Guest Post: An Introduction to The Nurses of Steeple Street by Donna Douglas

Today it's my pleasure to welcome author Donna Douglas back to the blog to give us an introduction to some of the characters we're going to be meeting in her new series, the first book The Nurses of Steeple Street is published tomorrow.

The Nurses of Steeple Street is the first in my new series of novels about a group of district nurses living and working in Leeds in the 1920s. I’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to some of the characters you’ll be meeting in the book, and tell you a bit about them. 

The central character is Agnes Sheridan, an ambitious young nurse with a bright future ahead of her, until a single mistake brings her whole world tumbling down around her. In an effort to redeem herself, Agnes moves from London to Steeple Street to retrain as a district nurse. 

Not that she believes she’ll need much training. As far as Agnes is concerned, district nursing is all about giving bed baths and changing dressings. Her high-handed attitude does nothing to endear her to her fellow nurses, especially down-to-earth Assistant Superintendent Bess Bradshaw. Bess makes it her business to teach Agnes a lesson in humility, by introducing her to the residents of Quarry Hill, a rundown slum area in the middle of the city. She means to scare off the fastidious young nurse, but little does she know Agnes has nowhere else to run…

Polly Malone has also come to the district nurses’ house looking for redemption. She married young, ending her nursing career and dashing her mother Bess’ hopes for her future. Now a widow, she is hoping to pick up where she left off – and win back her mother’s trust. But as Polly finds out, living and working alongside Bess Bradshaw is not easy. And when love comes along in the form of troubled Finn Slater, Polly once again finds her loyalties tested.

As the girls get to grips with their daily lives and newfound responsibilities, they both learn a great deal about human nature – and about themselves. They also realise the answer to their problems may lie in friendship and forgiveness they find among the nurses of Steeple Street.  

Welcome to the district nurses’ home on Steeple Street, where everyone has a secret…

Ambitious young nurse Agnes Sheridan had a promising future ahead of her until a tragic mistake brought all her dreams crashing down and cost her the love and respect of everyone around her. 

Now she has come to Leeds for a fresh start as a trainee district nurse. But Agnes finds herself facing unexpected challenges as she is assigned to Quarry Hill, one of the city’s most notorious slums. 

Before she can redeem herself in the eyes of her family, she must first win the trust and respect of her patients and fellow nurses.

Does Agnes have what it takes to stay the distance? Or will the tragedy of her past catch up with her?