The authors’ preface provides context and background for the chapters that follow. Kantor and Twohey began investigating allegations of assault and harassment against Hollywood movie mogul Harvey Weinstein in 2017. Sexual harassment was pervasive, even though it was (and is) illegal and women held powerful positions in the workforce. Harassers frequently went unpunished while victims were silenced. Yet when Kantor and Twohey published the results of their investigation into Weinstein, dozens more women came forward with their own stories of abuse. Their book seeks to uncover why the Weinstein story caused so many to break their silence. The book details what Jodi and Megan uncovered between 2017 and 2019 and relies on a variety of primary sources, including transcripts of interviews, emails, and other written records. Using these materials, Jodi and Megan recount two years of investigative journalism that revealed the stories of women who had been silenced for years.

Kantor and Twohey’s first chapter opens with a phone call featuring one of Weinstein’s best-known accusers: actor and feminist activist Rose McGowan. Kantor exchanged emails with McGowan after the actor tweeted about being raped by a Hollywood producer.