by Kevin Cullen
First published 2016
In January 2002, the Boston Globe's Spotlight team prepares to publish an investigation that will shake the Catholic Church worldwide. After six months of digging, reporters have documented hundreds of cases where Boston priests sexually abused children while Church hierarchy systematically covered up the crimes. The journalists face powerful institutions determined to silence them as they uncover a web of predatory clergy, complicit officials, and hush money payments to victims. Survivors who were once silenced find courage to share their stories. Church leaders who prioritized institutional protection over child safety see their secrets exposed. The investigation reveals how the Catholic Church exploited its influence to shield itself from scandal while vulnerable children suffered. As the story breaks, Catholics around the globe grapple with feelings of shock and betrayal. The expose forces a reckoning within the Church and empowers survivors to demand accountability and change. This Pulitzer Prize winning investigation demonstrates how determined journalism can challenge even the most powerful institutions when they fail those they claim to serve.
Genres: abuse, crime, non-fiction, 21st-century, journalism, true-crime
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: institutional-corruption, investigative-journalism
Setting: Boston
Period: 2002
304 pages · Paperback · Profile Books
Content warnings: child-abuse, sexual-assault