Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group and Robert Jackson Bennett for the opportunity to review this book. All opinions are my own.

The Tainted Cup was one of my favorite reads from last year so I was extremely excited to get into book 2. We know the setup by now and are into our murdery mystery pretty quickly. Din and Ana continue to develop their relationship and we learn more about Din’s motivations. Din struggles with his place within the Iudex and what he wants from life. And boy does Ana continue with the zingers. Malo is a new secondary character that supports Din and Ana in their investigation. She is a great character and I hope to see more of her. Everyone knows what to expect with a Sherlock Holmes type book, but I think the world really sets this apart from others. It's just so different and I loved learning more about how the reagents work, where they are made and how other countries around the Empire function separate from the ‘gifts’ that Din and Ana have. I will say the murder mystery, while engaging, wasn’t quite as good as the first book. I had a fair bit of the who-dunit part figured out pretty early on in the book. That really didn’t bother me as I am such a character driven reader that I just had to see how things progressed with Din. Another success!

One of my most anticipated reads of 2025, and a follow-up to one of my favorite new fantasy novels!

This sequel to The Tainted Cup is exactly what readers could hope for. Following our protagonists Din and Ana once more, we are introduced to a brand-new murder mystery that quickly evolves into a much more consequential plot, with far-reaching and potentially civilization-ending repercussions. I really enjoyed having the leviathans play more of a role in this book, albeit indirectly, with some very interesting and disturbing consequences. Din's character is developed more, and he is presented as much more a brooding, depressed young adult with no clue what to do with his life. Ana is exactly what I had hoped and expected, based on the first novel, but there were some very intriguing revelations about her heritage and past that I'm dying to learn more about in subsequent sequels! The setting is unique and well-developed without ever becoming bogged down by dreaded info dumps; RJB manages to give us a clear sense of the surroundings woven naturally throughout the story. I did feel that this book had more gore and body horror, which didn't bother me at all, but was rather unexpected and maybe something to consider before reading. Overall, I'm absolutely loving this series and this author! Book 2 really lives up to my very high expectations!

Thank you to Netgalley and Del Rey for my ARC; all opinions are my own.

Simply put, there is truly nothing quite like Robert Jackson Bennett's genre bending series featuring the eccentric detective duo, Kol and Ana!

Set in a unique empire where huge monsters (Leviathans) are both the greatest threat and the unparalleled source of magic. The brightest citizens are given grafts to alter/heighten their features in service to the crown, and Ana Dolabra can see patterns/process mountains of information, while her young dyslexic assistant is an engraver who can remember every visual detail of a scene. In this mystery, the duo is sent to the edge of the empire where a member of the Treasury has seemingly disappeared from thin air. When a body is found in the canal, and additional crimes are committed, it seems a criminal mastermind is working a long-game to thwart the empire.

Higher stakes, more action, new secondary characters, and the hilarious banter between Ana and Kol sets this sophomore book of the series as an amazing follow-up. While each mystery is considered a stand-alone episode, I do recommend reading them in order for a richer context around Ana and Kol's relationship. Engaging, mind-boggling, propulsive, and utterly charming, this mystery series is a stand out, and a timely reminder about the negative affects of imperialism./colonialism and authoritarian rule.

I'm struggling a bit to rate this book. It was one of my most anticipated books of 2025 after reading A Tainted Cup at the beginning of the year. I tonk it's between a 4.5 and a 4.75. But I definitely loved it even more than the first one.

The mistery was more suspeceful and intricate. I loved the darker feel this book had compared to the previous one.

The world building amd the fantasy side were so interesting. The political intrigues where for sure the best part.

I adore Ana. I know is always compared to Sherlock Holmes (I did so myself) but I think she's more unique in her own way. Her relationship with Din is also unique: I think she cares about him in a really subtle way but she cares about him deeply.
And Din, my sweet bisexual child, is really going through it and I felt for him through the whole book.

I can't wait to read the next one, I'll patiently (kinda) wait for it!

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to Robert Jackson Bennett and Random House Publishing Group for a free e-ARC of book 2! I needed a reason to finally read The Tainted Cup, this pushed me to do so, and boy am I glad for it. I quite enjoyed the first book, but this second book really blew me away.

I knew the general vibe to expect after reading the first book - murder mystery, interesting magic, and intriguing world. RJB does a great job of sprinkling clues and curiosities throughout the main storyline, but I also appreciates that he plants the seeds of more questions to keep us intrigued going into the next book. It is these questions from the end of the first book that I hoped would be answered in book 2. They were answered, but of course only raised more questions!!

