An eccentric detective and her long-suffering assistant untangle a web of magic, deceit, and murder in this sparkling fantasy reimagining of the classic crime novel—from the bestselling author of The Founders Trilogy.
In Daretana’s greatest mansion, a high Imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a tree spontaneously 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. Din is an engraver, magically altered in ways that make him the perfect aide to Ana’s brilliance.
Din …
An eccentric detective and her long-suffering assistant untangle a web of magic, deceit, and murder in this sparkling fantasy reimagining of the classic crime novel—from the bestselling author of The Founders Trilogy.
In Daretana’s greatest mansion, a high Imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a tree spontaneously 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. Din is an engraver, magically altered in ways that make him the perfect aide to Ana’s brilliance.
Din finds himself at turns scandalized, perplexed, and utterly infuriated by his new superior—but as the case unfolds and Ana’s mind leaps from one startling deduction to the next, he must grudgingly 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 safety of 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.
Featuring an unforgettable Holmes-and-Watson style pairing, a gloriously labyrinthine plot, and a haunting and wholly original fantasy world, The Tainted Cup brilliantly reinvents the classic mystery tale.
This book was a wonderful little murder (and more!) mystery set in a fantasy setting with some very interesting and unique world building. The characters are all extremely compelling, even Ana, who is quite obviously an homage to Sherlock Holmes. Despite that fact, she manages to still stand out as her own true self, not as a cheap imitation, and it's hard not to love her, especially when viewed through the eyes of her assistant.
A murder mystery fantasy novel - why is this a first for me?! Fairly standard whodunnit which escalates to political intrigue, made distinctive by very cool world-building: an empire built to defend against leviathans attacking from the sea, whose bodily fluids enable a raft of fantastical bio-enhancements. Interesting characters and the potential for more fleshing out give the series much promise.
Perfect Holmes & Watson fantasy worldbuilding, excellently plotted
5 stars
A political-intrigue mystery drama pursued by a Holmes-and-Watson pair in a speculative Roman-style empire which relies on advanced bio-engineering to fend off a constant flood of Kaiju from the ocean and the contagious bio-horror they bring with them. Which… that might sound like too many concepts to comfortably contain in a story this short, but it all blends together like a perfect smoothie of mystery & adventurous drama — you're simply along for the ride.
I'm reminded of The Affair of the Mysterious Letter, another delightful novel which also uses a Holmes-and-Watson mystery as an excuse to show off wonderful worldbuilding. Perhaps there's a lesson here: if you've invented a weird world but are having trouble fitting a story into it, a Holmes-and-Watson mystery is a great excuse for some characters to wander around all your scenic locales, explaining things to each other and looking closely at all the neat …
A political-intrigue mystery drama pursued by a Holmes-and-Watson pair in a speculative Roman-style empire which relies on advanced bio-engineering to fend off a constant flood of Kaiju from the ocean and the contagious bio-horror they bring with them. Which… that might sound like too many concepts to comfortably contain in a story this short, but it all blends together like a perfect smoothie of mystery & adventurous drama — you're simply along for the ride.
I'm reminded of The Affair of the Mysterious Letter, another delightful novel which also uses a Holmes-and-Watson mystery as an excuse to show off wonderful worldbuilding. Perhaps there's a lesson here: if you've invented a weird world but are having trouble fitting a story into it, a Holmes-and-Watson mystery is a great excuse for some characters to wander around all your scenic locales, explaining things to each other and looking closely at all the neat details you want to show off?
This novel absolutely nails it: incredibly fun, readable, & engaging. Nothing wasted, respectful of the reader's time & interest. Absolutely recommended; looking forward to the next installment.
A fantasy murder mystery served with a dollop of Pacific Rim, garnished with a hint of The Goblin Emperor, and a tiny sprig of romance. It was nicely written with interesting world-building and enjoyable characters; Ana, in particular, was a delight. The murder plot and its somewhat deflated resolution kept this at a 3-star rating for me. Though the opportunity is rarely afforded in fantasy whodunits, I like to follow along and solve crimes too! While it didn't guarantee a sequel a place on my to-read list, I might try more from this author.
