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The Guardian - UK

Entertainment

Emma Loffhagen

Hachette pulls horror novel Shy Girl after suspected AI use

United States Hachette Mia Ballard United Kingdom Gia GoodReads Nathan Reddit

Shy Girl by Mia Ballard — Shy Girl by Mia Ballard. Photograph: PR

Hachette Book Group has withdrawn a horror novel after allegations circulated online that its author relied heavily on artificial intelligence. The book is to be discontinued in the UK after being published in November 2025, and its US launch date has been cancelled.

The book, Shy Girl by Mia Ballard, had been scheduled for release in the US this spring under Hachette’s Orbit imprint. However, the publisher confirmed it had halted publication after an internal review. The title has also been removed from online retailers including Amazon, and will no longer be distributed in the UK.

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