Happy Tuesday, y’all! Jana from That Artsy Reader Girl sort of gave us a freebie. How is it sort of a freebie? She’s asking us to share books set in or take place during a time or place of our choosing. See, I told you it’s a freebie. A couple of years ago, I shared a list of books set across Canada, where I tried to share one book per province and territory. You can find that list here. This week, I’ve decided to narrow the scope a bit and visit Toronto in ten books.
Toronto is the largest city in Canada, both in terms of size and population. It is also the most recognized city in Canada. Toronto is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world, with numerous cultural festivals taking place almost every weekend in the spring and summer.
All book titles are linked to Goodreads.
Now, who’s ready to visit Toronto in ten books?
Girl Mans Up by M.E. Girard
- Genre: YA, Contemporary, LGBTQ
- Release Date: September 2016
Looking for Jane by Heather Marshall
- Genre: Historical Fiction, Women’s History
- Release Date: March 2022
Scarborough by Catherine Hernandez
- Genre: Contemporary
- Release Date: May 2017
Cold by Drew Hayden Taylor
- Genre: Horror, Thriller, Indigenous
- Release Date: January 2024
Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie by Jackie Lau
- Genre: Romance, Contemporary
- Release Date: May 2024
The Matchmaker’s List by Sonya Lalli
- Genre: Contemporary, Romance
- Release Date: January 2019
Hana Khan Carries On by Uzma Jalaluddin
- Genre: Contemporary
- Release Date: April 2021
You Started It by Jackie Khalilieh
- Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance
- Release Date: May 2025
Except the Dying by Maureen Jennings
- Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery
- Release Date: January 1997
- Note: This series has been adapted into the long-running series Murdoch Mysteries. Several scenes throughout the series were filmed in the city where I live.
Stories from the Vinyl Cafe by Stuart McLean
- Genre: Short Story Anthology, Humor, Contemporary, Slice-of-Life
- Release Date: January 1995
- Note: I highly recommend the audiobooks (available on Spotify) or videos on YouTube, as the author narrates the stories.
Do these books make you want to visit Toronto? Have you read any of these? Have you read any books set in Toronto that you would recommend?
Are you looking for some more books to read? Check out my other bookish lists, book reviews, and monthly reading wrap-ups.
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I did not realize some of the Murdoch Mysteries were filmed in Toronto!
It’s actually been filmed all over Southwestern Ontario. I love watching episodes and seeing things I recognize.
Such a wonderful list. I haven’t been to Toronto yet, but these books look like a great way to experience it from home. Thanks for sharing.
https://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/2025/07/top-ten-tuesday-top-ten-books-books.html
I love Murdoch! I can’t believe how many seasons there are of it but I have watched them all. Lol.
I will admit, I haven’t watched many in the past few years. But I did binge watch it during lockdown.
I had to add You Started It to my list! I read Khalilieh’s Something More last year and enjoyed it.
Here is my TTT: https://thissideofstoryland.blogspot.com/2025/07/top-ten-tuesday-books-set-during.html
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Ooh, I didn’t know that Hannah Khan was set in Canada! I have that on my TBR as well as Love, Lies and Cherry Pies. Can’t wait to try both 🙂 Great list!
Most of it is just east of Toronto, but there are bits that are in downtown Toronto. I hope you enjoy both when you get the chance.
I live in Toronto and love seeing it represented in fiction!
Same! I live about an hour west of Toronto, so I try to live vicariously through Toronto settings.
Aww! Jackie’s book looks DARLING and though I never read the books, I’ve seen SO many Murdoch episodes. 🙂 Thanks so much for visiting my list this week!
Murdoch Mysteries is a fun show to watch! I love looking for places I’m familiar with when I watch.
The Vinyl Cafe sounds interesting!
The Vinyl Cafe stories are such fun. They are all a slice of life stories. They show the good, the bad, and the hilarious parts of families and neighborhoods.
I have watched The Murdoch Mysteries, but I haven’t read the books. I’ll have to look into them! Here is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thank you!
love seeing Maureen Jennings’ books on the list 🙂
I’d love to visit Toronto. Great list. They all good. The contemporary romances look like fun.
