I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

In The Tainted Cup we follow Din, an assistant investigator who is magically altered to have a perfect memory, as his mentor Ana is called to solve a mysterious murder, which they soon realize is but a part of a much bigger conspiracy.

Whodunnit type murder mysteries in fantasy settings are so much fun, and this one is no exception. The mystery itself is so intriguing and thrilling all the way through, as Ana and Din discover all sorts of corruption and treason, and it's very tightly woven with the political structures of the world, with themes of class and economic oppression, as well as the magic system based on plants and people biologically altered to have different skills and superpowers. The building tension towards the end, both within the murder investigation and in the world around them, made this book impossible to put down from beginning to end. I loved the ending, as well, it wraps up the plot of this first installment so satisfyingly, while also very clearly leaving more to discover within this world.

This is my first RJB book, but I've heard great things about his world building, and after reading The Tainted Cup, I'm bound to agree. The magic system, with grafts and alterations used to create people with all sorts of different skills, like super strong warriors, language and math geniuses, or Din with his perfect memory, is so cool and so unique, and ties nicely in with a world where all technology is based on plants and mushrooms. I also love how the magic and world building is present through all aspects of society in a way that feels very realistic.

As for the characters, I got really attached to both Din and Ana immediately. Din is as wonderfully normal as Ana is wonderfully eccentric, and they make for the perfect pair of mentor and side-kick. I also enjoyed that we're following Din's perspective, as it left room for intrigue and surprise around him not always knowing what Ana has already figured out, and also because he, as the assistant, gets in a lot more trouble. Aside from these two, there's also a central cast of people of different expertise working on the investigation, which was cozy, in a way, even though their work is quite gruesome. There's also excellent disability rep, especially for dyslexia, and just a smidge of romance. Not even enough to call it a romance subplot, because there's not really any plot, but it is really cute. And that's coming from me as an avid disliker of romance.

Overall, this book has everything: mystery and magic and fantasy politics, dark themes but also a bit of humour, great writing, lots of tension, and a little romance. Literally what more could you possibly ask for. It's been such a fun reading experience, and I can't wait for the sequel!

Two things to start with: the first is that this author wrote one of my all-time favourite fantasy trilogies (Divine Cities), so I was always going to be happy to try this book out, and the second that I'm always up for a good fantasy/detective story if I can find one. It's been a couple of weeks since I finished reading The Tainted Cup, so it's had time to percolate and I find myself dropping my initial 4* rating to closer to 3* (it would probably be 3 and a half, if GR allowed).

The basic premise of the book is that our main character (Dinios Kol) is a medically-altered individual whose job it is to go to crime scenes and literally remember every detail about them and every word spoken by a witness. He's newly assigned to an eccentric investigator (Ana Dolabra) who mostly refuses to visit the crime scenes herself - when the author in his postscript mentions Nero Wolfe, my brain went 'of course!' as it does have shades of Wolfe sitting in his office and sending Archie Goodwin off to do stuff and find people. The latest crime involves a man who has been horribly killed by a similarly-altered plant erupting from his body which is, as Din and Ana are about to find out, only one of a number of similar murders.

This is all set against the backdrop of a world where gigantic monsters regularly threaten the sea walls and those same monsters are also the source of much of that world's technology and development. There's also a solid political storyline running through here, with Ana herself being sent to an obscure town as an apparent punishment for overstepping in a previous case and a powerful family attempting to interfere in the investigation.

All in all, I enjoyed The Tainted Cup and look forward to seeing where else this series goes, but it doesn't currently have quite the impact on me of this author's earlier series. Another review I read complained about the romance sub-plot and I have to be honest, I thought it was quite sweet and low-key, especially in comparison to some of the instalove that often pops up in genre books.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. This is my honest review of the book in question.

