Douglas returns to Century with new Nightingale series

Donna Douglas, who published with Century between 2012 and 2019 before moving to Orion to write her Yorkshire Blitz trilogy, is returning to Century with a new Nightingale series.

Katie Loughnane, editorial director at Century, acquired world English language rights to three novels by Douglas from Caroline Sheldon at the Caroline Sheldon Literary Agency.

The first novel in a new series, The Nightingale Daughters, publishing in September 2023, follows three young women who are beginning their nursing training at the Florence Nightingale Hospital in the East End of London in the late 1950s and is described as “perfect for fans of ‘Call the Midwife’".

Douglas said: "Ever since I wrote my last Nightingale book six years ago, readers have been asking me, ’When is the next one coming out?’ Even now, they send me messages asking what happened to this character or that. I was curious too, so in the end I knew I had to pick up their story and see what they’ve all been up to. I’m very grateful to the team at Century for giving me the chance to find out!”

Loughnane commented: ‘It is a privilege to welcome Donna back to Century with The Nightingale Daughters – the start of a series that introduces three new lead characters but also features some of the most beloved characters from Donna’s original Nightingales series, which has sold over three quarters of a million copies to date. It is just over a decade since we first published Donna at Century and the popularity of the Nightingales is undoubtedly down to her warm and wonderful storytelling.

“Donna combines expert knowledge and fascinating historical research with a cast of characters we care for deeply, and who feel like friends. I’m thrilled that some of them will be making an appearance in the The Nightingale Daughters, which is set in a brand new era at the hospital, and Century has ambitious plans to re-connect with Donna’s significant existing fanbase as well as reaching many new readers with this series.”

Sheldon added: "It is such a thrill to go back into the world of the Nightingale hospital and both to discover a new generation of nurses whose stories are every bit as sparky and engrossing as those of their predecessors and to reacquaint with old friends.  A thrill for me and thrill for the fans.”