If the Truth Be Told ...

One week ago, we invited attorney-turned-author Alafair Burke to participate in a competition to give away a free hardcover copy of her new Detective Ellie Hatcher novel, 212 (which will be released by Harper on March 23). Picking up on a recently popular Web meme, Burke made seven outrageous statements on this page about her life, one of which was a bald-faced lie. Rap Sheet readers were invited to distinguish the facts from the fraud, and those who guessed correctly were then eligible to win that copy of 212.

Just to recap, here are the statements Burke made about herself:

1. I once spotted Adam Ant in front of me at a hot dog cart in Central Park. I muttered, “Don’t drink, don’t smoke, but apparently you do eat hot dogs.”

2. I once wandered au naturel from a gym locker room into the free weight area.

3. I initially named my dog Stacy Keach, but my husband vetoed the decision.

4. I once went to the gym during a trial recess, had my blouse stolen from the locker room, and returned in front of the same jury, minus the shirt I’d been wearing under my suit that morning.

5. I once reached for a magic marker in my jacket pocket during closing argument and instead pulled out a similarly shaped object I had purchased from a machine in the ladies’ restroom.

6. Bill Clinton once called me to say he liked my books.

7. I once played the lion in The Wizard of Oz.

The truth can now be revealed: the lie was statement number 1.

We received more than three dozen entries to this contest, but only six people guessed the correct answer. The two biggest vote-getters were in fact numbers 2 and 4. Apparently, folks didn’t expect that the falsehood would rank in the No. 1 position.

Commenting on these results, Burke says: “I’m both pleased and embarrassed to have stumped so many of your readers: pleased because I like to think I have a way of misleading even the most savvy clue-solvers; embarrassed because those other six facts are actually true. Can I at least have brownie points for unabashed honesty? If anyone wants the back story on those ridiculous facts, feel free to reach out at www.facebook.com/alafairburkebooks or www.alafairburke.com.”

OK, now on to the single lucky winner of this contest. Chosen at random from among the six correct respondents was John F. Frost of Brooklyn, New York. Congratulations, sir. Your name has been passed along to Alafair Burke, who promises to drop your free copy of her new book in the mail without delay.

Thanks to everyone who entered this contest. We hope to have another book giveaway arranged in the very near future.

And remember, you can still take part in Burke’s “mystery gift” promotion, which will bring early orderers of 212 a prize designed by the author herself. Details of that promotion can be found here.