The top self-published “find the killer” book earns an estimated $10,200 a month
The Elimination Game builds complete find-the-killer puzzle books for you, with our own twist: one of the clues is a lie.
Readers are hooked on hunting one killer in a sea of names
You know The Killer Isn’t Alice? It started as a self-published book, and now it’s sitting in the top 20 of ALL books on Amazon. Not puzzle books. All books.
The idea is wildly simple. Thousands of suspects, a stack of clues, and the reader crosses off names until only the killer is left standing.
Readers tear through one. Then they go hunting for the next one. And the next one.
That hunger is where your money is.
Search “the killer isn’t” on Amazon and you’ll see a wave of look-alike books. Self-publishers want a slice of this crowd, and some of them are getting a very nice slice.
So let’s look at how big that slice really is.
What the data says about this niche
Estimated monthly royalties for 5 self-published “find the killer” books on Amazon right now.
Estimated royalties per month
Source: BookBeam estimated sales. Figures are estimates, not exact sales.
This is a proven, hungry market, and new self-publishers are breaking in with full-time incomes.
No famous names. No publishing house. Just self-publishers riding a wave readers can’t get enough of.
And look at the 2 Lottery Killer books and The Autumn Killer. Same author, 3 books, about $13,950 a month between them. Readers finish one case and grab the next.
That’s the money point: build a series, and readers keep buying.
The 3 biggest find‑the‑killer books and what they bring in
These are the 3 highest earners in this genre on Amazon today. Same format, same hungry readers. This is the market your books step into.
Source: BookBeam estimated sales for these Amazon paperbacks. Figures are estimates, not exact sales.
A crowd of suspects, a stack of clues, and one of them is lying
Every case hands your reader a crowd of suspects and a numbered list of clues. They mark names clue by clue until only one is left. You choose how many cases go in each book.
The catch? One of those clues is compromised, and it’s protecting the killer. Spot the lie, and the killer has nowhere left to hide.
A case page and its Evidence Register
Numbered clues on the left. On the right, the evidence items readers look up at each Evidence Check.
Every suspect gets a tick box
A suspect directory follows each case, and every case has its own answer page in the back.
How to Solve, already written
2 clear pages teach the slash-and-X marking and the Evidence Checks before case 1.
Read a clue
Each clue describes a group of names. Every name it matches gets one slash.
Slash, then X
A second match turns the slash into an X, and that suspect is out. Clue by clue, the crowd shrinks to 1.
Catch the lie
The last name standing is the killer. The clue that gave them their only slash is the lie.
One mark at a time, the killer runs out of places to hide
Give fans a twist they won’t see coming
Here’s the thing about a plain look-alike book. Once a reader gets the hang of it, it’s just crossing off names on autopilot.
The Elimination Game is based on that bestselling format, with our own special twist. A liar is hiding in the clues, so readers can’t trust any single one of them.
And twice in every case, an Evidence Check makes them stop, count who’s left, do a quick sum and look up an item in the Evidence Register.
They have to think like a detective, and that’s the “one more case” feeling that sells the next book in your series.
A plain look-alike book
- Every clue taken at face value
- Same method on every page
- Easy to copy, easy to forget
- Readers finish and move on
Your Elimination Game book
- One clue is a lie protecting the killer
- 2 Evidence Checks in every case
- A fresh twist on a format readers love
- Readers come back for the next one
Every case built, checked and ready to print
A puzzle like this is a nightmare by hand. Hundreds of names, a long list of clues, and exactly one lie that has to protect exactly one killer, with zero loopholes.
Get one detail wrong and the whole case falls apart. The builder does all of it for you, right in your browser.
Checked before export
Every puzzle is checked to confirm exactly one valid solution before you can download it. One killer, one lie.
Answer pages included
Every case gets its own answer page: the killer, the lying clue, why it’s false, and the Evidence Checks worked out.
A practice case up front
Switch on Puzzle Zero and your book opens with a full practice case, answer included, before case 1.
Your name on every book
Title, subtitle, author, imprint, edition and ISBN go on the title and copyright pages for you.
3 trim sizes
6x9, 8x10 or 8.5x11. Choose one and every page is laid out for it. A 10-case book runs about 130 pages at 6x9.
Amazon and Etsy ready
Download a print-ready PDF for KDP, or a ZIP of 300 DPI page images to sell as printables on Etsy.
From blank screen to finished book in 3 steps
Set up your book
Choose your trim size, then type your title, subtitle and author name.
Choose how many cases
Set the number of cases. Hand-choose any you like and the builder makes the rest for you.
Download and publish
Click Generate. Your print-ready file is saved in My Books, so you can rebuild it any time.
Made for publishers who want a series that sells
This is for you if…
- You publish on Amazon KDP or sell printables on Etsy
- You want a puzzle book that rides a format readers already love
- You’d rather click a button than build giant name puzzles by hand
This isn’t for you if…
- You want someone to upload and market your books for you
- You only want to read puzzle books, not sell them
- You expect money without publishing anything
Start your find‑the‑killer series today
The Elimination Game
- Complete find-the-killer puzzle books with one lying clue in every case
- As many cases per book as you choose
- Every puzzle checked for exactly one valid solution before export
- 2 Evidence Checks and an Evidence Register in every case
- How to Solve pages and answer pages built for you
- Optional Puzzle Zero practice case
- 3 trim sizes: 6x9, 8x10 and 8.5x11
- Print-ready PDF for KDP, 300 DPI page images for Etsy
- Unlimited books, one-time payment, no subscription
You probably want to know…
Do I need to be techy?
Not at all. It runs in your browser. You type a title, set how many cases you want, click Generate and download your file.
Will the puzzles actually work?
Yes. Every puzzle is checked to confirm exactly one valid solution before export, and the answer pages are made for you.
How hard are the cases?
Every case is a big crowd of suspects, a long list of name clues and 2 Evidence Checks. Readers who like a real challenge get one, and the How to Solve pages and the optional practice case help newcomers get started.
Can I sell the books I make?
Yes. The books you create are yours to publish on Amazon KDP and sell on Etsy, and you keep the royalties.
The builder itself stays our software and may not be copied or resold.
Is there a monthly fee?
No. It’s a one-time payment with no subscription, and you can make unlimited books.
Which sizes can I make?
6x9, 8x10 and 8.5x11. Choose one and every page is laid out to fit it, ready to upload.
Where do I use it after I buy?
The builder unlocks in your Puzzle Arsenal account at puzzlearsenal.com/hub. Log in, open The Elimination Game and start building.
Get your book into a market where the top indie title makes an est. $10,200 a month
$37, one time
Unlock The Elimination Game