Elliott & Thompson to publish BBC Cyber correspondent Joe Tidy’s 'gripping' true crime book

Elliott & Thompson has snapped up BBC Cyber correspondent Joe Tidy’s "revelatory" new book Ctrl+Alt+Chaos: How Teenage Hackers Hijack the Internet.

Publisher Katie Bond acquired world English rights from Caroline Hardman at Hardman & Swainson. The book will be published in print and digital formats on 5th June 2025, with simultaneous audiobook publication by W F Howes in the UK and Commonwealth. Hardman & Swainson has also had early translation interest and Bazar Kustannus pre-empted Finnish rights.

In the book, the author "unveils the dark digital underbelly where teenage boys are reshaping cybersecurity, cryptocurrency and organised crime under the noses of their parents".

The synopsis states: "Ctrl+Alt+Chaos is a gripping true crime narrative about the life and crimes of Julius Kivimaki, aka Zeekill, arguably the most hated hacker in history […] Kivimaki’s journey from 12-year-old nuisance hacker to a most-wanted cybercriminal culminated in his 2023 capture for the cruellest hack in history when he blackmailed 30,000 Finnish psychotherapy patients with their stolen notes. Kivimaki’s journey gives us vital insights into how hackers are created online."

Tidy said: "I’ve reported on some of the most devastating cyber attacks in history, but nothing comes close to the callous cruelty of the Vastaamo hack. What drove the 12-year-old Julius Kivimaki AKA Zeekill to become the most wanted and hated cybercriminal? Zeekill wasn’t created in a vacuum and in Ctrl+Alt+Chaos we’ll dive deep into the subculture of teenage hacking to find out how he and so many other boys hone their skills in secret online communities."

Bond commented: "Ctrl+Alt+Chaos reads like a techno-thriller, combining expert knowledge with storytelling prowess while offering insight into the power dynamics of our digital world."