Once again, Robert Jackson Bennett doesn't disappoint. He does everything so well. Considering it's a new world with its own complexities and a mystery that needs just enough hints to be solvable but also make sense and have it all wrapped up in the end? It's literal perfection.

It really had everything. A murder mystery that keeps getting more complicated the further it gets. Absolute horror upon horror at what terrible nature magic can do to the frail human body. The leviathans in general and their secrets. A discussion on kings and empires and the people within. Extremely likable characters. Ana's backstory that opened up brand new avenues to explore. Din's entire psyche. And all wrapped up in Bennett's witty and beautiful prose. Maybe the one thing we all wanted and needed was more Kepheus content we are all waiting for him just like Din.

It completely blew my expectations out of the water. I genuinely didn't know how book 1 could be so good and here he goes and does it again with this one. I'm gobsmacked actually.

Robert Jackson Bennett always creates the most confounding magical mysteries that seem totally impossible... And then he leads me onto a long, winding journey where I'm trying to pick up on clues and hints but I miss most of them, and then I reach the end and realises that it all makes sense. The Tainted Cup is one of my favourite books I've read this year, and this sequel was just as good. This was a ride and a half and I loved it! The world-building continues to fascinate me, and Din and Ana are the best modern Holmes-Watson duo. Highly recommended!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

A good sequel worthy of its first installment. The worldbuilding continues to be great as well as the mystery vibes, which aren’t even usually my thing.

As much as I enjoyed The Tainted Cup, I have enjoyed A Drop of Corruption even more. Diving right back into this world was an immersive experience that I didn't want to end. The pacing is exceptional and kept me engaged from beginning to end. I can't wait to recommend this is 2025.

This is the best novel I have read this year. Words escape me, feel inadequate to convey the sheer genious of Robert Jackson Bennett. This second installment is incredible, ingeniously expanding the world. we were introduced to in the first book. We learn so much more about the Empire, the Levithans. The imagery Bennett crafts is haunting, memorable and utterly mesmerizing. The mystery is unlike anything I've ever experienced: it's fresh, gripping, masterfully executed.

Honestly, I'm at a loss for words. In short: this novel is perfect. I didn't think that it could surpass the brilliance of the first book but... I love when I am proven wrong.

thank you Netgalley, the publisher and the author for gifting me this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Second book in Bennett’s new series (?) about a Sherlock Holmes-like investigator sent to the fringes of an empire to investigate the most difficult crimes. This one threatens the safety of the Shroud, which processes the leviathans that both threaten human survival and provide the empire with the reagents used to transform people and environments. There’s lots of politics and complex plots, and corrupt regimes as well as people sincerely committed to them. Plenty of fun.

I love a good whodunnit story and the Watson/Sherlock dynamic does not disappoint. I also love that we got to expand the world more and it's even more creepy and weird than we thought.
Cannot wait to continue this adventure!

A Drop of Corruption is one of my most anticipated books for 2025 and yes, I am sitting here going - oh no, did I make a mistake by getting an eARC and reading it before 2025 has even begun?? Thankfully, rereading exists! I thoroughly enjoyed this and it continues to make me excited about this series as a whole.

I want to get the "negative" out of the way first. I think, in some ways, the character work was sloppier in this book than I would have liked. There are two external pressures on Din that are raised early in this book, and I don't really think they were well-integrated into the overall story. They were a bit of a surprise, when I started the book - I wouldn't have said they were really projected at all in the first book - and the execution and ultimate resolution were, in my opinion, clunky. Also, I recognize this is partly because I never really enjoy this in books, but: there was an inclusion of sex in this book that felt very unnecessary; I don't think it added to anything to our understanding of Din, and it honestly felt like it was there because Serious Fantasy Has Sex. (It was not explicit scenes by any means, though. But it felt like a diversion rather than anything that drove our understanding of Din and his struggles.) I thought some of the Ana elements were better integrated, however, adding to the overall mystery of the series. Finally, someone needs to either take away RJB's exclamation point key or edit him a little further on that front.

With that out of the way...

