List of fiction set in Chicago

This is a list of fiction set in or near the city of Chicago.

1933 postcard showing the corner of State and Madison in downtown Chicago

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Novels

• Nelson Algren, The Man With the Golden Arm ISBN 1-58322-008-9
• Sherwood Anderson, Windy McPherson's Son
• Blue Balliett, Chasing Vermeer and The Wright 3
• Saul Bellow, The Adventures of Augie March ISBN 0-14-018941-6
• Saul Bellow, Dangling Man^[1]
• Saul Bellow, Humboldt's Gift
• Saul Bellow, Ravelstein^[2]
• Charles Blackstone, The Week You Weren't Here
• Fredric Brown, The Fabulous Clipjoint
• Jim Butcher, The Dresden Files series
• Robert Wright Campbell, Jimmy Flannery mystery series
• Willa Cather, The Song of the Lark
• Peter Cheyney, Dark Hero
• Sandra Cisneros, The House on Mango Street ISBN 0-679-43335-X
• Doug Cummings, Deader by the Lake
• Theodore Dreiser, Sister Carrie ISBN 0-451-52760-7 on Modern Library's 100 Best Novels
• Theodore Dreiser, The Titan
• Stuart Dybek, The Coast of Chicago ISBN 0-312-42425-6
• James T. Farrell, Studs Lonigan trilogy
• Edna Ferber, So Big
• Joshua Ferris, Then We Came to the End ISBN 978-0-316-01638-4
• John M. Ford, The Last Hot Time ISBN 0-312-87578-9
• Robert Goldsborough, A Death in Pilsen
• Robert Goldsborough, President in Peril ISBN 978-1-59080-616-6
• Robert Goldsborough, Shadow of the Bomb
• Robert Goldsborough, Terror at the Fair ISBN 978-1-59080-672-2
• Robert Goldsborough, Three Strikes You're Dead
• John Grisham, The Litigators
• Aleksandar Hemon, Nowhere Man ISBN 0-375-72702-7
• Ward Just, An Unfinished Season
• Harry Stephen Keeler, The Riddle of the Traveling Skull ISBN 1-932416-26-9
• Adam Langer, Crossing California
• Adam Langer, The Washington Story
• Nella Larsen, Passing ISBN 0-14-243727-1
• Nella Larsen, Quicksand ISBN 0-14-118127-3
• Jennette Lee, Mr. Achilles
• Graham Masterton, Headlines^[3]
• Somerset Maugham, The Razor's Edge ISBN 1-4000-3420-5
• Mord McGhee, Murder Red Ink
• Joe Meno, Hairstyles of the Damned^[4]
• Chloe Neill, Chicagoland Vampires
• Audrey Niffenegger, The Time Traveler's Wife ISBN 0-15-602943-X
• Frank Norris, The Pit: A Chicago Story
• Bayo Ojikutu, 47th Street Black, ISBN 0-7394-3326-1
• Bayo Ojikutu, Free Burning, ISBN 1-4000-8289-7
• Achy Obejas, Memory Mambo
• Sara Paretsky, thrillers featuring private eye V.I. Warshawski
• Richard Peck, Fair Weather
• Joseph G. Peterson, Beautiful Piece
• Daniel Pinkwater, The Education of Robert Nifkin Snarkout Boys and The Avocado of Death, Snarkout Boys and the Baconburg Horror. Recognizably Chicago, even if never explicitly stated.
• Leonard Pitts, Jr., Grant Park
• Philip Roth, Letting Go
• Veronica Roth, Divergent - #1 on the Children's Paperback list in 2012
• Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson, Illuminatus!
• Upton Sinclair, The Jungle ISBN 1-884365-30-2^[5]
• Terrance L. Smith, The Thief Who Came to Dinner
• Scott Spencer, Endless Love
• Chris Ware, Building Stories (2012)
• Chris Ware, Jimmy Corrigan, the Smartest Kid on Earth
• Richard Wright, Native Son #20 on Modern Library's 100 Best Novels

Short stories

• "Deadly City," March, 1953 issue of If magazine under the pseudonym Ivar Jorgensen (later made into the motion picture Target Earth; the story was about an alien invasion and evacuation of Chicago)
• Chicago Stories: 40 Dramatic Fictions by Michael Czyzniejewski, Jacob S Knabb and Rob Funderburk, 2012
• The Coast of Chicago: Stories by Stuart Dybek, 2004

