Bonfire of the Murdochs: How the Epic Fight to Control the Last Great Media Dynasty Broke a Family -- and the World

The real succession story of the Murdoch empire is more shocking than the fictional TV series.

Rupert Murdoch has wielded more power over our culture than any single mogul in modern times. Through ruthless dealmaking and remarkable foresight, he built a media empire that led to everything from the rise of Margaret Thatcher in the UK to Donald Trump in America. His outlets have shaped the news that created the world we live in.

Whether the ninety-four-year-old mogul will continue to do so is now the most urgent question in the media. Murdoch’s plan to rip up the secret trust that controls his companies and anoint his conservative firstborn son Lachlan as his successor ignited a family civil war. On one side is Rupert and Lachlan. On the other: Murdoch’s liberal children James, Elisabeth, and Prudence. This is much more than a corporate battle over a $17 billion fortune. It is a blood feud whose outcome will determine the future of conservative politics in the English-speaking world. When James publicly denounced Fox News after January 6th, it became clear this wasn’t just family drama—it was a battle for the soul of conservative media.

The Murdochs are larger than life characters, having inspired the hit HBO series Succession. But real life is stranger and more riveting than fiction. This is a story about a family whose resentments and rivalries play out on a global scale in both ironic and tragic ways. In September 2024, this family war exploded into a secret Nevada courtroom where the truth about Murdoch’s methods was finally exposed under oath. During a legal deposition, Murdoch actually texted questions to his lawyer to humiliate his own son James in real time. At its core, this is an intimate story about a man obsessed with succession but unable to let go. Based on interviews with more than 150 sources and unprecedented access to internal family dynamics, this is the definitive inside account of the most powerful media family in history. It’s a richly textured narrative where each character has a clear arc:

- James evolves from company loyalist to moral crusader who takes on his father’s empire
- Lachlan transforms from golden child to reluctant heir trapped by his inheritance
- Elisabeth fights for recognition in a family obsessed with sons, ultimately becoming the bridge-builder
- Prudence emerges as the family truth-teller who forces the final reckoning

Unlike dry corporate histories, this reads like a thriller that happens to be about a media empire. The book builds to a genuine courtroom showdown where Murdoch’s own children finally weaponize the most damaging information of all: the truth about their father. Even after winning in court, the family remains shattered—Murdoch’s final letter to his children ends with “Much love, Dad” after informing them he will only communicate going forward through lawyers.

Gabriel Sherman is an award-winning journalist and screenwriter. He has been covering the Murdochs since 2008. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Loudest Voice in the Room about the late Fox News CEO Roger Ailes. He is the screenwriter of the twice Oscar-nominated film The Apprentice and has covered national politics for New York magazine and Vanity Fair. He lives in London with his wife, son, and daughter plus their dog and cat.