There is one mystery figure at the heart of ‘Hackergate’ – Glenn Mulcaire, the News of the World’s top private investigator. The former AFC Wimbledon footballer has never spoken publicly or in court about his work investigating and backing up front-page news stories (such as the News of the World’s award-winning David Beckham scoop). Mulcaire’s arrest in 2006 for intercepting royal-household phone messages barely registered at the time. Yet his work has continued to generate headlines and embarrassment for the establishment – with a Prime Minister on the back foot after his former aide Andy Coulson was sentenced on 4 July 2014 to 18 months in prison. Mulcaire is the insider whose testimony is essential for grasping how far the media rot has spread through Britain. James Hanning, deputy editor of the Independent on Sunday has investigated the story from the beginning, questioning key players – from reporters to Andy Coulson himself. For The News Machine he gained exclusive access to Mulcaire and his family – who are deriving no financial benefit from this book – over an extended period of time, and interviewed senior politicians, policemen, lawyers and journalists who were involved. The News Machine is the first complete look at the sharp edge of our daily news. How did the police and the press regulator fail to find the truth? How did the News of the World protect its criminal hierarchy with lies, threats, and money? How did the royals and our government get caught up in the cover up?