A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
**4.5-stars rounded up**
A Drop of Corruption is the highly-anticipated follow-up to The Tainted Cup, which published in early-2024.
I have been excited about this release since I turned the final page of that book. This may seem dramatic, but its really not. I fell in love with the perfect blend of Mystery and SFF-elements that RJB delivered and wanted more.
Each book has its own mystery to solve, and this one was just as, if not more, compelling than the first.
In Yarrowdale, an area at the edge of the Empire, an impossible crime has taken place. A Treasury Officer has disappeared from his locked room, that was in a building with guards at all of the entrances and exits.
In order to get to the bottom of it, and hopefully locate the missing officer, the Empire calls upon its most brilliant investigator, Ana Dolabra, who brings along her charming assistant, Dinios Kol.
It doesn’t take long for Ana to work out that it’s not just a disappearance they’re investigating, but a murder. How did it happen though? The doors and windows were locked from the inside. It’s a real puzzle. A true locked room mystery.
As they dig further in, it becomes clear that the killer is actually targeting a high-security area known as the Shroud. It’s there that the Empire’s finest minds are trying to find a way to harness the magic found in the blood of fallen Titans.
If the Shroud were to fall, or be destroyed, it could mean the end of the Empire. What sort of madman would wish that sort of devastation on their world, and why?
I’m completely in love with this series. When I first picked this up, I was so happy to be reunited with Din and Ana, I was practically giddy. It felt like seeing old friends after a long-time apart.
I loved how RJB really leaned into the world in this one, and built it out further than before. I feel like I walk away with a deeper understanding of the Empire, and the way it functions, which is something I was hoping for going in.
RJB excels at meshing a completely intriguing mystery with a lush Fantasy environment. Even the way the detectives go about solving the various crimes are so out of our world; it’s fascinating to read. For example, the details Ana is able to glean just by eating assorted foods.
We also got a new character, Malo, who assisted Ana and Din during their time in Yarrowdale and beyond. I absolutely adored her, and hope she’ll be sticking with the series for a long time to come. Could our dynamic duo be turning into a tantalizing trio? I hope so!!
Another aspect I was impressed by was the pace. This story never takes a break. It is pedal to the floor the whole way through. There is something happening at every moment, with so many details being uncovered.
I would love to read this again before the next book is released. I feel like maybe I would pick up even more the second time through. This time I was flying, because I needed answers, but I feel like if I read it again, I could make it a more leisurely read, focusing on the finer details.
I can’t recommend this series enough. If the thought of a high-concept-SFF Mystery tickles your fancy, and for some reason you haven’t started this series yet, you need to drop everything, run to your local library, or bookshop, and get yourself some copies. It’s that good. Don’t wait.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Del Rey, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m so excited to see what mystery we get to solve next.
Ana and Din are the absolute best detective duo in SFF!!