Finalist, Best Novel, 2026

A Drop of Corruption

Robert Jackson Bennett (opens in a new tab)

480 pages

Ana and Din are sent to a restless kingdom on the edge of the Empire to investigate the death of a treasury official that no one can explain.

Borrow: A library (opens in a new tab)Library ebooks and audio (opens in a new tab)
Print: Bookshop.org (opens in a new tab)Barnes & Noble (opens in a new tab)Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Ebook: Kobo (opens in a new tab)Barnes & Noble (opens in a new tab)Kindle (opens in a new tab)
Audiobook: Libro.fm (opens in a new tab)Barnes & Noble (opens in a new tab)Audible (opens in a new tab)

The ballot

The EverlastingAlix E. HarrowTor US; Tor UKWinner
Death of the AuthorNnedi OkoraforWilliam Morrow; Gollancz
ShroudAdrian TchaikovskyTor UK; Orbit US
The IncandescentEmily TeshTor US; Orbit UK
The Raven ScholarAntonia HodgsonOrbit US; Hodderscape