Louise Penny's latest novel is set to debut at the top spot on the New York Times Best Sellers list, the author said today.

How The Light Gets In is Penny's ninth book, and the latest in her series following Sûreté du Québec Inspector Armand Gamache, set in the fictional Eastern Township village of Three Pines. It went on sale last week.

"Can barely believe it. Barely contain my excitement. Wow!!! #1. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!" wrote Penny on her Facebook fan page.

The Cuckoo's Calling by J.K. Rowling, under her pseudonym Robert Galbraith, currently sits at the top of the Combined Print and E-book Fiction list.

Penny's first book is being adapted into a television movie, called Still Life: A Three Pines Mystery, by the CBC, PDM Entertainment and Attraction Images. Still Life won Penny the Arthur Ellis Award for best first crime novel in 2005.

Penny was born in Toronto and worked with the CBC as a radio broadcaster before writing Still Life. She currently lives in Quebec's Eastern Townships.