FORMAT/INFO: A Trade of Blood was published by Del Rey on August 4th, 2026. It is 400 pages long and available in hardcover, ebook, and audiobook formats.

OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: A Trade of Blood is another superb fantasy murder mystery in an eerie, creepy world. This particular installment takes a look at how the meat gets made - and I mean that literally. Ana and Din are sent to a part of the empire renowned for its cattle pastures and butchery floors, as well as for its two feuding noble families who have been squabbling over the land for centuries. As with the previous two books, everything is just a little bit off in a way that is unsettling to the reader. This is an empire willing to alchemically enhance and manipulate anything and anyone for its survival - although in this adventure, we start taking a real peek behind the curtain at the cost of that survival.

This was also a particularly personal adventure for Din, in more ways than one. His own alchemical enhancements that give him an eidetic memory also cost him life span and fertility. And while he may not care so much about losing the ability to procreate, Din starts to get some reminders that his life will likely be much shorter than those around him. It's a realization that makes him grapple with both his past and future.

The mystery itself is a good one - why would a man who confessed to a murder have no recollection of how or why he did it? The answer is absolutely chilling and disquieting. I will say that keeping track of the cast of characters involved in the two feuding houses did become a little bit daunting at times, simply because there were so many names and connections between everyone, but it's a minor issue.

In short, A Trade of Blood has confirmed what I've suspected: if Bennett releases one of these books every year for the foreseeable future, I will be a very happy reader indeed.