A Drop of Corruption is a solid sequel that expands nicely on the world and characters introduced in The Tainted Cup, though it didn’t grip me quite as much as the first book. I appreciated that the central mystery was much more complex, especially since I (and lots of other readers) figured out the killer’s identity in the first book. A Drop of Corruption kept me guessing with a barrage of of red herrings which made sense within the plot, but at times felt frustrating rather than engaging.

The worldbuilding in this series is as strong as ever. One of the highlights was learning more about the titans’ biology—it was fascinating and gross and completely unique, which is exactly what I love about this series. Hopefully we’ll get to see more of the actual leviathans in the future! Also great was the exploration of the fantasy genre’s—and humanity’s—obsession with autocracies, and I appreciated the extra commentary on this in the author’s note.

Finally, the novel shines in its character work. Ana and Din remain a compelling duo, with Ana’s brash and often crude attitude balancing well against Din’s stoic suffering. Speaking of which, it was satisfying to see more focus on Din’s character development this time around (even if I just want him to be happy with Strovi!)

Overall, while I didn’t love this book quite as much as its predecessor, it’s still a strong, entertaining read that I’d recommend to anyone who wants to see more of Ana & Din.

This book is a thrilling ride that keeps you on the edge of your seat. In Yarrowdale, a Treasury officer vanishes, prompting the Empire to enlist sharp detective Ana Dolabra. What begins as a disappearance evolves into a dangerous murder case linked to a stealthy opponent capable of slipping through locked doors. The stakes rise as the killer targets the Shroud, vital to the Empire’s survival, challenging even Ana's brilliance. The author weaves a tense story of political intrigue, clever puzzles, and high-stakes action, a satisfying blend of mystery and fantasy that mystery fans will love.

Perfect mix of fantasy and a who dun it, I love this kind of fantasy. Not a ton of “confusing” world building and you can just jump right in.

I loved the first adventure of Din and Ana (The Tainted Cup) and I didn't think anything could live up to it, to be honest. But this! This certainly did. It's fantastic and kept me hooked the whole time through. The characters have wonderful personalities. And the world building! *chef's kiss* A Drop of Corruption leaves nothing to be desired. Don't miss this one!

Bioengineering, eldritch abominations, a deep fantasy world, and a mysterious murder combine into a successful mixture once again in this delightful sequel to The Tainted Cup. Our returning investigators Ana and Din are brought to the edge of the empire to investigate when an official is found killed in a brutal way, but they quickly discover that the case is wildly more complicated and potentially could spell disaster for the nation. With a cunning criminal, unhelpful locals, and political machinations all complicating the investigation, the great detective and her assistant are given a harrowing test of their abilities in a race against the clock.

Robert Jackson Bennett does it again, proving that fantasy murder mysteries in the vein of Doyle are not just possible to pull off, but extremely entertaining and engrossing when done correctly. Excellent world building, smart characters, and a genuinely interesting mystery make this both a great sequel and a good read on its own. An easy recommendation for any fantasy collection.

Our Iduex detectives are back to solve another mystery in a new region, Yarrowdale, far from Kol’s home.

Kol and Ana were summoned to solve a murder case of a Treasury officer in Yarrowdale. The wardens in Yarrow had initially assumed the officer had disappeared into thin air; upon finding his remains, they concluded that it was a murder case that might involve someone who was clever enough to be untraceable.

Kol and Ana’s deductions were put to greater greater test in this book. The murderer was someone who had access to confidential information that only the Apoths (imperial officers responsible for managing the Empire’s many organic alterations) were aware of.

As they dug deeper into the investigation, the clues grew more complex. They were not close to catching the murderer but the clues lead them to discover something significant that would change the course of the imperial power in Yarrowdale.

Kol was sleep deprived, knee deep in debt and was questioning his career choice after arriving at Yarrowdale. He was so used to Ana’s antics but he was in knots trying to solve the murder. He was no match for Ana’s intelligence, but he was learning and catching up to her.

