Seriously, whatever happened to being an expert on a certain domain of knowledge? This sounds like a disgusting startup-esque approach to writing a book.

They do their own research too, but they're not experts. You'll have to get at least mildly informed on the subject to make the outline and make sure the writer stays on track. I tend to read several book on whatever the subject is to make sure my book captures the best information I can find.

Ghost written or quick buck books are super common in Google Unlimited or low priced books. I can now spot them pretty quickly. Tech books are an area where I’d go with a known publishing house that has a good track record.