Mostly Murders

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore and NetGalley for this ARC.

Book 2 in the Shadow of the Leviathan series. In book 1 The Tainted Cup, Robert Jackson Bennet introduced the world to the Empire of Khanum, the leviathans, and the brilliant, blindfolded Iudex Investigator Anagosa Dolabra, known as Ana, and her longsuffering assistant and engraver, Signum Dinios Kol, or Din. In book 2, we delve deeper into the compelling and creepy world Ana and Din inhabit, learning more about the complex politics of the Empire, the wondrous and horrifying effects of magical alchemy and biopunk science, and the story of the leviathans and their importance for the continued existence of the Empire.

Equal parts Holmesian fantasy mystery with a touch of horror and high fantasy tale exploring the dangers of empire and autocracy and the clash between different cultures and ways of living, A Drop of Corruption presents the reader with a seemingly impossible locked-room murder placed in a fantasy setting with riveting worldbuilding and compelling characters, where anything from plants to politics is potentially deadly.

I absolutely loved The Tainted Cup, and I am very happy to say that A Drop of Corruption more than lives up to my expectations. The scope of the crime is grander, the stakes of the investigation succeeding or failing are much higher, and the secrets of both the murder and Din and Ana, are darker and more dangerous than ever. In some books a locked-room murder would be the culmination of the mystery. In this one, it is only the initial link in a chain of fantastical and mysterious events leading to an explosive conclusion and a very important choice for the future for Din.

Highly recommended to anyone who liked book 1 in this series. If you haven’t read The Tainted Cup I suggest you do that first. If you don’t like swearing in books you won’t like either of these, but if you like the idea of a brilliant and eccentric Investigator in a rich fantasy world, you should definitely consider picking up this series.

Mystery – Fantasy