Very occasionally I find a book that just feels as if it's written for me, that I adore from beginning to end. The Tainted Cup is a new addition to that elite group. I was hooked from the first few pages and didn't want to put it down. 

The book is very much a murder mystery, following the well loved classic formula - and following it extremely well, with incredibly satisfying final chapters where the investigator reveals everything. It's equally a fantasy novel though, with intricate world building and a fascinating magic system. The genre blending is handled perfectly, with a method of murder that both brings to mind Agatha Christie and is strikingly fantastical. 

Bennett also handles his characters extremely well, especially the investigator and her assistant. The book is written from the first person point of view of the assistant, and he makes an excellent main character - I took to him instantly and he has some interesting powers of his own. I also appreciate the representation of dyslexia through his difficulty reading (though it's never explicitly identified as such).

Very highly recommended.