔥

My first six ⭐️ read for the year! I loved The Tainted Cup, and for this girl who loved Sherlock Holmes and Watson as a teen, particularly the dynamic between Holmes and Watson. Now I have Ana and Din, and I love their dynamic even more after this book. Ana has taken her idiosyncrasies to a whole new level in this book, and raises questions about what grafts and modifications Ana possibly has had. But Ana continues to make me laugh with her sharp retorts, rants, and demands of poor Din. Din, bless his heart, we discover has unfulfilled desires and his family's burden of debt left by his father. This swirls while Ana and Din try to solve the mystery of a murder in a locked room. As more unfolds, it's evident that it involves the Leviathans and the resources mined from their corpses that shore up the empire. The political intrigue between the empire and the small independent kingdom being annexed to process Leviathan resources is tied in with that. The mind of Robert Jackson Bennett is amazing, with how he's created this world with all the details in such large pictures that boggle the mind while reading. The pacing was perfect. I never felt rushed or felt like I was slogging through filler pages. Every scene was exactly what it needed to be. The developing bond between Ana and Din, as she tells him how important their jobs are, even if they are not the flashy ones on the front lines, was touching to read. The brief tenderness Ana shows Din speaks absolute volumes because it is diametrically opposed to her usual demeanor. I love her character even more than I did with the first book, and Din is a jewel. I cannot wait to see this pairing develop, and I hope RJB is not planning on ending this series anytime soon.

Thank you, NetGalley, Random House, DelRay, Random House Worlds, and Inklore, for the eArc. It was a great surprise and these glowing opinions are my own.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions contained within are my own.

I’ve made no secret about how much I loved The Tainted Cup when I read it last year. I may have proclaimed to not have a book I could put as my number one read of 2024, but I also may have lied, lol. That book was 100% my fave which is why I squealed like a tea kettle ready to be removed from the stove when I was sent an e-ARC of the sequel, A Drop of Corruption!

In this dynamic sequel, we are once again following the eccentric but brilliant investigator, Ana Dolabra, and her somewhat reluctant sidekick, Dinios Kol. This time, Ana and Din are dropped in the sweltering jungle lands of the canton of Yarrowdale, where a very perplexing murder has taken place. A man that was assumedly locked in his room is found dead (and in pieces…) in one of the many canals of the region while. It is up to Ana and Din to figure out not only how this crime occurred… but why.

It’s hard to express how happy I was to be back in the world of this series! Robert Jackson Bennett has a way of building a world that you just want to languish in because you want to know everything about it. I love that we got more worldbuilding in this installment that further helps you settle into this fascinating landscape. Bennett does an incredible job of making you feel as though you are slicing your way through a fetid jungle right alongside Din. His writing is very evocative and descriptive, not only with the scenery but with… more gory details, as well, haha. It works to fully immerse you into the story in a way that I absolutely loved.

But enough gushing about the wonderful worldbuilding and the incredible writing. I want to talk about my two favorite things about this book: Ana and Din! These two characters have taken up residence in my brain and I’m only too happy to let them. I adore Ana and her absolutely bats$&* antics. She is so much fun to follow, though Din might argue that assessment! Din is the perfect, stoic foil to her tomfoolery and I thoroughly enjoyed watching them navigate this mystery together. I also loved watching their relationship further develop. You can tell Ana has a soft spot for Din and I think the same can be said for Din. Not in a romantic way, but in a mentor-mentee way that is a lot of fun to explore. Then there are all the SECRETS! I want to know everything about these two and it’s a quite the experience gleaning little pieces of these characters as we go.

I think the only reason I didn’t give this book the full five stars is that it did take me a little longer to get into the story than I did the first one. I do wonder if this is a case of me loving the first book so much that nothing, even the sequel, can climb up that ridiculously high pedestal. But, honestly, that’s just me and my weirdly picky brain. What I’m trying to say is that my 4.5 rating is more a reflection of my overly fond feelings for The Tainted Cup and less a reflection of A Drop of Corruption. Because this book was absolutely phenomenal! If you love fantasy and murder mysteries and immersive writing, you need to pick up this series!

I swear every single new book Robert Jackson Bennett publishes is amazing! Each time they get better and this book is no exception. The world building is just incredible and so detailed. I feel like I could actually be apart of the world because I have such a clear vision. The banter between Din and Ana is top notch and really drives the narrative. The mysteries in each of these books has been beautifully crafted and so satisfying. I usually am pretty good at guessing what is going on but each time I wasn't able until a paragraph or two before it was confirmed. Overall this book is a super fun read and I can't wait for more from this author!

Also the authors note is a must read!