I was drawn to the Tainted Cup with the allure of ‘Sherlock Holmes fantasy’, and I think that is a perfect description for this novel. The dynamic between the brilliant but flawed Ana Dolabra and her new understudy Dinios Kol absolutely matches the Holmes and Watson relationship. In the first few chapters, you learn that Ana seems to struggle with sensory overload, and so relies on Dinios to visit crime scenes, interview witnesses, and report all information back to her. Dinios is an engraver; a person with a grafted alteration to allow him to remember every detail they see and hear. Ana can quiz Dinios about minor crime scene details in her own time (eg. was this window ajar? What hand did the witness wear her watch on? How many paces wide was the bedroom?) and make connections that no one else had thought to make. Aside from being a formidable crime-solving duo, this is an excellent method of displaying a neurodivergent character in a natural way, celebrating their strengths rather than focusing on them overcoming their weaknesses.

When a recent case transpires to be part of a much wider plot against the empire, the story turns into a mystery on a much grander scale, while maintaining that classic Sherlock feel; Ana is always several steps ahead of the rest of the cast and the reader, and I found the revelations of what she’s pieced together and what she’s known all along (without thinking to tell anyone else) to be well crafted and often very funny!

Make no mistake though – this isn’t just a murder mystery wearing a ‘fantasy’ hat. The world created in the Tainted Cup is absolutely fascinating! The world map at the start shows a land with an unusual East/West focus, with the richer members of society wanting to live as far inland as possible, away from the deadly Eastern Seas. Similar to Attack on Titan, huge defensive walls protect the empire from the colossal titans that are dredged up from the ocean depths and hurled at the walls every Wet season. The world features a ton of corrupt politics, and classist prejudice based on how many walls you can afford to live behind. The descriptions of the titans are awe-inspiring, and this factor alone wants me to revisit the world in future books. The altered individuals known as Sublimes is another interesting factor at play in the world – though I didn’t feel this was as well fleshed out as it could have been, the idea has plenty of potential. I want to hear more about how people live with these life-altering changes outside the context of a murder mystery.

This is a fantastic and engaging first novel in what I’m hoping will be a long and successful series, and I’m eagerly waiting for more instalments!

This is my new obsession and personality, I need more books in this series YESTERDAY.

This book has:
- absolutely unique biopunk world where people fight mostly with blades and cannons, but they use complicated piping systems for baths and fungi for air-conditioning;
- an empire with a strict governing system divided among various departments, that is separated from the sea by an enormous wall, which guards it from gigantic leviathans coming out of the deep (strong Attack on Titan vibes this one!);
- society where people can undergo physical procedures that improve their strength, dexterity, memory, sensitivity etc.
- wonderfully rich and well-paced plot that would be enough for at least three different books;
- complex and witty murder mystery, that evolves into something MORE;
- brilliant Sherlock & Watson duo, whose relationship is engaging and entertaining.

This book doesn't have: FLAWS.
Seriously, it ticks all of my boxes. I loved it.

No sabía ni cómo empezar esta reseña de lo mucho que me ha gustado The Tainted Cup, la nueva novela “detectivesca” de Robert Jackson Bennett. Así que lo mejor creo que será empezar por el principio.


En una suntuosa mansión aparece muerto un capitán de la legión, pero digamos que el cadáver presenta algunas características especiales, como que la causa de la muerte sea el crecimiento espontáneo y extremamente acelerado de un árbol desde su interior. Este comienzo, que tiene mucha fuerza, sin embargo me recordó a The Hexologists, por eso que dicen de que no hay nada nuevo bajo el sol. Y puede que sea verdad, pero Robert Jackson Bennett consigue ofrecernos una novela fantástica con un mundo muy atractivo y un misterio tan enrevesado como atractivo.

