Cherry Beach

by Don Gillmor

"This is one of the best Canadian crime novels of this or any year . . . Toronto now takes its place with Los Angeles, New York, and Boston as a character in the action and it’s great."—Margaret Cannon, Globe and Mail

Shortlisted for the 2026 Toronto Book Awards

A brutal murder exposes secret real estate deals, a corrupt police force, and the dark heart of a city simmering with unrest.

When two girls are found murdered in a rundown Toronto highrise, Jamieson Abel and his partner are first on the scene. Abel is a law school dropout turned police detective chronically at odds with his colleagues and perpetually on the brink of being terminated, and Davis is the department’s only female officer of colour. Both understand their being partnered as a form of banishment, but when the details of the murder go public at the start of an excruciatingly hot summer, they find themselves thrust into the centre of a front page investigation that will bring to a head the city’s long history of shady real estate deals and racist disenfranchisement.

Intricately plotted and brilliantly layered, Cherry Beach is a gripping literary crime novel that examines class, race, and corruption in the most multicultural city in the world.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Canada, Mystery Thriller, Crime, Adult Fiction, Book Club

250 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 14, 2026

About the author

Author and journalist Don Gillmor was born in Fort Frances, Ontario in 1959 and presently lives in Toronto, Ontario. Don possesses a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from the University of Calgary. He has worked for publisher John Wiley & Sons, and has written for a number of magazines including Rolling Stone, GQ, Premiere, and Saturday Night.; where he was made a contributing editor in 1989.

Reviews

[Adam McPhee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this one. You can read my complete thoughts at The Temz Review.

[Jesús Carlos · Rating 2 out of 5]

It felt like an empty story disguised as an intelligent conglomerate of heavy intellectual themes, lacking compelling characters and driven by a plotless narrative that ultimately felt inconclusive.

[Steph Neale · Rating 3 out of 5]

This detective wanted to make paella more than he wanted to solve a crime. Enjoyed it at parts, but the mystery felt lost!

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark, depressing, intense...but also remarkably addictive and very much a Toronto book. Very unlike the usual reputation Canadian novels have had for decades...this is squirmy modern urban discomfort told in a compelling fashion.

[Georgia Connolly · Rating 1 out of 5]

….no words i’m sorry this book was a flop. there was SUCH promise but Abel totally goes rogue in the end with the murders and (imo) acts completely out of character. like ohhhhhh ok perfectly cover up your crime despite never purposefully killing someone before and having immense trauma surrounding the only other time where you had to use your gun (in arguably self defense) and ended up killing your childhood friend (??????). and being super cool and chill about it after (besides drinking like four espressos)???? also the constant random intense cooking moments made no sense but ig now i have like 6 detailed recipes i can try. idk im so disappointed the plot had so much potential but the narrative and characters lost me. the book felt so empty plot wise and was written in such a pseudo-intellectual tone that drove me CRAZY after a while

[Liyana]

3.5*

How the heck did I get my hands on a book supposed to be published April 14th you ask?

I have no idea, aside from it just happened to be at a local bookstore that I just happened to walk into and just so happened to be on the recommended shelf.

Now, I dabble in detective noir stories every now and then, and who doesn't love books set in cities they're familiar with?

Honestly, I both enjoyed and hated it for different reasons. The writing was great in some aspects, and it definitely hit the mark on detective noir vibes and made me question what year this was supposed to be set in (although the whole immigrants/racism/real estate thing puts it somewhere in the 21st century, right? *obviously* /s), and is the mayor supposed to be he who must not be named's brother? I think the parts that bothered me were the cooking bits and what not - it felt like an ad break was forced on me every now and then, and kind of took me out of the story.

I was also hoping for more buddy cop partner shenanigans, but the main guy was pretty much working on his own for the most part. Also how true to life is this detective work because it felt like he was doing the most random things and getting zero outcomes, is that just detectives being detectives?

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love a story set in my town. Some pretty funny insightful writing about Toronto and loneliness. I got a bit confused with all the characters.

[Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

The best part about “Cherry Beach” is Toronto. Gillmor describes a city both sophisticated and dangerous, the neighborhoods recognizeable in little vignettes and micro-scenes that are authentic and true. The social issues that drive the plot are real, too, but I don’t think real estate, police corruption, and immigration are unique to Toronto. This felt like the first of a series - trying to cover too much too soon. The main character is not very likeable in this outing - he doesn’t get along with anyone, and doesn’t even have the respect of any of his colleagues, a real loner. Gillmor doesn’t give the reader any reason to like him any more than anyone else, despite his interest in fine cooking and wines. He’s more of an underworld anti-hero. As far as police procedural goes, there are long dissertations on reasons for crime, short on actual evidence.

