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How to Sell a Massacre
By the mastermind who infiltrated the NRA and One Nation and based on the award-winning documentary seen on ABC TV
In 2019, the ABC aired an explosive investigative documentary entitled How to Sell a Massacre. The result of an audacious three-year infiltration of the US National Rifle Association, the documentary revealed how One Nation solicited donations of up to $20 million from the NRA, promising in return to use the balance of power to soften gun laws in Australia. Masterminded by veteran Australian journalist Peter Charley, the elaborate sting saw Australian businessman Rodger Muller go undercover as the head of a fake Australian pro-gun advocacy group. But the tactics used by Charley to expose both One Nation and the NRA drew criticism from some.
Now in his book How to Sell a Massacre, Peter Charley gives an inside account of the sting, drawing on more than 40 years' reporting to explore how journalism has changed and to make sense of why -- in a post-truth environment -- he felt it necessary to set a trap to catch the truth. Charley draws on previously unreleased transcripts of covertly recorded meetings between the NRA and One Nation to give graphic details of the undercover operation. At the same time, he reflects on a long and distinguished career and how the role and methods of journalism have had to change and adapt in a post-truth world.
Set during the period of Donald Trump's rise to power and the US's worst mass shootings, including Las Vegas and Orlando, How to Sell a Massacre reads like a pacey spy thriller with a deadly truth at its heart: that an Australian political party would seek foreign money in a bid to seize power and destroy the gun laws that keep Australians safe.
In 2019, the ABC aired an explosive investigative documentary entitled How to Sell a Massacre. The result of an audacious three-year infiltration of the US National Rifle Association, the documentary revealed how One Nation solicited donations of up to $20 million from the NRA, promising in return to use the balance of power to soften gun laws in Australia. Masterminded by veteran Australian journalist Peter Charley, the elaborate sting saw Australian businessman Rodger Muller go undercover as the head of a fake Australian pro-gun advocacy group. But the tactics used by Charley to expose both One Nation and the NRA drew criticism from some.
Now in his book How to Sell a Massacre, Peter Charley gives an inside account of the sting, drawing on more than 40 years' reporting to explore how journalism has changed and to make sense of why -- in a post-truth environment -- he felt it necessary to set a trap to catch the truth. Charley draws on previously unreleased transcripts of covertly recorded meetings between the NRA and One Nation to give graphic details of the undercover operation. At the same time, he reflects on a long and distinguished career and how the role and methods of journalism have had to change and adapt in a post-truth world.
Set during the period of Donald Trump's rise to power and the US's worst mass shootings, including Las Vegas and Orlando, How to Sell a Massacre reads like a pacey spy thriller with a deadly truth at its heart: that an Australian political party would seek foreign money in a bid to seize power and destroy the gun laws that keep Australians safe.
- GenresNonfictionPolitics
320 pages, Paperback
Published August 5, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 23, 2020
An awesome work of investigative journalism, initially into the inner workings of the NRA in America by Al Jazeera, which became an even more scandalous report on One Nation’s bid to secure funding & support from them, to loosen Australia’s gun laws & become more like the US. Sensational!!! A covert operation with undercover reporters & hidden cameras, it’s like a real life Bond film! Can’t wait to now watch the 2-part Al Jazeera doco released in 2019.
October 20, 2021
Reading this book was so very angry making.
This is a very well written and presented account of the sting operation on members of the One Nation party and their attempts to obtain political donations from the US based NRA. Spanning over two years, the footage and information gathered was ultimately aired in 2019 as a two-part expose.
As well as giving details of the mechanics of the sting, the book provides intelligent discourse on the reasons for Australia's gun laws, as well as the rise of false narrative (alternate facts) in journalism and other media.
I have never understood the NRA and other gun owner's mentality of their guns being more important than the lives of their children. I have never understood the need for military style weapons being kept in the home, or worn strapped to your back while doing your grocery shopping.
The NRA scare mongering tactics as described in the book are abhorrent - creating fear and desperation out of nothing. That the NRA demand that people should be able to own and open carry their weapons is beyond mind boggling. And yet, the hypocrisy where weapons are banned at NRA conventions and metal detectors are used on entry, is dumbfounding.
