Forensic Linguistics

This book contains detailed studies of all the major areas of the discipline, including the detection of plagiarism, the observation of style change, and an analysis of all of the most important types of forensic text, including ransom demands, suicide notes, hate mail, smear mail, trick mail and terrorist mail. Perhaps one of the greatest assets of the book is its discussion of specific forensic texts including the 'stalker text' from John Hinckley, an excerpt from the Unabomber case, several 17th century Salem witch trial 'confessions', Susan Smith's confession, and ransom notes from the Lindbergh kidnapping and Carlos the Jackal's ransom demand at Vienna.