Review: A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett
Blurb:
The eccentric detective Ana Dolabra matches wits with a seemingly omniscient adversary in this brilliant fantasy-mystery from the author of The Tainted Cup.
In the canton of Yarrowdale, at the very edge of the Empire’s reach, a Treasury officer has disappeared into thin air—vanishing from a room within a heavily guarded tower, its door and windows locked from the inside.
To solve the case, the Empire calls on its most brilliant and mercurial detective, the great Ana Dolabra. At her side, as always, is her bemused assistant Dinios Kol.
Ana soon discovers that they are investigating not a disappearance but a murder—and one of surpassing cunning, carried out by an opponent who can pass through warded doors like a ghost.
Worse still, the killer may be targeting the high-security compound known as the Shroud, where the Empire harvests fallen titans for the volatile magic found in their blood. Should it fall, the Empire itself will grind to a halt, robbed of the magic that allows its wheels of power to turn.
Din has seen his superior solve impossible cases before. But as the death toll grows and their quarry predicts each of Ana’s moves with uncanny foresight, he fears that she has at last met an enemy she can’t defeat.
Review:
A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett picks up right where The Tainted Cup left off, reuniting readers with Ana Dolabra and her assistant Din in a thrilling new mystery set at the very fringes of the Empire. A Treasury officer has vanished without a trace from a locked room under constant guard a seemingly impossible crime. As Ana and Din delve into the case, they find themselves racing against a cunning adversary with ambitions that threaten not just lives, but the very fabric of the Empire itself. Their foe seeks to harness the volatile magic blood of a fallen Titan and unless Ana and Din can unravel the mystery, the consequences could be catastrophic.
This was easily one of my most anticipated reads of the year. I absolutely adored The Tainted Cup, which landed firmly in my top five books of last year, so the sequel had a lot to live up to. When I saw A Drop of Corruption listed on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to request an ARC and to my delight, I was approved. I held off publishing this review until after release, as I wanted to the beautiful special edition from The Broken Binding in my hands to visually showcase on my social media. However enough of that let’s get into the review.
Robert Jackson Bennett wastes no time plunging us into another intricate mystery, one that not only ups the stakes but also deepens our understanding of the central characters. Din continues to grow in his role, struggling with his position as Ana’s assistant and questioning whether he’s doing enough for the Empire. His inner conflict around purpose and legacy adds emotional depth to the narrative. Meanwhile, Ana remains the brilliant enigma she’s always been but, in this instalment, we begin to uncover pieces of her haunting past and the magical alterations that have shaped her. Robert Jackson Bennett skilfully peels back her layers, showing a more vulnerable side of the cold and calculating detective. Even Ana finds herself tested this time, facing off against a foe whose intelligence and resourcefulness match her own a rare and refreshing twist that keeps the tension high throughout.
The themes of justice and moral accountability are front and centre in this novel. Robert Jackson Bennett explores the idea that no one, no matter their perceived importance or intentions is above the law. It’s a powerful message, woven seamlessly into the narrative without ever feeling heavy-handed. The pacing is relentless, lending an urgency that mirrors the danger our protagonists are facing. Every chapter pushes the story forward, and the inclusion of a map at the beginning was a great touch as it helps ground the reader in the new setting of Yarrowdale, a region beyond the Empire's borders with its own rulers and laws. This expansion of the world was fascinating, giving a glimpse into what life is like outside Imperial control and highlighting the broader political tensions at play.
Ana remains a standout character. She’s like a magical, eccentric Sherlock Holmes unpredictable, razor-sharp, and endlessly fascinating. Her deductive skills are mind-boggling, often piecing together complex truths from the smallest of details. What makes her so compelling, though, is that she’s not infallible. Unlike in The Tainted Cup, where she seemed always ten steps ahead, this time she’s forced to adapt, outmanoeuvre, and fight for every clue. I especially loved her witty retorts and her fearless ability to challenge even those in power with nothing but the force of law and intellect. Yet Robert Jackson Bennett balances her brilliance with genuine humanity, portraying her almost as a maternal figure to Din always protective, demanding, and quietly loving in her own way.
Speaking of Din, his arc in A Drop of Corruption is deeply satisfying. We see him wrestling with personal frustration, torn between duty and the desire to make a real difference. Haunted by his father’s debts and disillusioned by a system that doesn’t seem to reward righteousness, Din questions his path. Watching him slowly realise the importance of his role even if it lacks glamour and how it still contributes meaningfully to justice and change is one of the book’s most moving threads. His evolving bond with Ana is heartwarming and poignant, a found-family dynamic that adds emotional weight to the story. Their relationship feels like a mother-and-son bond, growing stronger and more complex as the novel progresses. It made me even more invested in their journey and more desperate for more books with these two remarkable characters.
One of the aspects I loved most was how Robert Jackson Bennett doesn’t simply focus on who committed the crime, but why. The motivation behind the mystery becomes the real heart of the narrative, and the slow unravelling of the antagonist’s true purpose is masterfully done. The villain is more than just a plot device he’s a mirror to Ana, equally brilliant and dangerous in his ideals. The back-and-forth between them creates a cat-and-mouse game that is thrilling to witness. There are genuine moments where it feels like Ana might lose, where the case seems unsolvable. These stakes and the sense that our characters are truly challenged make the conclusion all the more satisfying.
In short, A Drop of Corruption is a stunning follow-up to The Tainted Cup. It’s a gripping, fast-paced mystery wrapped in rich worldbuilding and deep character work. Robert Jackson Bennett has taken an already excellent series and elevated it with emotional depth, philosophical complexity, and genuine suspense. I truly hope this series isn't confined to just a trilogy as there’s so much potential for these characters and this world to grow. With the layers being added and the stakes rising, it deserves to span multiple books and build toward an epic, unforgettable conclusion.
