Crocodile Tears

By: Xanthe Walter

Narrated by: Matt Addis

Heart-pounding MM romantic suspense thriller set in a dystopian near future where love and loss collide.

Dark water. Deadly secrets. Dangerous love.

Top homicide detective Josiah Raine hasn't touched another man since his husband's brutal murder seven years ago. Notorious bad boy Alexander Lytton hasn't known peace since destroying his privileged life to become Britain's most hated man. When Josiah arrests Alex for murder, the last thing he expects is to fall in love....

London, 2095. Sixty years after rising seas drowned the old world, a corrupt system of servitude keeps the new one afloat.

Josiah leads a double life. At work, he tracks down killers with ruthless efficiency. At home, he's falling apart as he talks to his dead husband. His frozen existence is turned upside down when a celebrity is murdered, and all evidence points to the victim's servant—the beautiful but enigmatic Alexander Lytton.

Everyone is convinced of Alex's guilt except Josiah, who finds himself drawn to the sharp-witted young man. He knows Alex is hiding something, but is it murder or an even darker secret?

Haunted by memories of his husband's last moments, Josiah is running on empty as he tries to solve the case. As he slowly unravels, he finds an unlikely source of comfort—in the arms of his prime suspect.

But in a drowned world where servants are property, falling for Alex could cost him everything. Can he trust instincts numbed by grief, or is he being seduced by a master manipulator?

Immerse yourself in the enthralling first novel in the four-part Dark Water series by MM romance author Xanthe Walter, narrated by Matt Addis.

Mature content suitable for adults only.

©2025 Xanthe Walter (P)2025 Xanthe Walter

Character Building

The way that the characters were built up with only the minimal amount of depicted sex was done so well and dark enough to also seem true enough was beautifully done

angsty dystopian

Unique, not the same old-same old. High angst mm, and dystopian - my favorite tropes combined.

Amazing Narration

Wow this book completely surprised me. The world-building is phenomenal: detailed, immersive, and honestly a little terrifying because it feels like a future we could actually end up in. One of my favorite things was Alex’s characterization. He’s far from perfect, and the story doesn’t shy away from that. He messes up, he owns it, and there’s no “poor me” attitude. I’m excited to learn more about him and see how he grows. And that plot twist? I did not see it coming at all. The audiobook narrator was fantastic, giving each character their own distinct voice and adding so much depth to the story. Overall, an incredible read, and I’m really excited to see where book two goes.

Slow Burn

Wow I can’t wait for the rest of this series. Be warned that this story does end on a cliff hanger but the rest of the series is finished! It is a high angst mystery with an amazing set of complex characters and deep secrets. The more answers that are revealed the more questions I have. I hope Josiah does not get hurt by Alexander!

This was my first book by this author and I will be back for more. Great World Building and wornderful characters!

Matt Addis did a fantastic job of bringing these characters to life. It was easy to tell them apart and become a part of the story.

Just… wow!

That was incredible! I am DYING to see what comes next! The thrills and twists really got me and Alexander is one of the most intriguing captivating characters I’ve ever read.