The Tainted Cup was one of my favourite books of 2024, so I was both excited and nervous for the sequel. Could RJB catch lightning in a bottle twice?
Turns out, yes.
A Drop of Corruption takes everything unique and wonderful about The Tainted Cup and levels it up. The biopunk vibes are squishier, the villain is more devious, and Ana is utterly fascinating and unsettling.
The core mystery once again has empire-destablising implications, and RJB doesn't shy away from commentary on the perils of both an ancient monarchy and the empire that is trying to replace it. No system is perfect, the narrative asks readers if that should stop us from trying to make things better even if our impact feels insignificant.
The mystery itself is engaging, but true to the Sherlock Holmes mysteries from which the narrative draws inspiration, it has been made twisty enough to require Ana's unique deductive capabilities. This isn't a mystery I could have solved as the reader, but the resolution is the perfect mix of surprising yet inevitable and the clues are all in the text, so the more observant reader may have solved this themselves.
I suspect this will find its way into my top books of 2025. RJB's worldbuilding and imagination are unmatched, and reading something that feels so gleefully weird is a delight.
Now excuse me while I go sit in the corner and wait for the next book to come out.

I loved this!! Such an interesting format for a fantasy mystery novel that kept me interested from the jump. I had a moment of being a bit confused, and then I realized I was reading the second in a series - but I feel there was enough background that I caught up quickly enough. There is banter, there is fun, there is humor, intrigue, and overall an interesting mystery to keep you going. I really enjoyed the magical elements and the world building, and truly felt transported to another time and place. Highly recommend. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.

4.5⭐️

This series was literally made for me. Fascinating fantasy world ✅ complex characters ✅ intricate political scenes ✅ Agatha Christie level murder mysteries✅

Seriously I need the next one now.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc in exchange for my review. This series was one of my favorites last year, and is a contender already for one of my favorite books of the year and I am very thankful!

I could happily read about Din and Ana for years and never be bored. Bennett's world-building skills are unmatched when creating the magic system and intricate political factions. Just like the first book in the series, Once again, I was sucked into the mystery, trying to figure out the identity of the killer. And, while I figured out some plot twists early, I was so invested I didn't mind continuing the journey. The book was perfect from start to finish. I give A Drop of Corruption 5/5 stars.


Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the opportunity to review A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett. All opinions are my own

This sequel to The Tainted Cup, somehow manages to top it! I love this world, the characters, the plot, and how it wrapped. If you enjoy sci-fi thrillers, this is the series to read for sure.

Thanks to Del Ray and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

A Drop of Corruption is the second in the Shadow of the Leviathan series, and I enjoyed it even more than the first!

Problem being, this world that Robert Jackson Bennett has fleshed out in The Tainted Cup is now so built up and dense, it would be impossible to talk about the plot in depth here, because it wouldn't make any sense and would likely be very long. It was a murder mystery of course, and Ana and Din are dispatched to do their usual thing. More of Din's backstory is shared and Ana just seems to get more and more mysterious with every paragraph. She's eccentric, dramatic, brilliant and sometimes even pathetic. Her skills cannot be denied though, and in some ways these two still remind me of Sherlock Holmes and Watson.

I've read mysteries for years, but for some reason with this author I can never seem to figure them out. I usually just forget about solving them and go along for the ride. I have to say that I wish this ride were a little bit shorter because sometimes I seemed to make no progress at all. In the end, that was really nothing because this story has everything that I love in dark fantasy. The worldbuilding, the intricate politics among independent countries and empires, two main characters that are fascinating, brilliant and funny, and what is up with the mysterious leviathans? I need to know!

One last thing, this is book two and it likely will make no sense to you if you haven't read The Tainted Cup first. So if you haven't, you should go do that!

This was absolutely terrific and has my highest recommendation!

*ARC from publisher

I was so happy and excited to get back to Ana and Din and their relationship. I love this series and loved this installment in the <i>Shadow of the Leviathan</i>. The author's skill at creating plot is unbelievable, and in addition he also created believable characters in a fantasy world. The two MC's (Ana and Din) are sent outside of the Empire to find out about the death of Treasury official. But what they end up having to do in their journey is much more than I considered it would be. There is another rather mysterious death, but our Ana has no qualms about figuring it out and does so in the blink of an eye.

