The Tainted Cup an exceptional fantasy mystery with a classic detective duo

Oh how I loved this marvellous book. The atmosphere is simply STUNNING, all the moodiness and gruffness and the worldbuilding. I'd live there in an instant (not really ofc, but y'all know what i mean..) I loved the characters and how they interact and all the little secrets of their own (even though I'm normally not a fan of that tbh). But the crime itself - that one was simply marvellous. Like, in the beginning I was honestly a bit sceptical, but around the 30% mark I couldn't stop reading for the life of me. Also I am very proud to announce that I "solved" the crime 75% into book and learning that I was correct did cause me to love the story even more. Highly recommend this one! I will definitely continue!

What a unique world and magic system—everything feels alive and like it wants to kill you! We follow the secondary lead of an investigator duo who basically act as the eyes and ears of the overstimulated main investigator, so we see many clues, yet there remains plenty of mystery, making the solution neither obvious nor impossible to guess. A political layer of corruption and justice is sprinkled on top. I loved the main characters' dynamic, which brings comic relief through their witty comments and dry humor to an otherwise dark and grotesque setting. A fun read for in between!

The worldbuilding: excellent. The characters are interesting and well developed. The plot: not foreseeable and gripping. I really liked the Foundrysite novels by Bennett (and you should totally read them, too), and while this series is completely different, it‘s just as smart and entertaining.

Set in the Empire of Khanum, a land surrounded by immense sea walls to hold back the monstrous leviathans that roam the waters beyond, ''The Tainted Cup'' introduces readers to a world where nature is both a deadly weapon and an indispensable ally. The story unfolds with the mysterious death of Commander Taqrasa Blas, his body twisted and overtaken by a grotesque tree-like growth. Called in to solve the mystery are Ana Dolabra, known for her razor-sharp mind, and her apprentice Dinios Kol, an engraver gifted with perfect memory. However, what starts as a peculiar case soon spirals into something far more dangerous. Bennett masterfully blends the allure of classic detective fiction with an unsettling, richly imagined world where bodies are altered as easily as social and political alliances. ''The Tainted Cup'' offers a fresh and inventive take on the detective duo trope, delivering a thrilling mystery wrapped in beautiful world-building. It's a must-read for everybody that loves clever, character-driven whodunits.

This has been for sure the most clever, addictingly interesting and imaginative fantasy I've ever read. What started as a murder mystery, quickly turned into a full on ecological-desaster fantasy novel. And I absolutely devoured it! If you like a pageturner with lots of puzzles, big twists, dramatic reveals and dry humor then you have to read it! Might I add, I did remarkably well at solving this crime... big career ahead of me...