Me encanta por ejemplo la “pareja protagonista” aunque el punto de vista del libro solo sea el de Dinios Kol, el asistente de la detective Ana Dolabra. Y aquí, empezamos con los elementos mágicos, si el árbol hipervitaminado nos os había llamado la atención lo suficiente. Kol es un Sublime, una persona modificada para tener unas determinadas características, en su caso una memoria fotográfica que resultará imprescindible para las investigaciones de Dolabra. Y es que en el mundo de Bennett, el Imperio ha volcado todo su conocimiento en la modificación de los humanos para un objetivo común, evitar los ataques de los gigantes marinos que en la temporada húmeda despiertan de su letargo y se lanzan contra las murallas del Imperio. Otras modificaciones permiten tener un físico privilegiado, una capacidad matemática sublime o desprender feromonas que despiertan la líbido de cualquier persona que pase cerca. Lo que más me gusta es lo bien entrelazado que está el misterio con estas capacidades mágicas y a su vez con la estructura del mundo, funcionando como un mecanismo de relojería.

Esta construcción de mundo tan maravillosa lleva aparejada también la creación de unos personajes destinados a perdurar en la memoria. No solo los mencionados anteriormente, es que hasta el secundario más irrelevante está bien descrito y rezuma vida. De verdad que nos encontramos ante un libro que es muy difícil dejar de leer, porque el ritmo es endiablado, acechan misterios y peligros en cada esquina y el reloj va desgajando los minutos que faltan para el ataque del leviatán que puede acabar con todos. Es una novela trepidante, escrita con mucho oficio, un muestrario de la portentosa imaginación de un autor que quizá sea poco conocido por estos lares. Con decir que me he alegrado muchísimo al saber que solo era el primer libro de una serie, os podéis imaginar lo redonda que ha sido esta lectura para mí.

"We do these ugly, dull things for a reason -to make a space where folk can live, celebrate, and know joy and love."✨

🍄Take Sherlock Holmes , combine it with the world building of " Attack of Titan" and you have
“The Tainted Cup"! From the very first page I was enraptured by the evocative and fast paced writing of the author which managed to transport me in a world made of plants, poisons,people who have "modified" themselves to have magical abilities, conspiracies and of course the omnipresent threat of the Leviathans who threaten to overcome the barriers built by the empire and invade it.

🍄 Din is an Engraver , a person who has the ability to remember everything he sees/hears , and he is also Ana's assistant. The story is told from his point of view, and because of this we are introduced in small doses into the world building by a person who sometimes feels like a fish out of water. In any case, page after page,Din grows and begins to feel more comfortable in his role and in having the eccentric Ana by his side.

🍄Ana is very particular and doesn't mince her words , which is why rumors say she was removed from the capital after making herself many enemies. But through the book I soon learned to trust that ,no matter how eccentric she is,her every word and action has a reason that always leads her to be on top.

🍄The plot from the beginning proceeds at a fast pace managing to draw me into the case . Information is given bit by bit ,along with the natural development of the plot thus making me formulate a different theory each time! In the end I couldn't guess everything but something Idid, so I consider myself satisfied!

✨ I found "the Tainted Cup" brilliant ,original ,evocative and I can assure you that I am already looking forward to reading Din and Ana's next adventure!