The world of the Leviathans in which Ana and Din are a part of is The main suspect is very adept and skilled at doing what he/she does with no real trace of evidence left behind. This makes the investigation more intriguing and how easily Ana figured it out baffles me. I loved the bantering between the MC's which made the book just so fun to read. I also enjoyed learning quite a bit more about both Ana and Din, but there is definitely still much more to discover (in book 3?).

If there was anything to fault this book for, it would be that (for me anyway) it could've been more of a page-turner. Obviously it wasn't so slow that it prevented me from rating it with five stars, but there were some scenes that I felt dragged a little. I was too anxious to know what was going to happen next though for it to matter.

Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Man, I love this series so much. I love Ana and Din and their relationship, but I especially love the absolute wild situations they always seem to find themselves in. I enjoy mysteries but I’m often not the type of person to try to solve them on my own; I prefer to be led on the journey. That’s just the kind of reader I am, I will not be trying to piece things together on my own. So it’s absolutely wild to get taken down all the same rabbit holes Din is taken on, and I think the author does a good job giving hints to what the ultimate reveal would be, because by the time I got to the end I felt quite satisfied and like everything slotted into place like it was supposed to.

I love the worldbuilding and politics of this series and how messy it is to try and navigate the empire. I loved getting a better look at the leviathans and I really hope the third book will continue this trend. I could read about these weirdos forever, and I think there’s tons of mysteries for Bennett to tackle. A Drop of Corruption does a wonderful job blending the mystery with the deeper exploration of the world while also giving more information about who Ana is and how Din operates in the world, and it’s a genuine delight to read about them.

This is a book that I fear if I write a review for, my thoughts may inadvertently spoil the story - purely because of how incredible this series is and I may have no self control to stop myself from discussing it.

Din and Ana are an iconic duo that I never expected to work but just... do. Read this if you love the stories of Watson and Holmes or stories where the subplots are just as good (if not better than) the overarching tale.

A Drop of Corruption is the sequel to a The Tainted Cup and takes place about 18 months after.

It seems to be a 'simple' murder mystery of a treasury officer in an area that is not quite part of the empire. But of course anything that Ana gets send to is never just that simple as figuring out how the murderer got in and out. It is only a small part of a bigger plot.

Even that isn't what truly stands out in this book. There were twists and turns but the bigger ones I could call beforehand. But the characters and the writing is what captivates. Then it doesn't really matter if you can call any of the twists.

Din seems to have taken a bit of a hit. The events in the first book and all of the cases that he saw with Ana after, seems to have dropped a nerve. All the death and killing has left its mark and he seems to be suffering from a little bit of ptsd.

It's an interesting mix of mystery, fantasy and a personal search in a variety of characters. Din is feeling mixed up about what he truly wants and feels forced into his current position. While Ana might not seem like she is forced into anything I feel that what is revealed about her does show that. I think that is why she sees it in Din. The feelings at least. I'm glad she made sure that Din had a choice.

Seeing Ana through Din's eyes does add something to this. If this was written from Ana's pov, a character so smart and sees through things, it would only dissapoint. You can't ever truly write such a smart character that would live up to our expectations, lets be real. Din isn't stupid, not at all, and the more time he spends with Ana, the more he seems to be able to see her way of thinking. But he is more on our level which also makes it easier to connect wit him as the main character.

I feel like this might move beyond a trilogy? I'm not sure but I also feel like we are slowly building up to a bit more in each book when it comes to a bigger something that will be very big for this world. However it is so slow that there is no way that is going to work to come forward in one book.