The biggest difference between this book and the Tainted Cup was the execution. 95% of A Drop of Corruption was about anticipation. It was building the thrill of solving the mystery till the end. It had me in an chokehold from Act 1.

Each line was adding up to something and wasn’t a filler. Although the ending lacked the punch for me, I think we, as readers, are given enough clues to solve the problem on our own. Although, it took Ana’s uncanny ability to process information and make sense of patterns to solve the murder for me.

I’m not going to go deep into the book, but if you love Fantasy and Mystery, this book will keep your mind stimulated till the end.

This is one of the best novels of the year for me and I want to explore more in this genre and RJB’s works as well. You can read this novel as a Standalone, but if you want to understand Kol and Ana’s dynamic, I’d suggest to start with the Tainted Cup.

Thank you Del Rey for the DRC of the book!!

ARC provided by NetGalley.

A worthy sequel to the mystery/fantasy hybrid, The Tainted Cup, A Drop of Corruption is a thrilling and engaging novel that follows Dinios Kol and Ana Dolabra as they work to unravel a plot that threatens to unravel the whole of the Empire.

One of the aspects that attracted me to The Tainted Cup was its promise to deliver a Doyle-style mystery in a rich fantasy world and it absolutely delivered. In A Drop of Corruption, Robert Jackson Bennett again shows his mastery of both genres. Kol, the Watson of this story, and Dolabra, the Holmes of this story, are sent to Yarrow, a city-state far away from the Empire, but home to one of its greatest assets, the Shroud. The Shroud, as we learn, is the key to the Empire’s power for it is the place where dead leviathans are turned into the reagents that power the Empire. In Yarrow, Kol is put to the task of investigating the mysterious murder of a Treasury official. He meets Malo, an Apoth whose augmentations grant her unusually powerful sight, smell, and hearing. Together, Kol, Malo, and Dolabra work on unraveling the mysterious circumstances surrounding this murder. Their investigation, however, unwraps even more mysteries as they are confronted with imperial officials working to create a powerful tool that would allow the Empire to abandon Yarrow. The creation of this tool has come at an exacting price - to achieve it, people were augmented with the gift of augury, a graft that allows for superb pattern recognition at the expense of the mind. In result, the three investigators will pursue this conspiracy to the High City of Yarrow where they will confront the court and, ultimately, solve this conspiracy.

Spoilers from here down…

The first thing that I really enjoyed about this book was the character development of Kol and Dolabra. In the first book, both characters very clearly fit their archetypes (Kol being Watson and Dolabra being Holmes). In this book, the author shows Kol struggling with his placement in the Iudex and his need to balance his personal aspirations with his duty and friendship with Dolabra. For Dolabra, the author allows us a lot more screen time with her. She remains eccentric and entertaining, but we really get to see her mind work to unravel the clues and the heavy price this work exacts on her. The author even masterfully weaves in hints as to Dolabra’s true nature, which is screaming for a big reveal in the third book. Overall, I was very satisfied with where these characters ended up by the conclusion of the story.

Second, I really enjoyed the Moriarti of this story, the augur Sunus Pyktis. He is quite the match for Kol and Dalabra and for much of the story remains many steps ahead of the duo. Furthermore, the author’s direction with this character was highly effective. Bennett uses Pyktis, and other characters of authority and mystique in the book, to show the fallacies associated with believing in the all-encompassing ability of one person. In the end, Pyktis, even though heavily augmented, was just a man with very human motivations. Bennett actually develops this theme through many characters including the High King of Yarrow, the leader of the Apoths Thelenai, and Satrap Darhi to name a few.

Third, the inclusion of Malo as a supporting character was a welcomed addition. Malo’s character is both interesting and serves as a great counter to the very serious Dinios Kol. Malo is witty, rough, but highly competent. I truly hope that Bennett continues her story in the next book because I think there’s a great narrative there with her and Kol!

One final note, I highly recommend reading the author’s afterword. Bennett explains much of his purpose in crafting the book the way he did and it serves as a reminder that, at its best, the fantasy genre is as much a reflection of the world as it is an escape from it.

