About the Book
Catch and Kill is Ronan Farrow's account of how he investigated Harvey Weinstein for NBC News, why the network killed the story, and how he eventually published it in The New Yorker. The book covers not just the reporting itself but the mechanisms that were used to suppress it, including private intelligence operatives, NDAs, and institutional pressure from powerful figures in media and entertainment.
The scope goes beyond Weinstein. Farrow documents a broader pattern of how wealthy, connected men accused of sexual misconduct were protected by the people and institutions around them. It draws on sourced reporting and contemporaneous documents, which gives it more weight than a standard memoir-style account of the same events.
The book came out in 2019 and was later adapted into an HBO documentary series. This edition includes updates that weren't in the original release. For readers who followed the Weinstein story as it broke, the book fills in significant gaps about what happened behind the scenes.
Narration & Audio Performance
Farrow narrates his own book, and it largely works. His voice is measured and controlled, qualities that suit the material, which covers serious and at times legally sensitive subject matter. He doesn't editorialize heavily through tone, which is the right call for a book built on reported facts and sourced testimony. The pacing is deliberate, occasionally slow in the more procedural sections, but that steadiness makes the tenser passages land more clearly.
Where the narration has limits is in character voice differentiation. When Farrow quotes sources or recreates conversations, the voices are not dramatically distinguished, he reads them as himself, with minor inflection shifts. This is functional but not especially dynamic. Listeners expecting a performance will find it flat in places; listeners who want the material delivered straight will find it appropriate.
Overall, author narration here adds something real. Hearing Farrow describe his own reporting process and the threats he received during it carries a different quality than a hired narrator reading the same words. The Audible sample is worth checking before committing, but most listeners who are interested in the subject matter will find the narration acceptable.
The Audible Verdict
Catch and Kill is well-reported and Farrow's narration is competent and appropriate for the content. The audio format works here, the linear investigative structure translates cleanly. The narration doesn't elevate the material the way the best author-narrated audiobooks do, but it doesn't get in the way either. A free trial credit is a fair value for this one; it's not quite at the level where spending a paid credit feels obviously right.
Listen on AudibleIs This Book a Good Fit for Audio?
Investigative nonfiction with a clear linear structure is generally a good fit for audio, and this book follows that pattern. Farrow moves through the reporting chronologically for the most part, with each chapter building on the last. There are no charts, diagrams, or visual elements that would be lost in the audio format. The experience of being read a detailed investigation, rather than skimming it on the page, actually tends to make the material more absorbing.
The one caveat is that the book includes substantial sourcing, and some listeners find it harder to track the web of names, organizations, and legal entities when listening rather than reading. If you're the type of reader who flips back to check who someone is, the print version may be easier to navigate. But if you're listening in focused sessions rather than in the background, this is not a major issue.
Popular Listener Questions
Is Catch and Kill author-narrated?
Yes, Ronan Farrow narrates the audiobook himself. He is the author and the reporter whose investigation the book covers.
Is this book part of a series?
No. Catch and Kill is a standalone work.
Does the audiobook cover the same material as the HBO documentary?
They cover related ground but are separate works. The book is longer and more detailed in its sourcing and legal context. The HBO documentary is a visual adaptation, not a direct reading of the audiobook.
Is this book more memoir or investigative reporting?
It is primarily investigative reporting. Farrow writes in first person and includes his own experience of being threatened and surveilled during the reporting, but the book is built on documented evidence, sourced interviews, and recorded conversations rather than personal reflection.
Who is the intended audience for this audiobook?
Anyone interested in investigative journalism, the Weinstein case, or the broader structures that enable powerful figures to suppress reporting. It also appeals to listeners interested in media industry dynamics and legal tactics used to silence sources.
Similar Audiobooks
Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey's account of their own Weinstein investigation for the New York Times covers overlapping events from a different reporting angle. A natural companion read, or listen.
John Carreyrou's investigation into Theranos follows a similar structure, a journalist reconstructing a major fraud story through sourced reporting. The audiobook version also works well in audio format.
Merchants of Truth
Jill Abramson's book on the collapse of traditional media institutions provides useful context for understanding the pressures Farrow describes from within NBC News.
Patrick Radden Keefe's investigative narrative about the Troubles in Northern Ireland has comparable pacing and a similar approach to reconstructing events through interviews and documents. Strong audiobook.
Hate Inc.
Matt Taibbi's examination of how media incentives shape coverage provides a critical lens that pairs usefully with Farrow's account of why networks kill stories.
Audiobook Details
| Title | Catch and Kill |
|---|---|
| Author | Ronan Farrow |
| Narrator | Ronan Farrow |
| Genre | Investigative Journalism |
| Year | 2019 |
| Publisher | Little, Brown |
| Abridged | Unabridged |
| Cast | Single narrator |
| Author-narrated | Yes |
Ready to listen?
Catch and Kill is available on Audible and is a reasonable choice for a free trial credit, particularly if you're interested in investigative journalism or the reporting behind the Weinstein story.
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