In this book we pick up a little while after the events of book 1. Din and Ana have worked together on a variety of cases at this point, but come across a doozy of a case in the northern region of Yarrow. It's an intriguing mystery that slowly unravels itself...and of course expect twists and turns. I found myself enjoying it even more than the mystery in book 1. At one point it was giving Annihilation levels of interesting and gave us a formidable opponent for Ana & Din. I also loved that we learned more about Din and Ana, plus it had some fascinating side characters.

I think what I enjoyed most about this book were the questions it posed around the search for power, glory, and riches. How easily people can be swayed or blinded by this and whether or not it's a good idea to give absolute power to any one person, since no one is above reproach. It explores class and society in a really subtle yet profound way, giving kudos to everyday people who keep kingdoms (countries) running. Really curious about how this might come to a head in the future books as we learn more about the Empire.

I love that a weird little fantasy book where people have enhanced abilities made me think so hard. Highly recommend reading this and can't wait for the next installment.

Thank you so much for this opportunity. Loved! Amazing! The plot goes absolutely crazy!! I NEED more.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance reader's copy of the book. I loved this book. It was just as good as the first. The world building expanded and everything was written masterfully. I love the pair of Din and Ana. The first book was my favorite and best book of 2024, and this, the second will probably also be my best and favorite of the current year. Bravo to the author. This book was brilliant, and I truly didn't guess the culprit which are the best kind of mysteries.

My thanks to both NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore for an advance copy of the second book in a series of mysterys set in a world of fantasy, mixing magic, monsters, monarchies and murder.

I remember the first books of mystery and fantasy that I read as a kid. I was the kind of child that took to reading fast, starting with the basics reading the cereal boxes, magazines and whatever my parents were reading. I found The Hobbit on the shelf, an old edition and started reading it young. The print was too small for the car ride to the city, so I grabbed another book, featuring six stories about Sherlock Holmes. That was a big month for me. I know a lot of things went over my head, and I am sure I drove my parents nuts, why is this cab so Handsome probably my biggest question. However this set me off at a young age reading fantasy and mystery, and later science fiction, though I can't remember my first sci-fi book. I love when these genes intermingle, two great tastes tasting great together to call on ad from TV. Especailly when the detectives are people one is interested in, set in a world that seems real, even if there is magic, giant monsters, and well the threats that only humans are capable of. A Drop of Corruption is the second book in the Shadow of Levithan series written by Robert Jackson Bennett, and features two investigators trying to solve an impossible crime, and maybe save two kingdoms from being destroyed.

The canton of Yarrowdale is at the furthest end of the Empire, but is a place that is very important to the safety of all in the Empire. Yarrowdale is home to the Shroud, a magical testing area that develops weapons to fight the giant monsters that plague the land. Yarrowdale is in discussions to formally merge with the Empire, and as such there are many discussions about finances. One of these negotiators is found missing, disappearing from a guarded locked room, with the corpse found far away, and not in one piece. A locked room mystery is a little much for the local Wardens, even those with enhanced senses, so the Empire sends their best investigators, Ana Dolabra and her assistant Dinios Kol better known as Din. Soon it is clear that this case is far more than simple murder. The dead man had been in places he should not have been, taking things that could be used as weapons of mass destruction. Soon it is clear to Ana and Nin that a simple case of muder could lead to the end of two Kingdoms, and the answers may lie in the shadows cast by the Shroud.

Robert Jackson Bennett is fast becoming an author that I will drop anything to read. This is the second series I have enjoyed by him, and I still am amazed how Bennett can create a new world that makes so much sense, and how Bennett makes it feel so real. There is a lot to take in about the world the story takes place in, but the book introduces new people to it, describes everything well, and one never feels lost. The mystery makes sense, a locked room murder that expands to something much bigger. A mix of Nero Wolfe, Thieves' World, Lovecraft and a dash of buddy movies. The characters are well-written and develope throughout the book, still having mysteries to be explored in later books. The world, the magic, the ideas, are all fresh, and makes one want to know more. A really stellar series, one that I look forward to reading more of.

As this is the second book, I recommend reading the first, as one should enjoy the story as it unfolds. Also read Bennett's other books, they are quite good. Perfect for mystery fans, fantasy fans, body horror fans, and role players looking for new ideas in their adventures.

