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Does anyone have recommendations for books set in Chicago?

Does anyone have recommendations for books set in Chicago?

Ashley #recommend

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68 Answers

Megan

MWF Seeking BFF. I thought this was a great read for someone who’s move to a new place and trying to make friends. The author moved to Chicago and set out to find friends. It’s pretty hilarious and relatable.

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Cindy

“Crossing California” by Adam Langer is set in Chicago in the late 70s. I liked it, but partly because that’s when I moved to Chicago. For Non-Fiction, there’s “Devil in the White City” by Erik Larsen.

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Sally

Devil was fascinating!

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Janet

This was a good book, and lots of interesting information aside from the story.

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Sarah

James T. Farrell’s classic Studs Lonigan trilogy. It’s old and brilliant, and made the Catholic index of no-no books, from what I’ve heard.

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Sarah

Early part of the 20th century.

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Patty

Devil in the White City. History, that reads like fiction – fascinating!

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Sarah

His book about the hurricane that flattened Galveston, TX, “Isaac’s Storm,” is also great.

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Jenn

Was just going to say the same thing

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Sue

Loved both those books. When history is so well written you forget you are reading non fiction…

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Tim

“Tell me know secrets” by joy fielding

“People are inexplicably disappearing from Chicago prosecutor Jess Koster’s life. First her mother vanished without a trace eight years ago. And now a client, the victim of a brutal, sadistic rapist, is also missing. Someone is disrupting Jess’s neat, ordered existence with chaos and terror. And from the shadow of her past, a maniac is watching her when she goes to work and waiting for her when she goes home, stalking her until there is no one Jess can trust. And she feels with blood-chilling certainty that her mysterious tormentor is perilously close and that the next person to vanish from the face of the Earth will be Jess Koster.”

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Erin

Jen Lancaster memoirs and @Stacey fiction!

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Cindy

Sara Paretsky’s V.I.Warshwski books are set in Chicago.

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Tim

Loved the movie with Kathleen Turner

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Judy

Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, non fiction about murders at the time of the 1893 (?) Worlds Fair

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Cindy

Jami Attenberg’s “The Middlesteins” is set in Chicago’s northwest suburbs.

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Chance

If you don’t mind a sci fi fantasy twist the Dresden Files is the way to go

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Kristy

Exactly what I was thinking.

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Jenn

Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files

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Kristy

Jim. 😛

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Jenn

I fixed it. I have a friend named Paul Butcher and autocorrect likes to change it to Paul when I am not paying attention

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Katie

The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger.

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Anna

I loved that book!

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Emily

Oh so many…The House on Mango Street, The Jungle, Native Son, So Big (I took a Chicago novel class in college. It was awesome).

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Anne

Where did you go to school? I would love to take that class!

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Emily

@Anne a small private school in eastern TN, Carson-Newman.

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Anne

I’ll look for one here in Chicago, sounds like a great class!

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Emily

It certainly was. I also took a novels of Jane Austen class in which we read the book then watched the corresponding movie.

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Sue

Kathy Reichs new novel- Two Nights

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Martha

After Life by Marcus Sakey

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Sue

The Jack Daniels series. The first is Whiskey Sour. Female police officer.

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Carol

The Dresden Files

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Sarah

Divergent series

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Courtney

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch, Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, and The Good Girl by Mary Kubica

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Amanda

I’m halfway through The Good Girl and definitely enjoying it.

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Cathy

All of Sara Paretsky’s novels

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Fredda

studs lonigan farrell

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Patty

Suburbs of Chicago, but A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers is great.

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Maudia

The Castle of the Flynns, growing up in a large raucous Irish American family in Chicago.

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Adam

The Devil in the White City (I think that’s what it’s called)

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Susan

Excellent book. Dying to find other books by the same author

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Sarah

Just finished The Nix (so good!) and it’s mostly in Chicago. Mary Kubica sets most of her books in Chicago if you like thrillers. Another good non-fiction read besides Devil in the White City is Sin in the Second City.

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Cindy

I loved The Nix!

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Joan

Theresa Schwegel mysteries

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Missy

Devil in the White City

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Brittany

dark matter by blake crouch!

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Vicki

Sara Paretsky’s VI Warshawski series.

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Meredith

Scott Simon’s about city politics is the best.

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Nicole

Chicagoland vampires series

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Anne

Just started reading, but really like it so far!

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Vanessa

The fifth floor

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Jane

Also loved “The Nix.”

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Vickie

Devil in the White City non-fiction set around the Chicago World’s Fair and multiple murders. Really great book by Erik Larsen

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Melanie

Devil in the White City-Erik Larsen

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Jessica

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch and The Time Travelers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (do not judge this book by its movie…)

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Lesley

Dark Matter, The Nix

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Christie

Sister Carrie is my favorite.

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Karen

I’m adding that to my list.

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Lou

MWF Seeking BFF: My Year-long Search for a New Best Friend

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Whitney

I loved that book. It made me smile when I read it after moving to a new city.

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Karen

What the Lady Wants. It is about the rise of Marshall Field in post-fire Chicago.

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Carolyn

Devil in the White City for sure.

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Jenn

The Time Traveler’s Wife

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Debbie

If you like fantasy, paranormal detective the Jim Butchers – Harry Dresdon series is set in Chicago – not for the faint hearted who just like a gentle story as a lot of nasty monsters are killed in some messy ways – good against evil is the theme

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Marion

Sister Carrie.

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Carolyn

Sara Parethsky’s V,I. Warshawski and Erik Larson’s Devil in White City and Chicago by Brian Doyle…

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Anne

I’m reading Chicago now!?

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Carolyn

@Anne So sad to lose him so young! Have you read Marten Martin? So sweet.

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