Ghost Eye (Dark Water, Book Two) by Xanthe Walter; Narrated by Matt Addis

The second volume is also absolutely captivating.


From the blurb:

He thought he knew everything about his husband's murder. He was wrong.

Detective Josiah Raine witnessed his husband's brutal murder seven years ago. He was there that blood-soaked night, and he knows what happened. The murderer is long-since dead. The case closed.

But now, Josiah is about to discover a devastating revelation that will drag him back into the darkness he's fought so desperately to escape. Will it shatter his life, or help him build a new one?

Dark water. Deadly secrets. Dangerous love.

London, 2095. Sixty years after rising seas drowned the old world, a corrupt system of servitude keeps the new one afloat. Alexander Lytton is now a pawn in his captor's hands. Stripped of his freedom and forced into a life of prostitution in Ghost Eye City, he clings to the memory of who he once was.

Meanwhile, Josiah's dogged pursuit of justice forces him to confront the truth about his husband's murder—and his own buried grief. What he uncovers shatters everything he thought he knew.

In a searing climax, the consequences of two nights of violence, years ago, finally collide—and nothing will ever be the same again.

Dive into Ghost Eye, the exciting second novel in the four-part MM murder mystery romance series, Dark Water. Mature content suitable for adults only.


Lesetiger's review:

After devouring the first volume of the series, Crocodile Tears, I immediately read, or rather listened to, volume two. I highly recommend reading the series in order to follow the events and understand the characters better.

I was captivated by volume one and was therefore very curious about volume two. What can I say? I found Ghost Eye even more captivating! Once I started listening, I couldn't put the audiobook down, despite its considerable length of over 16 hours!

The story is told alternately from the perspectives of Alexander Lytton and Detective Josiah Raine. There is a narrative strand in the present and then there are repeated flashbacks to the past, mainly Alexander's past. It tells of his time as an indentured servant. And the more I learned about Alexander, the more stunned I became. The story is really dark and sometimes hard to bear. How much can a person endure? Bit by bit, it becomes clear to both the reader and Alexander what motive George Tyler, his former houder, had for buying him. Alexander's father had warned him, but Alexander couldn't believe it. And to be honest, neither could I.

In the present, the relationship between Alexander and Josiah is difficult and emotionally charged. Josiah has a murder case to solve, and he suspects that Alexander knows more than he is saying. And Alexander has very good reasons for his behavior.

The story had me hooked from beginning to end. As a listener, you go through a rollercoaster of emotions. There is a murder case to solve, but it's not that easy. Some mysteries are solved, but more questions arise. What awaits the protagonists as the story progresses? Who is the murderer? How will the relationship between Alexander and Josiah develop? I can't wait to listen to the next volume!

Matt Addis narrated the audiobook and he did a damn good job again, bringing this captivating and intense story to life with his magnificent performance. He had a great pace, chose appropriate voices for the characters, and it was a pleasure to listen to him. He skillfully conveys all kinds of emotions perfectly, whether it's a touch of humor, fear, anger, confidence, sadness, or torment. Wow, that was really great!


Ghost Eye is currently available as an audiobook, e-book and paperback, and can be read as part of your Kindle Unlimited Subscription