Plays and musicals

• American Buffalo
• Be Like Water
• Bleacher Bums
• Chicago - musical, nominated for ten Tony Awards in 1976
• Chicago - play
• Clybourne Park
• Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?
• The Front Page
• Glengarry Glen Ross
• In the Jungle of Cities
• Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
• Proof
• A Raisin in the Sun - nominated for four Tony Awards in 1960
• The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui
• Sexual Perversity in Chicago
• Show Boat
• Superior Donuts

Films

• About Last Night (1986)
• Above the Law (1988)
• Adventures in Babysitting (1987)
• The Adventures of Lucky Pierre (1961)
• Against All Hope (1982)
• Ali (2001)
• Allah Tantou (1989)
• American Gun (2005)
• American Reel (1999)
• Angel Eyes (2001)
• Anything's Possible (1999)
• April Fools (2007)
• August Rush (2007)
• The Babe (1992)
• Baby on Board (2009)
• Baby's Day Out (1994)
• Backdraft (1991) (box office #1 film in the U.S.)
• Bad Boys (1983)
• Barbershop (2002) (box office #1 film in the U.S.)
• Barbershop 2: Back in Business (2004) (#1 film in U.S.)
• Beginning of the End (1957) – set in downstate Illinois and Chicago
• Betrayed (1988)
• The Big Brawl (1980)
• Big Shots (1987)
• Blankman (1994)
• Blind (1994)
• Blink (1994)
• The Blues Brothers (1980)
• Blues Brothers 2000 (1998)
• The Boss (2016) (#1 film in U.S.)
• Brannigan (1975)
• The Break-Up (2006) (#1 in the U.S.)
• The Breakfast Club (1985)
• Breed of Men (1919)
• Bridesmaids (2011) (partly in Chicago)
• Bridge (1988)
• The Brute (1920)
• Bugsy Malone (1976)
• Butterfly on a Wheel (2007)
• Call Northside 777 (1948)
• Candyman (1992) - based on a book originally set in London
• Carrie (1952)
• Casino (1995) - scenes labeled as "Back Home" are in Chicago
• Category 6: Day of Destruction (2004) - partly in Chicago
• Chain Reaction (1996)
• Chicago (1927)
• Chicago (2002) (Academy Award for Best Picture)
• Chicago Cab (1997)
• Chicago Deadline (1949)
• Chicago Overcoat (2009)
• Child's Play (1988) (#1 in U.S.)
• Child's Play 2 (1990) (#1 in U.S.)
• Chi-Raq (2015)
• City That Never Sleeps (1953)
• Class (1983)
• Code of Silence (1985)
• Colombiana (2011)
• The Company (2003)
• Continental Divide (1981)
• Cooley High (1975)
• Curly Sue (1991)
• Damien: Omen II (1978) (#1 film in the U.S.)
• Danger Lights (1930) (partly in Chicago)
• Death of a President (2006)
• Dhoom 3 (2013) (Hindi film)^[6]
• The Dilemma (2011)
• Divergent (2014) (box office #1 film in the U.S.)
• The Divergent Series: Insurgent (2015) (#1 in the U.S.)
• Derailed (2005)
• Dick Tracy (1990)
• Dragonfly (2002)
• The Dumb Girl of Portici (1916)
• Eagle Eye (2008) (#1 film in U.S.)
• Eight Men Out (1988)
• The Express (2009)
• Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
• Flatliners (1990)
• The Fugitive (1993)^[7] (#1 film in the U.S.)
• The Fury (1978)
• Girls Just Want To Have Fun (1985)
• Go Fish (1994)
• Guilty as Sin (1993)
• Hardball (2001) (#1 film in U.S.)
• Harry and Tonto (1974)
• Heaven is a Playground (1991)
• Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986) - partly in Chicago
• Hero (1992)
• High Fidelity (2000) - based on a book originally set in London
• His New Job (1915)
• Home Alone (1990) (#1 film in the U.S.)
• Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) (partly in Chicago) (#1 film in U.S.)
• Home Alone 3 (1997)
• The Homesteader (1919)
• Hoodlum (1997)
• Hope Floats (1998) - partly in Chicago
• The Hunter (1980) - partly in Chicago
• The Great Ziegfeld (1936)
• I Love Trouble (1994)
• I, Robot (2004) (#1 in U.S.)
• I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With (2007)
• In the Depth of Our Hearts (1920)
• It's the Rage (1999)
• Judgment Night (1993)
• King of the Rodeo (1929)
• Kissing A Fool (1998)
• The Lake House (2006)
• A League of Their Own (1992) (#1 in the U.S.)
• Light It Up (1999)
