THE NOT-SO-SIMPLE ART OF IMITATION - PASTICHE, LITERARY-STYLE, AND CHANDLER,RAYMOND

This analysis extends the tools of statistical analysis to the challen ging task of distinguishing between genuine works by an author, the pr eeminent American writer of mysteries, Raymond Chandler, and deliberat e attempts by others to mimic the author's style. Rendering the task a ll the more challenging, the analysis focuses exclusively on the main elements of Chandler's style rather than on his minor but telling styl istic idiosyncrasies. Statistical analysis establishes that indicators of these stylistic elements can successfully detect the pastiches.