The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
Robert Jackson Bennett's "The Tainted Cup" is a masterclass in high-fantasy forensic mystery. Set in an empire where bio-engineered plants and monstrous sea behemoths are daily threats, it features an eccentric, Holmesian investigator and her assistant with a magically enhanced memory. The book is fantastic because it treats "magic" as a rigorous forensic science rather than a vague plot device. The world-building is breathtakingly original, blending ecological horror with a tightly wound "locked-room" murder mystery. It is a brilliant, inventive, and deeply satisfying procedural that proves the crime genre is perfectly suited for the wildest fantasy settings.