This is a book that many Australians should read, and I would say, a lot of Americans too, as it does a very good job at presenting the facts of the Australian gun laws.
I would have liked to have seen a bit more information on the views of other conservative politicians regarding their attempts to change the gun laws to allow the importation of the Adler shot gun.
----------------------------------
In terms of my own views of gun ownership and gun restrictions in Australia, I probably need to state that I grew up (mostly) in Australia, and we lived in various city, regional, and rural areas. In Australia, we had a double barrel shotgun, a semi automatic rifle, and my father's various service pistols in the house. I was taught to shoot (as well as clean and maintain the weapons) as soon as I was able to hold the weapon up and not shoot my own feet off.
I am not a huge fan of the politics of John Howard and the Liberal Party. But, I will always stand up and say loudly and very clearly for those standing in the back, that the immediate action that the Federal Government took in the days and weeks after Martin Bryant murdered 35 people at Port Arthur has been one of best and one of the most important pieces of legislation introduced into Australia.
I remember the weekend I visited my parents, when my dad and I walked into their local country police station with both the rifle and the shotgun, and handed them over as part of the post-Port Arthur massacre gun buy-back/ handover action. There was no doubt in my mind that this was the right thing to do.
For Goodreads members who are not in Australia: The Australian Liberal Party (ALP) is a conservative political party (don't let the name confuse you into thinking they are left leaning). John Howard was Prime Minister at the time of the Port Arthur mass shooting, and leader of the ALP, which quickly acted to change the Australian gun laws.
One Nation is a right wing political party.
The gun laws here are not a total ban on the ownership of, and use of firearms. Guns are owned by civilians in Australia. The laws limit the type of weapons that can be imported and owned (ie, no self loading weapons, no military style weapons). There are also strict laws around licensing, ownership, and use. And yes, our police do have weapons, but mostly, they use non-lethal methods when dealing with people.
Prior to 1996, Australia had experienced mass shootings in streets, shopping centres, and city centres (Milperra, Hoddle Street, Queen Street, Strathfield - just to name a few). There had also been many other gun related deaths. The Port Arthur shooting was at the time, the largest single mass shooting - not just in Australia, but in many countries. Since 1996, while there have been gun related deaths in Australia, there have been only two serious gun incidences, the Monash University shooting (2 people died, several wounded), and the Lindt Cafe hostage situation (2 hostages and the perpetrator died). These resulted in further refinements of the ownership restrictions.
Contrary to the blurb coming out of the NRA and other pro-gun parties, the vast majority of Australians support the gun laws we have here.
I will leave these website links here for your consideration:
US https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/
AUS https://www.gunpolicy.org/firearms/co...
https://www.gunpolicy.org/firearms/re...
This is a very well written and presented account of the sting operation on members of the One Nation party and their attempts to obtain political donations from the US based NRA. Spanning over two years, the footage and information gathered was ultimately aired in 2019 as a two-part expose.
As well as giving details of the mechanics of the sting, the book provides intelligent discourse on the reasons for Australia's gun laws, as well as the rise of false narrative (alternate facts) in journalism and other media.
I have never understood the NRA and other gun owner's mentality of their guns being more important than the lives of their children. I have never understood the need for military style weapons being kept in the home, or worn strapped to your back while doing your grocery shopping.
The NRA scare mongering tactics as described in the book are abhorrent - creating fear and desperation out of nothing. That the NRA demand that people should be able to own and open carry their weapons is beyond mind boggling. And yet, the hypocrisy where weapons are banned at NRA conventions and metal detectors are used on entry, is dumbfounding.
This is a book that many Australians should read, and I would say, a lot of Americans too, as it does a very good job at presenting the facts of the Australian gun laws.
I would have liked to have seen a bit more information on the views of other conservative politicians regarding their attempts to change the gun laws to allow the importation of the Adler shot gun.
