Toronto Star bestsellers: Louise Penny returns with her 21st Chief Inspector Gamache mystery

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Yeo, D. (2026, October 28). Toronto Star bestsellers: Louise Penny returns with her 21st Chief Inspector Gamache mystery. Toronto Star. https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/books/toronto-star-bestsellers/article_74b6bacb-0b4c-45de-a786-2a9121875e28.html

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Toronto Star · collected 2026-10-28 · by Debra Yeo

Quick Summary

Louise Penny's latest Chief Inspector Gamache novel, "Miss Wolcott’s Ghost," tops both the original and Canadian fiction bestseller lists. The book intertwines mystery with historical elements, featuring a real-life Victorian botanist named Ellen Willmott as inspiration. Additionally, Winnipeg author Briar Boleyn debuts at No. 10 on the original fiction list with "With Hearts of Flame," concluding her Bloodwing Academy series.

Written by AI on 2026-10-28, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

Louise Penny's latest Chief Inspector Gamache novel, "Miss Wolcott’s Ghost," tops both the original and Canadian fiction bestseller lists as of October 28, 2026. The book is described as a ghost story set in a Victorian era, involving a long-dead body found in an abandoned cemetery and a mysterious botanist named Daisy Wolcott, inspired by real-life eccentric Victorian botanist Ellen Willmott. Penny noted that researching historical figures feels like "a child in a candy shop," highlighting the inspiration she draws from these forgotten but extraordinary individuals. Meanwhile, Winnipeg author Briar Boleyn's conclusion to her Bloodwing Academy series, "With Hearts of Flame," reaches No. 10 on the overall list and No. 2 in Canadian fiction.

Written for “Louise Penny Returns With New Novel” on 2026-10-28, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

Story

📰 Louise Penny Returns With New Novel

Entertainment · 1 article(s) covering the same event.

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0 of 10 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

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not political

takes no side on a contested political question

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64/100

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Who wrote this

Debra Yeo

4 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

🔮 The botanist, Daisy Wolcott, was inspired by a real woman: Ellen Willmott.

2026-10-28 · assertive framing · Toronto Star bestsellers: Louise Penny returns with her 21st Chief Inspector Gamache mystery

🔮 “Obviously I had no sense at the time, while I was writing the show, of how it would resonate,” Tierney told the Star.

2026-10-21 · assertive framing · Toronto Star bestsellers: ‘Heated Rivalry’ showrunner Jacob Tierney tops the non-fiction lists

🔮 So what would he think of the new book, she was asked.

2026-10-08 · assertive framing · Toronto Star bestsellers: ‘Trickster’ author Eden Robinson tops Canadian fiction list with fantasy novel

🔮 “In the letter, I said that we were calling the character Detective Kirby, assuming we would not get him, but trying to say to him that he was the inspiration for this new character.

2026-09-26 · assertive framing · Hamilton-born Emmy winner Luke Kirby on taking the lead in 'Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent'

Also by Debra Yeo

Toronto Star bestsellers: ‘Heated Rivalry’ showrunner Jacob Tierney tops the non-fiction lists

2026-10-21 · Toronto Star

Toronto Star bestsellers: ‘Trickster’ author Eden Robinson tops Canadian fiction list with fantasy novel

2026-10-08 · Toronto Star

Hamilton-born Emmy winner Luke Kirby on taking the lead in 'Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent'

2026-09-26 · Toronto Star

Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

Topics

Canada Canadian Little, Brown Simon & Schuster Victorian

Subjects

Simon & Schuster ORG · 7× Canadian NORP · 4× Disney Book Group ORG · 3× Disney Press ORG · 3× Grand Central ORG · 3× Wolcott PERSON · 3× Bloom PERSON · 2× Briar Boleyn PERSON · 2× Gamache PERSON · 2× Victorian NORP · 2×

Narrative

Another Canadian finds a berth in original fiction this week: Winnipeg author Briar Boleyn lands at No. 10 and is at No. 2 on the Canadian list. She concludes her popular Bloodwing Academy series in “With Hearts of Flame,” which continues the tale of half-fae Medra and vampire lover Blake, who can shape-shift into a dragon. CANADIAN FICTION 3. Crowned by Roses, Elizabeth Helen, Bloom 6. Eliza Sunshine, Michelle Good, Random House Canada 7. Return to the Shack, William Paul Young, Apiary 8. Heated Rivalry, Rachel Reid, Harlequin 9.

framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-10-28

🔮 The botanist, Daisy Wolcott, was inspired by a real woman: Ellen Willmott.

2026-10-28 · Toronto Star

Toronto Star bestsellers: Louise Penny returns with her 21st Chief Inspector Gamache mystery · assertive framing

Claims (10 extracted, 0 hedged)

It seems appropriate just ahead of Halloween that Louise Penny’s latest Chief Inspector Gamache novel is described as a ghost story as well as a mystery. asserted

novel → seem → story

In fact, there’s a spectre right in the title of “Miss Wolcott’s Ghost,” although it’s the name of a plant rather than an apparition. asserted

it → ’ → plant

But other things haunt Gamache and his helpers in his 21st adventure: a long-dead body in a long-abandoned cemetery, a forgotten place called Lost Nation, a lost ship and a Victorian botanist. asserted

things → haunt → cemetery

The botanist, Daisy Wolcott, was inspired by a real woman: Ellen Willmott. asserted

botanist → inspire → woman

“For me, in going back through history as I work, it’s more feeling like a child in a candy shop,” Penny told Publishers Weekly. asserted

Penny → go → Weekly

“I went to a London gardening museum and found this forgotten, eccentric, slightly loony Victorian woman. asserted

I → go → woman

“She did extraordinary things the professionals never dared.” “Miss Wolcott’s Ghost” is No. 1 on both the original and Canadian fiction lists. asserted

Ghost → dare → lists

who → find → Shack

I’ll Believe in Anything, Jacob Tierney, Little Brown (2) asserted

I → believe → Anything

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen R. Covey, Sean Covey, Simon & Schuster 10. Die with Zero, Bill Perkins, Mariner *Weeks on list The bestseller lists are compiled by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited from information provided by BookNet Canada’s national sales tracking service, BNC SalesData. asserted

lists → die → service

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