✨thanks to netgalley and the publisherfor the copy

In creating the investigative pairing of Holmes and Watson, Arthur Conan Doyle set a crime fiction template that is still being widely used. That of the highly gifted savant investigator and their handy, more active offsider. In The Tainted Cup, Robert Jackson Bennet takes the Holmes and Watson tropes and translates them to a fascinating and complex fantasy world. Like the best of crime fiction, he then uses the investigation to explore and expose the world that his characters inhabit.
The Tainted Cup begins with a horrific death. At an exclusive estate in a remote part of the Empire, an imperial engineer is killed when a grass life plant explodes from his body. Dinios Kol, assistant to investigator Ana Dolabra is sent to examine the scene and report back. Kol has been enhanced to be an engraver, which means he has perfect recall of everything he sees and hears. Which is handy as Dolabra stays in her book strewn house and mostly wears a blindfold. Solving the case only leads to more questions and soon the pair are off to the local capital of Talagaray where similar murders have occurred. But all is not safe in Talagaray which is close to the walls which protect the Empire from giant kaiju-like monsters called Leviathans that come from the sea. As the threat from the sea grows, Dolabra and Kol find the threads of their investigation reach back into the past and go higher than is safe for them.
The Tainted Cup is a great fantasy novel and a great detective novel. The world that Bennett creates is one that is driven by the use of plants and additives derived from the very monsters that threated its existence. And he uses the investigation to reveal these details rather than relying on exposition. All of this is done sufficiently so that readers can then follow how the rules of this world impact on the resolution of the mystery.
And it is full of great characters. Dolabra follows in the mould of Sherlock Holmes – frighteningly intelligent, dismissive of authority, addicted to danger and subterfuge to prove her theories, and usually at least a few steps ahead of everyone else involved in the investigation. But Kol, as the one who gets into all of the action, is the character around whom the story revolves. And he works effectively as Dolabra’s Watson, he has his own talents and inner strength but also a few skeletons that he carries around.
As with all good mystery stories, Bennett wraps up the action neatly. But the action in this book was set in one small area on the fringes of the Empire. Not only that but there are some connections left dangling. The Tainted Cup feels like the first book in a series with plenty more of this fascinating world to explore. And through Dolabra and Kol a pair of engaging characters to continue to explore it with.

DNF'ed at 31%/start of chapter 12.

Thank you Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Man I can't with this book. From a very dodgy rabbit hole with the cover being potentially ai generated, to the text feeling like it is.

The characters are abysmal, the main character Din (Watson) has as many emotions as a robot and speaks like one too, and Ana (Sherlock) is just an insufferable twat who's trying to be far too edgy and "comedic". Din just constantly infodumps and Ana explains nothing, even 30% in I was still so lost on many of the core concepts like what the fuck are augments exactly???

The plot seems interesting at first, but it's quite literally a copy paste of attack on titan (but at sea) so much so that the things are even called titans, and Sherlock Holmes but take all the worst parts of the latter at least. I've never watched AoT but even from what I know I can see this is way more than just an "inspiration".

I'll post some quotes when the book releases. It's so awful it's even gone past "it's so bad it's good" and looped back around to "it's just bad".

Except the interrogation bit in chapter 1. That somehow felt like I was reading an *entirely* different book for a bit because it actually wasn't that bad? But then Ana got introduced and ruined all that.

The mystery part isn't even all that good. It tries to do the "the solution is so complex!" But it's the most mind numbing simplest explanation presented like it's just so smart.

I normally don't DNF books, I really try my best to fully read them. But I can't finish this, I want to punt Ana into the sun in all honesty. I've never hated a character so much. She literally invited someone to an interrogation she knew was innocent just to ruin their day. Funny concept right? Except she's a right bitch while doing it. I got past the first major turning point when the plot was in full swing, but goddamn I just have no interest in any of it. I understand very little, so much overexplaning and yet so much left under explained.. it's kind of impressive tbh.

Additionally, putting this bit just on netgally, but this is the worst formatted PDF I've ever gotten from this site. Missing spaces, missing punctuation, missing new lines, all sorts. So many spelling errors and it's just a nightmare to read. I know it's an early copy but at least have *some* pride in what you're sending out to reviewers.

This was the perfect mystery, it had brilliant twist and turns that kept me on my toes. The Tainted Cup had a perfect mix of a Sherlock Holmes and Watson-esque duo with corruption and sea monsters.

As the first book in a series, this book had a lot of world building (the cantons, the hierarchies, the races, the titans, ….) which in some cases felt like a bit too much. But this makes me all the more excited for the next books where I will know the world better and be able to focus on the mystery Ana and Din are solving.

Summary: In a lavish Empire mansion, an Imperial officer is mysteriously killed by a tree growing from his body. When trying to solve his murder investigator Ana Dolabra and her assistant uncover a perilous conspiracy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"The Tainted Cup" is the first installment of "Shadow of the Leviathan," a fantasy series written by Robert Jackson Bennett and currently in progress.