I LOVED THIS BOOK. I think Robert Jackson Bennett is building something really interesting with this world and his themes. This book dives a lot further into the worldbuilding of the Empire of Khanum and the leviathans that fuel so much of how this world functions. In this book, we move from the outer walls of the Empire to a nearby country that is promised to join the Empire in the future and, in the meantime, serves as the site of the Empire's experimental science lab, if you will, for dealing with leviathan corpses. A probable murder has occurred, bringing Din and Ana to this distant realm. Because of the location and the importance of the experimental site, we really get to learn more about the workings of the Empire and its fear-yet-reliance on the leviathans. Seeing the Empire and its people in part through the eyes of a country that despises and resents them brings some new perspectives on the work of Din, Ana, and the different Sublimes that we meet. While this dove into so much, it left me with more questions that I hope future books explore. I am especially curious about one particular element given RJB's author's note. We also learn much more about grafts and the augmentations that people take that are derived from leviathan blood. There was one bombshell at the end that I thought was very well set-up (I was able to see it coming) that has a lot of implications for the world and where the next books in this series go.

What about the mystery, though, since this is a sci-fantasy mystery (and yes, I will argue till I'm blue in the face that this is a SCI-fantasy, not just a fantasy!)? I ADORED the mystery. I think it was incredibly well-done. It pivots from the mystery that is promised in the description rather quickly, and rightly so. As someone who has read a lot of Sherlock Holmes mysteries and Golden Age of Crime mysteries, there are very few mystery tropes that I haven't just read, but read many, many interpretations of. So starting with your classic locked room trope and then pivoting was a smart choice, I think, for people like me who've read it a thousand times and thus have a thousand potential solutions rattling in our brain. The mystery remains well-centered as a mystery, never devolving into a thriller (though this book is quite tense in moments!), and one of the things that I admire about this mystery is that it adheres to the rules of Fair Play. As a Sherlock Holmes fan, I've read many pastiches where lots of adventure happens, but the detective ends up gathering all the important clues off-screen, where the reader never sees it, and so the mystery gets wrapped up but the reader has no way of playing along. This book has plenty of adventure (SO TENSE IN MOMENTS), but it never forgets that, at its core, it is a mystery, and one of the joys of a mystery is trying to solve it. I am very happy to say that I did solve this mystery prior to the reveal, and it was a very satisfying feeling, putting all the pieces together. I have no idea if it was TOO easy to solve, because I read so many mysteries that it's hard to surprise me, but I did actually enjoy the entire experience, regardless.

I also want to add here that while I am somewhat critical of some of the character development, especially for Din, I think one of the areas where this book (and Tainted Cup) shines is in its secondary characters. I adore Din and Ana, of course - but Malo had my whole heart in this book, and there are two characters we meet later, connected to the Shroud, that I also found really fascinating. Whatever my feelings are about some of the conflicts given to Din in this book, I still think a lot of the character work was excellent.

Finally, I want to spare a moment for the atmosphere of this book. One of the things that I love about this series is its unflinching look at some of the uglier bits of running a society - and I genuinely mean ugly, as this book takes a look at the preservation of bodies, a run down and falling apart infrastructure, and a rather disgusting swamp. Fantasy often focuses on some of the nicer, more beautiful elements, and I can appreciate a book that looks at the opposite. It also continues the themes from the first book, of looking at the underbelly of running a society - the people who do the dirty work of maintenance, in this case the maintenance of justice, whatever that might look like.

Here's how I'll sum up my enjoyment of this book: upon finishing it, I babbled at my poor, patient partner about some of the themes that I thought were intriguing in this book, and then promptly started the book from the beginning once more. I don't think this was as strong as The Tainted Cup in several ways, but I think it still says something that I immediately wanted to read it again. I really love this series, and I find myself desperately hoping that it isn't just a trilogy (I want at least five books), because all the things I want this series to explore and answer cannot possibly be contained in just three books. I am very grateful to NetGalley for sending me an eARC of this book; all opinions are my own.

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett is a masterful fusion of fantasy and mystery, delivering a narrative that is both intellectually stimulating and deeply engaging. Set in the enigmatic canton of Yarrowdale, the story follows the brilliant detective Ana Dolabra and her perceptive assistant, Dinios Kol, as they unravel a perplexing case involving a Treasury officer's disappearance from a locked room.

Bennett's storytelling is exceptional, weaving a complex plot with rich world-building and multifaceted characters. Ana's sharp intellect and unconventional methods, paired with Din's grounded perspective, create a dynamic partnership that drives the narrative forward. The mystery is intricately crafted, with each revelation adding depth and intrigue, keeping readers on the edge of their seats.

