Nigerian author Jerry Falade has lost a publishing deal reportedly worth more than $2 million after his literary agents said they could no longer verify whether artificial intelligence was used in writing his debut crime novel, Call Me, I'll Hide the Body. The novel, which had been scheduled for publication in 2028, had reportedly secured a major offer from Macmillan U.S.'s Minotaur imprint after attracting bids from 14 publishing houses. The deal was withdrawn before publication.
Agents withdraw over authentication concerns
In an email sent to publishers, Falade's agents explained the decision, saying, "Jerry Falade produced an incredible manuscript that dazzled us and the top publishing professionals around the world. Unfortunately, we are no longer able to authenticate how the manuscript fully evolved from origin to completion."
The agents said they had raised the question of AI use with Falade directly during the submission process and had accepted his assurance that no AI tools were used in either the writing or editing of the book. "We can no longer substantiate that, and we are withdrawing the book," they said.
Bidding process and red flags
Marc Gerald of Europa Content, who managed the U.S. bidding process, said an editor had flagged the possibility of AI involvement during submissions, but the agency chose not to run the manuscript through AI-detection software at the time, judging Falade's explanation to be "clear and credible." Europa formally cut ties with Falade on July 29, citing changes in his account of events. "We feel terrible for putting this into the universe and the firestorm it has caused," Gerald said, adding, "The book itself is genius, however it came to be drafted, it's amazing."
Sandy Hodgman of Hodgman Literary handled the UK auction for the book, which reportedly drew several six-figure bids before also being pulled from consideration.
Falade denies allegations, cites racial bias
For his part, Falade has denied using AI in the writing process and said the accusations reflect a broader pattern facing Black authors whose work draws significant attention. "There seems to be a troubling assumption that when a Black writer produces work that attracts significant attention, the work could not possibly be their own," he said, pointing to white authors who have spoken openly about using AI in their own writing without facing similar consequences.
He said the fallout moved quickly once the rumours began. "Within six hours, I had been dropped by my agency, deals were paused, and press releases were being issued," he said, adding that AI-detection tools are known to produce false positives and that professionals across multiple publishing houses had reviewed his manuscript without raising concerns.
Similar cases and industry impact
Falade's case follows similar controversies involving two other Black American authors, Mia Ballard and HM Wolfe, who also lost publishing deals earlier this year over comparable AI-related accusations.
The incident has sparked debate within the publishing industry about the use of AI-detection tools, which are often unreliable, and the potential for racial bias in how such allegations are applied. Some have called for more transparent guidelines on AI use in publishing to prevent unfair treatment of authors, particularly those from marginalized communities.