Robert Jackson Bennett has done it again. Another murder mystery that draws you in and doesn't let go until the very end.
Ana and Din are back to solve another strange murder with a ghost perhaps...
Excellent world building as always, political intrigue, power corruption, twists and turns that leave you guessing. New characters are introduced, Ana and Din being sassy and clever as always. This book blends science fiction fantasy and mystery well and I can't wait for more.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

4.25⭐️
i just love a miserable, confused man like dinios kol

THIS WAS SO GOOD, a great sequel to the tainted cup! the story is much darker, and the twists are a lot more complicated in this one. i loved seeing more of this world and the inner workings on the leviathans and the government.
ana and kol's dynamic is so sweet and their commitment to each other is so pure- your honor i love them

NEED kepheus in book 3 pls and thank you

thank you Netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review

The setting and world of this book captured me since the start of the first book. Here, again, I enjoyed the complicated, charming setting and details of the system that Din and Ana are a small part of. I find that while the book itself, with the complicated history and systems of its characters, still feels like a personal journey for Din. Sometimes, I found myself a bit confused, but I stuck through it and it all connected for me eventually. The amount of details, even if overwhelming, pieced together a world I really grew fond of.

One factor I enjoyed about this book the most is Din - honestly, in the first book I felt like I knew very little about him, and this one opened him more as a character, for me. In this one, his character sipped through the cracks more - I felt like he was more fleshed out, and it was exactly what I hoped to see.

I'm very happy that I got approved for this book! Thank you! I can't wait to see more in the next one, and to fall back into this amazing, mysterious world again.

Sherlock Holmes meets The Day of the Triffids.

This sci-fantasy murder mystery is unique and multilayered. The first book was amazing but Jackson Bennett outdone himself with this book. The narrative style is addictive and the characters are intriguing and complex. The stakes were even higher this time around. I honestly couldn’t put it down! The relationship between Ana and Din is a breath of fresh air in the genre. I also adored the dyslexic and bisexual representations throughout too. Such a refreshing story that bends multiple genres.

Before I start, I want to give the author an appreciation for what he puts out in his author's note at the end of this book. I don't usually read author's note except for when the book is so good and I see that the author has put out his/her reasoning for putting this book out or regarding their research on a certain topic that was discussed in the book - and Robert Jackson Bennett's author note is exactly that.

"Our headlines are dominated by regimes with one-night all-powerful man at the top making any number of terrible choices and then - to the bafflement of the entire globe - doubling down on them, thus inflicting massive suffering on his people." When I read this in his author's note, I couldn't help but stare at the words in shock because of how true they are to the current world right now. Also his commentary on how fantasies are obsessed with kings and autocracies was too refreshing to me.

After reading that author's note, what I enjoyed about the book became an even bigger adoration and appreciation for it. I loved the Tainted Cup - in fact, I requested this as soon as I finished it and started it minutes after I received the approval email from Netgalley, thank you Del Rey - but there was one thing that keeps popping up in my mind while reading it and that was my not understanding Kol's ambition of wanting to serve "more" in the Empire. What I loved and appreciated about A Drop of Corruption is the fact that this Kol's "illusion" of honor, glory and duty of serving in the Empire is challenged by the investigation and Kol at the end is aware at last. I think my love for this book stems a lot from this observation and this message that the author tries to put out.

Plot-wise, it's also everything I expected after reading the Tainted Cup - solid mystery, great pacing in every aspect without rushing towards the conclusion and great dynamics between the characters. I also really enjoyed how the stake becomes higher the more you dive into the investigation and how it honestly keeps you on your toes about what's going to happen next. I don't really have any comments about the story? this book already has everything I love: sharp social commentary, great world-building and characters, and great humor.

Thank you to Netgalley and Del Rey for the e-ARC!

4.25 stars

The enigmatic duo of Ana and Din are back with another case! This series is so fun and such a unique concept I love the fantasy/ murder mystery vibes and the world building and magic system are so interesting and well done. This book dives deeper into the world that we are introduced to in the first book and also gives us a chance to get to know the characters more. I especially loved the Ana lore because she is such a strange, mysterious character.
This book is full of poison, political intrigue, and stolen identities. I thought this book was a little harder to follow than the first book. There were so many people with similar names and with all the jumping between locations I found myself a little lost at times. However, i still thought it was a really interesting mystery and I wasn’t able to guess the ending or really any of the big reveals. This is one where k think it’ll be fun to read again and try to pick up on more little clues.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore for the ARC!

