Salamander: The Story of the Mormon Forgery Murders : with a New AfterwordDrawing from thousands of pages of police reports, court documents, interviews, letters, and diaries, Sillitoe's and Roberts's narrative cuts through the complexities of this famous crime investigation to deliver a gripping, Capote-esque tale. They embrace the details, then lay them out systematically as seen through the eyes of the detectives, victims, and the perpetrator. The darkest secrets unravel gradually, allowing the reader fleeting glimpses of the infamous salamander as it ducks in and out of its fabricator's head. What was the "salamander letter" and why were so many people determined to possess -- and to conceal -- it? Why was this one of the most unusual cases in American forensic history? A skilled con artist by anyone's assessment, Mark Hofmann eluded exposure by police and document authenticators -- the FBI, Library of Congress, the LDS church historical department, and polygraph experts -- until George Throckmorton discovered the tell-tale microscopic alligatoring that was characteristic of the forgeries. What ensued was a suspense-ridden cat-and-mouse game between seasoned prosecutors and a clever, homicidal criminal. In the end, this story verifies the saying that sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. |
Contents
Pipe Bombs in the City of the Saints | 3 |
The Third Bomb Victim | 27 |
3 | 39 |
Copyright | |
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Salamander: The Story of the Mormon Forgery Murders Linda Sillitoe,Allen Roberts No preview available - 2006 |
Common terms and phrases
Anthon transcript attorney authentic bank began Biggs Bill Hofmann blessing Book of Mormon Brent Ashworth Brent Metcalfe called Cannon church leaders courtroom defense Deseret Book docu Dori evidence forgery friends Gary Sheets George going handwriting heard Hinckley historians Hofmann documents Hofmann told interview investigators Jessee Joseph Smith Joseph Smith III Judge Building knew later LDS church loan looked Lucy Mack Smith Lyn Jacobs Mark Hofmann Mark's Martin Harris McLellin collection McLellin deal ment Metcalfe Mike Hansen Mormon history morning murder Oaks Oath paper papyrus Passey Pinnock plates plea bargain police preliminary hearing President Hinckley prosecutors purchased questions Reid Rendell reporters Rich Rigby Rust salamander letter Salt Lake City Schmidt Shannon Flynn Sheets's Simmonds Steve Christensen Stott Stowell letter talk Tanner Taylor telephone tell Terri Christensen thought Throckmorton tion Utah wanted Wilding Yengich Yocom