Elizabeth Cochrane has always been seen as a troublemaker, questioning why things are the way they are and standing up for what she believed was right. As an adult, Lizzie takes a stand after a newspaper column by the Quiet Observer defames women. After writing a reply to the column, Elizabeth is hired by the Pittsburgh Dispatch for her unique point of view. Given the pseudonym Nellie Bly, she quickly used her new found skills to tell the stories of women's issues that were not often discussed including poverty, divorce and the stories of factory girls. Nellie eventually finds herself in Mexico then New York to write the story of a lifetime after committing herself to an asylum.

I have of course heard the name Nellie Bly and her legacy, but never knew her whole story. Written with historical accuracy and the ability to dive into Nellie's head, Nellie's story is heartfelt, intriguing and raw. Learning about how Nellie grew up, I was able to see what drove her to be impassioned to fight for women's rights and those who are underserved. Throughout the story Nellie's passion and spirited personality shown through. Going undercover with Nellie was a treat as I saw snippets of factory life, Mexico City and the asylum through her eyes. I enjoyed being able to read her articles as well as how they came to be. I also was impressed by how many times Nellie was met by failure and still persisted, a lesson that still endures for many women today. Nellie Bly not only persisted, she learned, grew and honed her talent in order to become a better reporter. Overall, an intense story of one of the groundbreaking women in journalism.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. ( )