Crocodile Tears | Xanthe Walter

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False Tears Start Falling Soon — Crocodile Tears Arrives June 3rd, 2025

Dark Water Book 1 Crocodile Tears

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 he destroyed 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…

‘A masterpiece of romantic suspense that will leave you breathless’ – Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Dark Water series is a must-read for fans of MM romance, dystopian fiction, and riveting mysteries alike.

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’s ghost.

His frozen existence is turned upside down when a celebrity holophotographer 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 Crocodile Tears, the enthralling first novel in the Dark Water series by MM romantic suspense author Xanthe Walter.

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Book 1 of the Dark Water Series arrives in

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Tropes:

Enemies to Lovers
Slow Burn
Hurt/Comfort
Forced Proximity
Touch-Starved/Emotional Awakening
Damaged/Traumatized Hero
Forbidden Romance
Second Chance
Detective and Suspect Romance
Murder Mystery/Criminal Investigation
Dystopian/Climate Fiction

Download a free preview of Crocodile Tear’s in The Worlds of Xanthe Walter.

A gripping murder mystery

Crocodile Tears is fabulous – a gripping murder mystery involving fascinating characters, set against the backdrop of an all too believable dystopian future. Best of all, it’s written with heart and insight. I read it in one day and can’t wait for more!

Angela Brown

Gripping narrative and immersive setting

“Crocodile Tears” by Xanthe Walter is a masterful blend of rich world-building, a captivating mystery, and deeply compelling characterisation. Set in a vividly imagined near-future, Walter crafts a world that feels both familiar and hauntingly plausible. The intricate plot keeps readers guessing, while the characters—complex, flawed, and achingly real—drive the emotional heart of the story. With its gripping narrative and immersive setting, Crocodile Tears is a must-read for fans of speculative fiction, gay romance, and riveting mysteries alike. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Jacci

Touching & Intruiging

Crocodile Tears is a touching and intriguing read that will keep you guessing! I loved the dystopian world building and the personal back stories the characters brought to this future. Xanthe doesn’t disappoint with her psychological insights into human motivation. You’re in safe (but never boring!) hands.

Leslie

Gripping narrative and immersive setting

Xanthe has a well-deserved reputation for sizzling male/male romances, but for me her greatest strength is the ability to build beautifully detailed worlds, and this series showcases her talents to their full extent. In a futuristic, flooded London, both the landscape and the social order have been irrevocably changed, with older, more brutal ways emerging from the chaos. Against this backdrop Josiah, a hardened investigator, is summoned to the scene of a sensational celebrity murder that brings him face-to-face with its main suspect – the enigmatic indentured servant Alex. Blending science fiction, mystery, thriller and romance, Xanthe effortlessly melds plot and character into a compelling read that explores the depths of the characters along with the world they live in. Much more than just a run-of-the-mill romance, this is an ambitious and thoroughly satisfying adventure.

ML Sydney, Australia

Suddenly, without warning, a man appeared out of nowhere and charged towards them. Josiah ducked, instinctively… but the man disappeared as soon as he’d come, leaving Josiah breathless, his heart pounding.

“What the hell…?” He looked around and saw Reed trying hard not to laugh.

“Lifelike, aren’t they?” Reed grinned. “Don’t worry – we all ducked for that one. Wait for it… here he comes again!”

The man appeared out of nowhere, but Josiah was ready for him this time. He caught a glimpse of a hauntingly beautiful face and blank grey eyes, then the man strode through him, the image dissipating around him as the pixels broke up in mid-air.