Novels Set In Detroit

**Tucson Tiger** · January-15-13, 05:32 PM

I was wondering if anyone is aware of any really good, serious contemporary fiction set in Detroit? It would seem like this social upheaval would surely give rise to some great novels. Thanks.

**JAYCR** · January-15-13, 05:49 PM

Middlesex was pretty excellent.

**Detroitnerd** · January-15-13, 06:07 PM

Originally Posted by JAYCR

Middlesex was pretty excellent.

Aww, Middlesex sucked and took too long to do it.

Most of the fiction written in Detroit is street fiction. At least that's what the urban upheaval seems to be producing right now.

**JAYCR** · January-15-13, 06:11 PM

So what is this "street fiction" and where can one pick some up?

**RickBeall** · January-15-13, 06:37 PM

This is an interesting topic. If you expanded your scope to "any novel based in Detroit", we could list a lot of detective novels.

**Eastside** · January-15-13, 07:50 PM

Check out the work by Michael Zadoorian.

**a100driver** · January-16-13, 07:10 AM

All of the William X. Keinsle [[Spelling of the last name might be wrong) murder mysteries place in Detroit. William X. Keinsle was an ex Catholic priest. ALL of his books surround Detroit [[a LOT) and have a Catholic spin on them. One of them [[The Rosary Murders) was made into a movie with Donald Sutherland as the main character, and was filmed in Detroit. Check them out.

There was also another book by Elmore Leonard called Freaky Deaky. Not such a great book, but the setting too was Detroit.

Hope this helps you.

**Király** · January-16-13, 10:17 AM

Originally Posted by Tucson Tiger

I was wondering if anyone is aware of any really good, serious contemporary fiction set in Detroit? It would seem like this social upheaval would surely give rise to some great novels. Thanks.

There's lots in the hard boiled/detective/murder mystery genre. Any of Loren D. Estleman books come to mind. Or pulp/street novels, as others have mentioned.

Other than that there seems to be very little. One newer title is Say Nice Things About Detroit, which I read a few months ago. It was OK.

**Tucson Tiger** · February-05-13, 07:48 PM

Check out Heroes. This seems to be a literary novel that really captures the decline and fall of the Motor City. I believe that the author, William Theodore Clemmons, has some other titles in the pipeline. I would be interested to see what other people think of Heroes

**p69rrh51** · February-05-13, 08:15 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

Aww, Middlesex sucked and took too long to do it.

Most of the fiction written in Detroit is street fiction. At least that's what the urban upheaval seems to be producing right now.

I found it riveting but then Eugenides was two years ahead of me at ULS and I knew some of the people he based his characters on.
What about Elmore Leonard novels?

**KJ5** · February-05-13, 09:19 PM

If you want to talk about "street fiction" Donald Goines, a Detroit native, wrote numerous books set in Detroit that are considered classic examples of the genre. Dopefiend was the one that I read.

**Blueidone** · February-05-13, 11:09 PM

"Dead of Night" by Barbara Nadel. You can get it on Amazon. She is from England...great murder mystery writer. Met her while she was here doing research for the book.

**Ltdave** · February-06-13, 06:17 PM

read a book called "wheels" once...

it had an automotive story, based in detroit....

**innercitydoc** · February-06-13, 07:08 PM

Originally Posted by KJ5

If you want to talk about "street fiction" Donald Goines, a Detroit native, wrote numerous books set in Detroit that are considered classic examples of the genre. Dopefiend was the one that I read.

Black Gangster was another Donald Goines classic. The film adaptation was supposed to be developed by Jay-Z some years ago but never panned out.

**tfrodent** · February-06-13, 07:29 PM

Originally Posted by Tucson Tiger

I was wondering if anyone is aware of any really good, serious contemporary fiction set in Detroit? It would seem like this social upheaval would surely give rise to some great novels. Thanks.

"them' - Joyce Carol Oates

**Detroitnerd** · February-06-13, 07:33 PM

Daddy Cool was a good book. Loren Estleman writes a pretty good line too, in those Amos Walker books.

**southofbloor** · February-06-13, 10:08 PM

Originally Posted by JAYCR

Middlesex was pretty excellent.

100% agree. Loved it - favourite fiction book set in Detroit.

Another book recommendation would be "Detroit City is the Place to Be" by Mark Binelli. Not fiction but it flows like a novel and tries to thoroughly investigate the city - good read.

**7miledog** · February-06-13, 10:10 PM

Check out the Charlie Sloan mysteries by William Coughlin. I thoroughly enjoyed them all.

http://www.goodreads.com/author/list...iam_J_Coughlin

**Kathleen** · February-06-13, 10:29 PM

Originally Posted by Ltdave

read a book called "wheels" once...

it had an automotive story, based in detroit....

By Arthur Hailey!

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/124924.Wheels

**Kathleen** · February-06-13, 10:30 PM

Similarly....The Betsy by Harold Robbins
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56776.The_Betsy

**rutlev** · February-07-13, 10:47 AM

The Art Student's War - Brad Leithauser
Annie's Ghost - Steve Luxenberg
Both set in and around Detroit - 40's era -

**southofbloor** · February-20-13, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by tfrodent

"them' - Joyce Carol Oates

Just finished "them" - wow amazing. Thanks for the recommendation - I'd highly recommend.

**Zulu Warrior** · February-21-13, 03:36 PM

"The Betsy" by Harold Robbins....Novel about the Auto Industry...

**Detroitnerd** · February-21-13, 04:24 PM

I just read "The Purples." It was pretty darn good. Sort of a Billy Bathgate story, based on the Purple Gang.

**OriginalG313** · February-22-13, 10:42 AM

I've read 270 by Vincent Ware. It starts in Africa and ends in 1967 Detroit.

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