The Language of Lies

How to uncover the liar in your life

Kirsty King

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Paperback

Forthcoming
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English

Cornerstone Book Publishe
03 March 2026

True crime; linguistics; Historical & comparative linguistics; Literature, Poetry & Criticism

An expert in forensic linguistics will teach you how to tell if someone is lying to you by analysing the language they're using.

How can you tell if someone is lying to you? Is it possible to separate the truth from lies in what people say? And when should you trust what you hear?

Everyone lies. We lie to our family, friends, colleagues and strangers. But some lies are extremely damaging. They can destroy relationships, ruin lives and create distrust and discord. These lies need to be detected. And they can be, if we know how to listen out for them.

Forensic linguist Dr Kirsty King knows that, as convincing as some liars might be, their lies can be exposed by paying close attention to the language they use. It is possible for us to detect whether someone is being deceptive by listening out for key linguistic indicators in the way that they speak and the things that they say.

Drawing on research from forensic linguistics and psychology, this book presents real-life case studies and stories to show you how language can reveal the liars amongst us- from partners or colleagues misleading us to killers trying to get away with murder. The Language of Lies is an accessible toolkit that will help you decide whether to believe what you hear or not.

By: Kirsty King
Imprint: Cornerstone Book Publishe
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 216mm, Width: 135mm, Spine: 40mm
Weight: 600g
ISBN: 9781529959642
ISBN 10: 1529959640
Pages: 320
Publication Date: 03 March 2026
Audience: General/trade , College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , ELT Advanced , Primary
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Dr Kirsty King is a lecturer in communication at University College London. She holds a PhD in Linguistics (University of London) and an Advanced Diploma in Forensic Linguistics, and has lectured in linguistics for over 20 years at the University of London. She is a member of the International Association of Forensic Linguists and a committee member of the Anthropology and Language Committee of the Royal Anthropological Institute. She lives in London. This is her first book.