4.5 stars, rounded up because I already can't wait for the next book

I am a huge fan of the classic mystery genre, and this series is a worthy nod to another duo, Holmes and Watson. Ana is as secretive and a genius as Holmes, and Din is a worthy narrator who acts as Ana's eyes and ears, usually quite literally. The mysteries are complex, multilayered, and full of twists and turns, and while Bennett does lead us to the conclusion when we finally get there, I am often more like Din than Ana, being able to see part of the picture, but not all. I absolutely love their interactions with each other, and it's as much as the character building as the mystery that makes me love this series so much. Without revealing any specifics, we finally find out more about Ana, although much of it is still shrouded in mystery. While each of these books could be read as a standalone mystery, I would recommend starting from the beginning. However, as much as I can't wait for the next book, each book satisfies as you learn the solution to the mystery. While there are many series I don't like starting until they're complete because I'm not a fan of cliffhangers, this is not one of those. But while I wait, I may end up rereading the first book (for the third time) and this one--for me, it was that satisfying.

I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for an eARC in exchange for my honest review. “The Tainted Cup” was one of my favorite reads of 2024 and this sequel is a strong contender for 2025. Set in a high fantasy world, this book follows Ana and Din into another shadow of the Empire-- namely, Yarrowdale, an independent sector poised to be taken by the Empire. Filled with political scheming, snarky remarks, and hairbrained schemes Sherlock Holmes would be proud of, the duo race to solve another murder.

In addition to the central murder mystery, this book touches on many questions posed in the first novel. (What are Ana’s grafts? Where do Din’s loyalties lie? What is the Empire and their origins? What are the Leviathans?) Bennett’s worldbuilding is stunning, investing readers not only in Din and Ana’s story, but the Empire at large. I would happily read another 10 novels set in this world.

thank you Del Ray for my copy of this book!

This series is so great. I never know what is going to happen and I am beyond obsessed with that. these characters are so satisfying!

The first book, The Tainted Cup, was one of my favorites last year, só I was so excited to read this one and it didn't disappoint. The world created by the author is so interesting, and the characters are really good. I admit that a little part of the story did not make sense to me and bothered me a little, but is something that is a "me" problem and not a problem of the plot or writer. Anyway, I am ready to read more adventures by Ana and Din.

Thank you Netgalley and Del Rey for the eARC.

4.5

I'm not going to lie, I wasn't going to pick this up. I read The Tainted Cup in March 2024 and felt very ambivalent about it. I knew it wasn't going to stick in my brain, and while I did consider revisiting it when I saw everyone online rave about it, I had been let down by the sequels to Foundryside so in my head I was done with the series. Then I was offered a widget invite to the NetGalley eARC and I started second guessing, and then this year's r/fantasy bingo prompts were released and I was struggling to fill the biopunk square. So here we are and I have no clue what was wrong with me last March (other than like moving across the country and starting a new job and just being overwhelmed in general) but I really liked this. I think this world is super fun and I loved the way the mystery leads to more worldbuilding so that it never feels like too much. I do think some of the plot twists towards the end started to drag the story a little bit for me. I think this would have easily been a 5 star read if it was 50-100 pages shorter. That being said, I love Din and Ana and their working dynamic. It's very Sherlockian with Din being the Watson narrating the story and Ana being the eccentric analytic with secrets to be discovered throughout the series. I also found the author's note about authoritarian leadership really interesting and definitely made me stop and think a bit more about the story and other works of secondary world fantasy and how/why author's create governing systems in their worlds.

Detective Ana (our Sherlock Holmes character) is called upon to solve a disappearance. Din (our Watson character) uses his perfect memory to gather all the observations and evidence for Ana. The disappearance turns out to be a murder.

I really like Din and Ana. And I liked that we jumped right into the mystery in book 2. The mystery kept getting more and more complicated. Too complicated for me, similar to my complaints about book 1.

If you like complex Holmes/Watson mysteries and fantasy, I highly recommend this series.

4.75⭐️. A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett is the second book in the Shadow of the Leviathan series. It is a detective-driven mystery with an adventurous fantasy twist. Themes include murder and intricate lock-room puzzles. Though the book doesn’t provide a timeline, it suggests time has passed since the previous book, with lower-stakes mysteries between them.