----------------------------------
In terms of my own views of gun ownership and gun restrictions in Australia, I probably need to state that I grew up (mostly) in Australia, and we lived in various city, regional, and rural areas. In Australia, we had a double barrel shotgun, a semi automatic rifle, and my father's various service pistols in the house. I was taught to shoot (as well as clean and maintain the weapons) as soon as I was able to hold the weapon up and not shoot my own feet off.
I am not a huge fan of the politics of John Howard and the Liberal Party. But, I will always stand up and say loudly and very clearly for those standing in the back, that the immediate action that the Federal Government took in the days and weeks after Martin Bryant murdered 35 people at Port Arthur has been one of best and one of the most important pieces of legislation introduced into Australia.
I remember the weekend I visited my parents, when my dad and I walked into their local country police station with both the rifle and the shotgun, and handed them over as part of the post-Port Arthur massacre gun buy-back/ handover action. There was no doubt in my mind that this was the right thing to do.
For Goodreads members who are not in Australia: The Australian Liberal Party (ALP) is a conservative political party (don't let the name confuse you into thinking they are left leaning). John Howard was Prime Minister at the time of the Port Arthur mass shooting, and leader of the ALP, which quickly acted to change the Australian gun laws.
One Nation is a right wing political party.
The gun laws here are not a total ban on the ownership of, and use of firearms. Guns are owned by civilians in Australia. The laws limit the type of weapons that can be imported and owned (ie, no self loading weapons, no military style weapons). There are also strict laws around licensing, ownership, and use. And yes, our police do have weapons, but mostly, they use non-lethal methods when dealing with people.
Prior to 1996, Australia had experienced mass shootings in streets, shopping centres, and city centres (Milperra, Hoddle Street, Queen Street, Strathfield - just to name a few). There had also been many other gun related deaths. The Port Arthur shooting was at the time, the largest single mass shooting - not just in Australia, but in many countries. Since 1996, while there have been gun related deaths in Australia, there have been only two serious gun incidences, the Monash University shooting (2 people died, several wounded), and the Lindt Cafe hostage situation (2 hostages and the perpetrator died). These resulted in further refinements of the ownership restrictions.
Contrary to the blurb coming out of the NRA and other pro-gun parties, the vast majority of Australians support the gun laws we have here.
I will leave these website links here for your consideration:
US https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/
AUS https://www.gunpolicy.org/firearms/co...
https://www.gunpolicy.org/firearms/re...
January 3, 2021
An incredible story about journalism at its most masterful, this book reads like a spy thriller. Pacey, slick and at times, chilling. So gripping, I couldn't put it down!
January 17, 2024
Really provocative information on the world of Australian politics and the NRA
December 27, 2020
There is no other way to describe the events in this book as disgusting. It lays to bare the politics of the gun loving sycophants that nothing in the world is more important then their guns and that no amount of lives lost or heartache will stop them and their greed. It makes clear that money and power are the goals for these people and they will wade through a swamp of blood so they can sleep with their guns every night.
Amazing reporting and amazing nerves of steel of these journalists to stay uncover for so long and not crack under the pressure of playing nice to these people.
And a reminder that all Australians must fight to keep Australia safe from those who would erode our safety for a profit
Amazing reporting and amazing nerves of steel of these journalists to stay uncover for so long and not crack under the pressure of playing nice to these people.
And a reminder that all Australians must fight to keep Australia safe from those who would erode our safety for a profit
November 21, 2020
Excellent illustration of the importance and skill of investigative journalism. It is shocking to read about the celebratory views that some people have about guns and very unsettling how people are manipulated or willing to put lives in danger. Fantastically disturbing read.
August 5, 2020
Stunning! Would highly recommend this book - a real page-turner.
August 25, 2022
Fast-paced and rather exciting account of how a TV documentary film-maker (working for Al Jazeera) attempted to infiltrate the US based NRA in a bid to investigate their influence on foreign politics, and ended up with a larger scandal where a fringe but influential Australian political party (led by Pauline Hanson) was attempting to gain funding from the NRA and its supporters with promises to overturn Australia's strict gun control laws. This was done with covert filming and the use of an insider 'plant' an Aussie named Roger who had set up an Australian gun-rights association for the purposes of the investigation.
