If you tell me a book is set in a high-fantasy world, has deep political layers and rich ye grim details, and is a crime fiction where the characters resemble Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson, I’m going to ask you to hand it over. Now. Please. The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett is that book, and more, and I will gladly talk about it until my brain turns to mush.

In Daretana’s most opulent mansion, a high Imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a tree spontaneously erupted from his body. Even in this canton at the borders of the Empire, 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 investigate this mystery is Ana Dolabra, an investigator whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities. At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol. Din is an engraver, magically altered to possess a perfect memory. His job is to observe and report, and act as his superior’s eyes and ears. Quite literally, in this case, as among Ana’s quirks are her insistence on wearing a blindfold at all times, and her refusal to step outside the walls of her home. Din is most perplexed by Ana’s ravenous appetite for information and her mind’s frenzied leaps—not to mention her cheerful disregard for propriety and the apparent joy she takes in scandalising her young counterpart. Yet as the case unfolds and Ana makes one startling deduction after the next, he finds it hard to deny 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 realises 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.

It is safe to say Ana Dolabra is nuts. Absolutely nuts. Yet she is one of the only characters I have read in crime fiction – fantasy and real-world – that most resembles Sherlock Holmes. What makes her even better is she is her own person too, and her foul language, weird quirks, and eccentricities feel less like a caricature of another being and more like a genuine amalgamation of personality, experiences, and perceptions that make her who she is. She is not afraid of burning bridges and being rude, yet there is always Dinios Kol nearby to stoke the flames and be the face of politeness and protocol. Din is a fantastic investigator and character in his own right, his engraving abilities make him perfectly suited for the position, but he brings so much more into the story. There is mystery surrounding him from the first chapter, and Din has his own secrets he’s attempting to keep hidden from everyone. Together, they make a team unlike any other – yes, even Sherlock and Watson.

This fantasy setting is incredible, elaborate, and begging for more books to flesh every inch of the continent out. I cannot wait to find out more about this stunning and deadly landscape. The magic system is awesome, and the botanical focus is so new and refreshing. The political intrigue, environment, physical layout, and identities within this world are rich, well thought out, and ripe for further stories. I can’t help but gush about this fantasy world for a little bit because I can’t recall a story that takes a similar direction. It is well and truly a unique and entertaining story world, and I know that many fantasy readers will thoroughly enjoy The Tainted Cup.

There is a bit of everything in here – from high adult fantasy to elements of sci-fi and crime fiction, The Tainted Cup covers many bases and delivers in many aspects. This blend of genres is what also makes it so fulfilling to read, and the experience along is one I wish I could redo so that I could get it even more perfect. I admit, I did jump in and out of the story for the first 100 pages or so as other things had my attention (namely a blubbery fluffy boy wanting attention in the form of cuddles and belly rubs), but once I could focus solely on the book, I zoomed through it with great relish. The Tainted Cup is just that good.

I highly recommend The Tainted Cup to all fantasy readers, to crime fiction readers who dabble in fantasy and sci-fi, and to all looking for a great mystery and an even greater reading experience. It felt like I was being sucked into this world and now that I’ve finished it I have been ripped out. I cannot wait for A Drop of Corruption to get in my hands!