Ana and Din are called to the empire’s edge, where a treasurer vanished from a heavily guarded tower. The officer’s disappearance seems supernatural, but it’s later revealed to be a murder. A bank heist also occurs, and the killer may target the high-security compound known as the Shroud, where the empire harvests fallen titans for volatile magic.

The death toll rises, and the killer is intelligent and cunning. Din and Ana embody the Sherlock Holmes and Watson vibe, while the killer resembles Moriarty. The killer seems to be brilliant with an unusual amount of knowledge, and the first 30% of the books seek to uncover the killer’s identity. The rest of the book focuses on the pursuit and capture of all those involved. The political discussion centers around whether the town should join the empire, exploring its benefits and drawbacks, and the empire’s stance on expansion and resource management. The enhanced world-building provides a deeper understanding of the Leviathans and their connection to the people in the land. While the mystery may not be as challenging, the killer’s mastery of disguise adds an extra layer of intrigue.

I enjoyed this book more than the first. I liked how the book ended, emphasizing the importance of Ana’s investigative work and the growth of her and Din’s trust. I also appreciated the subtle reveals about the mystery surrounding Ana, which feels like the overarching mystery in each book. I’m curious about Ana’s background and how she solves problems. While the first book started slower, the pacing improved in the second book, with better reveal timing and a less rushed conclusion. Overall, I’m enjoying the fantasy murder mystery series. Though some twists were predictable, there were still surprising aspects. The unique nature of the series allows for a long run, but it doesn’t need to, so I’m interested in how many books this series will be. The serialized format provides intriguing elements about Ana and Din’s background, and I’m eager to see how the story progresses. If you liked the first book, I recommend picking up this book.

It feels so good to be back with Ana and Din! If you thought The Tainted Cup was their greatest case, then you are in for a delightful surprise in A Drop of Corruption. Ana and Din find themselves, once again, at the very edges of the Empire, in an isolated land ruled by a King whose people are either devoted to the monarchy or in conflict with the system. Throw in the ever present presence of the Leviathans, corrupt officials, body altering contageants, mass murder and secret experiments and you have just another day at the office. They might be my most favorite literary couple. The book is full of intrigueing revelations of not only the Empire, but of Ana and Din themselves. The banter between Ana and Din are some of the best parts and I look forward to all their interactions. Could the Empire be at risk again? Never fear, because Ana and Din are on the case.

Think Agatha Christie style murder mystery but instead of Hercule Poirot you have Moira Rose. The dialogue in this is luxurious, the environment lavishly built, I do hope this is not the last we see of Ana and Din.

Ahoy there me mateys! In this second book of the series, Din and Ana are back.  Several years and cases have passed since the first book.  The duo finds themselves in Yarrowdale on the edges of the Empire.  Yarrowdale is still run by a King and negotiations continue about transitioning the country into the Empire.  The problem this time is a locked room mystery where a Treasury official from the Empire has been found dead in a canal.  How did an assassin get into the official's locked room at the top of the tower without being seen?  How will the diplomatic interests of the Empire be affected?

Din, at this point in his career, is downhearted and rather jaded.  His work does not bring him personal satisfaction and he wants a department transfer to fight Leviathans on the Wall.  His family debts are smothering him and the only way to calm his mind is by a series of one-night stands.  He continues to do his best because of personal pride.  Ana at first seems her regular crazy self but time in Yarrowdale will stretch her to breaking.  Din and Ana still work well together but Din seems irritated at having to always do Ana's footwork for her.  Luckily, Din has Warden Malo with her excellent nose to help him deal with local formalities.  She was an excellent character addition and also provides lighthearted humor and banter with Din.

Of course the Treasurer's murder is just the start.  There is a lot going on with this book from the monarchy, to missing treasure, to smugglers, to Leviathans, to lots of secrets, to contagion, etc.  I was able to guess a couple of big plot twists and many smaller ones but there is plenty to discover about how the murder happened, how politics are effected, and how relationships evolve.  I really enjoyed this novel and I cannot wait for the next book.  Arrr!

Side note:  I adored the scene with Ana and the oysters!

4.5 rounded up