While not as good as book one, I enjoyed this a lot. I didn't care for the way it seemed like everyone stammers every time they talk, but it's easily ignored after a few chapters. It was slower to start than book one, but once it picked up, it kept going. I really appreciate that looking back, I can see little hints of the twist, but I did not actually see it coming. Not entirely at least. We didn't get as much from Din, but I do feel like he is progressing as a character, even if it is of page. And I hope in book three we get to know him a little more. I still absolutely loved Anna, and I love that we are getting a few more glimpses into who or what she is. As with the first book, this one flows well despite being slightly repetitive at times. Overall, I had planned to give 3 stars but decided on 4 when Anna's entire revelation came to light. I'm definitely looking forward to a third installment.
Thank you Random House/Del Ray for an E-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

I had high hopes for this book after The Tainted Cup. I thought that after the first book I would enjoy this one even more because I would have a better understanding of the world. However, I feel as though I was more confused than ever and that is the main reason why I didn't enjoy this as much as I should have. I felt as though there was too much to follow and all the characters and lands just began to blend together.
Despite the occassional difficulties that I had in following along, I loved the authors writing style and how the fantasy aspects were so different from anything I have read before. The vivid descriptions made it so easy to picture everything (which can sometimes be hard for my brain to do), and the engaging plot had me interested from the first page. I do feel as though the plot dragged on just a little bit too long, and I did see the plot twist/ending coming.
I do not think that I personally will continue to read this series, but I would still recommend it to those looking for a murder mystery fantasy with pictorial writing, complex characters, and an intriguing plot.


Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The world of Ana & Din has sucked me in! I love a good mystery & love it even more when it contains the perfect amount of fantasy/sci fi!

“A Tainted Cup” fully submerged me in this world of altered characters & titans. “A Drop of Corruption” continues this world, but expands with new characters & places perfectly. The descriptions are great & makes for a very vivid world in my head while reading! And the plot twist- chef’s kiss…did NOT see that coming!

I cannot wait for book 3! I hope we get to see more of Din’s personal life. I also would love more of Ana’s backstory because her quirks are my favorite!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a review.

Ana and Din are my favorite new charcters from my favorite new series by one of my favorite new authors.

This second book took everything that was great about the first one and expanded on it. We get to dive deeper in to the characters and the struggles that they face as well as while they work to solve another murder that has strange circumstances around it.

As the plot is laid, the little details work to hook further and further together for a story that has a deeper message that applies to people throughout the world and allows us to reflect on the stories we are told and appreciate as readers of fantasy.

Thanks to the team at Del Rey Publishing, I was able to devour this ARC like Ana Dolabra devours rare and exotic meats.

This second installment of the series, which is like the love child of Sherlock Holmes and The Witcher in tone and theme, was even more compelling than the first. The characters, the imagery, and the twisty turny plot kept me engaged from page one: I can’t wait for #3!

TL;DR

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett is the second in the Shadow of the Leviathan series. It’s a wonderful book that builds upon the first in the series. Ana and Din, once again, must protect the Empire in their unique way. Highly recommended.

Disclaimer: The publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Any and all opinions that follow are mine alone.

Review: A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett

One of my favorite books of 2024 was the wonderful The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett. It had everything I enjoy in a fantasy novel: beautiful world building, intriguing characters, and mysteries that build upon themselves. Well, Jackson is back with A Drop of Corruption, the second in the Shadow of the Leviathan series. I loved the first book; so, how will the second hold up? Does A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett live up to the first book?

Once again, Din and Ana find themselves on the edges of the Empire in the port of Yarrowdale. They have been called to investigate the murder of a treasury agent. The man was killed in a locked room with no visible means for for the assassin to escape. The treasury agents are in town negotiating the merger of a small kingdom with the Empire. A murder makes an already tense political situation even more ripe for disaster. The Empire needs the little kingdom of Yarrow because off the coast of this river delta, the mysterious Shroud sits. It’s where the ingredients for the Empire’s magical potions, drugs, therapeutics, etc., are harvested from dead titans. In other words, this is a valuable location for the Empire. As expected the small kingdom wants its freedom. Well, the aristocrats of the small kingdom do. The poor, the peasants, and the downtrodden don’t want to return to the feudal state. After all the Empire offers the potential for a better life for the poor.

