From the internationally bestselling author of The Radium Girls comes a dark but ultimately uplifting tale of a woman whose incredible journey still resonates today.

Elizabeth Packard was an ordinary Victorian housewife and mother of six. That was, until the first Woman’s Rights Convention was held in 1848, inspiring Elizabeth and many other women to dream of greater freedoms. She began voicing her opinions on politics and religion — opinions that her husband did not share. Incensed and deeply threatened by her growing independence, he had her declared ‘slightly insane’ and committed to an asylum.

Inside the Illinois State Hospital, Elizabeth found many other perfectly lucid women who, like her, had been betrayed by their husbands and incarcerated for daring to have a voice. But just because you are sane, doesn’t mean that you can escape a madhouse …

Fighting the stigma of her gender and her supposed madness, Elizabeth embarked on a ceaseless quest for justice. It not only challenged the medical science of the day and saved untold others from suffering her fate, it ultimately led to a giant leap forward in human rights the world over.

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'A fascinating story ... the writing is exquisite.’

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‘A thrilling story.’

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‘The author of The Radium Girls returns with an inspiring story of the tireless 19th-century woman who fought against gender-based injustices … a vivid look at the life and times of a little-known pioneer of women's rights.’

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‘Moore's expert research and impassioned storytelling combine to create an absolutely unputdownable account of Packard's harrowing experience. Readers will be shocked, horrified, and inspired. A veritable tour de force about how far women's rights have come and how far we still have to go … Put this book in the hands of every young feminist.’

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‘In 1860, wife and mother Elizabeth Packard was committed to an insane asylum by her husband, who couldn't tolerate her insistence on speaking her mind. At the Illinois State Hospital, Elizabeth encountered women like her committed strictly as a means of control, and after winning her freedom she became an advocate for such women and for women's rights generally. From the author of the New York Times bestselling Radium Girls.’

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‘A riveting chronicle … Moore packs in plenty of drama without sacrificing historical fidelity, and paints Elizabeth's fierce intelligence and unflagging ambition with vibrant brushstrokes. Readers will be thrilled to discover this undersung early feminist hero.’

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‘A must-read for anybody interested in women’s history or the history of reform in the United States. Like Radium Girls, this volume is a page-turner.’

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‘[A]n inspiring portrait of someone who fought the system and won.’

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‘Moore’s extensive research for this book is clear … she has produced such a compelling and emotional narrative that at times it’s easy to forget that you’re reading a piece of non-fiction … Packard’s story is a timely must-read.’

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‘[B]y the end of the book I was completely persuaded by the superhuman resilience and determination of our real-life heroine, who not only fights for her own freedom but for those of her fellow inmates and fellow wives.’

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‘Kate Moore's book is an important one, that deserves to be widely read.’

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‘Harrowing … fascinating … I simply adore Kate Moore’s writing.’

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Praise for The Radium Girls:

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Praise for The Radium Girls:

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Praise for The Radium Girls:

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Praise for The Radium Girls:

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Praise for The Radium Girls:

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Praise for The Radium Girls:

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Praise for The Radium Girls: