[This message has been edited by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (edited June 26, 2009).]
 

Another point the article failed to mention is that most books (aside from debuts from new authors), sell completely on the strength of the author's name. When you submit your first book to a publisher and they take it they're not investing just in that book, but also in the ones you'll subsequently write and (either contractually or because of loyalty) publish through them.

So not only would stealing your work not be worth the hassle and risk of putting it on the market under some other name, but they'd also lose out on the rest of your work.
 

Of course there's another angle on this: the writer (in this case, Susan Hassert) may have a case that the other writer (in this case, Elisabeth Hasselbeck) may have contracted with her for help in writing this book, then reneged on the deal at some point. Which, if there were a contract or even an oral agreement, might be grounds for damages to be awarded.

(You may recall a particularly messy suit involving the (now) late Art Buchwald and Eddie Murphy's "Coming to America." Buchwald didn't sue for plagiarism: he sued (and won) because Paramount Pictures contracted with him to develop this idea of an African prince, er, "coming to America," and not only failed to pay him properly but assigned all credit to the idea to Murphy.)