The novel's setting is vividly depicted, immersing readers in a world where magic and reality intertwine seamlessly. Bennett's prose is both elegant and accessible, making complex concepts easy to grasp without sacrificing narrative depth.

A Drop of Corruption stands out as a remarkable addition to the fantasy genre, offering a perfect blend of suspense, wit, and imagination. It's a must-read for fans of fantasy and mystery alike.

I extend my gratitude to NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy of this outstanding novel.

A Drop Of Corruption was a fabulous sequel to the tainted cup. I didn’t think I could like Ana any more than I did in the first one. I only wish Din’s man from the first book made an appearance, but hopefully in the next one. Overall, this was one of my favorite series read this year and I can’t wait to read the next one.

I had a great time reading this book. Ana Dolobra returns in her role as the very unique detective and her investigator, Dinios Kol does his usual amazing job. He follows orders, even if they make him sick.

This time they are brought in to backwater Yarrowdale to find a missing treasury agent, oops, a murdered treasury agent, or a murdered and missing agent?. The local help and the strange, yet intriguing mysteries made this a can't put down book. I will admit, I did not always understand exactly what was being described to me because I have no real frame of reference for some things. Just know, it does involve the Leviathans, well maybe not living ones. Enough. I don't want to have any spoilers here.

Jump in and go along for the ride. It is always interesting and never boring. Ana and Kol do have a moment too. Loved it!

I would like to thank Penguin/Random House Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC.

Bennett has taken book 1 and expanded it and produced a surprising and action-packed mystery. Bennett has developed characters that you can’t wait to read about. Ana has such quirky ways on how she solves the crimes that she has been assigned to. Din as the assistant investigator and her eyes out on the field to help her with the evidence. Ana and Din have been sent to Yarrow to investigate the strange murder of a member of the Treasury delegation. They are hit with one surprise after another while trying to solve this murder. Bennett’s writing is smooth, clear, concise and keeps you reading to find out more about Ana and Din and the murder that they came to investigate. I highly recommend this book whether you are a mystery, fantasy or science fiction reader. Thank you, Netgalley and Hodderscape for providing me with an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. (4 stars)

I absolutely adored The Tainted Cup, and I've been waiting since it was published to read more about Din and Ana and the Empire they both serve. I love their lightly Sherlockian relationship: Ana, the great investigator, who relies on Din (who's not dumb except in comparison with Ana) to be her eyes, ears, memory, and sometimes hands and feet. In A Drop of Corruption, Ana and Din must uncover a murderer (pretty easy stuff for Ana). But when it turns out that the malfeasant has similar attributes to Ana (special augmentations that can make one hyperaware of patterns) they realize she may have met her match.

I loved everything about this book. In the first one, Din came across as unworldly, and he still has a side of naivety in this one. But the reader soon learns that anyone might seem naive next to Ana, and Din's after-hours exploits really don't qualify him to be considered unworldly. The secondary characters are well-drawn, and Malo is especially appealing. And while the world building is expansive and the plot complex, I never got confused or overwhelmed. I'm not quiet about preferring a book not to be too long, but when every paragraph serves a purpose, as it does here, I don't even notice 480 pages slip by.

And I loved the theme of the book, too. In The Tainted Cup, we were introduced to this fantasy world where different characters are expected to "augment" themselves for the sake of duty (and a civil servant's paycheck). Getting used to this empire takes a little bit of time. But the benefit of understanding how the Empire works means that now we can be introduced to MORE countries where things DON'T work the same way. As Ana puts it, some citizens work to maintain the empire; others others work to keep it a place worth maintaining. And this book helps explain why.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

Well it’s official, I didn’t think I could love them even more than I did in the first book, but here we are. Their banter is TOP TIER! I will read anything with these two psychos

A Drop of Corruption is the sequel to Robert Jackson Bennett's The Tainted Cup, which introduced us to an investigator, Ana Dolabra, and her assistant, Dinios Kol. Ana and Din respectively fill the Holmes and Watson roles of a classic mystery. And this one is just as interesting as the first installment as the investigators are called in to solve the mysterious disappearance of a Treasury official. Entertaining complications ensue. But the key is Bennett's world building, which is incredibly rich and thoughtful. I have greatly enjoyed all of his books and this is no exception!

