“What a story—and what a telling! Kate Moore has hit another one out of the park. In the best tradition of The Radium Girls, Moore recounts the stunning true account of a woman who fought back against a tyrannical husband, a complicit doctor, and nineteenth-century laws that gave men shocking power to silence and confine their wives. By challenging these norms, Elizabeth Packard became a heroine on the scale of the suffragists. In Moore’s expert hands, this beautifully written tale unspools with drama and power and puts Elizabeth Packard on the map at the most relevant moment imaginable. You will be riveted—and inspired. Bravo!”

- Liza Mundy, New York Times bestselling author of Code Girls

 

“This book will fill you with rage, despair, and determination. Moore has written a masterpiece of nonfiction… With elegant prose, and an epilogue that will leave you reeling, The Woman They Could Not Silence will linger long after the last page is read.”

- Nathalia Holt, New York Times bestselling author of Rise of the Rocket Girls

 

“The Woman They Could Not Silence tells the captivating story of Elizabeth Packard, a forgotten heroine whose harrowing ordeal in an insane asylum seems straight from the mind of Stephen King—except every word is true. Blending impeccable research with novelistic flair, Kate Moore brings the indomitable Packard to brilliant life and proves she belongs among our most celebrated women leaders.”

- Karen Abbott, New York Times bestselling author of The Ghosts of Eden Park

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“I have waited fifty years for this full-length biography of Elizabeth Parsons Ware Packard, and Kate Moore’s The Woman They Could Not Silence is simply magnificent. It reads like a suspense novel: one is on the edge of her seat at all times; one cannot believe what happens next—and then after that. History comes alive, as does the tragedy of women who were falsely judged ‘mad’ and then incarcerated and tortured in nineteenth-century American insane asylums. Moore’s research is impeccable. She tells us the whole terrifying and thrilling story: the cost of battle, the triumph of cruel and corrupt misogynists, the nature of feminist victory. It is a complicated story and one brilliantly told… This book reads like a movie and it should be made into one.”

- Phyllis Chesler, feminist leader and bestselling author of Women and Madness

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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.”

- Booklist, STARRED review

 

“A fascinating story... The writing is exquisite.”

- BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour

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“Enthralling... Moore’s book is an important one, that deserves to be widely read.”

- Canberra Times

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“Another fast-paced work of narrative nonfiction... A must-read for anybody interested in women’s history or the history of reform in the United States. Like The Radium Girls, this volume is a page-turner.”

- Library Journal, STARRED review

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“Bestseller Moore (The Radium Girls) delivers a riveting chronicle of Elizabeth Packard’s (1816–1897) forced commitment to an Illinois insane asylum... Skillfully drawing on Packard’s voluminous writings...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.” 

- Publishers Weekly, STARRED review

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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... Drawing on sources like letters, memoirs, and trial transcripts, Moore’s well-researched book paints a clear picture of the obstacles Elizabeth faced both during and after her confinement and the cruel resoluteness of both her husband and doctor, who tried to control her at all costs. A vivid look at the life and times of a little-known pioneer of women’s rights.” 

- Kirkus Reviews

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“What an incredible narrative about a singular historical woman. In The Woman They Could Not Silence, Kate Moore once again utilizes her astonishing talent in discovering the important, forgotten women of history… Moore enthralls as she ensures that such women will be silent no more.”

- Marie Benedict, New York Times bestselling author of The Mystery of Mrs. Christie

 

“Long overdue and completely worth the wait... This unnerving and inspirational saga from the 19th century still resonates with palpable urgency in the 21st. All credit to Kate Moore’s keen research eye and narrative gifts for bringing this ever-relevant story to piercing light, one perfectly suited to this moment in our history.”

- Denise Kiernan, New York Times bestselling author of The Girls of Atomic City and We Gather Together

 

“Heartbreaking and devastatingly important—Kate Moore has a rare gift for combining impeccable research and brilliantly mesmerizing storytelling…You will cry, and then you will cheer, and then your life will be changed forever.”

- Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today bestselling author of The First to Lie and Her Perfect Life

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“The Woman They Could Not Silence is a remarkable story of perseverance in an unjust and hostile world. This book is rich with detail, powerful, and expertly researched… This book may take place 160 years ago, but it has so much to teach us about gender, misogyny, and medicine today… Powerful.”

- Susannah Cahalan, New York Times bestselling author of Brain on Fire and The Great Pretender

 

“Told with the urgency and passion of a novel, Kate Moore’s deeply researched and thrilling study of Elizabeth Packard’s fight against the power of psychiatric patriarchy in nineteenth-century America will keep you up at night and illuminate women’s ongoing battles for authority and respect.”

- Elaine Showalter, literary critic, Professor Emerita, Princeton University, and author of The Female Malady

 

“The Woman They Could Not Silence is compelling not only because of the way it creates an alliance between the reader and the courageous Packard, but also because of how it forces the reader to examine once more the language and attitudes around women’s mental health. In Packard we see a foremother of the female leaders of today: intelligent, tenacious and impossible to cow.”

- BookPage

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“An inspiring portrait of someone who fought the system and won.”

- NPR

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“A thrilling story.”

- The Mail on Sunday

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“Much about this story seems stranger than the fiction of historical TV, but it is utterly true. Even without Moore’s dramatic presentation of the facts, it is an extraordinary tale. Here was an activist who used the norms of Victorian femininity as a weapon. She was pious, a perfect lady, but also a battering ram in a bonnet... Internationally, her story demands our attention, not least in the power for good of a really determined activist. Two books and a play did not revive Elizabeth Packard for modern audiences, but Kate Moore does. She has a dramatic story to tell, largely in Elizabeth’s own words, and manages an absolute page-turner. Doubtless a miniseries or movie will result, with Oscar-level stars vying to play the indomitable preacher’s wife. Elizabeth deserves no less.”

- The Australian

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“Stunning... Moore’s riveting account of the asylum’s disgusting conditions and the staff’s brutal treatment of inmates is flawless. Packard’s battle with powerful male figures, incendiary writing, and eventual triumph are enthralling. Moore’s [audiobook narration] performance shines a light on Packard, a mother of six, who never stopped fighting against gender-based prejudice.”

- AudioFile

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“Moore’s extensive research for this book is clear and she...provides a valuable insight into the mind of this intelligent and brave woman. In fact, Moore 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... Gripping and distressing, Packard’s story is a timely must-read, especially when you consider that women around the world are still fighting for equality today, over 160 years later.”

- All About History 

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“Moore delivers an absolutely fantastic narration of her biography of Elizabeth Packard, a 19th-century reformer who deserves to be a household name... The riveting narrative...flows smoothly—a testament to Moore’s skill as an author and a narrator. VERDICT: This brilliant story of one woman’s amazing perseverance is guaranteed to inspire all those who continue Packard’s fight for social reform and true gender equality.”

- Library Journal, STARRED review of the audiobook

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“A riveting and well-researched book that reads like a suspenseful novel... One of seven recommended non-fiction audiobooks perfect for long road trips.”

- AARP Magazine

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“Yet again Kate Moore shines a compassionate light into a dark corner of history. Gripping and engaging, this book is written with warmth and understanding, as Moore ensures that a fascinating and vitally important story is told with forensic research and care. A brilliant read following Moore’s stunning debut.”

- Lucie Morris-Marr, investigative journalist and author of Fallen (winner of the 2020 Walkley Book Award)

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“With path-breaking research and electric prose, Kate Moore reveals just how crazy marriage laws once were—and one unbeaten heroine helped make them sane.”

- Elizabeth Cobbs, New York Times bestselling author of The Hello Girls: America’s First Women Soldiers

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