The Tainted Cup

A Novel

By: Robert Jackson Bennett

Narrated by: Andrew Fallaize

A Holmes and Watson–style detective duo take the stage in this fantasy with a mystery twist, from the Edgar-winning, multiple Hugo-nominated Robert Jackson Bennett

“Great fantasy detective stories are too rare, but Bennett—[a] rising star of fantasy—more than delivers.”—Charlie Jane Anders, The Washington Post

“A thoroughly satisfying delight from start to finish.”—Amal El-Mohtar, The New York Times Book Review

A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, NPR, Elle, BookPage

In Daretana’s greatest mansion, a high imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a tree erupted from his body. Even here at the Empire’s borders, where contagions abound and the blood of the leviathans works strange magical changes, it’s a death both terrifying and impossible.

Assigned to investigate is Ana Dolabra, a detective whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities. Rumor has it that she wears a blindfold at all times, and that she can solve impossible cases without even stepping outside the walls of her home.

At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol, magically altered in ways that make him the perfect aide to Ana’s brilliance. Din is at turns scandalized, perplexed, and utterly infuriated by his new superior—but as the case unfolds and he watches Ana’s mind leap from one startling deduction to the next, he must admit that she is, indeed, the Empire’s greatest detective.

As the two close in on a mastermind and uncover a scheme that threatens the Empire itself, Din realizes he’s barely begun to assemble the puzzle that is Ana Dolabra—and wonders how long he’ll be able to keep his own secrets safe from her piercing intellect.

By an “endlessly inventive” (Vulture) author with a “wicked sense of humor” (NPR), The Tainted Cup mixes the charms of detective fiction with brilliant world-building to deliver a fiendishly clever mystery that’s at once instantly recognizable and thrillingly new.

©2024 Robert Jackson Bennett (P)2024 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“I loved this. A twisty detective story, a weird fantasy, a thrilling adventure—The Tainted Cup is a masterstroke. I want Bennett to write a dozen of these, and send them to me yesterday.”—Max Gladstone, New York Times bestselling co-author of This Is How You Lose the Time War

“The Tainted Cup is a true fantasy mystery, with a leading duo who stand with Holmes and Watson among the greats. And Bennett sets it all in a squishy, fascinating, biopunk world I’m dying to find out more about. Bring on the next one!”—Django Wexler, author of the Shadow Campaigns series

Loved it

This story does have a very Sherlock and Watson feel to it but set in a Roman Empire type of world with an environmenf that does its best to kill things via toxins and sea monsters. But that is background to the thoroughly engaging murder mystery. The 2 main characters are interesting and complex people and seeing their interactions was fascinating. The narrator was great and a good fit for the story. The ending is satisfying but definitely leaves an opening for further adventure and I hope there are more books set in this world.

Such a great book!

This offers a brilliant blend of fantasy and murder mystery. An Imperial officer is murdered and the weapon is a tree erupting from his body. This sets the stage for an intriguing investigation. Enter Ana Dolabra, an eccentric yet brilliant investigator known for her unorthodox methods. Actually, enter Din, because Ana can't be bothered to show up to the scene herself. Din is her newly appointed assistant, an engraver augmented to have a perfect memory using scents as triggers to recall them.

As the duo delves into the case, they uncover a scheme that poses a threat to the Empire itself. The dynamic between Ana and Din is a highlight in the story. I also just adore the representation in the novel, heavily hinting at dyslexia and sensory issues in our main characters. Not to mention that Din appears to be bisexual.

This book really shines when Anna is on the page. She's irreverent and brilliant and hilarious. She's balanced well with her typically straight-laced assistant Din who is incredibly new to all of this detective stuff. This book draws to mind classic detectives like Sherlock Holmes, Benoit Blanc, and Miss Marple. I barked out a laugh several times during this book. Ana's character pays homage to classic detectives, featuring a gloriously labyrinthine plot and a haunting fantasy world.

The world-building is exceptional, especially with the inclusion of Leviathans (kudos on the horror elements!) lurking outside the walls. Did I mention that they sometimes have faces and those faces appear to be saying things? Creepy! I can't wait to discover more about them in the subsequent books. The world hits some similar notes and has some similar vibes to one of my favorite but lesser-known books (The Five Penalties series by Marina J. Lostetter). Humanity is surrounded by terrible things and they're just trying to avert their eyes while power corrupts in their midst.

While the story excels in capturing the essence of classic (kind of unpleasant) detectives, the characters beyond Ana and Din felt somewhat flat to me. Nevertheless, "The Tainted Cup" offers a captivating and entertaining experience, combining the best elements of mystery and fantasy.

I had a GREAT time. I highly recommend the audiobook.

Outstanding performance!

Loved this narration! So creative and talented. I have a hard time with fantasy sometimes because I find the characters and the rules of the world difficult to follow but this narrator made it easier to determine the voices.

What a great story!

Amazing story and fantastic audible. Slightly different than RBJ other works, but one of his bests.

Unique and addictive

Thoroughly enjoyed this unique and engaging book! Hoping for more in this vein soon. I’d snap up a series with these characters. Couldn’t get the story out of my head!

Different and Well written

Reader gets an A+. Writer gets a B. Enough twist and turns kept me guessing. Never saw the ending.

Loved the narrator.

Perfect voice for the book, and if the book wasn’t already amazing it made it even more enjoyable. World building was 10/10, characters were 10/10, one of my favorites. Can’t wait for the rest of the series!

Laugh out loud funny

Narration is top notch! The characters are funny and fully fleshed out. Awesome world building. Totally immersive experience. Delightful!!

Something a Little Different

I've read many books over my lifetime, mostly books in the sci-fi or fantasy genre, and to be honest their charm is wearing a little thin. The main reason for this is that there are so many standard tropes that authors comfortably rely on. I hate knowing what is going to happen next and it's impossible not to with everyone cribbing from the same handful of books.

But then something like this comes along that reinvigorates my love for the genre. The world building is not too terribly new if you squint at it, but it is wonderfully described. The mystery element is well defined and the stakes adequately set. I don't ask for much in a story, to be honest, I just ask that it is written well and at least make an attempt at originality and this book has it.

I was sad when I finally looked at the chapter list and realized that I was nearing the end. The last section felt like a Sunday afternoon -- comfortable,and indulgent, but still bittersweet. February is too long to wait for the next book, so I bought it in physical form and I'm going to read it again. Maybe it will hit even better the second time.

My first 5 star rating of 2024

By far the best read of 2024 and I loved how engaging the narrator was