Great topic! I’ve enjoyed a few of Uzma Jalaluddin’s fun books. Another fun book I loved that was set in Toronto was Sunshine Nails by Mai Nguyen
I have Sunshine Nails on my TBR, and really hope to get to it soon.
You can read it when you’ve written your review: https://hopewellslibraryoflife.wordpress.com/2024/04/29/review-sunshine-nails-a-novel-by-mai-nguyen/
One day I hope to get to Canada! Great list.
All of those books look amazing! I rarely read books set in Canada. I need to change that!
Have a great week!
Stories from the Vinyl Cafe looks good!
I love your list! I visited Toronto (in real life) a few times in the 90’s, and I’d love to go back. My friend who I visited there moved to Vancouver, though, so I don’t have her as an excuse anymore. I guess I just need to make my own reason—and/or visit through books!
You can always come and visit me! LOL! Sadly, I don’t live in Toronto itself, but close enough.
😀 😀 😀 If I do make it up that way, I’ll let you know and maybe we can meet up. I have a couple of blog friends in the Toronto area.
How fun! I’ve visited Ontario, a few hours north of Detroit, never made it to Toronto. I love the idea of visiting through books!
Toronto is fun! I went with books set in Michigan for my list. https://bibliophilebree.blogspot.com/2025/07/top-ten-tuesday-set-in-michigan.html
Fun! I did a list a couple of years ago about books set in Michigan. If you want to check it out: https://readbakecreate.com/visit-michigan-in-ten-books/
I’m not familiar with any of these books but I confess I am woefully behind on my Canadian literature. Thanks for some suggestions!
I try my best to share Canadian literature with the world!
I’ve heard of a lot of these, but I didn’t realize they were set in Toronto! I hadn’t heard of Cold, but it looks fantastic!
Some nice looking choices here! Thanks for sharing them!
I’ve started watching Murdoch Mysteries recently and it’s so cool. I need to get caught up and even try the books!
I’m 4 or 5 seasons behind on Murdoch Mysteries. I love watching the show to see places I recognize, as they film in several parts of southwestern Ontario.
Great list! Love your setting choice! I haven’t read any of these books yet, but they all sound very interesting. Happy Tuesday!
Nice category! I added Cold to my TBR list.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did when I read it.
Ooh, looks like a really fun bunch!
Looking for Jane looks good!!
It’s a fitting book given the current climate in the world where women’s reproductive rights are concerned.
I had Cold on my TBR but forgot about it for some reason. I didn’t know it was set in Toronto. I’m glad you brought it back to my attention! I was really curious about it.
Haze
https://thebookhaze.com/
The skyline on the cover is the actual Toronto skyline from the lake. I hope you enjoy reading it when you get the chance.
Until I visit Toronto, I will have to be happy with armchair travel sessions! so thank you for this list of books which I have not read yet (though I think I read Hana Khan,, or maybe it was her other book..)
My ttt is here – https://www.ladyinreadwrites.com/mind-over-matter-10-books-set-in-the-brain/
Hana Khan Carries On might be my favorite from the author. So good.
Such a great idea!!
Amazing idea! Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie has a stunning cover 🙂 Thanks for visiting my blog!
~ Marwah @ The Booklore Fairy
I would love to visit Toronto! Some of these seem like my kind of reads.
I read Looking for Jane recently, which I found very moving, and have The Matchmaker’s List on my TBR pile.
I think Jane of Lantern Hill starts off in Toronto, although the action moves to PEI. I also like Kit Pearson’s Guests of War trilogy that takes place in Toronto and Muskoka. Another I remember is To Dance at the Palais Royale by Janet McNaughton.
Great list! I don’t think I’ve read any books set in Toronto, but I have visited there, so that counts, right? I haven’t been since I was young, but hopefully I’ll get some traveling done soon!
It’s great that you were able to find so many books in such a specific setting!
I just read an historical fiction book set in Toronto at the time of the Upper Canada Rebellion. It is called The Lawyer and the Laundress. I really enjoyed it. I will have to check some of these out, Pam.