ace$2m crime novel deal collapses amid questions over AI use
Abstract: A high-profile publishing deal for a debut crime novel has collapsed after doubts emerged over whether artificial intelligence played a role in writing it. The hotly anticipated manuscript Call Me, I’ll Hide the Body, by Jerry Falade, was withdrawn from sale by its agent despite reportedly receiving an offer for more than $2m (£1.5m) from Minotaur, owned by Macmillan US, as part of a 14-way auction. The plan was to publish it in 2028. An email sent to publishers by Falade’s agents and seen by the Guardian said:…
On 31 July 2026, The Guardian reported that the debut crime novel Call Me, I'll Hide the Body by Jerry Falade was withdrawn from sale after questions about AI use. Despite a reported $2m offer from Minotaur in a 14-way auction and competitive UK bidding, agents said they could no longer authenticate how the manuscript evolved and pulled the book ahead of a planned 2028 release.
The case matters because it shows how suspected AI authorship can unwind high-value publishing deals even without definitive proof, raising stakes for agents, publishers and debut authors. What remains uncertain is whether AI was actually used, how authentication should be done when detection tools are unreliable, and whether scrutiny is being applied evenly across authors.
- Debut crime novel Call Me, I'll Hide the Body by Jerry Falade was withdrawn from sale despite a reported $2m offer from Minotaur as part of a 14-way auction.
- Agent email said: "we are no longer able to authenticate how the manuscript fully evolved from origin to completion" after vetting for AI use.
- Agent Marc Gerald said an editor raised concerns mid-submission that the book had signs of potential AI use, and after a 29 July meeting aspects of Falade's story changed.
- Falade denied AI use and said the response reflected racial bias, noting three Black authors had deals cancelled or disrupted following AI suspicions this year.
A $2m-plus auction for debut crime novel Call Me, I'll Hide the Body collapsed and the manuscript was withdrawn after publishers and agents could no longer authenticate that AI was not used in its writing.
The rundown
The manuscript by Jerry Falade had attracted a 14-way auction with a reported offer over $2m from Minotaur, owned by Macmillan US, with UK bids also in six figures, and was planned for 2028 publication.
During submissions an editor flagged signs of potential AI use; the agency said it had vetted the manuscript with Falade and trusted his reassurance it was written without utilising AI, and opted against using AI-detection software.
After a meeting on 29 July where aspects of Falade's story changed, the agents withdrew the book, saying they could no longer substantiate its origin, while Falade denied AI use and cited racial bias and false positives from detection tools.
Sources
- JournalismThe Guardian2026-07-31
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