The Tainted Cup

About the book

HUGO AWARD WINNER • WORLD FANTASY AWARD WINNER • NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A Holmes and Watson–style detective duo take the stage in this fantasy with a mystery twist, from acclaimed author Robert Jackson Bennett

‘Like an endearing fantasy version of Knives Out... A great murder mystery is hard to pull off but Bennett structures his perfectly, and the fact that it’s in a fantasy setting only makes it better.’-T. J. Klune, The New York Times

LOCUS AWARD FINALIST • EDGAR AWARD NOMINEE

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.

Praise for this book:

"Part Sherlock Holmes murder mystery, part Through the Looking-Glass, The Tainted Cup is one of the wildest, most original stories I've ever had the privilege to explore. I am in awe of Bennett's creativity, the intricate plotting, and this immersive world filled with mushroom air conditioners, killer trees, and giant leviathans that stretch the imagination. I loved every second of it. This is a book that has planted roots in my head for the rest of my life." - Wesley Chu

"Original, imaginative, and suspenseful, The Tainted Cup superbly blends mystery and fantasy in this vivid, complex novel. I couldn't put it down. Give me more of this world and these characters ASAP!" - Meg Gardiner

"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

"A riveting murder mystery wrapped in a twisty conspiracy, set in a vivid fantasy world terrorized by eldritch monsters... If you love unique, genre-bending, boundary-pushing fantasy as much as I do, look no further than Robert Jackson Bennett." - Fonda Lee

"A classic murder mystery set against dazzling world-building and sly social commentary. Robert Jackson Bennett doesn't miss." - James L Sutter

"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