The Tainted Cup

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.

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.

**WINNER OF THE 2025 HUGO AWARD FOR BEST NOVEL** A peculiar crime. A brilliant investigator. A mystery of epic proportions. In an opulent mansion at the borders of the Empire, an Imperial officer lies dead - killed when a tree spontaneously erupted from his body. Even here, where contagions abound and the blood of the Leviathans works strange magical changes, it's a death at once terrifying and impossible. Called in to solve the crime is Ana Dolabra, an investigator whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricity. At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol, an engraver, magically altered to possess a perfect memory. Soon, the mystery leads to a scheme that threatens the safety of the Empire itself. For Ana, all this makes for a deliciously thorny puzzle - at last, something to truly hold her attention. And Din? He'll just have to hold on for the ride. 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. 'Engrossing and fascinating' MUR LAFFERTY 'A masterstroke. I want Bennett to write a dozen of these, and send them to me yesterday' MAX GLADSTONE 'Original, imaginative, and suspenseful' MEG GARDINER 'Riveting' AMAL EL-MOHTAR 'If you love unique, genre-bending, boundary-pushing fantasy as much as I do, look no further than Robert Jackson Bennett' FONDA LEE 'Part Sherlock Holmes murder mystery, part Through the Looking-Glass, The Tainted Cup is one of the wildest, most original stories' WESLEY CHU READERS LOVE ROBERT JACKSON BENNETT! 'This is that rare thing - a book so good that you are bereft when you reach the final page . I loved this and would spend much more time in its world' ' Utterly riveting read from beginning to end. Another mind blowing innovative world-build' ' I couldn't put this one down and read waaay into the night to discover who did what to whom - and came away with a massive book hangover that had me dreaming of Bennett's world for the rest of the week' ' I adored this book! Can't recommend it enough . Murder mystery in a fantasy setting with botanical murder weapons, augmented humans and leviathans threatening to breach city walls! It was such a wonderful, exciting book !' 'This book destroyed those expectations. This was fantastic '

**WINNER OF THE 2025 HUGO AWARD FOR BEST NOVEL** A peculiar crime. A brilliant investigator. A mystery of epic proportions. In an opulent mansion at the borders of the Empire, an Imperial officer lies dead - killed when a tree spontaneously erupted from his body. Even here, where contagions abound and the blood of the Leviathans works strange magical changes, it's a death at once terrifying and impossible. Called in to solve the crime is Ana Dolabra, an investigator whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricity. At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol, an engraver, magically altered to possess a perfect memory. Soon, the mystery leads to a scheme that threatens the safety of the Empire itself. For Ana, all this makes for a deliciously thorny puzzle - at last, something to truly hold her attention. And Din? He'll just have to hold on for the ride. 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. 'Engrossing and fascinating' MUR LAFFERTY 'A masterstroke. I want Bennett to write a dozen of these, and send them to me yesterday' MAX GLADSTONE 'Original, imaginative, and suspenseful' MEG GARDINER 'Riveting' AMAL EL-MOHTAR 'If you love unique, genre-bending, boundary-pushing fantasy as much as I do, look no further than Robert Jackson Bennett' FONDA LEE 'Part Sherlock Holmes murder mystery, part Through the Looking-Glass, The Tainted Cup is one of the wildest, most original stories' WESLEY CHU READERS LOVE ROBERT JACKSON BENNETT! 'This is that rare thing - a book so good that you are bereft when you reach the final page . I loved this and would spend much more time in its world' ' Utterly riveting read from beginning to end. Another mind blowing innovative world-build' ' I couldn't put this one down and read waaay into the night to discover who did what to whom - and came away with a massive book hangover that had me dreaming of Bennett's world for the rest of the week' ' I adored this book! Can't recommend it enough . Murder mystery in a fantasy setting with botanical murder weapons, augmented humans and leviathans threatening to breach city walls! It was such a wonderful, exciting book !' 'This book destroyed those expectations. This was fantastic '