• Little Fockers (2010)
• Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977)
• Love and Action in Chicago (1999)
• Love Jones (1997)
• Lucas (1986)
• The Man with the Golden Arm (1955)
• Mean Girls (2004) (#1 film in U.S.) - set in Evanston
• Medium Cool (1969)
• Meet the Parents (2000) (#1 in the U.S.) - partly set in Chicago
• Mercury Rising (1998)
• Message in a Bottle - partly set in Chicago
• Michael (1996) - partly in Chicago (#1 film in U.S.)
• Mickey One (1965)
• Midnight Run (1988) - partly in Chicago
• Miracle on 34th Street (1994) - partly in Chicago
• Mo' Money (1992)
• Monkey Hustle (1976)
• Music Box (1989)
• My Best Friend's Wedding (1997)
• My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
• My Bodyguard (1980)
• National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989) (#1 film in U.S.)
• National Lampoon's European Vacation (1985) - starts in Chicago
• National Lampoon's Vacation (1983) - partly in Chicago (#1 film in U.S.)
• Natural Born Killers (1994) - partly in Chicago
• The Negotiator (1998)
• Never Been Kissed (1999)
• Next of Kin (1989) - set in Chicago and Kentucky
• A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon (1988)
• Nothing in Common (1986) - partly in Chicago
• On the Line (2001)
• Only the Lonely (1991)
• Opportunity Knocks (1990)
• Ordinary People(1980) (Academy Award for Best Picture)
• The Package (1989)
• Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987)
• Poltergeist III (1988)
• Prelude to a Kiss (1992)
• Primal Fear (1996)
• Proof (2005)
• Public Enemies (2009)
• Raisin in the Sun (1961)
• Random Encounter (1998)
• Rapid Fire (1992)
• Raw Deal (1986)
• Red Heat (1988)
• The Relic (1997) - based on a book originally set in New York City
• Return to Me (2000)
• Ri¢hie Ri¢h (1994) - scenes filmed in Chicago
• Risky Business (1983) - set in the North Shore
• Road to Perdition (2002) (#1 film in the U.S.)
• Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964)
• Roll Bounce (2005)
• Rookie of the Year (1993)
• Running Scared (1986)
• Save the Last Dance (2001) (#1 film in the U.S.)
• Scooby-Doo! Stage Fright (2013)
• Shall We Dance? (2004)
• Sheba, Baby (1975) - partly in Chicago
• She's Having a Baby (1988)
• Silver Streak (1976) - partly in Chicago
• Sleepless In Seattle (1993) - partly in Chicago
• Slim (1937) - partly in Chicago
• Some Like It Hot (1959) - partly in Chicago
• Somewhere in Time (1980) - partly in Chicago
• Soul Food (1997)
• A Sound of Thunder (2005)
• Source Code (2011)
• Spider-Man 2 (2004) (#1 film in U.S.) - partly in Chicago
• The Sting (1973) - partly in Chicago; Academy Award for Best Picture
• Stir of Echoes (1999)
• Stolen Summer (2001)
• Straight Talk (1992)
• Stranger than Fiction (2006)
• Strawberry Fields (1997)
• Streets of Fire (1984)
• Surviving Christmas (2003)
• That Royle Girl (1925)
• Thief (1981)
• Three To Tango (1999)
• Tommy Boy (1995) (#1 film in U.S.) - partly in Chicago and Wisconsin
• Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)
• Two Fathers: Justice for the Innocent (1994)
• Ultraviolet (2006)
• The Unborn (2009)
• Uncle Buck (1989) (#1 film in U.S.)
• The Untouchables (1987)
• U.S. Marshals (1998) - partly in Chicago
• Vegas Vacation (1997) - starts in Chicago
• V.I. Warshawski (1991)
• Wanted (2008)
• The Watcher (2000) (#1 in the U.S.)
• Wayne's World (1992) (#1 film in the U.S.) - partly in Chicago
• Wayne's World 2 (1993) (#1 in the U.S.) - partly in Chicago
• The Weather Man (2005)
• A Wedding (1978)
• What Women Want (2000) (#1 in the U.S.)
• When Harry Met Sally (1989) - partly in Chicago
• While You Were Sleeping (1995) (#1 in the U.S.)
• The Whole Nine Yards (2000) (#1 in the U.S.)
• Wicker Park (2004)
• Wildcats (1986)
• Within Our Gates (1920)

Although not set in the city's limits, the John Hughes 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.