Take a quirky detective duo in Holmes & Watson style, put it in a world building that winks at "Attack of Titan," add an intriguing and intricate story, a captivating and powerful writing, a labyrinthine and well-conceived mystery, mix it all together and you get just a vague idea of what "The Tainted Cup" is! An exciting, thrilling and surprising novel, capable of interweaving, in an original and skillful way, fantasy and mystery elements.  What can I say?! I loved everything about this book! Everything! It truly fascinated, captivated and absorbed me, making it hard for me to tear myself away from the pages. Seriously, the more I think about it, the more I cannot express anything but compliments!

The story takes place in the Empire of Khanum, a setting that, as mentioned above, recalls "Attack of Titan." The Empire is organized in a structure similar to a sequence of spoked wheels, placed one inside the other, of greater amplitude as one proceeds outward. The outer part of each wheel represents the curvilinear walls of the Empire, while the spokes serve as roads. There are three rings of main walls, plus sea walls bordering the sea. The wealthiest citizens live in the most inner rings, in wealthy conditions, while moving outward the poverty increases and the situation worsens. The reason for this arrangement? The huge and monstrous Leviathans, who during every wet season surface from the depths of the abyss to try to break down the walls and make their way into the Empire, destroying everything in their path. The Empire is divided into various military branches, with specific degrees of command, having different roles: defending walls, rebuilding collapsed barriers or reinforcing them, creating weapons, providing medical care, maintaining general order, and much more. Some servants of the Empire receive special grafts and suffusions, which alter their physical and mental abilities, giving them specific and different enhancements, with different side effects and risks. More specifically, the novel takes place in the Outer Rim, poorer and harsher, always at risk of breach during the wet season. It is a decidedly elaborate, extensive and complex world building, which intrigued me greatly! I found it original, well described, and full of potential. Of course, there is still a lot to be discovered, many nebulous aspects, but everything cannot be revealed right away. And I can't wait to read the sequels to learn more!

The story is strongly plot driven and revolves around the murder investigation. The narration proceeds slowly and quietly, with little action. Although the Leviathan are not the main focus of the book, playing a marginal role for now, their ominous shadow looms over everything. The inhabitants of the Empire live in anticipation of the wet season, fearing the possible collapse of the sea walls and the consequent entry of the Leviathans. And the situation is obviously even more critical in the Outer Rim, protected only by the sea walls. In my opinion, the author did a really good job of rendering the tense, anxious and uneasy atmosphere in this setting, making the presence of the Leviathans perceived, though without actually showing them. In addition, the book is full of political intrigues, subterfuges, deceptions, secrets, betrayals, rebellions, contrasts, rivalries, and much more, which completely gripped me. The unfolding of the investigation was sublime! I was amazed at the way the author managed to create a perfect puzzle, providing the pieces bit by bit, until the final explosive resolution! The interlocks are nothing short of exceptional, the attention to detail is magnificent, so much so that even though I guessed some plot twists, others escaped me and had me freaking out with their brilliance!

Ana and Din, the two main characters, charmed me! Din, protagonist with his only first person pov, is an engraver, a person magically altered to have a perfect memory. This talent makes him a living library of information, a sort of walking video camera, as well as the perfect new assistant to Ana, an investigator who is as brilliant as she is eccentric. Ana, who wears a blindfold much of the time. Ana, who rarely leaves the walls of her home. Their relationship clearly winks at the famous duo formed by Holmes and Watson, and I loved it a lot! Between irreverent banter, playful provocations and various jokes, they had me rolling with laughter! As mentioned above, the book is plot driven, reason for which the characters do not have much in-depth study. Or rather yes, they are well delineated, but in fact we know little about them, about their past. Okay, a little more information is given on Din, but in general they are two nebulous characters full of secrets. In my opinion, it fits, I found it in line with the narration and we will surely know more in the next books!

