The Desecrated Vessel - hardcover

Winner of the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 2025

In the most lavish estate in Daretana, a senior imperial official is found dead. His death is a mystery: he seems to have been killed by a tree that grew through his body. Even here, on the borders of the Empire, where infections abound and the blood of leviathans causes strange magical transformations, this death is both horrifying and impossible.

Detective Ana Dolabra is assigned to unravel the mystery. They say she has a brilliant mind and unmatched eccentricity, that she covers her eyes with a blindfold and is able to solve even the most impossible case without leaving her home.

Her new assistant Dinius Kol possesses magical alterations that make him the ideal instrument for Ana's genius. Din is often confused or angry with his boss, but in the course of the investigation he sees her mind leap from one striking conclusion to another, and understands why she is considered the greatest detective in the country.

But as the two approach the unveiling of a brilliant plan that threatens the security of the Empire, Din realises that he has barely begun to piece together the puzzle called Ana Dolabra. Perhaps the true mystery is how long he will manage to keep his own secrets from her perceptive mind.

The unforgettable Holmes and Watson-style duo, the intricate plot and the original fantasy world are among the elements through which "The Tainted Cup" builds a new, fresh take on the classic mystery.