Whenever the sequel to a beloved work comes out there is always a moment of dread. Hold your breath, hope against hope it somehow lives up to its predecessor, what if everything you loved was just a fluke. A Drop Of Corruption had a hell of a first act to follow but, for me at least, it absolutely stuck the landing.

The second entry in the Shadow of the Leviathan series finds Din and Ana in Yarrowdale, a kingdom the Empire is in the long and fraught process of integrating. There is, of course, an inexplicable murder, political intrigue, eldritch structures, some absolute first rate body horror and equally great banter.

I admire the tightrope walk A Drop Of Corruption manages with the conflict between Yarrow and the Empire. It would be easy to paint either side as purely good, but as is so often the case in this series, there are layers. The Empire is engaging in colonialism, using the far flung Yarrowdale for necessary resources. Yet Yarrow is not a just society, either. It is the people at the bottom who have the most to lose and neither the kingdom nor the empire are especially interested in what happens to them.

The worldbuilding in Shadow of the Leviathan is superb, the plots are tight and wonderfully crafted. But the heart of the series is our main duo, Din and Ana. They are, without a doubt, some of my favourite characters of all time. I was forewarned that there was a change to the dynamic which I think helped me going into the book, so I’ll add it here: Din is not doing great. He’s suffering what we might call burnout and unsure of his purpose. My beloved disaster son also picked up some questionable coping mechanisms. It does also, at times, feel a bit like rehashing some of the progress Din and Ana’s relationship went through in book one. But I do feel the growing pains make absolute sense in the narrative. I think, out of all the fantastical elements and immersive environments, my favourite thing about the series is the sensitivity with which Robert Jackson Bennett writes his characters. It is wonderful how, in a world with literal leviathans, he manages to give such intimate detail to his characters. Even some of the worst people are given moments of real humanity. Without excusing their actions it gives them a vividness not often met with. As for our mains, I’ll just say this: There was a part in book one where I teared up, not out of sadness but just because I was so moved. There is another scene like that in this book. Absolutely fantastic series, I cannot wait to see where it goes.

Thank you Netgalley for this arc.

I want a hundred of these I want enough that they could take up more than an entire book shelf. Both this and the tainted cup are just banging solid detective stories wreathed in layers of gorgeous world building and great characters! I love that the world feels so solid and real but also like there’s so much to discover! I want to read stories where Din and Ana go all over the place! Solving all kinds of mysteries! They’re such a fun and compelling duo! The revelations within A Drop of Corruption make me only want more! A whole cup if you will! Thirsty for more!

Another incredible fantasy mystery that I could not out down. The political intricacies and plots of this world continue to be thoroughly engaging and at times downright bizarre.

Din continues to be an amazing POV character and I loved finding out more about his life before Ana. His pining and slightly disastrous personal life continually tugged on my heart strings- Like many others, I really hope he gets what he’s missing!

Ana is still the most hilarious, unhinged, terrifying eldritch being and unbelievably fun to read. She is grotesque and monstrous and incredibly human all in one. The explanation of her past was intriguing but well foreshadowed and felt earned.

I also loved the cast of side characters, particularly Mxx whose bluntness and ability to teas helped lighten a very intense story.

The emotional conflict Din had about feeling he made no impact and could do so much more was poignant and engaging. The theme of not just ‘saving the empire’ but what sort of empire are we saving was fantastic and gave Ana more emotional depth than she had in the tainted cup- even though I’m sure she’d deny that to the end of the world.

I still want to know more about the world and the leviathans and can’t wait for the next instalment.

Even better than The Tainted Cup, so if you enjoyed the first book in this series, definitely grab this one as well.

Din and Ana are joined by a new investigator, Malo, as they attempt to resolve the mysterious death of a Treasury officer in Yarrow, a border kingdom where all the Empire's reagents are produced. Yarrow is nearing the end of a century-long contract, at the end of which it will be folded into the Empire. Not all Yarrowians are thrilled about that. Plus, the city is shadowed by the gargantuan Shroud, which is where Apoths extract the reagents from the dead Leviathans. Din, Ana, and Malo are drawn into both political intrigue and dangerous scientific experimentation as they hunt for the killer, who always seems one step ahead of even Ana. Can they find their suspect in time to save the Empire?

