The world is broken. So are they.
When top homicide detective Josiah Raine arrests notorious bad boy Alexander Lytton, the last thing he expects is to fall in love.

Josiah hasn't touched another man since his husband's brutal murder seven years ago. Alex hasn't known peace since destroying his privileged life to become Britain's most hated man. Now a murder has thrown them together. And it's about to crack these two broken men wide open.
"Crocodile Tears is a blend of drama, emotion, angst, heart, and action, and is smartly crafted and absolutely divine. You will be unable to put it down once you start reading." Dani ????? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________
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 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 gripping first novel in the Dark Water series by bestselling MM romance author Xanthe Walter.

Dark water. Deadly secrets. Dangerous love.

This book series contains intense content intended for mature readers. Please consult the content advisory page listed in the Author's Notes to make an informed reading decision.

Tropes:

• Broken Boys

• Slow Burn

• Hurt/Comfort

• Forced Proximity

• Touch-Starved/Emotional Awakening

• Redemption Arc

Praise for Crocodile Tears

"This book is seriously brilliant. Well written, so many twists and turns every chapter seems to have a surprise, wonderful characters and a world that's just recognisable while being a long way from our own in other ways." Jo ?????

"This is my first book by Xanthe Walter and I know it will not be the last. It has everything I like in a book - action, suspense, a new intriguing world and fantastic characters." Deborah Guyette ?????

"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." Storm In A Teacup ?????

"It is, on the surface, a simple murder mystery. But it goes so much deeper than that. Crocodile Tears is beautiful and sad; full of love, pain, grief, guilt, hopelessness, and loneliness. It's a tale of two lost souls, each treading the violent waters of guilt and grief in their own way for their own reasons." Cinnamon ?????

"This water-y, green, world submerged atmosphere gave me such a Ghibli vibe? I kept picturing those big areas of old cities under water, the sky reflecting in them. Loved it." Amaryllis ?????

"I was totally drawn in from the beginning as Xanthe is the master of plots, mystery and intrigue, weaving and twisting and taking you in so deep that you just need more. Her characters of Josiah and Alex are so real, beautiful and achingly sad." Cathy ?????

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