All in all, "The Tainted Cup" is a fantastic start to the series and I can't wait to read the sequel!

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a wonderful experience, high fantasy but written in a really accessible way. I got swept up with the story and the murder mystery element had me hooked.
A fantastic pairing of lead protagonists, with all the elements of Sherlock and Watson, set against a backdrop of killer sea monsters and corruption in high society.
It’s truly a unique combination and it works beautifully. I can’t wait for the next instalment.

The Tainted Cup is my first encounter with this author’s work, and I found it fantastic. The murder our main characters are trying to solve in the beginning of the story is the top of an iceberg that hides a much larger and complicated conspiracy.

I really liked the eccentric and yet brilliant investigator Ana while she was solving a mystery with the help of her younger assistant Dinios, who has the capacity to remember everything he sees. The murder is the catalyst that will lead them right into a web of secrets that none of them was able to even imagine.

The worldbuilding was simply breathtaking and I dived right into a world full of enhancements, exploding plants, poison, secrets, and corruption while I was trying to figure out a murder. It was a murder mystery embodied in a fantasy world. The bits of romantic moments in this story left me longing for more.

I recommend it for everyone who is looking for a murder mystery set in a fantasy world with a unique perspective and such well-developed characters. This was such a fun read and a great and I look forward to the next Shadow of the Leviathan book.

Thank you, NetGalley & the publisher, for approving me to read this arc and write this review.

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the free electronic ARC of "The Tainted Cup" by Robert Jackson Bennett.
This is my first five star read of 2024 and my first encounter with this author's work. It was brilliant!
Join the eccentric senior investigator Ana Dolabra and her young assistant Dinios Kol in solving a mystery crime set in a high fantasy setting inspired by "Attack on Titan".
The murder Din and Ana are investigating at the beginning of the story is but a drop in the ocean of a larger conspiracy, one that brings them to the dangerous edges of the Empire, where they are in close proximity to the sea wall, the only thing keeping invading titans, here called Leviathans, from invading the land and wreaking havoc.
This entire world was extremely fascinating. From the beginning, we are introduced to the magical and flora that the people of this world utilize in their everyday life and survival, but which can also cause in some extreme instances a ecological-disaster.
Another interesting aspect of this world was their genetically-obsessed culture where humans are enhanced for different roles, such as engraving, the skill that provides Din with perfect memory, and many other physical and mental abilities that can determine options, profession and positions.
Despite all of this social system or because of it there was a subtle message in this book: "We do not pop out of a mold. We change. We self-assemble."
Not only did I fell in love with this world and the developing mysteries ( that the reader is best to experience on their own without knowing too much), but the main characters and the growth they experience through the course of this book was both captivating and endearing.
My reading experience was such a joy and I am looking forward to the next volume of the "Shadow of the Leviathan". Until then I'll make sure to explore Robert Jackson Bennett's other works.

The Empire has some problems to deal with. Leviathans are coming up from the deep to invade the land. The blood of the leviathans aids magic - good and bad. In an area near the edge of the Empire a high ranking officer is dead apparently killed by a tree growing within him. Ana is the investigator tasked with investigating the death. She has a reputation for brilliance and eccentricity probably in equal measure! Assisting her is Din (Dinios). He is her new assistant and not experienced. He is an Imperial engraver magically enhanced to have a perfect memory. It quickly becomes obvious that the problem is not simply a local one and Ana and Din must travel closer to where the leviathans emerge to seek the truth.

There is a lot to "learn" quite quickly here - dangers and mysteries - small and large - abound. That in its way kept me very engaged initially. There was a fresh feel to this. Ana and Din's relationship develops well in a measured fashion. They also both have secrets that they keep from each other but for how long. We learn far more about the Empire and its troubles in a satisfying - for me - way. The way Sublimes (Din is one) are enhanced is an interesting use of magic for example.