I picked up the first book in this series because I'd been told it was a Sherlock Holmes-like mystery. It was that--but it also had a heavy fantasy/world-building element that took a while for me to get into. By the end, I was really into it. Here, I didn't feel like it was quite as difficult to slip into the story. Nevertheless, I would probably recommend readers pick up The Tainted Cup first to fully appreciate the relationship between Din and Ana and to better understand the foundations of this world.

This series is so wonderfully unique and even though it isn’t my typical read, it always pulls me in. Din and Ana as always were hilarious but also have so many real and raw moments. I really enjoyed how much the world building expanded. The setting is new and we find out more about the Leviathans and the Empire as well as its people. The mystery begins with a murder but slowly becomes so much more. I had no idea where anything was going as usual but that’s the fun of it!

If you loved The Tainted Cup, you’re in for an even wilder ride. And if you haven’t picked up this series yet: do yourself a favor and start now.
You won’t regret it!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A DROP OF CORRUPTION review:
"And the drop of corruption that lies within every society shall always persist..."

After finishing The Tainted Cup, I had three major expectations for A Drop of Corruption:
1. I wanted to uncover more of Kol’s mysterious past (like his training) and get a deeper understanding of who he truly is.
2. I hoped that Ana and Kol would gain recognition from someone high up in the empire, so that their next assignment would take us closer to the inner rings.
3. I wanted more insight into the Leviathans, not just as monstrous threats but as intelligent beings with souls, purpose, and emotions. I suspect they perhaps symbolize the colonized, and I hoped to see that explored.

✨️Did Bennett deliver? Absolutely. Not only does A Drop of Corruption meet these expectations, but it surpasses them in every way. This is the kind of series where each book gets better!
I loved this book even more than The Tainted Cup. I had missed these characters, and reuniting with them felt like coming home. We get to know them on a deeper level, making me feel even more invested in their journeys.

Beyond that, I found this book funnier than the first. The sharp dialogue, biting wit, and the way Ana and Kol play off each other had me grinning more than once.

“You’ve all the prudence of an inebriated cow! I’m half surprised people don’t gossip that you are a whore for hire, and I your pimp!"

And while the humor is a highlight, the core of the story remains the same: an utterly gripping mystery that kept me guessing the entire time. I never guessed right, which I love ❤️

⚠️Soft spoilers ahead

📚Characters:
One of the greatest strengths of A Drop of Corruption is the characters growth.
Kol, which I read as a shy character initially, is now presented as a charmer thanks to his engraver capabilities and, with his detached brilliance and methodical approach, continues to be a fascinating protagonist with still some mysteries to uncover.

But it’s Ana who truly shines for me in this installment. Her sharp wit, relentless drive, and ability to maneuver through the treacherous political landscape make her one of the most compelling characters in recent fantasy. I cannot wait to learn more about who/what she is.

I also have to mention Malo, which is an excellent secondary character. Her dynamic with Kol was also very endearing and funny and I hope to read more of her.

🏰The world-building:
How lucky we were! Bennett’s world-building reaches new heights in A Drop of Corruption.

We get to discover wonderful landmarks of the Empire the Shroud, the Jungle, old castles and Yarrow, a city that reminds me of Amsterdam if it was foggy, hot and stinky all the time.

✍️Plot & Pacing:
This book is a masterclass in tension. The mystery is complex and layered, with every answer leading to new questions. The political intrigue, the stakes, and the twists? Absolutely brutal. Every reveal hits like a gut punch, and just when you think you start to understand where things are going, Bennett pulls the rug out from under you.

The first thing I noted immediately upon finishing A Drop of Corruption was that I was breathless and strangely sad. In the epilogue, when everything plotted, planted and threaded in these 400 pages came together with an almost poignant moment between Ana and Din, I was both in awe of what I'd read and also overwhelmed at how much I was going to miss these characters and this world for the time being.

