Nigerian author Jerry Falade has lost a publishing deal reportedly worth more than $2 million after concerns emerged that artificial intelligence (AI) may have been used in writing or editing his debut crime novel, Call Me, I’ll Hide the Body.
The novel, which was scheduled for publication in 2028, had attracted significant interest from publishers, triggering a bidding contest involving 14 publishing houses. Macmillan U.S.’s Minotaur imprint was reported to have secured the publishing rights before the deal was later withdrawn.
Falade’s literary agents subsequently pulled the manuscript from the agreement after stating that they could no longer verify that AI had not been used during the development of the book.
In a message sent to publishers, the agents explained that they had initially accepted Falade’s assurance that both the writing and editing of the manuscript were completed without the use of artificial intelligence. However, they later concluded that they could no longer authenticate how the manuscript evolved from its original draft to the final version.
Marc Gerald of Europa Content, the agency that managed the U.S. publishing auction, said concerns were first raised by one of the editors reviewing the manuscript.
According to Gerald, the agency initially accepted Falade’s explanation without relying on AI-detection software. However, it ended its relationship with the author on July 29 after concluding that aspects of his explanation had changed.
Falade has strongly denied using artificial intelligence in the creation of the novel.
He argued that Black authors are disproportionately accused of using AI when their work attracts international recognition, while some white authors who have publicly acknowledged using AI have not faced similar consequences.
The writer also pointed to the experiences of U.S.-based Black authors Mia Ballard and HM Wolfe, who earlier this year lost publishing deals following similar allegations involving artificial intelligence.
Falade further questioned the reliability of AI-detection tools, noting that they are known to generate false positives. He maintained that publishing professionals who assessed his manuscript would have identified any genuine misuse of AI during the editorial process.
