A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett — My Best Read of August!

A mystery like no other — clever, dangerous, and utterly addictive.

Synopsis

The brilliant detective Ana Dolabra may have finally met her match in the gripping sequel to The Tainted Cup—from the bestselling author of The Founders Trilogy.

In the canton of Yarrowdale, at the very edge of the Empire’s reach, an impossible crime has occurred. A Treasury officer has disappeared into thin air—abducted from his quarters while the door and windows remained locked from the inside, in a building whose entrances and exits are all under constant guard.

To solve the case, the Empire calls on its most brilliant and mercurial investigator, the great Ana Dolabra. At her side, as always, is her bemused assistant Dinios Kol.

Before long, Ana’s discovered that they’re not investigating a disappearance, but a murder—and that the killing was just the first chess move by an adversary who seems to be able to pass through warded doors like a ghost, and who can predict every one of Ana’s moves as though they can see the future.

Worse still, the killer seems to be targeting the high-security compound known as the Shroud. Here, the Empire’s greatest minds dissect fallen Titans to harness the volatile magic found in their blood. Should it fall, the destruction would be terrible indeed—and the Empire itself will grind to a halt, robbed of the magic that allows its wheels of power to turn.

Din has seen Ana solve impossible cases before. But this time, with the stakes higher than ever and Ana seemingly a step behind their adversary at every turn, he fears that his superior has finally met an enemy she can’t defeat.

Audiobook review

5 stars

Best book of August for me!

Narrator: Andrew Fallaize — once again perfect for this series after The Tainted Cup!

This will be a shorter review, not because the book was lacking (it was brilliant), but because I’m in a review slump. Plus, this being a mystery wrapped in a fantastical world, I don’t want to spoil too much.

Ana Dolabra is the Sherlock to Dinios Kol’s Watson. But Din isn’t just brawl (the muscle) — he’s courier, bodyguard, caretaker, and recorder, thanks to his engraver gift that allows him to recall every detail with flawless precision. He’s loyal, astute, and unafraid to risk everything. And believe me, his life was in danger more than once here!

Ana, meanwhile, is peculiar, brilliant, and demanding in ways only Din can manage — from her revolting “thinking meals” to her need for sensory deprivation when her mind overloads. Ana being so peculiar and Din being outwardly detached, they form a unique pairing, very distinct from any other books I have read. But their tandem works beautifully!

This second installment (an interconnected standalone) begins with the death of a Treasury envoy, pulling Ana and Din into Yarrowdale — the most vital canton of the empire, where leviathan’s blood fuels magic and strange gifts. But this canton holds secrets that could upend the empire itself.

What follows is a deadly race against a genius killer whose plans stretch far beyond one murder. Stopping him will take every ounce of Ana’s cunning and Din’s loyalty.

This book offers:

-odd yet unforgettable characters;

-lush, strange worldbuilding;

-ambition, danger, and deadly secrets;

-fantastical flora and beings;

-clever twists and constant tension.

It is a unique yet gripping story served by a brilliant cast of very odd characters on a background of race against the clock to save the world. A fantasy mystery I couldn’t put down.

I need more!

Thanks for reading.

Sophie