Ana and Din arrive in country to get to work. Following Din is the financial company that owns Din’s father’s debt, which Din must pay off. With the posting to a wild and volatile part of the Empire, Din’s debt becomes even more cumbersome as the financial institution enacts a clause imparting harsher terms for the debt. Din believes his only way out of the debt is to leave the Iudex and become a soldier. As the investigation begins, Din gets caught up in local and Empire-wide schemes, again. His local guide, Malo, a Warden of the Apothetikals, guides him around Yarrowdale. Chasing an assassin that seems to be able to change his face and blend into the city or the surrounding jungles will test Din’s abilities. Playing the killer’s game and trying to get one step ahead of them will test Ana’s very sanity. On the very edge of society, the fate of the Empire’s magic rests in the hands of Ana and Din.

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett is the second book of the Shadow of the Leviathan series. It follows in the same vein as the first book but evolves the characters and their interactions with each other. A Drop of Corruption is a first-person account of Din and Ana’s investigation. While this book reads a little slower than the first, but it held my attention the entire time.

Thoughts

It’s not quite as tightly written as the first book because the focus of this book is Ana’s game against the assassin. Whereas The Tainted Cup was Din’s novel and felt driven by Din, A Drop of Corruption feels like Ana’s novel with Din being an errand boy. Readers follow Din around, but he’s not pushing the action forward; he’s reacting to situations as they evolve. This didn’t bother me as I found the mystery intriguing, and I think Din’s observations on his world and Ana to be wonderful. Though I do wonder how Bennett will balance Din as errand boy versus his own detective in upcoming novels. (And I do hope there’s more in the future. This is a series worth following.) As always in Bennett’s books, the world-building is wonderful. In the Shadow of the Leviathan series, I love the whole aesthetic. This is a world that has incorporated plants, and instead of the steel and concrete of our world, they have a leafy, plant-based construction. It’s excellent. In addition, the magic is cool and weird and gross. But where A Drop of Corruption shines is the expansion of the political world-building. In the first book, all the readers knew was the Empire. Now, we get a look at other civilizations and how the Empire deals with them. As the book progresses, we learn more about the history of the Empire and begin to see some internal political machinations. Bennett’s addition of these items expands his world into something even more messy than just aristocratic maneuvering.

Din and Ana

Din is a great character. I loved him in The Tainted Cup, and his character growth here is fun and interesting. Now that he’s risen in the ranks to leave his hometown, he’s learning that doesn’t necessarily mean the job gets better. He’s also learning that some jobs, while necessary and important, aren’t glamorous. He dreams of becoming a soldier because at least it’s proactive and, in his opinion, helps the Empire. He believes that solving murders is reactive and doesn’t help anyone. In his mind, being an investigator is not protecting the Empire or even improving it. This is a natural state for anyone, after all, even if you love your work, a job is still a job. There will be days you hate it, days you love it, days that make you think another line of work would be better. Din experiences that through the novel. Ana gives him a chance to experience other lines of work, though, in her requests. Din accompanies the Apothetikal Wardens upriver in search of pirates and smugglers. He visits the kingdom of Yarrow. Throughout, Din grows an investigator and starts keying in on the mystery of Ana herself.

Of course, Ana is very much her weird, wonderful, brilliant self in this novel. Bennett has created the perfect detective for his world in Ana. To be clear, she’s not a perfect person, but she’s the perfect character. Her frustrations, her pushing herself to her very limits, her interactions with other Empire agents, and even her abilities as a diplomat, all shine in this novel. She seems aloof, distant, and, perhaps, even analytically detached from the world, but that’s too simplistic of a reading. She cares for Din in her way. For example, more than once she orders him to rest for his own sake, knowing he won’t comply but still exhibiting concern. In this novel, she pushes herself to her physical and mental limits trying to understand and then out-predict the assassin. But she’s often frustrated as the assassin has already predicted her moves. Has she met her match here?

Conclusion

Robert Jackson Bennett’s A Drop of Corruption is the follow up to The Tainted Cup that I wanted. It expanded the world, developed the characters, and provided an intriguing mystery. This novel solidifies the Shadow of the Leviathan series as a must read for me. Ana and Din can now be ranked among the best of fantasy detectives. A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett continues this wonderful series in ways that I can’t wait to see play out. Bring on book 3!