If I had to, I reluctantly would dig deep into my February-self of this year that had given the first book in this series 5 stars and admit that I bumped up the rating a half star because I smugly thought I caught wind of the potential romance much earlier on. (Maybe I was right, maybe I was foolish enough to think not many people saw the seeds as early as I did.) Nonetheless, that was how The Tainted Cup got its five stars despite my hesitation to do so.

Despite that, I knew in my heart that I'd just discovered my favorite read of the year; and now having finished the sequel, I can confidently say that I have two!

Maybe it was because of the foundational knowledge of the world-building from book one where I admittedly had spent too long trying to make sense of the new world, but jumping into this book was so easy and intuitive. I was chuckling at Ana's antics, Din's exasperated complaints and Malo's effective verbal jabs, (Oh, and I LOVED Malo's inclusion, hopefully we meet her again at some point in the series.) and realized how warm and cozy I felt despite this world being epically fantastical, highly political with a rollercoaster ride of a mystery. It was almost like coming home.

If I had given the last book five stars because of the crumbs of romance, I gave this one five stars because it was objectively so good. I truly think it was a perfect sequel. We delved deeper into who Din and Ana are — their histories and their beliefs shaping our main characters into more complex and interesting people bit by bit. I think I said I couldn't feel any connection to Ana and Din in book 1 and that was the main reason it was getting a four star. Here, there was no doubt about it, I fell in love with both of them.

The mystery, also, was so gripping and had me entranced and locked in for the entirety of the book, and I'm glad to (again, smugly) say I successfully guessed some plot devices a few pages before they got revealed.

The email telling me my request for an arc of this book got approved sat in my inbox for two whole days before I realized with a horror. Since then, I didn't put this book down once for any other. I was glad to be back, I was dragged along for the ride, I closed the book with a smile on my face and air leaving my lungs, and now I'm left salivating for the next installment.


Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Tainted Cup was one of my favorite books of 2024. I loved the murder mystery set in an interesting high-fantasy setting, and I really loved the two main characters. A Drop of Corruption is the follow-up and sees Ana and Din work to solve a new, gruesome crime.

Ana and Din are delightful as ever in this installment. This book takes place some time after A Tainted Cup, and Ana and Din have worked a few cases since we last saw them. Din is struggling with his place in the world and where he wants his future to be. Ana's blunt (and often hilarious) advice is a true highlight of the book. Their dynamic gets a little more focus in this book, and the two learn more about each other, which adds to their dynamic and makes them both even more interesting characters.

There are also a handful of new supporting characters that I really enjoyed. I especially enjoyed Malo, a new local ally who assists in solving the case.

I enjoyed this book's mystery even more than the first book's. This is a truly twisty and layered plot that kept me guessing the entire time. This mystery has very high stakes and includes more plant-based horrors, political scheming, and a large cast of potential suspects and victims.

The world-building of the series continues to be rich and fascinating. The crime being solved takes place in the realm of Yarrow. The location is quite different from the locations visited in the previous book. Yarrow is extensive, with many regions that we travel to as Din and Ana work to solve the case. This area might be outside the Empire and the Titan's Path, but the Leviathans still factor into the story, and the fate of the entire Empire depends on it being solved.

A Drop of Corruption, like its predecessor, will undoubtedly be on my list of best books of the year. It does everything that The Tainted Cup did brilliantly and does it even better. If you like fantasy and mysteries/thrillers, I highly recommend this unique, memorable, and incredibly well-written series!

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, this book further solidified the fact that Robert Jackson Bennett is a must buy author in my opinion. His ability to create a world that is so unique and intriguing is unmatched, as seen not only in this series, but also in two of his previous trilogies, The Founders and The Divine Cities. I was a huge fan of the functional fungi/flora that was presented in The Tainted Cup, and to see more unique plants (and critters) in A Drop of Corruption was incredible. I found the mystery to have a few twists that felt a bit predictable, but I don’t think the predictability takes away from just how entertaining and fun this book is. And again, I think this world is so interesting and special, I’ll read anything and everything Ana and Din related!

