This is a list of fiction set in or near the city of Chicago.
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| Author | Title | Year | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Achy Obejas | Memory Mambo | 1996 | ||
| Adam Langer | Crossing California | 2004 | ||
| Adam Langer | The Washington Story | 2005 | ||
| Adam Selzer | Just Kill Me | 2016 | ||
| Aden Polydoros | The City Beautiful | |||
| Aleksandar Hemon | Nowhere Man | 2002 | ISBN 0-375-72702-7 | |
| Andy Van Slyke and Rob Rains | The Curse: Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Or Do They? | 2010 | ||
| Arthur Hailey | Airport | 1968 | ||
| Audrey Niffenegger | The Time Traveler's Wife | 2003 | ISBN 0-15-602943-X | |
| Bayo Ojikutu | 47th Street Black | 2003 | ISBN 0-7394-3326-1 | |
| Blue Balliett | Chasing Vermeer | 2004 | ||
| Blue Balliett | The Wright 3 | 2006 | ||
| Bob Hartley | Following Tommy | ISBN 978-0983104186 | ||
| Bob Hartley | North and Central | ISBN 978-0986092282 | ||
| Brandy Colbert | The Revolution of Birdie Randolph | 2019 | ||
| Brandy Colbert | Pointe | 2014 | ||
| Brian J.P. Doyle | Chicago | ISBN 978-1-25006-199-7 | ||
| Carolyn Keene | The Case of the Rising Stars | 1989 | 87th volume in the Nancy Drew mystery series | |
| Charles Blackstone | The Week You Weren't Here | 2005 | ||
| Chloe Neill | Chicagoland Vampires | 2009 - 2017 | ||
| Chris Ware | Building Stories | 2012 | ||
| Chris Ware | Jimmy Corrigan, the Smartest Kid on Earth | 2000 | ||
| Daniel Pinkwater | The Education of Robert Nifkin | 1998 | Recognizably Chicago, even if never explicitly stated. | |
| Daniel Pinkwater | The Snarkout Boys and The Avocado of Death | 1982 | Recognizably Chicago, even if never explicitly stated. | |
| Daniel Pinkwater | The Snarkout Boys and the Baconburg Horror | 1984 | Recognizably Chicago, even if never explicitly stated. | |
| Don De Grazia | American Skin | 1998 | ||
| Doug Cummings | Deader by the Lake | |||
| Doug Cummings | Every Secret Crime | |||
| Ed Wagemann | The Panty Thief of Bridgeport | |||
| Edna Ferber | So Big | 1924 | ||
| Elliot Perlman | The Street Sweeper | 2012 | ||
| Eoin Colfer | Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code | 2003 | ||
| Erika Sánchez | I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter | 2017 | National Book Award Finalist | |
| Frank Norris | The Pit: A Chicago Story | 1903 | ||
| Fredric Brown | The Fabulous Clipjoint | 1947 | ||
| Graham Masterton | Headlines [1] | 1986 | ||
| Halle Butler | The New Me | 2019 | ISBN 978-1474612296 | |
| Harry Stephen Keeler | The Riddle of the Traveling Skull | 1934 | ISBN 1-932416-26-9 | |
| James Patterson and David Ellis | The Black Book (Patterson and Ellis novel) | 2017 | ISBN 978-1-4555-4267-3 | |
| James T. Farrell | Studs Lonigan trilogy | 1932 - 1935 | In 1998, the Modern Library ranked the Studs Lonigan trilogy 29th on its list of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century. | |
| Jami Attenberg | The Middlesteins [2] | 2012 | ||
| Jean Toomer | Cane | 1923 | ||
| Jennette Lee | Mr. Achilles | 1912 | ||
| Jerry Ahern | The Survivalist Series | 1981 - 2019 | The early books of the series feature Chicago frequently as the Soviets build their HQ in Chicago, with Varakov setting up his HQ in the Museum of Natural History. | |
| Jim Butcher | The Dresden Files series | 2000–present | ||
| Joe Meno | Hairstyles of the Damned [3] | 2004 | ||
| John Green | An Abundance of Katherines | 2006 | ||
| John Grisham | The Litigators | 2011 | (a #1 New York Times Best Seller in 2011) | |
