"The Greatest Hoax is a grand pursuit. With meticulous detail, it traces the strange-but-true movements of the enigmatic con man Frank W. Abagnale. With a remarkably diverse trail of forensic evidence--public records, witness statements, local reporting, stand-out journalism, and the con man's own words--the jigsaw puzzle is assembled piece by piece. What an amazing picture it shows--but not at all compatible with his autobiography Catch Me if You Can or the films and musicals it spawned. With the aid of facts and the words of those left in the con man's wake, The Greatest Hoax unmasks the viral spread of a myth that escaped a "lab" in Houston, Texas, circa 1976. Far more than a debunking exercise, this true story is written with exquisite explanatory narrative, creating a parable of our times. The deep analysis within The Greatest Hoax is filled with suspense while also providing a meaningful wake-up call in the post-truth era."--Jacket flap.