Privacy policy
Privacy Policy
Last updated: October 18, 2026
At What the Sleuth!?, we believe a good mystery should keep you guessing—but our privacy practices shouldn’t.
We respect your privacy and are committed to being transparent about how we collect, use, protect, and share your personal information.
What the Sleuth!? is an independent online mystery bookstore operated by What the Sleuth LLC, a California limited liability company.
This Privacy Policy explains how What the Sleuth LLC, operating under the brand name What the Sleuth!? (“we,” “us,” or “our”), handles personal information when you visit whatthesleuth.com, purchase books or merchandise, create an account, subscribe to our communications, participate in bookstore activities, or contact us.
Our online bookstore is powered by Shopify, which provides the technology supporting our storefront, checkout, and certain customer services.
This policy applies to information collected through our website and related business activities, including customer communications and in-person transactions where applicable.
If our Terms of Service conflict with this Privacy Policy concerning the handling of personal information, this Privacy Policy controls.
1. Information We Collect
We collect information reasonably necessary to operate our bookstore, fulfill orders, communicate with customers, maintain security, and improve our services.
Depending on how you interact with us, this may include:
Personal and contact information
- Your name
- Email address
- Telephone number, when provided
- Billing and shipping addresses
- Other information you voluntarily provide
Order and transaction information
- Books and merchandise purchased
- Purchase dates and order history
- Payment method and payment confirmation details
- Shipping, delivery, and fulfillment information
- Return and refund requests
- Products placed in shopping carts or wishlists
Payment card information is handled by Shopify and applicable payment processing providers. These providers may collect and process payment information to complete transactions and prevent fraud.
Account information
If you create a customer account, we may process your account identifiers, contact information, saved preferences, and purchase history.
Login credentials and authentication information may be processed by Shopify or the applicable authentication provider.
Website and device information
When you browse our website, information may be collected automatically, including:
- IP address
- Browser and device type
- General geographic location derived from technical information
- Pages viewed and time spent browsing
- Website navigation and interactions
- Referral sources and shopping activity
- Cookie identifiers and similar technical information
Communications and voluntary submissions
We may collect information you provide when contacting customer service, subscribing to our newsletter, participating in promotions, registering interest in bookstore events or book club activities, or otherwise communicating with us.
We ask that you avoid sending sensitive personal or financial information through ordinary email or public forms unless it is necessary and an appropriate secure method is available.
2. How We Collect Information
What the Sleuth LLC obtains personal information through several sources:
Directly from you: When you place an order, create an account, contact us, subscribe to communications, or provide information during a bookstore event or transaction.
Automatically: Through cookies, website analytics, device information, and similar technologies when you visit our website.
From service providers: Including Shopify, payment processors, shipping providers, and technology vendors helping us operate our business.
From third-party partners: Where applicable, including advertising platforms, integrations, and services you choose to connect with.
We collect and use information in accordance with applicable privacy laws and your relevant choices.
3. How We Use Your Information
We may use personal information for the following purposes.
Order processing and fulfillment
To process payments, confirm purchases, prepare shipments, provide order updates, arrange permitted local pickup, and process eligible returns or refunds.
Customer service
To respond to questions, resolve order problems, communicate about transactions, and provide customer support.
Store operations and improvement
To maintain our website, manage accounts, understand customer interests, evaluate website performance, maintain inventory-related records, and improve the shopping experience.
Marketing and bookstore communications
To send newsletters, new-release announcements, editorial recommendations, special offers, bookstore updates, and event information when permitted by applicable law.
Marketing communications may include recommendations based on your shopping interests or interactions with our website.
Advertising and analytics
To measure marketing effectiveness, understand visitor activity, and display relevant advertising, subject to applicable legal requirements and privacy choices.
Security and fraud prevention
To identify suspicious activity, protect customer accounts, prevent fraudulent transactions, maintain website security, and protect our business and customers.
Legal and administrative purposes
To comply with legal obligations, maintain required records, respond to lawful requests, enforce applicable policies, and resolve disputes.
We do not use personal information for purposes that are materially incompatible with those described here without providing any notice or obtaining any consent required by applicable law.
4. Cookies, Analytics, and Advertising
Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to support its functionality and improve customer experiences.
These technologies may include:
Essential cookies: Necessary for checkout, shopping carts, security, account functionality, and other core website features.
Analytics cookies: Used to understand website traffic and evaluate performance.
Preference cookies: Used to remember certain settings and preferences.
Advertising technologies: Used by us and applicable partners for advertising measurement, personalized advertising, and related activities.
Some technologies may allow Shopify or other third parties to collect information about your activity across websites or services over time.
Where required by law, nonessential technologies are subject to applicable consent or opt-out requirements.
You may control certain cookies through your browser settings or through the privacy preferences made available on our website. Disabling some cookies may affect website functionality.
Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control
Some browsers transmit privacy preference signals.
Where required by applicable law, we treat a recognized Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal as a request to opt out of applicable sales or sharing of personal information and certain targeted advertising activities.
Other browser-based “Do Not Track” signals may not be recognized because there is no universally adopted standard for responding to them.
Learn more about GPC at:
https://globalprivacycontrol.org/
5. How We Share Personal Information
What the Sleuth LLC shares personal information when reasonably necessary to operate our bookstore, provide requested services, comply with legal obligations, or support business operations.
Recipients may include:
Shopify
Shopify hosts our online storefront and provides services supporting shopping, checkout, accounts, analytics, and other ecommerce operations.
Payment processing providers
Payment information is processed through payment providers to complete transactions, verify payments, and help prevent fraud.
Shipping and fulfillment partners
We share necessary delivery information with shipping carriers and fulfillment partners responsible for getting orders to customers.
Technology and business service providers
These may include hosting providers, email communication services, analytics providers, website applications, security providers, and customer support systems.
Advertising and marketing partners
Where applicable, advertising partners may receive certain technical identifiers, browsing information, or purchase-related information for advertising measurement and personalized marketing.
Under some U.S. state privacy laws, certain advertising-related disclosures may be classified as a “sale,” “sharing,” or “targeted advertising,” even when personal information is not exchanged for money.
Legal authorities and professional advisers
We may disclose information when required by law, lawful legal process, or when reasonably necessary to protect rights, prevent fraud, or address legal claims.
Business successors
If What the Sleuth LLC undergoes a sale, merger, reorganization, or similar transaction, relevant customer information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to applicable law.
We do not disclose personal information to unrelated third parties for purposes outside those described in this policy without an appropriate legal basis.
6. Our Relationship with Shopify
What the Sleuth LLC uses Shopify to host and operate the What the Sleuth!? online bookstore.
When you interact with our website, personal information may be processed by Shopify to provide checkout, account services, fraud prevention, store functionality, and other services.
Certain Shopify features may use information about interactions with our store, other Shopify merchants, and Shopify’s services to provide enhanced shopping experiences, advertising, analytics, or related functionality.
When Shopify Network Intelligence or associated enhanced services are enabled, Shopify may process customer information in connection with those services, including information from interactions across participating merchants.
Shopify may act on our instructions for certain processing activities and may be independently responsible for other uses of personal information.
Information processed through Shopify and its service providers may be transferred to or stored in locations outside your state or country.
For more information about Shopify’s privacy practices and customer rights, visit:
Shopify Consumer Privacy Policy:
https://www.shopify.com/legal/privacy/consumers
Shopify Privacy Portal:
https://privacy.shopify.com/en/
Customers may use these resources to learn about Shopify’s processing practices and the privacy options Shopify provides.
7. Your Privacy Rights and Choices
Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have the right to:
- Request access to certain personal information we maintain about you.
- Request corrections to inaccurate personal information.
- Request deletion of eligible personal information.
- Request a portable copy of certain information.
- Opt out of certain sales, sharing, or targeted advertising uses of personal information.
- Limit certain uses of sensitive personal information where applicable.
- Object to or request restrictions on certain processing activities where applicable.
- Withdraw consent when processing is based on consent, without affecting prior lawful processing.
- Appeal certain privacy-request decisions where the law provides an appeal right.
These rights are subject to applicable legal requirements and exceptions.
For example, we may need to retain certain transaction information for tax obligations, accounting requirements, fraud prevention, disputes, or other legitimate legal purposes.
Submitting a Privacy Request
To request access, correction, deletion, or another applicable privacy action, contact:
contactus@whatthesleuth.com
Use the subject line Privacy Request and describe the assistance you need.
We may request reasonable information to verify your identity before processing a request. We will not require unnecessary sensitive information for verification.
Where permitted, an authorized representative may submit a request on your behalf, subject to appropriate verification of their authority.
We will respond within the timeframe required by applicable law.
We will not unlawfully discriminate against customers for exercising applicable privacy rights.
8. California and Other U.S. State Privacy Rights
Residents of California and certain other states may have additional privacy protections under applicable consumer privacy laws.
Depending on whether those laws apply to What the Sleuth LLC and the information involved, these protections may include rights concerning access, deletion, correction, targeted advertising, and certain disclosures of personal information.
Opting Out of Data Sharing
Certain activities involving advertising partners may constitute a sale or sharing of personal information under applicable state privacy laws.
Where an opt-out right applies, you may submit a request through our website:
Data Sharing Opt-Out:
https://whatthesleuth.com/pages/data-sharing-opt-out
You may also contact contactus@whatthesleuth.com for assistance with an applicable opt-out request.
We recognize legally required opt-out preference signals, including Global Privacy Control, as described above.
