Informationen zum Autor Robert Jackson Bennett Klappentext HUGO AWARD WINNER • WORLD FANTASY AWARD WINNER • NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A Holmes and Watsonstyle detective duo take the stage in this fantasy with a mystery twist, from acclaimed author Robert Jackson Bennett Like an endearing fantasy version of Knives Out . . . A great murder mystery is hard to pull off, but Bennett structures his perfectly.T. J. Klune, The New York Times Combines the best of Lovecraft and Doyle.Matt Dinniman, New York Times bestselling author of Dungeon Crawler Carl A masterpiece.Hideo Kojima, legendary videogame creator of the Metal Gear series LOCUS AWARD FINALIST • EDGAR AWARD NOMINEE • A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, NPR, Elle, BookPage In Daretana's greatest mansion, a high imperial officer lies deadkilled, to all appearances, when a tree erupted from his body. Even here at the Empire's borders, where contagions abound and the blood of the leviathans works strange magical changes, it's a death both terrifying and impossible. Assigned to investigate is Ana Dolabra, a detective whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities. Rumor has it that she wears a blindfold at all times, and that she can solve impossible cases without even stepping outside the walls of her home. At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol, magically altered in ways that make him the perfect aide to Ana's brilliance. Din is at turns scandalized, perplexed, and utterly infuriated by his new superiorbut as the case unfolds and he watches Ana's mind leap from one startling deduction to the next, he must admit that she is, indeed, the Empire's greatest detective. As the two close in on a mastermind and uncover a scheme that threatens the Empire itself, Din realizes he's barely begun to assemble the puzzle that is Ana Dolabraand wonders how long he'll be able to keep his own secrets safe from her piercing intellect. By an endlessly inventive ( Vulture ) author with a wicked sense of humor (NPR), The Tainted Cup mixes the charms of detective fiction with brilliant world-building to deliver a fiendishly clever mystery that's at once instantly recognizable and thrillingly new. Leseprobe Chapter 1 The walls of the estate emerged from the morning fog before me, long and dark and rounded like the skin of some beached sea creature. I walked along them, trying to ignore the flutter of my heart and the trickle of sweat down my neck. A faint blue light glimmered in the mist ahead. With each step it calcified into a mai-lantern hanging above the estate's servants' gate; and there, leaning against the walls beside the gate, was the figure of a uniformed man in a shining steel cap waiting for me. The princeps watched me approach. He cocked an eyebrow at me, and it climbed higher up his forehead the closer I came to him. By the time I'd finally stopped before him it'd almost joined the hair atop his head. I cleared my throat in what I hoped was an authoritative manner, and said, Signum Dinios Kol, assistant to the investigator. I'm here about the body. The princeps blinked, then looked me up and down. Being as I was nearly a head taller than him, it took him a moment. I see, sir, he said. He gave me a short bowa quarter of a full bow, maybe a thirdbut then did not move. You do have a body, yes? I asked. Well, we do, sir, he said slowly. He glanced over my shoulder down the fog-strewn lane behind me. Then what seems to be the issue? Well, ah . . . Again, a glance down the lane behind me. Pardon, sir, butwhere's the other one? I'm sorry? I asked. Other one? The investigator? When will she be arriving? I suppressed a flicker of worry. I'd dealt with this quest...

Autorentext

Robert Jackson Bennett

Klappentext

**HUGO AWARD WINNER • WORLD FANTASY AWARD WINNER • NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A Holmes and Watson–style detective duo take the stage in this fantasy with a mystery twist, from acclaimed author Robert Jackson Bennett

“Like an endearing fantasy version of Knives Out . . . A great murder mystery is hard to pull off, but Bennett structures his perfectly.”—T. J. Klune, The New York Times

“Combines the best of Lovecraft and Doyle.”—Matt Dinniman, New York Times bestselling author of Dungeon Crawler Carl

“A masterpiece.”—Hideo Kojima, legendary videogame creator of the Metal Gear series
**
**LOCUS AWARD FINALIST • EDGAR AWARD NOMINEE • A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, NPR, *Elle, BookPage

In Daretana’s greatest mansion, a high imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a tree erupted from his body. Even here at the Empire’s borders, where contagions abound and the blood of the leviathans works strange magical changes, it’s a death both terrifying and impossible.

Assigned to investigate is Ana Dolabra, a detective whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities. Rumor has it that she wears a blindfold at all times, and that she can solve impossible cases without even stepping outside the walls of her home.

At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol, magically altered in ways that make him the perfect aide to Ana’s brilliance. Din is at turns scandalized, perplexed, and utterly infuriated by his new superior—but as the case unfolds and he watches Ana’s mind leap from one startling deduction to the next, he must admit that she is, indeed, the Empire’s greatest detective.

As the two close in on a mastermind and uncover a scheme that threatens the Empire itself, Din realizes 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.

By an “endlessly inventive” (Vulture) author with a “wicked sense of humor” (NPR), The Tainted Cup mixes the charms of detective fiction with brilliant world-building to deliver a fiendishly clever mystery that’s at once instantly recognizable and thrillingly new.

Leseprobe
**Chapter 1
**
The walls of the estate emerged from the morning fog before me, long and dark and rounded like the skin of some beached sea creature. I walked along them, trying to ignore the flutter of my heart and the trickle of sweat down my neck. A faint blue light glimmered in the mist ahead. With each step it calcified into a mai-lantern hanging above the estate’s servants’ gate; and there, leaning against the walls beside the gate, was the figure of a uniformed man in a shining steel cap waiting for me.

The princeps watched me approach. He cocked an eyebrow at me, and it climbed higher up his forehead the closer I came to him. By the time I’d finally stopped before him it’d almost joined the hair atop his head.

I cleared my throat in what I hoped was an authoritative manner, and said, “Signum Dinios Kol, assistant to the investigator. I’m here about the body.”

The princeps blinked, then looked me up and down. Being as I was nearly a head taller than him, it took him a moment. “I see, sir,” he said. He gave me a short bow—a quarter of a full bow, maybe a third—but then did not move.

“You do have a body, yes?” I asked.

“Well, we do, sir,” he said slowly. He glanced over my shoulder down the fog-strewn lane behind me.

“Then what seems to be the issue?”

“Well, ah . . .” Again, a glance down the lane behind me. “Pardon, sir, but—where’s the other one?”

“I’m sorry?” I asked. “Other one?”

“The investigator? When will she be arriving?”

I suppressed a flicker of worry. I’d dealt with this questi…