Call it the "Depp Effect."

People gunning for a own copy of "Public Enemies," the 2004 Bryan Burrough book on which the Michael Mann-helmed movie starring Johnny Depp is based, are coming up empty-handed at area bookstores.

(Learn more about Dillinger and the movie, "Public Enemies.")

"You can reserve it," Minnie Davis, sales manager for Borders Books in Highland, said, adding that more copies are on order.

Davis said that whenever a movie is made based on a book, there tends to be increased interest, but Depp's local appearance when filming recently was done in Crown Point upped the appeal greatly.

"It was in our neighborhood," Davis said. "Basically, it does happen with many movies. It happened with 'Atonement.'"

Ken VanderLugt, owner of Remarkable Books in Merrillville, said he's seen numerous movie-inspired interest in books in his 39 years in the industry.

"I was a buyer for Waldon Books when the movie, 'The Exorcist' came out. We sold a gazillion copies of the book," he said, adding that, more recently, the movie, "The Golden Compass," brought increased requests for the book on which it was based.

VanderLugt said the current shortage of inventory of Burrough's book does not necessarily mean a windfall for booksellers. In fact, he said, it's unlikely that major chains regularly carried many copies since the book is 4 years old.

At Barnes & Noble Booksellers in Hobart, a clerk said "Public Enemies" would need to be ordered since the five books on hand were reserved.

Jim Roumbos, a purveyor of used, rare and collectible books at Miles Books in Highland, said he has had requests for the book.

"We've had a few orders for people ... It's a good interest," Roumbos said, noting that it is unusual for a nonfiction work.

At Reader's Square, a block from where the movie was filmed in Crown Point, owner Anton Shelton, who had a grand opening Saturday, said no one has asked him yet for the book.

In his initial search to get copies, Shelton said there were none in stock at the warehouse, "one of the biggies," that he uses.

However, after searching for awhile, he was able to order the book.

"I should have it Tuesday or Wednesday," he said.