In The Matrix (1999), 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.

Chicago destroyed on film

• In Old Chicago (1937) - destroyed by the Great Chicago Fire
• Independence Day (1996) - mentioned
• Chain Reaction (1996) - parts of the city destroyed by an explosion caused by a hydrogen reactor
• Category 6: Day of Destruction (2004) - destroyed by a series of tornadoes and a category 6 hurricane over the Great Lakes
• Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) - seriously damaged by the Decepticons' assault on the city as well as the final battle between the Autobots and Decepticons (#1 film in U.S.)
• Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014) - the city was rebuilt five years later, where it was used for KSI first (#1 in U.S.)

TV shows

• According to Jim (2001–2009). ABC
• Against the Wall (2011)
• Barbershop: The Series (2005)
• The Beast (2009)
• Betrayal (2013-2014)
• Biker Mice from Mars (1993–1995)
• The Bob Newhart Show (1972–1978)
• The Boondocks (2005-2014) Adult Swim
• Boss (2011–2012)
• Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979–1981) - in its first season (1979–1980), "New Chicago" functioned as Earth's capital city
• The Building (1993)
• Charlie & Co. (1985-1986)
• The Chicago Code (2011) Billy Corgan did the theme song. FOX
• Chicago Fire (2012–present). NBC
• Chicago Hope (1994–2000). Emmy-winner for Mandy Patinkin. CBS
• Chicago Med (2015–present). NBC
• Chicago PD (2014–present). NBC
• Chicago Sons (1997)
• Chicago Story (1982)
• Coupling (2003) - US version only
• The Crazy Ones (2013-2014) with Robin Williams. CBS
• Crime Story (1986–1988)
• Crisis (2014)
• Cupid (1998)
• The Dresden Files (2007)
• Due South (1994–1996, 1997–1999) - some filming in Toronto, Canada
• Early Edition (1996–2000)
• E/R (1984–1985)
• ER (1994–2009). Won 23 Emmy Awards. Most nominated drama show ever. NBC
• Exosquad (1993–1995) - Chicago, renamed to Phaeton City, was one of the central locations of the show
• Family Matters (1989–1998) Emmy-nominated. ABC
• The Forgotten (2009–2010). ABC
• Generations (1989–1991)
• The Girlfriend Experience (2016) Starz
• Good Times (1974–1979) Golden Globe nominated. CBS
• The Good Wife (2009–present) 5-time Emmy winner for Julianna Margulies. CBS
• Happy Endings (2011–2013)
• The Hogan Family (1986–1991)
• It Takes Two (1982-1983)
• Kenan & Kel (1996–2000) on Nickelodeon
• Kolchak: The Night Stalker (1974–1975)
• Lady Blue (1985–1986)
• The League (2009–2015)
• Legally Mad (2009)
• Leverage (2008–2012) - pilot episode only
• Life Goes On (1989–1993)
• Life With Bonnie (2002–2004)
• The Loop (2006–2007)
• M Squad (1957–1960)
• Married... with Children (1987–1997). FOX
• Mike and Molly (2010–present) Emmy winner in 2011 for Melissa McCarthy. CBS
• Mind Games (2014)
• Modern Men (2006)
• My Boys (2006–2010)
• Pepper Dennis (2006)
• Perfect Strangers (1986–1993)
• The Playboy Club (2011)
• Prison Break (2005–2009) - partly set in Chicago
• Punky Brewster (1984–1986)
• Revolution (2012–2014)
• Samantha Who? (2007–2009)
• Shake It Up (2010–2013) Disney Channel
• Shameless (2011–present) Emmy-winner in 2015 for Joan Cusack. Showtime
• Sirens (2014-2015)
• Sisters (1991–1996)
• Soul Food: The Series (2000–2004). Emmy-nominated. Showtime
• Special Unit 2 (2001-2002)
• Starting Over (2003–2004 season)
• The Steve Harvey Show (1996–2002). The WB
• Still Standing (2002–2006). CBS
• Terra Nova (2011)
• Traffic Light (2011)
• Trust Me (2009)
• Turks (1999)
• Two of a Kind (1998–1999). ABC
• The Untouchables (1959–1963) Emmy winner. ABC
• Webster (1983–1987)
• What About Joan? (2001)
• Whitney (2011–2013)
• Wild Card (2003–2005)

Many considered Hill Street Blues, which never made explicit what city it was in, to be set in Chicago.