[Leslie · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

3.5. the book is written really well and i like how the authors flows into one idea into another. i will say the first half seems a bit aimless until it starts getting connected in the second half.

i think it’s interesting how this book approaches our judicial system, policing, and the battle of real estate/wealth. the main character is a mcnulty-like figure who is an aloof detective with a knack for knocking on the wrong doors but ultimately pulling all these strings into a messy bow. the book is a bit weak here with the protagonist (abel) because we get antidotes about his past and how that led him to his present, but not enough about what drives him toward what he wants in the future if that makes sense. like at 50-something, why does he still police? why does he care at all about solving this investigation? why does he continue knowing the bigotry that he himself perpetuates and participates in will continue regardless of the result of this investigation?

at the end we kind of get that with his “happy ending”, but with the whole dissertation on the failings and hypocrisy of the justice system, does that not fall into copaganda? but maybe that’s the point?

i still enjoyed the book and i liked how quite literally everything is tired to real estate/the accumulation of wealth, but there’s more to think about here and i think it could have been explored more thoroughly in this book

[Luke Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story of Toronto. But to me it’s more a story of a guy. A guy just doing his best to exist while battling his way against forces beyond his control. Sort of like all of us.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Had me gripped, but beyond the mystery itself, everything it had to say about Toronto and gentrification and racism and real estate …stellar writing and an incredible sense of place in this book. Now, being from Toronto — and the east end, at that (which figures heavily in the book) — maybe I’m biased or more naturally predisposed to find the storytelling fascinating. But Gillmor brought me back to the days of Rob Ford and I felt like I was living through a Spike Lee movie (specifically do the right thing , of course, also taking place during an oppressive heatwave)… just so so good.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

So suspenseful I had to finish in one sitting.

[Stephanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

The quality of the writing was fine, but the story is meandering and unbelievable. He spent more time describing each meal the character cooked in detail than he did on the supposed main storyline.

[Mario Mirabelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very interesting story with plenty of moving parts but all the cooking was the biggest mystery.
Jamieson Abel a Toronto police detective in his early fifties who was a bit of a loner within his department. A high profile double murder of two budding track stars on their way to college from the projects (one white the other "of color") which Abel and a fellow outlier Detective Davis (only female officer "of color" in the department) are assigned the case. From the start the evidence is lacking except for a sort of boyfriend of one of the girls. The police department itself is a cesspool of crooked, dirty and aging cops who don't care about Abel and Davis. Abel and Davis themselves aren't exactly on the same page either as Davis is forced to do all the media while Abel goes down every rabbit hole he can find. Will they eventually find the murderer? Will Toronto burn to the ground over this and a few more deaths to come? Is gentrification behind it all? Read the book to find out but beware of the food.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. A waste of my afternoon. Good enough to keep me going, but not good enough to leave me with much gratification. The G&M did a list of 6 recommended mystery books for the cottage--this was the first one.
A good enough mystery, some twists and turns, with a weak ending. Lots of local colour for Toronto-- the decrepit St. James Town area, a slight graffiti tie-in, a fat and useless mayor caught in a video doing drugs. A good cop, dogged in his pursuit of justice, but flawed and a loner. The cops 'thing' is his cooking, so we have long descriptions of various complicated dishes he makes, with shameless name-dropping of clever techniques and carefully selected ingredients. Either write a cookbook or a crime novel! I started scrolling past those bits. As well as the sermonizing on crime, society, and injustice.

[Mike Broderick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for the advance copy of this book.

This was an easy read with main characters that the reader could relate to. The story was simple enough and it fits in the crime genre well.

But it wasn’t a great book, there were some issues.

One issue is that it really did not do a good job of determining the time period. Presumably with the issues laced throughout, it is quite current but our detective had a 1980s feel to him.

There were a few surprises but mostly predictable and a fairly weak ending.

There were positive of the book is how Toronto is shown, the good, bad and the ugly. There were positive descriptions made you feel like you were there and I think the author did a good job with the St, James town area. Come to think of it, perhaps that helped highlight the time period.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fine read! I live in Toronto and can identify with many of the places mentioned in the book. Gillmor effectively weaves a crime story within the history of Toronto. He then applies many of the current events, moods, tensions, and ambiguities of the city into the text. Altogether, a very successful blend of style and content.

I would be remiss if I did not mention that many of detective Able’s flashback memories to his youth resonated with my memories of Toronto’s past. Sigh! Playing street hockey, exploring the parks and river banks, mentions of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

If you are from Toronto, now live in Toronto, or what to capture the glories your own youth I suggest you read this book.