What raises the book beyond just the reportage of the process of making the documentary is the writing skills of the author who manages to turn this into something of an espionage thriller with many 'edge of the seat' chapter endings, unexpected twists, and a steady flow of other elements which make up the best elements of the genre, humour, scandal, sex, alcohol, danger etc. Candidly the author addresses the critics of his journalistic process (whose views with which I have some sympathy), I thought the epilogue could have had a stronger and more impactful conclusion. However overall a good read that sent me searching for the documentary online.
4.5 stars
What raises the book beyond just the reportage of the process of making the documentary is the writing skills of the author who manages to turn this into something of an espionage thriller with many 'edge of the seat' chapter endings, unexpected twists, and a steady flow of other elements which make up the best elements of the genre, humour, scandal, sex, alcohol, danger etc. Candidly the author addresses the critics of his journalistic process (whose views with which I have some sympathy), I thought the epilogue could have had a stronger and more impactful conclusion. However overall a good read that sent me searching for the documentary online.
4.5 stars
April 9, 2026
This was a gripping and eye-opening read that feels more like a political thriller than a work of nonfiction. How to Sell a Massacre dives deep into the hidden mechanics of power, influence, and media, and it does so with an intensity that keeps you turning pages.
What stood out most to me was the boldness of the investigation. Peter Charley doesn’t just report the story he becomes part of it. The behind-the-scenes look at undercover journalism, combined with real world political stakes, makes this both fascinating and unsettling.
At times, it raises important questions about the ethics of such methods, but that only adds to the depth of the narrative. It’s not just about what was uncovered it’s about how far journalism should go to uncover the truth.
A powerful, thought provoking read for anyone interested in politics, media, or real investigative storytelling
What stood out most to me was the boldness of the investigation. Peter Charley doesn’t just report the story he becomes part of it. The behind-the-scenes look at undercover journalism, combined with real world political stakes, makes this both fascinating and unsettling.
At times, it raises important questions about the ethics of such methods, but that only adds to the depth of the narrative. It’s not just about what was uncovered it’s about how far journalism should go to uncover the truth.
A powerful, thought provoking read for anyone interested in politics, media, or real investigative storytelling
January 5, 2021
This book blew me away!! It is a remarkable example of undercover investigative journalism with a killer political twist. The drama of the undercover operation at the heart of the story is thrilling from start to finish - and all of it set against the dystopian backdrop of seemingly endless gun violence in the US. This is a compelling and important read for Americans and Australians alike.
February 23, 2021
How to Sell a Massacre is a gripping read. It's a great inside look into investigative journalism into the inner workings of the NRA in the US, their political objectives, and One Nation's attempt to decrease gun control and secure funding from the NRA.
It provides a fascinating insight into how the NRA operates - the strategies and tactics they use and the messages they communicate to the public. Coming from an Australian perspective, the obsession with guns in the US is chilling, especially when it starts to infiltrate our own political environment. It also painted an extremely interesting view of the people who make up the fringe party of One Nation in Australia.
Having already watched the two-part documentary, I had seen many of the aspects of the book. However, it still provided new information, a behind-the-scenes view of the investigation, and a commentary on the aftermath.
It provides a fascinating insight into how the NRA operates - the strategies and tactics they use and the messages they communicate to the public. Coming from an Australian perspective, the obsession with guns in the US is chilling, especially when it starts to infiltrate our own political environment. It also painted an extremely interesting view of the people who make up the fringe party of One Nation in Australia.
Having already watched the two-part documentary, I had seen many of the aspects of the book. However, it still provided new information, a behind-the-scenes view of the investigation, and a commentary on the aftermath.
September 21, 2021
Charley's investigative journalism into One Nation, and the NRA lays bare the sinister side of when money, violence, and politics intersect. This book makes you angry, impassioned, horrified, and sceptical about what goes on away from the public eye. Couldn't put it down!
October 21, 2021
Incredible story, I wish this story was more well known than it is, this story is important to know for all voting Australians!!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews