I am remarkably behind on reading a lot of the hot new releases that have been coming out in 2026. Even ones I’ve been salivating for, like the new SM Hallow book that I have been promised gruesome necromancy, has been put on the backburner. But the Ana and Din series is one that my friends have all been reading too, so it got shunted to the front of the pile. This book brought me all sorts of fun ideas for my current tabletop role playing group – where my players are building up a cult to a god of mushrooms – but this was by far the most disappointing of the three. I’m not mad I read it, and it was an enjoyable time. However, I found myself wishing I’d picked up a different new release instead.
Because these are self-contained murder mysteries, you can probably read them in any order with minimal confusion. However, The Tainted Cup is not only the first in the series, but also the best in my opinion. It also provides the clearest on-boarding to the setting. This review will have some spoilers for early plot points (mostly the method of killing), so read on at your risk.
The Premise:
Ana and Din travel to farming country after the daughter and scion of the richest farming family turns up dead, with the likely culprit being the heir to their rivals, who control the great cattle herds of the Empire. As usual, all is not as it seems, and the killing method is far from typical.
Read if Looking For: murder mysteries, creepy mushrooms, ill-advised affairs
Avoid if Looking For: a serious critique of exploitative agriculture, truly weird worldbuilding
Marked for Plot 