Stories by Daniel Hautzinger

Morse stumbles into the world of James Bond-esque Cold War espionage when a German is assassinated in Oxford. Poisonous fish, guns disguised as everday objects, tuxedos playboy chemical barons: it's all here. Meanwhile, Thursday investigates a case of domestic abuse.

Look back on the life and legacy of the revered human rights icon and first democratically elected president of South Africa with a biographical portrait from Frontline, special reports from PBS NewsHour, and an archival segment on Mandela from Chicago Tonight.

The murder of a model on a military base causes Thursday's son to become a suspect, while the unusual past of the victim brings racism into play in the investigation of the murder. A war hero suffering from PTSD, a Nazi sympathizer, an anti-racism activist: the characters are colorful.

After much speculation, rumors, and dead ends, it has finally been confirmed that a Downton Abbey movie is official, with the creator writing the screenplay and producing, the original principal cast returning, the director of the series' pilot directing.

This month, embark on adventures to foreign countries and explore their culture and history; trawl the weird and wonderful depths of the ocean; and traverse majestic landscapes and thousands of miles with animals, all from the comfort of your couch.

"Nobody needs a book much, do they?" It's a surprising sentiment to hear coming from a writer, but in this 1981 interview with WTTW's John Callaway, John Updike discusses his impressively humble views on literature, his existential anxieties, and his goals as a writer.

PBS's Summer of Adventure has begun! There's a lot to explore, including three of the world's most impressive mountain ranges, in Kingdoms of the Sky, and some of Earth's most forbidding landscapes, in Earth's Natural Wonders. See some of the stunning photography from both series. 

A missing persons case leads Morse to explore country railways and eventually resurrects the specter of an unusual unsolved murder from a few years earlier. Trewlove proves her merit against boorish detectives from another division, and a gang war seems to be brewing. 

Nigella Lawson's new cooking show At My Table, in which she shares the recipes she makes at home for her friends and family, premieres July 7 at 10:30 am. Try her recipe for a simple, cooling tropical dessert that's perfect for the dog days of summer.

Need some new book recommendations for the summer? Discover some of the books the Chicago Tonight​ is reading right now, from a sweeping family saga to a clear-eyed memoir of race to a book of chatty but opinionated essays by a Chicagoan.

The Beach Boys, Renée Fleming, Pentatonix, The Temptations: they're all performing during A Capitol Fourth, which is hosted by John Stamos and also include a fireworks show above the skyline of Washington D.C. Meet the performers here.

Mysterious deaths related to a movie palace screening mummy horror movies, a museum housing Egyptian artifacts, Hollywood stars: it's the makings of a Pharoah's curse. Plus, it seems someone is targeting immigrants and challenging Oxford's resident crime lord.

In 1961, Tom Burrell became the first African American to work in a Chicago advertising agency—in the mailroom. Within a decade, he had started his own agency, which became a pioneer of targeted advertising, incorporating black culture and positive images of black people into commercials.

They're accomplished veterans in the kitchen, but that's not their only skill: they also craft leather and wood products by hand, decorate walls with graffiti, practice Latin dance, and scuba dive. Discover the fascinating hobbies of Chicago chefs in our new digital series, Chefs off the Clock.

The first Special Olympics were held 50 years ago in Chicago, thanks in part to the championing efforts of a Kennedy. A celebration of the Special Olympics will be held on their anniversary here in July.