The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
A fantasy murder mystery served with a dollop of Pacific Rim, garnished with a hint of The Goblin Emperor, and a tiny sprig of romance.
It was nicely written with interesting world-building and enjoyable characters; Ana, in particular, was a delight.
The murder plot and its somewhat deflated resolution kept this at a 3-star rating for me. Though the opportunity is rarely afforded in fantasy whodunnits, I like to follow along and solve crimes too!
While it didn’t guarantee a sequel a place on my to-read list, I might try more from this author. ★★★☆☆