We do not knowingly sell or share the personal information of individuals under 16 for cross-context behavioral advertising.
9. Marketing Communications
If you subscribe to our newsletter or otherwise provide permission for promotional communications, we may send bookstore announcements, recommendations, promotional offers, and other updates.
You can unsubscribe from promotional emails at any time using the unsubscribe link included in those messages.
You may also request removal from our promotional email list by contacting contactus@whatthesleuth.com.
Unsubscribing from marketing will not prevent necessary transactional communications, including order confirmations, shipping updates, account security notifications, or responses to customer service requests.
We send marketing communications in accordance with applicable consent and unsubscribe requirements.
10. Children’s Privacy
Our website is intended for a general audience and is not directed toward children under 13.
We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13 without any parental consent required by law.
If we learn that personal information has been collected from a child in violation of applicable requirements, we will take appropriate steps to delete the information or otherwise address the situation.
Parents or legal guardians who believe a child has provided personal information may contact us at contactus@whatthesleuth.com.
11. Information Security
What the Sleuth LLC takes reasonable measures appropriate to our operations to protect personal information against unauthorized access, misuse, loss, alteration, and disclosure.
Our website relies on Shopify and applicable service providers for essential ecommerce functionality, payment processing, and related security measures.
Access to business information should be limited to individuals and service providers who require it for legitimate business purposes.
However, no method of electronic transmission, storage, or security protection is completely risk-free.
We cannot guarantee that any system is entirely secure.
Please do not send full payment card numbers, passwords, or other sensitive credentials through ordinary email.
If you believe your information has been compromised in connection with our services, please contact us promptly.
12. How Long We Keep Your Information
We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this policy, subject to applicable laws and operational requirements.
Retention depends on the type of information and its purpose.
For example:
Order and transaction records: Retained as needed for accounting, tax reporting, customer service, legal compliance, and dispute resolution.
Customer account information: Retained while needed to maintain an account and afterward where lawful retention is necessary.
Customer communications: Retained as needed to address requests, maintain service records, and resolve disputes.
Marketing information: Retained while needed for permitted marketing activities or to maintain records of communication preferences.
Website analytics and technical information: Retained according to the applicable purposes, platform settings, and service-provider arrangements.
When information is no longer required, we take reasonable steps to delete it, de-identify it, or otherwise handle it appropriately.
Specific retention periods may vary based on applicable laws and the systems used to process the information.
13. Third-Party Websites and Services
Our website may contain links to third-party websites, services, or platforms, including book-related partners, audiobook providers, social media services, and other independent businesses.
Examples may include Bookshop.org, Libro.fm, and third-party platforms used for bookstore communications or content.
These services maintain their own privacy policies and practices.
When you leave our website or interact directly with a third-party service, information collected by that service is generally subject to its own privacy policy.
We encourage customers to review the privacy policies of third-party services before sharing personal information.
Our linking to an external platform does not mean What the Sleuth LLC controls its privacy or security practices.
14. International Data Processing
What the Sleuth LLC operates the What the Sleuth!? bookstore from California, United States.
Our website and service providers may process or store personal information in the United States or other countries.
Privacy laws and data protection standards may differ between jurisdictions.
Where international transfer requirements apply, we and our service providers are responsible for using appropriate safeguards or other lawful transfer mechanisms as required.
Individuals in jurisdictions with additional privacy rights may contact us to exercise applicable rights or raise questions about international processing.
15. Privacy Complaints
If you believe your personal information has been handled improperly, please contact What the Sleuth LLC so we can review your concern.
Email: contactus@whatthesleuth.com
Please include a description of the issue and relevant details that would help us investigate.
Where applicable law provides additional rights, you may also appeal certain decisions or contact the appropriate privacy or data protection authority.
We will respond to complaints and legally required requests within applicable timeframes.
16. Changes to This Privacy Policy
What the Sleuth LLC may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our operations, technology, service providers, legal requirements, or privacy practices.
When changes are made, the revised policy will be posted on our website with an updated effective date.
For material changes, we will provide additional notice or obtain consent when required by law.
We encourage customers to review this policy periodically.
17. Contact Information
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise an applicable privacy right, or need assistance with how your information is handled, please contact us.
Legal Business Name:
What the Sleuth LLC
Storefront and Brand Name:
What the Sleuth!?
Independent Online Mystery Bookstore
Business Mailing Address:
610 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 215
Santa Monica, CA 90401-1647
United States
Email:
contactus@whatthesleuth.com
Website:
https://whatthesleuth.com
Privacy and Data Sharing Opt-Out:
https://whatthesleuth.com/pages/data-sharing-opt-out
Our Santa Monica address serves as a business contact location. We are primarily an online bookstore and do not offer general walk-in retail browsing.
What the Sleuth!?
Suspiciously Good Books.
Your mysteries are our business. Protecting your privacy is part of it.