The tainted cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

As a nominee for fantasy in the Goodreads Choice Award 2024, I knew that The tainted cup would be an interesting read and when I realised that it was also a murder mystery, I couldn’t wait to read it. An Imperial officer has been killed when a tree spontaneously erupts from his body, an impossible death. Ana Dolabra, an eccentric investigator is called to probe into the murder. She is accompanied by Dinios Kol, an engraver who has been altered by magic, giving him a perfect memory to record and observe events. With the brilliant Ana always wearing a blindfold, his memory is essential to solving the case. As danger approaches with Leviathans invading the shores, the pair must match wits with unknown killers and stop a scheme that threatens the Empire.

Bennett effortless brings the reader into a fantasy world that is vivid and unique. The descriptions the opulence of the mansions of the wealthy, contrasting with the lives of the ordinary soldiers, the corruption of power and the use of magic to give humans extraordinary powers provide a wonderful background to the story.

 His characters are strange and have secrets but lovers of mysteries will enjoy the Holmes – Watson aspect of their investigation and are likely to enjoy trying to unravel the mystery of the deaths and how people can be killed with strange poisons and  trees erupting from their bodies.

This is a fascinating combination of fantasy and mystery and the first book that I have read by Bennett. It will not be the last as I am sure to pick up A drop of corruption also starring Ana and Dinios.

Themes: Murder, Magic, Monsters, Detectives, Poisons.

Pat Pledger