The whole gradual development of scene, people and problems was accomplished by writing of a very decent standard to me. This entertained and satisfied me as a read more than many books I read these days. As time went by, I became more and more engrossed in this story. The story is generally the world as seen through Din's eyes. I found the simplicity of this appealing. Ana and Din's relationship brings a tension and humour into this. Indeed Ana can be very dryly amusing (and annoy people!). She doesn't like the "elite of the Empire" and the feeling is generally mutual.

I tend to take publishers claims about books with a pinch of salt. The claims of a "Homes/Watson" pairing struck me as pretty unlikely. Indeed purists would find it laughable and yet… I do think there is something in this claim. The partnership is unusual/off the wall offering daring and brilliance. There are sharp minds at work here. It is also obviously something that both parties can more than tolerate despite or because of how different possibly they are.

Such well developed characters, a decent slice of magic, a plot to work out, strange creatures and crimes to solve! This ticks plenty of boxes for me. I'd not come across this author before. However I'm certainly aiming to read more of his work based on the writing, storytelling and characters in this book.

Robert Jackson Bennett is among my favourite fantasy writers, and has been since I took a copy of The Troupe out of the library and flipped for it. He’s put out something like eight or nine books now, and they’ve all been highly readable, and what’s more, highly imaginative. The core fantasy ideas here are plant magic and huge leviathans rising out of the seas (which I think we will learning a lot more about in coming books), but the form of the book is more like a crime novel, as it foregrounds a bizarre murder investigation in this world. The world building and characterisation are top notch. Ana Dolabra and Dinias Kol are two highly engaging characters, and I’m really looking forward to seeing more of their cases

Loved it! It has great potential to become one of my favourite series ever.

This book convinced me we need more murder mystery books in the fantasy genre. Din and Ana have a very clear ‘Sherlock and Watson’ dynamic, but with its own take. The world building and the magic system were both wonderful!

I recommend this book whether if you like murder mystery or not, it’s a brilliant read

This was a fantastic start to this series. Never read RJB but have always wanted to and this was the perfect place to start.

I never read anything like it before, and I loved it. It is a very interesting mix of cosy fantasy and cosy mystery, and I loved that cosiness, I needed that. The story is very well-plotted and it was quite complex, which was enjoyable. The universe is intriguing and also convoluted. The characters are colorful and their personalities are distinct from one another. The two main characters, especially, are well-developed: Ana is eccentric and unhinged, although a little bit too vulgar sometimes, and Din is calmer. I’m definitely looking forward to continuing the series, when I’ll be able to.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Tainted cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
Release date February 6th 2024
Rating 4.5
I really enjoyed this book it was a murder mystery using the fantasy world, this book will be great someone looking to get into fantasy without going straight into the epic high stakes fantasy that many people attempt at the beginning. I am not someone who is really into Murder mystery usually but this book intrigued me and held me in the world where I did not get bored or find it predictable at all.
The book had many twists and turns which I did not see coming which had me on the edge of my seat and me getting through this book in a few short hours. I loved the characters and then trying to unpack the turns that they had and some of the situations had me holding my breath for a number of moments. If you like murder mystery and are looking to dip your toes into fantasy or you are in a fantasy slump and you are wanting to dip your toe back into fantasy, then this book will help you.
I know already my friends are going to be very excited to read this and I will be recommending this highly to them. So if you are looking for fun characters wanting to solve a mystery with a sprinkle of fantasy look no further.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for letting me review this advanced readers copy.

I was intrigued with the synopsis for this, but to be honest my expectations were mid. It’s a little outside my usual reading bubble.

This book destroyed those expectations. This was fantastic. I adored the main character; being in his head the entire time gave this story a very unique perspective.
I was worried about the magic system at first, buts integrated flawlessly within the world, so accessible to understand, and incredibly interesting.

If this synopsis sounds even vaguely interesting to you, if you love a good murder mystery, complex characters, and awesome representation; pick up The Tainted Cup!