Crocodile Tears

By: Xanthe Walter

Narrated by: Matt Addis

All About Romance Favourite Book 2025

Sold. Prostituted. Broken. Until him.

London, 2095. The world drowned. The system broke. And people became property.

Enslaved and microchipped, Alexander Lytton survived by creating the perfect mask: blank, obedient, invisible. Behind it, he was safe. One slip, and he was dead.

Until his master is murdered, and Alex becomes the prime suspect.

Detective Josiah Raine hasn't touched another man since his husband's brutal murder seven years ago. He's a ghost investigating ghosts, running on empty, barely holding himself together.

His job: prove the beautiful, sharp-witted suspect guilty.

The problem? He isn't sure Alex did it. And when Josiah cracks Alex's mask wide open, he finds something far more dangerous—the man Alex buried to survive.

In Alex's arms, Josiah remembers what it feels like to be human. But Alex isn't his to love. He's evidence. Property. Forbidden.

And the secrets Alex is hiding could destroy them both.

Dark water. Deadly secrets. Dangerous love.

©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.