💡Reader Reviews

“I was so hesitant to start this but when I tell you by the end I was hanging on every single word on the page! The world building and storytelling is so good! This is my first book by Xanthe and it will most definitely not be my last. Alex will go into my top category of favorite MMCs. He’s heartbreaking, and just such a mysterious character.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“First off…amazing! Crocodile Tears wouldn’t be on my usual tbr so I’m so glad I took a chance on this book. It is intriguing and beautiful even as it was heartbreaking and left me a little off kilter. It was so good. I can’t get the next book fast enough.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“In a dystopian world teetering on the edge of collapse, the slow, intense burn between Alex and Josiah is impossible to ignore. Every glance between them simmers with unresolved tension, every interaction steeped in history.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I’ve discovered a new writer with an imagination I can get behind…I found the writing riveting, the world-building exciting, if dark and dystopian, the character building afforded by the flashbacks brilliant, and the overall story highly engaging.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“This book offers a fresh, gripping take on the dystopian genre unlike anything I’ve read before. Dark, suspenseful, and utterly immersive, it had me hooked from the very start.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I have loved Xanthe’s writing for years, and I will admit to being worried that maybe one day I’d read something of hers I didn’t like. This wasn’t it. From page one, I adored the characters. Alex and Joe both have my heart now.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“This story hooked me immediately and kept reeling me in.
Intriguing concept, amazing world building, action, danger, drama, twisted and great characters. I’m absolutely looking forward to seeing more from this world.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“This book had me right at the beginning and didn’t let up. Even now that I have finished the book all I would like is the next book in this four-book series.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I typically try not to read a series until it’s complete but, considering it is Xanthe, I knew I wouldn’t be able to wait… Once again, she has completely blown me away with her creativity, imagination, and attention to detail.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Crocodile Tears

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…

‘This book had me hooked from start to finish. It’s a clever mix of romantic suspense, murder mystery, thriller, and a touch of sci-fi,’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review.

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.

Tropes:

Enemies to Lovers

Slow Burn

Hurt/Comfort

Forced Proximity

Touch-Starved/Emotional Awakening

Damaged/Traumatized Hero

Forbidden Romance

Second Chance

Four-book series:

Crocodile Tears

Ghost Eye: July 1st, 2025

The Lost Zone: July 29th, 2025

The Quarterlands: September 9th, 2025

Formats: Ebook | Paperback | Audiobook