Emily McClanathan

Chicago author Cynthia Pelayo gathers seventeen short horror stories from Latiné writers, each with an uncanny ability to suck you in.

Mathilda Zeller draws on local lore and her own family history in her horror novel, which expands on short story “Kushtuka."

"Back for Blood: Never Whistle at Night Part II" is a compelling sequel to the acclaimed Indigenous anthology edited by Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst Jr.

Will Quam’s "Fire and Clay" traces the colors, textures and histories embedded in the city’s architecture.

Dawn Turner's tale of a Black couple moving to suburban Chicago is inspired by a period early in her own marriage.

The new novel by local author Michael O’Donnell taps into the rarefied atmosphere of the classical music world, transporting readers from the cold austerity of post-war Britain to the lush concert halls of London and Chicago.

The novel's protagonist owns a driving school that largely serves immigrants, for whom driving signifies freedom.

Unsettling Territory by Douglas Kiel chronicles the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin’s resilience during the 20th and 21st centuries.

A reflection on the vastness of The Great Lakes through poems, essays, and personal stories set in Belt Publishing's newest anthology.

Chicago writer Deborah Shapiro skillfully captures the feeling of watching a comfort show like “Columbo” in this blend of cultural criticism and memoir.

A writer reviews the story of Gift Theatre Company, a creative labor of love in Chicago where deep bonds were foraged, as recalled by Maggie Anderson.

University of Chicago historian Michael Rossi explores the dark history of eugenics in Capturing Kahanamoku.

Chicago author Caroline Macon Fleischer's new psychological horror novel includes acts and scenes instead of chapters, italicized stage directions to describe the action and blocks of dialogue with the speakers’ names in all-caps.

An unsettling ghost story with elements of social satire, "The Unveiling" explores explores themes of guilt, memory and racial identity.

A look at Belt Publishing's new book "The Rockford Anthology" through the eyes of a former resident reconsidering their relationship to their hometown.

The El, by Theodore C. Van Alst Jr., is a semi-autobiographical novel set over the course of one scorching day in Chicago, August 1979.

Red Line: Chicago Horror Stories delves into spooky Chicago history and painful aspects of modern urban life.

The Favorites, by Chicago author Layne Fargo, is a cautionary tale about ambition, with a dash of commentary on celebrity culture.

For local history buffs and nonfiction fans of many stripes, I offer up nonfiction recommendations written by or about Illinoisans.

In Our Nazi, debut author Michael Soffer examines the fallout of the shocking revelation that a Nazi was living and working in Oak Park.