My biggest complaint from The Tainted Cup was I felt there wasn’t nearly enough exploration of the leviathans and I would have loved to see more of them, or at least get a bit more lore surrounding them, in the following books. I think it’s safe to say this is no longer an issue. All that we learn about the leviathans in A Drop of Corruption, from the prologue to learning more about the Shroud, has me hooked, and much like the functional plants in this world, I’m left wanting to learn more. This book was a step up from The Tainted Cup and, needless to say, I’m very excited to see where this series goes from here!

Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for the ARC, and thank you to RJB for writing a story that I enjoyed every minute of!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Great Read, But I Did This to Myself

Okay, so A Drop of Corruption was such a ride, but I have to admit… I did myself zero favors by not realizing it was part of a series. Totally my fault, I was definitely a little lost at times. That said, I still really enjoyed it! The world-building? Chef’s kiss. It’s so intricate and immersive, and Bennett has this way of making everything feel alive.

The characters were another win for me. Ana is sharp, intense, and just the kind of detective lead I love, and the whole mystery had me hooked. There’s this perfect balance of political scheming, fantasy weirdness, and classic detective work that kept me turning pages. I just know I would’ve enjoyed it even more if I had read The Tainted Cup first, so learn from my mistakes!!

Even though I had some “wait… what?” moments, I still had a great time, and now I have to go back and read book one. If you love fantasy with a strong mystery thread, this one’s worth picking up—just maybe start at the beginning.

In the second book of the Shadow of the Leviathan Series, a Treasury officer has disappeared into thin air in the canton of Yarrowdale, —vanishing from a room within a heavily guarded tower, its door and windows locked from the inside. The Empire calls on its most brilliant detective, the great Ana Dolabra & her assistant Dinios Kol., to solve the case. Ana soon discovers that they are investigating not a disappearance but a murder—and one of surpassing cunning, carried out by an opponent who can pass through warded doors like a ghost. Worse still, the killer may be targeting the high-security compound known as the Shroud, where the Empire harvests fallen titans for the volatile magic found in their blood. Should it fall, the Empire itself will grind to a halt, robbed of the magic that allows its wheels of power to turn.

I love this series. Ana is quirky, cusses like a sailor, & wears a blindfold while she solves crimes in, shall we say...unorthodox means. She somehow always manages to solve the crime, no matter how difficult. The author does an excellent job with world-building and character development. If you love a mystery with a fantasy setting, that will keep you guessing until the very end, then you should definitely check this out.

Another amazing adventure.

I couldn't wait to dive back into this weird and wonderful world introduced in the Tainted Cup. Although this book was just short of 5 stars it retained all the elements I loved in the first book and expanded on the world building and characters.

The action is now taking place in a different part of the Empire and even though I missed Din's love interest as well as the imminent Leviathan threat the new installment introduced new elements that more than compensated for it.

Ana was just as weird as usual, Din stoic and determined. The new character - warden Malo did not disappoint either. And of course the big bad guy was truly devious, even though unlike the first book I did guess a couple of the plot twists.

However, my favourite part was that we finally get a glimpse at what Ana truly is and where her power of deduction comes from.

I can't wait for the next book in the series.

I didn't read the book that came before this one and just felt unaware of the world this story took place in which left me feeling a little disconnected from the book overall. But beyond that this was an imaginative and interesting story that I did enjoy. Not a fan of mystery story's or books really but that's ok since it was a very good story. I liked the characters for the most part and enjoyed reading about them. One reason I don't reading mystery books is I never figure out what's going on until the end. Some people enjoy this, but I like to have some idea of where the story is going. So some people who are smarter than me will probably enjoy this far more than I did. It was a surprise to have it all cleared up at the end though. It's always nice to try something different and this was a different type of book for me and one I enjoyed reading. So as usual thanks to the publishers and netgalley for the opportunity to read a good book. Will look forward to reading from this author in the future.