The Tainted Cup

by Robert Jackson Bennett · 2024

When a high‑ranking Imperial officer is found dead in Daretana’s most lavish mansion, the cause is as baffling as it is gruesome—a tree erupts from his chest, a murder that seems impossible even in a world where leviathan blood reshapes reality. The Empire’s most eccentric sleuth, Ana Dolabra, is summoned to untangle the mystery. Blindfolded by habit and famed for solving puzzles without ever leaving her home, Ana pairs with Dinios Kol, a magically altered engraver whose perfect memory makes him the ideal assistant. Together they navigate a labyrinth of contagions, arcane politics, and hidden conspiracies that threaten the very stability of the Empire. As the clues multiply, Ana’s razor‑sharp mind and Dinios’s steadfast loyalty are put to the ultimate test in a dazzling blend of fantasy and classic whodunit.