The Nightingales of Boston

by Gemma Tizzard

The lives of three heroic women collide in the wake of Boston’s 1942 Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire in this inspiring and uplifting novel from the author of Grace of the Empire State.

1942: On a date night in Boston over Thanksgiving weekend, Alice, an aspiring wife and mother, couldn't be more thankful. She’s hiding a happy secret, and an evening at the Cocoanut Grove with her boyfriend George seems like the perfect way to celebrate.

Inez, a young reporter, is on the hunt for a juicy story. The Cocoanut Grove is as popular with the rich and famous as it is with young revelers, and she’s eager to get a hot tip.

Nina, the ambitious head nurse at the nearby hospital, is halfway through her shift, having drawn the short straw to work the holiday weekend. Even though she’s tired from all the festivities, she’s hopeful it will be a quiet night.

But when a single spark at the club quickly explodes into a blazing inferno, all three of their lives change in an instant.

Alice makes it out alive but is separated from George in the chaos. Inez barely avoids being trampled. As the first burn victims arrive to the hospital, Nina prepares to triage what seems like an impossible amount of injuries. Her night has been unexpected at best, but when two desperate newcomers arrive—Alice, frantic to find George, and Inez, determined to investigate who’s responsible—Nina feels called to help, and soon, the three women join forces to face the tragedy together.

A story of resilience, courage, and friendship in the face of the unthinkable, The Nightingales of Boston is a novel of healing and hope for fans of The Nature of Fragile Things and The House is On Fire.

Kindle Edition

Expected publication November 10, 2026

Reviews

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on a true story, this is historical fiction at its most riveting.

[Lisa R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Nightingales of Boston by Gemma Tizzard
A very compelling story about the bravery, determination and compassion of 3 young women and Boston’s horrific Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire that happened in 1942. It was a time when women were expected to marry and have children and stay home to raise them. One of these women is a married nurse who is delaying having a family because she loves her work, another is an aspiring journalist at a time when newspaper editors didn’t believe that women could write articles about real news. The third woman was engaged and she and her fiancé were in the nightclub when the fire broke out. She was one of the first to make it out, but he was missing. Her determination to find him alive was powerful and was what created the friendship these women developed.

This book fascinated me because 30 years after its timeframe I was a college student in Boston. Several of the neighborhoods and streets included in the book were places I knew. Even then, women couldn’t get credit cards in their own names or birth control pills without a husband or father’s signature.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Allyn Oliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars. I love reading historical fiction and walking away changed by what I’ve learned. So many building codes and safety measures we take for granted today exist because of tragedies like the one captured in this book. Nightingales of Boston tells the story of an unbelievably heartbreaking event through the perspectives of three women whose lives are forever altered by the fire. As they fight to overcome what they witnessed, they’re also fighting for their place in the world—searching for hope, healing, and change in the aftermath of all that was lost.

Publishes Nov 10th.

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the ARC.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This was an absolutely incredible story. I finished in two days and it only took me that long because I had to go to work. Tragic, emotional, hopeful, riveting, historical, are all words that come to mind. I was so excited to learn this was a second book. I just borrowed book one from the library. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this unputdownable read.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the Arc of this book. I enjoy historical fiction but most of the historical fiction books I read, I already have some idea about the historical event. The fire at Cocoanut Grove was a tragic event I had never heard of, I appreciated how in the Author’s Notes it explained how safety features we take for granted today were put in due to this tragic event.

[Donna Kearley]

Review of an Advanced copy received through Select Editions.

The Nightingales of Boston tells the story of the Cocoanut Grove Night Club fire through the eyes of three women whose lives were affected by the fire including a woman searching for her fiancé, a nurse who cared for burn victims, and a news reporter. From Gemma Tizzard the author of Grace of the Empire State. 4 stars.

[Sherri Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three women brought together through a tragic event & heartache which lead to a beautiful friendship. This book has many highs & lows but is a wonderful read. I also loved the historical aspect of it. I loved this book!