Catch and Kill – Lies, spies and the conspiracy to protect big business in Hollywood
In a dramatic account of violence and espionage, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter Ronan Farrow exposes serial abusers and a cabal of powerful interests hellbent on covering up the truth, at any cost.
In 2017, a routine network television investigation led Ronan Farrow to a story only whispered about: one of Hollywood’s most powerful producers was a predator, protected by fear, wealth, and a conspiracy of silence. As Farrow drew closer to the truth, shadowy operatives, from high-priced lawyers to elite war-hardened spies, mounted a secret campaign of intimidation, threatening his career, following his every move, and weaponizing an account of abuse in his own family.
All the while, Farrow and his producer faced a degree of resistance that could not be explained—until now. And a trail of clues revealed corruption and cover-ups from Hollywood, to Washington, and beyond.
This is the untold story of the exotic tactics of surveillance and intimidation deployed by wealthy and connected men to threaten journalists, evade accountability, and silence victims of abuse—and it’s the story of the women who risked everything to expose the truth and spark a global movement.
Both a spy thriller and a meticulous work of investigative journalism, Catch and Kill breaks devastating new stories about the rampant abuse of power—and sheds far-reaching light on investigations that shook the culture.
Duffy’s Thoughts on Catch and Kill
Catch and Kill sat on my desk for a couple of weeks and quite a few people picked it up and remarked that it was meant to be good. A friend saw it on the top of my bag when I was out and said the same thing. I have to admit, I hadn’t seen any promo on it all and knew little about Ronan Farrow’s investigative journalism, just his famous, or rather infamous parents.
Ronan Farrow is an excellent investigative journalist and the details leading up to the exposure and downfall of Weinstein and Lauer make for addictive reading. Catch and Kill has everything. Power, money, sex, scandal, intrigue and even spies. The sobering thought is that this isn’t a work of fiction, this is real. With such topics in play, one could assume creative flair or the odd embellishment could seep through. However, the concerted effort to fact check every part of the book, keeping it based in reality without too much speculation and tabloid headlines was admirable; Farrow leaves the tacky headlines and gossip to the National Enquirer.
Catch and Kill is a hefty read. There’s a lot to digest and I swallowed the book whole, devouring it in just a few days. The only part I wasn’t sold on was Stormy Daniels. Farrow paints a far too squeaky clean picture of her part in the alleged Trump affair. On the flip side, I had a pre-conceived idea about Rose McGowan which wasn’t 100% positive. However, Farrow’s account of her involvement and bravery with regards to stepping up and speaking out completely changed my view. It must’ve been a very frightening time for McGowan and the women involved, to come out of the shadows.
Ultimately, it’s a rare chance to read in great detail about the politics, threats, consequences, and negotiations which need to happen before a big story about those in power can be shared with the public.
