Crime novelist Marcus Sakey will write and host a new Travel Channel television series called Hidden City. On his website, Sakey gave this description of the show: “It’s sort of Anthony Bourdain‘s No Reservations meets Castle.”

Throughout the twelve-episode series, Sakey (pictured, via) will journey to Anchorage, Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, the Florida Keys, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C.   The show debuts on December 5th.

Here’s more from the release: “Sakey travels the country, city to city, to dig up the less-than-pristine history and reveal the untold story behind each locale, serving as a personal guide to each city’s unique past. The premiere episode explores Sakey’s hometown of Chicago, the city famous for reinventing itself through its checkered history. Viewers will meet America’s first—and maybe worst—serial killer, H.H. Holmes; walk in the footsteps of legendary gangster, John Dillinger; and dig into the 1968 DNC riots, when protestors clashed with police in a battle royale broadcast live to the world.”

Sakey established his writing career by penning five crime novels: The Blade Itself, At The City’s Edge, Good People, The Amateurs and The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes. All of his titles are set in Chicago’s blue collar society. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Swedish version) director Niels Arden Oplev will helm a film adaptation for Good People starring Spiderman actor Tobey Maguire.