| John M. Ford | The Last Hot Time | 2000 | ISBN 0-312-87578-9 | |
| John Malcolm | Mortal Ruin | ISBN 0-684-18958-5 | ||
| Joseph G. Peterson | Beautiful Piece | 2009 | ||
| Joshua Ferris | Then We Came to the End | 2007 | ISBN 978-0-316-01638-4 | |
| Kathy Reichs | 206 Bones | 2009 | ||
| Leonard Pitts, Jr. | Grant Park | 2015 | ||
| Marcus Sakey | The Blade Itself | 2007 | ||
| Matthew Rettenmund | Boy Culture | 1995 | ||
| Meyer Levin | Compulsion | 1924 | Inspired by the real-life Leopold and Loeb trial | |
| Miami Mitch (Glazer) | The Blues Brothers | 1980 | ||
| Mia P. Manansala | Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery series | 2021–present | ||
| Mord McGhee | Murder Red Ink | 2014 | ISBN 978-1501041174 | |
| Nella Larsen | Passing | 1929 | ISBN 0-14-243727-1 | |
| Nella Larsen | Quicksand | 1928 | ISBN 0-14-118127-3 | |
| Nelson Algren | The Man With the Golden Arm | 1949 | ISBN 1-58322-008-9 | |
| Paul Krueger | Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge | ISBN 978-1594747595 | ||
| Peter Cheyney | Dark Hero | 1946 | ||
| Philip Roth | Letting Go | 1962 | ||
| Richard Peck | Fair Weather | 2001 | ||
| Richard Powers | Generosity: An Enhancement | 2009 | ||
| Richard Wright | Native Son | 1940 | #20 on Modern Library's 100 Best Novels | |
| Robert Goldsborough | A Death in Pilsen | 2007 | ||
| Robert Goldsborough | A President in Peril | 2009 | ISBN 978-1-59080-616-6 | |
| Robert Goldsborough | Shadow of the Bomb | 2006 | ||
| Robert Goldsborough | Terror at the Fair | 2011 | ISBN 978-1-59080-672-2 | |
| Robert Goldsborough | Three Strikes You're Dead | 2005 | ||
| Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson | Illuminatus! | 1975 | ||
| Robert Wright Campbell | Jimmy Flannery mystery series | |||
| Sandra Cisneros | The House on Mango Street | 1984 | ISBN 0-679-43335-X | |
| Sara Paretsky | V.I. Warshawski | thrillers featuring private eye V. I. Warshawski, most recently 2020: Overboard | ||
| Saul Bellow | Dangling Man [4] | 1944 | ||
| Saul Bellow | Humboldt's Gift | 1975 | ||
| Saul Bellow | Ravelstein [5] | 2000 | ||
| Saul Bellow | The Adventures of Augie March | 1953 | ISBN 0-14-018941-6 | |
| Saul Bellow | The Actual | 1997 | ||
| Scott Spencer | Endless Love | 1979 | ||
| Shawn Shiflett | Hey, Liberal! | |||
| Sherwood Anderson | Windy McPherson's Son | 1916 | ||
| Somerset Maugham | The Razor's Edge | 1944 | ISBN 1-4000-3420-5 | |
| Stuart Dybek | The Coast of Chicago | 1990 | ISBN 0-312-42425-6 | |
| Stuart Dybek | Childhood and Other Neighborhoods | 1980 | ||
| Stuart Dybek | I Sailed with Magellan | 2003 | ||
| Terrance L. Smith | The Thief Who Came to Dinner | |||
| Theodore Dreiser | Sister Carrie | 1900 | ISBN 0-451-52760-7, on Modern Library's 100 Best Novels | |
| Theodore Dreiser | The Titan | 1914 | ||
| Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins | Apollyon | 1998 | ||
| Upton Sinclair | The Jungle | 1906 | ISBN 1-884365-30-2 [6] | |
| Veronica Roth | Divergent | 2011 | Set in post-apocalyptic Chicago - #1 on the Children's Paperback list in 2012 | |
| Veronica Roth | Insurgent | 2012 | ||
| Veronica Roth | Allegiant | 2013 | ||
| Ward Just | An Unfinished Season | 2004 | ||
| Willa Cather | The Song of the Lark | 1915 |
Although not set in the city's limits, the John Hughes directed films Sixteen Candles , The Breakfast Club , Pretty in Pink (1986) (#1 film in U.S.), and Weird Science take place in the fictional town of Shermer, Illinois, which is based on Northbrook, Illinois. A scene of Weird Science was filmed at Northbrook Court mall.
