A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett, the sequel to The Tainted Cup, follows Ana Dolabra and Dinios Kol on another mysterious case on the outskirts of the Empire. This time, they’re in Yarrowdale, a territory at the very edge of the Empire’s influence, and a contentious territory at that. The citizens are skeptical of joining entirely, but the Empire desires their land and resources, which are concentrated in the Shroud, a high-security compound that processes the bodies and magic of the leviathans that plague the shores. But here in Yarrowdale, a man has vanished from his locked room, then turned up murdered miles away. Din and Ana investigate, and soon unearth a much bigger story than they expected—one that might have terrible repercussions for everyone, as an unknown murderer seems to be targeting the Shroud, the destruction of which will cripple the economy and society as they know it.

Although this is a self-contained mystery for the most part, this is a series that I would still highly encourage you to read in order. There’s a lot of backstory and lore introduced in the first book that you’ll need to know in this one, as well as general character arcs that are expanded upon here. But also, I encourage you to read both these books, because I really like them!

It’s only been a few months for me since I read The Tainted Cup, but I have missed Ana. She’s such a strange person, but in a way that thoroughly entertains me. Her dry wit and tendency to curse like a sailor, plus her intellect and eccentricities, are a great combination for me. I also love her rapport with Din, who’s so often baffled, exasperated, and exhausted by her—yet he’s also infallibly loyal. They have such a great dynamic, and I enjoyed how it was expanded upon in this book. There’s a scene at the end that’s especially lovely, really exemplifying why they make such a good team: not only do their abilities complement each other, but they care about each other as people.

Speaking of their abilities, this book was also great for me because we did get to explore more of what Ana can do. I mentioned in my review of book one that I wanted to know more about her, and luckily, this book delivered in a fantastic way. No spoilers, but I gasped at one point. She’s such a cool character, rather bizarre and unsettling at times, but I don’t care; I love her. (And although part of me wishes that a certain revelation about her had gone in an entirely different direction, I’m still very on board with where we’re heading in regards to her character, and in particular her relationship with the Empire itself. But more on that later.)

Aside from Ana and Din, there are other excellent new characters, particularly Malo. She is a snarky, crass character as well, though in a slightly different way from Ana. I can’t quite put my finger on how—a testament to Bennett’s skill at writing characters, I suppose—but whatever it is about her allows her to seamlessly slide into working with Ana and Din. Their banter and teamwork is awesome. I hope we’ll see her again in the next book.

I was a little surprised not to see Strovi, the soldier from book one in this, but it does make sense. He’s stationed far from Yarrowdale and wouldn’t have a reason to be here, after all. So this means that Din, still full of yearning for his lover, is kind of at loose ends. They weren’t in a committed relationship, but Din still misses him, and it’s interesting to see him try to navigate a broken heart while also grappling with all the dramatic plot going on. His fling with Sabudara, a young woman who works with Malo, doesn’t contribute much to the story, but does give his character a bit more depth. I just like when a character is presented as so casually queer (in this case, bisexual probably); the point isn’t belabored, but it’s still a valued part of Din’s personality and identity. Good job, Bennett.

Aside from the character dynamics, the mystery and the themes are also really solid. As Ana and Din untangle a web of conspiracy and complex governmental workings, some important questions are asked, especially about the validity of monarchy. Yarrowdale isn’t a full part of the Empire and has its own ruler, which makes for an uneasy relationship between the two. I loved these parts of the story and how it examined absolute power and its pitfalls, especially in a situation where a larger government exploits a smaller one for its resources, often to the detriment of the citizens. I’d elaborate even more, but that’s verging into spoiler territory regarding the mystery itself, so I won’t—just know there’s some good stuff here.

I do still want the same scrutiny to be turned toward the Empire itself, however. I’m immediately skeptical of any government that refers to itself in that way, naturally. I’d love to see the Empire’s structure, philosophy, and effect on its citizens challenged in the same way that Yarrowdale’s government is challenged here. But I have a good feeling that we’ll explore more of that in the next book, considering what was revealed in the last act of the book.

Side note, wow, I have been really struggling not to talk about spoilers for this book, more than usual. I’d better wrap up while I’m still ahead.

In the end, A Drop of Corruption was excellent. The gritty settings, the dark aspects of the story, and the often gruesome murders definitely make this a book for adults, but I admire that. And the complex themes and layered mystery, as well as the intriguing character dynamics, make this so worth the read. I also listened to the audiobook for this one and really liked it; Andrew Fallaize’s narration is wonderful, and I loved all the different voices he did for the characters, especially Ana and Malo. I am so ready for book three, though sadly I know I’ll have to wait a while. And finally, I have to additionally give a shoutout to Bennett’s author note at the end, which hits different in 2025. He’s right, kings ARE stupid.

A Drop of Corruption is available now!