Hack Attack: How the Truth Caught Up with Rupert Murdoch

Nick Davies chronicles the phone hacking scandal that engulfed Rupert Murdoch's News of the World tabloid in the UK. The Guardian journalist documents his six-year investigation into illegal surveillance practices at Britain's highest-selling newspaper. The book follows the web of connections between tabloid journalists, private investigators, police officials, and politicians at the highest levels of British society. Davies reconstructs the methods used by News International employees to access private voicemails and details the subsequent attempts to suppress evidence of these activities. The investigation expands to reveal the influence of Murdoch's media empire on British law enforcement and government, with implications reaching from Scotland Yard to 10 Downing Street. Through interviews and documentary evidence, Davies traces how the scandal moved from isolated incidents to a systemic pattern of privacy violations. At its core, this is a book about power, accountability, and the relationship between media ownership and democratic institutions. The narrative raises questions about press regulation and the concentration of media control in modern societies.

Readers describe the book as a detailed account of investigative journalism that exposed the phone hacking scandal. Many compare it to watching a thriller unfold, praising Davies' step-by-step documentation and clear explanation of complex events. Readers appreciated: - The methodical breakdown of how the investigation developed - Personal accounts from hacking victims - Clear explanations of technical details - Documentation of police and political involvement Common criticisms: - Too many characters and details to track - Repetitive passages - British political context can be confusing for international readers - Some found the pacing slow in the middle sections Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (1,200+ ratings) Amazon UK: 4.4/5 (180+ reviews) Amazon US: 4.3/5 (90+ reviews) Several readers noted it reads like "All the President's Men" for the digital age. One reviewer wrote: "Like watching dominoes fall in slow motion as each revelation builds on the last."

Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou This investigative expose reveals fraud at Theranos through interviews and documents that demonstrate deception at the highest corporate levels.

Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow The account follows a reporter's investigation into Harvey Weinstein while facing institutional resistance and surveillance from private investigators.

She Said by Jodi Kantor The New York Times reporters detail their investigation that exposed Harvey Weinstein's predatory behavior and sparked the #MeToo movement.

Billion Dollar Whale by Tom Wright This investigation uncovers how Malaysian financier Jho Low orchestrated a massive financial fraud through political connections and media manipulation.

Dark Money by Jane Mayer The book exposes how wealthy donors have used their resources to influence political outcomes through hidden networks of power and money.

📱 Author Nick Davies spent over 6 years investigating the News of the World phone hacking scandal, conducting more than 200 interviews and reviewing thousands of documents. 🗞️ The book reveals that News International executives deleted millions of emails in what was called an "email deletion policy," attempting to destroy evidence of phone hacking. 👑 Among the hacking victims were members of the British Royal Family, including Prince William, whose voicemail messages were intercepted 35 times. 🏆 "Hack Attack" won the 2015 Crime Writers' Association Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction and was named a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. 💰 The phone hacking scandal ultimately cost Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation more than $500 million in legal fees, compensation to victims, and lost revenue after the News of the World's closure.