In The Matrix (1999, directed by the Wachowskis from Chicago), the subway sets were based on the CTA. One of the trains is clearly a Brown Line train, which in reality, barring construction, never goes underground.
This is a list of video games in which a major part of the action takes place in the city. This list does not count sports games or flight simulators, save for Pilotwings 64 and Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X.
Batman is a 1989 superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name, created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. Directed by Tim Burton, it is the first installment of Warner Bros.' initial Batman film series. The film was produced by Jon Peters and Peter Guber and stars Jack Nicholson, Michael Keaton, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl, Pat Hingle, Billy Dee Williams, Michael Gough, and Jack Palance. The film takes place early in the title character's war on crime and depicts his conflict with his archenemy The Joker.
Gotham City, or simply Gotham, is a fictional city in the Eastern United States that serves as the primary city appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. It is best known as the home of the superhero, Batman, and his allies and foes. Created by writer Bill Finger and artist Bob Kane, the city was first identified as Batman's place of residence in Batman #4 and has since been the primary setting for stories featuring the character. In most of its incarnations, Gotham is depicted as one of the most crime-ridden cities in the world.
Daniel Michael DeVito Jr. is an American actor and filmmaker. He gained prominence for his portrayal of the taxi dispatcher Louie De Palma in the television series Taxi (1978–1983), which won him a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award. He plays Frank Reynolds on the FXX sitcom It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005–present).
Peter MacNicol is an American actor. He received a Theatre World Award for his 1981 Broadway debut in the play Crimes of the Heart. His film roles include Galen in Dragonslayer (1981), Stingo in Sophie's Choice (1982), Janosz Poha in Ghostbusters II (1989), Gary Granger in Addams Family Values (1993), Renfield in Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995), and David Langley in Bean (1997).
Linda Edna Cardellini is an American actress. In television, she is known for her starring roles as Lindsay Weir on Freaks and Geeks (1999–2000), Samantha "Sam" Taggart on ER (2003–2009) and Meg Rayburn on Bloodline (2015–2017), as well as her portrayal of Judy Hale on Netflix's Dead to Me (2019–2022), for which she earned a nomination for the 2020 Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. She also appeared as Sylvia Rosen on AMC's Mad Men between 2013–2015, receiving an Emmy nomination in the category of Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series.
William Louis Petersen is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Gil Grissom in the CBS drama thriller series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000–2015), for which he won a Screen Actors Guild Award and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award; he was further nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards as a producer of the show. He reprised his role as Gil Grissom in the sequel CSI: Vegas, which premiered on October 6, 2021.
William Emerson Arnett is a Canadian and American actor and comedian. He is best known for playing Gob Bluth in the Fox/Netflix sitcom Arrested Development and the titular character in the Netflix animated series BoJack Horseman (2014–2020). He has received nominations for seven Primetime Emmy Awards and three Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Héctor Elizondo is an American character actor. He is known for playing Phillip Watters in the television series Chicago Hope (1994–2000) and Ed Alzate in the television series Last Man Standing (2011–2021). His film roles include The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974), American Gigolo (1980), Leviathan (1989), Pretty Woman (1990), Beverly Hills Cop III (1994), Runaway Bride (1999), The Princess Diaries (2001), and Valentine's Day (2010).
