Writer and Logan Square resident Lauren Viera said there’s always an interesting story to tell.

Five hundred in Chicago, to be exact.

In her new book, “The 500 Hidden Secrets of Chicago,” Viera compiles a list of places to eat, buy food, drink, shop and sleep with a short description of why each location is a “hidden secret.”

“A lot of these are going to be unknown to people who don’t live in Chicago, but the goal is to have items in the book that are also totally new to people who’ve lived here even for years,” Viera said.

The guidebook also includes a list of buildings to admire, ways to enjoy Chicago and city culture, things to do with children, weekend activities and random facts and urban myths.

“It’s not a novel, it’s not meant to be devoured all in one sitting,” Viera said. “One person I met said that they’re going to keep it in the glove compartment of their car.”

Viera’s book is part of a city guidebook series from Luster Publishing.

Each book is written by a local who lists 500 hidden secrets about their city.

The series includes international hot spots like Madrid, Brussels and Berlin, and American cities like New York, Miami and Seattle.

“I think in a lot of other travel guides, you’re kind of given these ‘must dos’ or ‘must visits’ where you feel kind of obligated to check things off a list,” Viera said. “What I’m hearing a lot about with this book is that it’s very easy to just flip through, find a page that you’re interested in, and then just check something out.”

As for Viera’s favorite hidden secret in Chicago?

She said it changes every day.