Title
A Drop of Corruption
Author
Robert Jackson Bennett
Publication Date
Apr 01 2025
Rating
5 / 5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕
Description
In the canton of Yarrowdale, at the very edge of the Empire’s reach, a Treasury officer has disappeared into thin air—vanishing from a room within a heavily guarded tower, its door and windows locked from the inside.
To solve the case, the Empire calls on its most brilliant and mercurial detective, the great Ana Dolabra. At her side, as always, is her bemused assistant Dinios Kol.
Ana soon discovers that they are investigating not a disappearance but a murder—and one of surpassing cunning, carried out by an opponent who can pass through warded doors like a ghost.
Worse still, the killer may be targeting the high-security compound known as the Shroud, where the Empire harvests fallen titans for the volatile magic found in their blood. Should it fall, the Empire itself will grind to a halt, robbed of the magic that allows its wheels of power to turn.
Din has seen his superior solve impossible cases before. But as the death toll grows and their quarry predicts each of Ana’s moves with uncanny foresight, he fears that she has at last met an enemy she can’t defeat.
Awards
Nominee for Readers’ Favorite Fantasy (2025)
Goodreads, 2026 Locus Award Finalist,
Review
Robert Jackson Bennett once again proves his mastery of world-building and intricate mystery with A Drop of Corruption. This sequel to The Tainted Cup deepens the lore of its darkly fantastical world while delivering a razor-sharp detective narrative that grips from start to finish.
Like a darker, more fantastical Sherlock and Watson, the dynamic between Ana Dolabra and Din continues to shine. Ana, with her relentless intellect and enigmatic presence, cements herself as one of the most fascinating protagonists in recent fantasy, while Din’s growth throughout the story adds a rich emotional depth that makes their partnership all the more compelling.
Bennett’s signature blend of sharp dialogue, immersive settings, and mind-bending mysteries makes this an absolute page-turner. The twists are expertly executed, and the tension never lets up—so much so that putting the book down felt nearly impossible. With its eerie atmosphere, inventive magic system, and characters that linger in your mind long after the last page, this book is a must-read for fans of fantasy-mystery hybrids.
Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for the eARC.
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