First of all, thanks to Netgalley and Del Rey for letting me read an eARC of A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett. A Drop of Corruption follows The Tainted Cup, which was the debut book in the Shadow of the Leviathan series. A Drop of Corruption continues and builds on The Tainted Cup's success for deftly blending mystery with fantasy by simply giving us more. Dolabra and Kol are a fantastic duo with amazing characterizations that build life into them as well as the diverse world they inhabit. The mystery Dolabra and Kol are solving this time around is even more complex and larger than the one in the first book. Dolabra and Kol venture into the kindom of Yarrowdale to solve the disappearance of a missing Treasury officer and from the onset they are bombared with complication after complication. I HIGHLY recommend A Drop of Corruption to fans of the first book and both to lovers of fantasy and mystery as well.

Woah. What a book!
In this book we get up close and very personal with Din, and have a look at what troubles him behind his very controlled facade. It's both fun and messy, up to the point we follow him in a serious realization that will help settle
his turmoil and begin a new, self aware chapter.

We get to know Ana a lot more too, and while she is unpredictable as ever, she is also made bare and vulnerable, and like with Din, this helps us care about her.

From a character stand point, this feels like meeting again with some friends you've been too long away from.

Story-wise, like the first book we have a very rare blend of fantasy, science fiction and murder mystery, where the fantasy word building is quite unique and the mystery full of twists and turns, without a single dull moment. I will not dwelve any deeper in the mystery as I do not want to inadvertently spoil anything.

I feel very small writing praise for this book, as I've just finished reading the author's perfectly worded sentences, and that will make any written text pale after that.

Please let us have many more books in this series. I don't think I'll ever get enough.

I was lucky enough to have received an ARC for this book (thanks so much to the author and to Del Rey), and all expressed opinions are my own.

Once again, I was completely blown away with book 2 in this series! The world itself, the characters and plot line for the second installation, I couldn’t put the book down. I’ve been waiting for any sort of announcement on book #2 and when I had the opportunity to read this one early (thank you NetGalley and publishers!!) I jumped on the chance.

Din and Ana have become two of my favorite characters in all books that I’ve read. This series is such a breath of fresh air and the originality has you seeking more and more, like an addiction! Highly recommend.

I was invited by the publisher to review this book. I really enjoyed this book's predecessor so was very happy to see the story continue on, and also very happy with this book. I loved the world the author created and was happy to return - and reading the other book isn't exactly necessary, I would highly recommend it so that the reader can dive right into this book knowing how this world is structured.

I loved that the characters of Ana and Din were back, and that we were able to have sleuthing and a mystery like before. Although, this time, Ana and Din seemed to be able to get deeper into their characters, and that was the true gem of this book! I did feel rather sad for Din, but I guess not having everything wrapped up with a bow is far more typical. This book also introduced some interesting secondary characters, and it was overall so much fun, I cannot wait to return to this world!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Del Ray/Random House Worlds/Inklore for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ana, I am here for your quirky craziness and wild diet.
Dinios, Iudex Special Division, is sent alongside his mentor, Ana, to investigate a strange murder in Yarrow, far from the Empire’s reach and purview. The deceased was a member of a Treasury delegation, sent to confer with the king of Yarrow on high imperial business.

Ana always makes me crack up. Her eccentricity and Din’s resigned acceptance makes their partnership a delight to behold - fresh, unique, and delightful!

<b>“If she isn’t included in whatever this is, there’ll be hell to pay,” I said. “This is not a threat, but just … physics. When defied, she breaks things.”
</b>
There no live leviathans that far north. Instead, we are introduced to the Shroud where the leviathans bodies are harvested for the augmentation elixirs. It is obviously shrouded (couldn’t help myself!) in secrets.

I did miss the absence of Captain Strovi and the burgeoning romance we got between them in book one. I understand why it wouldn’t make sense for his presence, but I admit to missing him except for mentions of him only through Din’s longing.

This definitely has the potential to be a longer on-going series with an episodic feel with new introductions of locations, world-building, and characters.

<b>“I suspect you shall come to realize what many Iudexii eventually learn—that though the Legion defends our Empire, it falls to us to keep an Empire worth defending.”
</b>
Arc gifted by Del Rey.