Indigo Names Emily St. John Mandel to 2026 List
The bookseller selected the author's seventh novel, Exit Party, for its curated annual top 10 list.
Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Books
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Indigo has released its 2026 top 10 list, featuring Emily St. John Mandel's seventh novel, Exit Party, at the number three spot. The list follows a collaborative selection process involving 150 employees across the national bookstore chain.
Why it matters
The list represents a consensus-driven look at the year's most significant literary releases in Canada. By using internal genre pods, the retailer highlights books that resonated with its broad staff base.
Indigo selected 10 books for its 2026 annual list through a process involving 150 staff members. Emily St. John Mandel's Exit Party holds the third position on the final ranking.
The players
Emily St. John Mandel
She is a celebrated Canadian novelist and author of seven books, including the award-winning Station Eleven.
Indigo
It is the largest book retailer in Canada, operating numerous stores across the country.
Caro Claire Burke
She is an author whose novel, Yesteryear: A Novel, secured the first position on the 2026 list.
The details
The selection process for the 2026 list involved staff participating in specialized genre pods to identify the top titles of the year. Exit Party marks the seventh novel from Mandel, who is currently on an eight-city book tour that included a stop in Victoria on September 20, 2026.
Timeline
The 2026 top 10 books of the year were announced in 2026.
Emily St. John Mandel started her book tour in September 2026.
The Victoria book tour stop occurred on September 20, 2026.
The Station Eleven miniseries ran in 2021.
Industry Dynamics
The publication of curated bestseller lists serves as a critical marketing engine within the competitive Canadian book retail market. This annual tradition by Indigo highlights how bookstore chains influence reading habits by aggregating internal staff opinions to shape national consumer trends.
Readers looking to follow the latest literary trends can find the top 10 titles now available at Indigo locations nationwide. The list provides shoppers with a curated starting point for their seasonal reading lists.
The takeaway
Staff-curated lists offer readers a chance to explore titles recommended by industry professionals. Using these lists can help diversify reading habits beyond mainstream bestsellers.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest literary trends by browsing the Books section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by CHEK.
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