[Paula Valdes · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting, great writing and really felt apart of Jamiesons life

The author did a great job writing the book,
I do love a murder crime story.
I would have done 3.5 stars as I with there was a bit more excitement or suspense or something. It fell a bit flat, however I really felt like I went along the journey with Jamieson (the cop telling the story)
And the author did an amazing job allowing the reader to visualize the scenes (especially being from Toronto)
Anyways glad I read it..

[Kbeckermann · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's hard to resist a crime novel set in my neighbourhood. The book is full of details and comments about city planning, history, immigration, changing social structures, along with dirty cops, and investigative journalism. Unfortunately there are too many characters in the first few chapters making it difficult to follow, particular the various police officers, property developers and their relationships. I enjoyed the quirky lines, learning Abel's back story, and seeing how some of the characters developed.

[Veronica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love this story that takes place in Toronto. I enjoyed this novel although there were times when the plot moved slowly when Abel just couldn't find the right clues to lead him to the murderer. The characters are all great and I enjoyed Abel's cooking lessons. The plot moved well when the clues were there but it probably mirrors the slow process that does take place in the hunt for the killer.
Gillmor's style of writing was unexpected yet made me think and he didn't fill his novel with unnecessary information. I would read more of his books. The climax was fantastic!

[gabby · Rating 4 out of 5]

i’m still not entirely sure how this was shelved so early near me, but it worked out in my favour lol

i really enjoyed this, i think it underscores a lot of what we already know about the police corruption (hi project south…) and the progression of urban decay.

i do wish we got to see more of the partnership between davis/abel. i think that could’ve been interesting to watch as the case unfolded more!

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sped through this one! It was the Toronto setting, St. James Town and Rosedale that made the book for me. That and the very current issues. I'm going to suggest this one for my Book Club. I also loved the main character's description of the meals he made, wanted to join him for all of them :) I was kind of hoping that this was the start of a series featuring Abel and Davis, and then something big happened and I realized there was not going to be a series. Too bad.

[Magnus Jorgensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Corrupt cops and detailed home cooking in an arid and gritty version of Toronto. I don't read a lot of murder mysteries or police procedurals but I love novels set in my city - and this was a layered, cynical portrayal of it. I did feel some tonal whiplash at some points but never enough to put me off. I'm not used to seeing Toronto through a lens of seedy criminal dealings, and Gilmour seems to balance that with in-depth scenes of our main character using artisanal ingredients from St. Lawrence market and discussing expensive wine.

[Carolyn Taylor-Watts · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent book and touches on all current political and social issues. A page turner, very well paced. My only problem with it with it is that minor characters (and most are minor, meaning they only appear briefly, some for a sentence or two,) but are fulsomely described. Their characteristics are not necessary. There are so many described that I thought I should have kept a notebook beside me while I read to record who was who.

[Karen Serles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn’t a book I would have expected to give 5 * but I really liked it! A good crime mystery. I liked the clipped Dashiell Hammett style of writing. I liked the setting in Toronto with many familiar locations. It was an intelligent read that included interesting social and political issues. This is the first book of the Helconian Club Literary Lecture Series and Kathryn & I will be hearing Don Gilmore discuss his book in September.

[Lauren Simmons · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this because I wanted to expand the genres I read regularly to make me a better Writers Craft teacher (certain kids love to write cop stuff). The fact that it’s set in Toronto and that the plot hinges on Toronto-specific themes is pretty cool. The narrative voice is sparse, but the food scenes in this book are amazing and the actual plot relatively intriguing. Not my thing ultimately but entertaining enough.

[Tori Bodnar · Rating 3 out of 5]

It made it to three stars but only because I felt like it had all the makings of a compelling story but just didn’t know what to do with it. I wish we explored more of the partnership and the mystery of the crime.It felt hollow which is how they described it in the end but could it have been foreshadowed a little more?

Overall, it had enough to keep me reading but not enough where I’m like “wow that really made me feel something”

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A slow moving procedural. In the first three quarters of the book, the detective seems more interested in writing a cookbook. He describes his dinner menus in living detail, including wine pairings. The final stretch picks up the pace, but the narrator seems strangely detached. I wonder if this is a more realistic depiction of police works, and I just didn't appreciate it.

[Wayne Woodman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read, very well written and definitely not our everyday murder mystery. The author mixes a realistic look at life in Toronto through the eyes of an unusual policeman who is part police, lawyer, philosopher and chef. Throughout it he speculates on humanity with a detachment that is enticing.
I look forward to reading more of his work.

[Kirsti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Toronto noir! I enjoyed this, though I had trouble keeping track of all the characters. I will look for more of this author's work, especially the nonfiction. Kindle version has several typos and at least one editing error ("palette" when the author means "palate"), but nothing that interferes with understanding the author's meaning.