Detroit is known for its automotive heritage, the Motown sound, and America's first mile of concrete highway. But this city on the river has more than three hundred years of history, and most of it is mighty strange. There's the Fisher Mansion, which was once home to rum-running gangsters and now houses one of Michigan's largest Hari Krishna populations. Picturesque Belle Isle once stored nuclear missiles among its playgrounds and fishing lagoons. Then there are incredible landmarks like Detroit's massive salt mines and a monument to urban graffiti known as the Dequindre Cut, and the world's oldest operating jazz club. Secret Detroit explores this great American city to investigate everything that is odd, unexpected, and extraordinary. Detroit is the kind of city you need to see and experience to understand why locals brag about being from the Motor City. Full of stories and tall tales, this book is a must-have for urban explorers, history buffs, and travelers of all experience levels.

Michigan native Karen Dybis is a Metro Detroit journalist who has blogged for Time magazine, worked the business desk at The Detroit News, and jumped on breaking stories for a variety of publications. Dybis, a local history buff, is the author of two other books: The Ford-Wyoming Drive-In: Cars, Candy & Canoodling in the Motor City and Better Made in Michigan: The Salty Story of Detroit's Best Chip. Her favorite secret writing spot is the Kresge Court inside the Detroit Institute of Arts.