Couple Becomes Self-Publishing Millionaires with Viral Murder Mystery Puzzle Book
What began as a kitchen idea has resulted in a bidding war, hundreds of thousands of sales, and a lucrative book deal for a former software engineer and primary school teacher.
In November 2025, Liz Blackwell, a former primary school teacher, suggested to her husband, Kevin Fray, a former software engineer, that they create a puzzle book. Their concept involved readers acting as detectives, using clues to identify a murderer from a list of 46,600 names. Fray, intrigued by the unusual idea, began developing a computer program to generate the puzzle while Blackwell devised the clues. After about a month of work, they decided to self-publish their creation.
In February 2026, they uploaded their puzzle book, titled "The Killer Isn't Alice," to Amazon's self-publishing platform, listing it under the pseudonym "Iris Starling." They did not anticipate significant sales or promotion, but within three weeks, the book began generating orders. Social media videos posted by early solvers who found the puzzle addictive went viral, leading to a surge in sales. By April, "Alice" had sold over 20,705 copies.
The puzzle's popularity also led to the creation of counterfeit copies and copycat books. Fray and Blackwell received emails from frustrated solvers who had purchased fake versions or books with incorrect puzzles, leading them to feel sympathy for the deceived customers. Fray noted that self-published books without a major brand backing might be perceived as easier targets for counterfeiting.
As sales climbed, Fray and Blackwell were approached by WME, a prominent US agency representing figures like Michelle Obama and Serena Williams. The agency pitched "Alice" to publishers, resulting in a 16-way auction in the UK and a 12-way auction in the US. The couple ultimately accepted offers from Penguin in the UK and Little Brown in the US. The process involved numerous Zoom calls, with the couple surprised by the publishers' eagerness to impress them.
By March 2026, Blackwell had quit her job to focus on the book full-time, and Fray followed suit in April. They have since sold nearly 300,000 copies of "Alice." The proceeds from these sales, combined with the book deal, have amounted to what they describe as a dream-like sum. Despite their newfound wealth, they are being financially prudent, consulting an advisor and making minimal lifestyle changes. Their primary adjustment has been hiring a weekly cleaner.
"Alice" was officially published in September 2026 and quickly appeared on bestseller lists. In its first week, it sold 4,452 copies. By the end of September, it had sold 4,945 copies in one week, ranking third on a bestseller list behind a cookbook and a Halloween coloring book. The couple is currently working on a sequel, "The Killer Isn't Beth," scheduled for release in March 2027, and Blackwell has a collection of further puzzle ideas.