Adam Arkin is an American actor and director. He is known for playing the role of Aaron Shutt on Chicago Hope. He has been nominated for numerous awards, including a Tony as well as three primetime Emmys, four SAG Awards, and a DGA Award. In 2002, Arkin won a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Directing in a Children's Special for My Louisiana Sky. He is also one of the three actors to portray Dale "The Whale" Biederbeck on Monk. Between 2007 and 2009, he starred in Life. Beginning in 1990, he had a recurring guest role on Northern Exposure playing the angry, paranoid Adam, for which he received an Emmy nomination. In 2009, he portrayed villain Ethan Zobelle, a white separatist gang leader, in Sons of Anarchy and as Principal Ed Gibb in 8 Simple Rules (2003–2005). His brother Matthew is also an actor, as was his father Alan Arkin.
The Batman is an American animated television series based on the DC Comics superhero Batman. Developed by Michael Goguen and Duane Capizzi, and produced by Warner Bros. Animation and DC Comics for seasons 3–5, the series first aired on Kids' WB on September 11, 2004, then Cartoon Network on April 2, 2005. The show would become exclusive to the former network for its third, fourth, and fifth seasons in early 2006. The Batman won six Daytime Emmy Awards over the course of its run. Many elements from previous Batman storylines were borrowed and adapted, such as those from the comic books, film series and the animated shows like Batman: The Animated Series from the DC Animated Universe, but it remained strictly within its own distinct continuity. Jackie Chan Adventures artist Jeff Matsuda served as art director and provided the character designs. The production team altered the appearances of many of the comic books' supervillains for the show, such as the Joker, the Penguin, Mr. Freeze, Bane, and the Riddler.
Bruce Gowers was a British television director and producer, best known for his work on large-scale live music and event productions.
Bruce Walter Timm is an American artist, animator, writer, producer, and director. He is best known for contributing to building the modern DC Comics animated franchise, most notably as the head producer behind Batman: The Animated Series (1992–1995), Superman: The Animated Series (1996–2000), The New Batman Adventures (1997–1999), Batman Beyond (1999–2001), Justice League (2001–2004), and Justice League Unlimited (2004–2006).
Jonathan Nolan is a British and American screenwriter and producer. He is the creator of the CBS science fiction series Person of Interest (2011–2016) and co-creator of the HBO science fiction/Western series Westworld (2016–2022).
Daniel John Cannon is a British film and television producer, director and writer, known for executive producing the 15-season CSI: Crime Scene Investigation series franchise, and simultaneously executive producing the CSI: Miami and CSI: NY spin-offs.
Troy Miller is an American film producer, director and screenwriter. He is best known for his work in comedy and has directed four feature films as well as directing and producing numerous TV shows and specials.
Amusement rides and stunt shows themed to the Batman franchise its derivative elements are commonly found at Warner Bros. and Six Flags amusement parks across the world.
Sander Schwartz is an American Daytime Emmy award-winning producer of television animation. He was President of Warner Bros. Animation between 2001 and 2007, followed by President, International Productions of Sony Pictures Television between 2007 and 2009, and was President of FremantleMedia's Kids and Family Entertainment Division from 2009 through 2013. From 2013 to 2015 he was CEO of IPSP Global Financial Services LLC, the American arm of DengiOnline, the largest online electronics payments platform in Russia and the C.I.S., specializing in the distribution of video games for and micro-transactions within gaming for all platforms. In 2013, Sander founded Sandman Television and Film Inc., a boutique production company and media advisory firm.
Gotham is an American superhero crime drama television series developed by Bruno Heller, produced by Warner Bros. Television and based on characters from the Batman mythos in comic books published by DC Comics. The series premiered on Fox on September 22, 2014, and ended on April 25, 2019, after five seasons consisting of 100 episodes. It features an ensemble cast that includes Ben McKenzie as James "Jim" Gordon, Donal Logue as Harvey Bullock, and David Mazouz as Bruce Wayne. The show follows Gordon's early days at the Gotham City Police Department following the murder of Bruce's parents, as well as the origin stories of Batman's infamous rogues gallery.