Reality TV

• The Real World: Chicago (2002)
• Real World: Skeletons (2014–2015)

Video games

This is a list of video games in which a major part of the action takes place in Chicago, Illinois. This list does not count sports games or flight simulators, save for Pilotwings 64 and Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X.

• 18 Wheels of Steel series (PC)
• BattleTanx (N64)
• Blues Brothers 2000 (N64)
• Chicago 90 (Amiga)
• Chicago 1930 (PC, Mac)
• Chicago Enforcer (Xbox)
• The Crew (PC, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360)
• Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge (Xbox)
• Cruisin' USA (Midway Games) (arcade/N64)
• Deus Ex: Invisible War (PC/Xbox)
• Double S.T.E.A.L: The Second Clash (Xbox)
• Driver 2 (PS/GBA)
• Emergency Call Ambulance (arcade)
• Grid 2 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360, Mac)
• Halo 2 (Xbox/PC) - the multiplayer level "Foundry" is based in Chicago
• Hitman: Absolution (PC/Xbox360/PS3)
• I Am Alive (PC/PS3/Xbox360)
• Lethal Enforcers (Konami)
• Michael Jordan in Chaos in the Windy City (SNES)
• Midtown Madness (PC)
• Mob Enforcer (PC)
• NARC (Williams Electronics) (PC/PS2/Xbox)
• Nocturne (PC)
• Perfect Dark (N64)
• Pilotwings 64 (N64)
• Project Gotham Racing 2 (Xbox)
• Rampage 2: Universal Tour (N64/PS1)
• Rampage: Total Destruction (GCN/PS2/Wii)
• Rampage World Tour (N64/PS1)
• Resistance 2 (PS3)
• Rock Band (PS2/PS3/Xbox360/Wii/PSP)
• Stranglehold (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC)
• Tekken (PS1/arcade)
• Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. (PC/PS3/Xbox360/Wii)
• Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist (PC/PS3/Xbox360/WiiU)
• Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 (PC/PS/PS2/Xbox)
• US Racer (PC)
• Watch Dogs (PC/PS3/PS4/WiiU/Xbox360)^[8]
• You Don't Know Jack (PC) - the host periodically mentions being in or from Chicago

Comics, manga, and cartoons

• Blue Beetle
• Cage, volume 1 (April 1992-November 1993) - ongoing series by Marvel Comics featuring the superhero Luke Cage; 20 issues were published
• "C.O.W.L." ^[9]
• "Ghost"^[10]
• Gunsmith Cats
• "Kremin" 1-4 Grey Productions Inc 1991-1992
• Nightwing Vol 3., Issue #18-ongoing
• Plastic Man (DC)
• Riding Bean
• Savage Dragon
• Tintin in America

References

1. Coetzee, J.M. (May 27, 2004). "Bellow's Gift", New York Review of Books. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
2. "Christopher Hitchens reviews ‘Ravelstein’ by Saul Bellow · LRB 27 April 2000". Lrb.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-02-05.
3. "The Official Site: Bibliography". Graham Masterton. Retrieved 2016-02-05.
4. "Fiction". Joemeno.com. Retrieved 2016-02-05.
5. "BRIA 24 1 b Upton Sinclairs The Jungle: Muckraking the Meat-Packing Industry - Constitutional Rights Foundation". Crf-usa.org. 1906-06-30. Retrieved 2016-02-05.
6. "Dhoom:3 (2013)". IMDb.com. Retrieved 2016-02-05.
7. "Home That Was Scene Of ‘The Fugitive’ Murder Is For Sale « CBS Chicago". Chicago.cbslocal.com. 2014-04-18. Retrieved 2016-02-05.
8. "Why you can't visit Soldier Field in Watch Dogs". Joystiq.com. 2014-05-28. Retrieved 2016-02-05.
9. "The Golden Age Is Over in C.O.W.L. | News". Image Comics. Retrieved 2016-02-05.
10. "Ghost #11 :: Profile :: Dark Horse Comics". Darkhorse.com. 2015-01-07. Retrieved 2016-02-05.

External links

• City of Chicago's Film Office
• Chicago in Science Fiction bibliography
• Chicago Magazine's Top 40 Chicago Novels