Book Launch: November 18 | Novel Bookstore, Memphis
When Memphis native Tom Dann set out to write his first novel, he uncovered the soul of a city. His debut, Midnight in Memphis, is a Southern noir crime thriller that blends murder mystery with the weight of history, exploring the cracks in Memphis’s 1950s political machine and the racial tensions simmering beneath it.
Publishing November 18th by Crooked Lane Books and distributed by Penguin Random House, Midnight in Memphis marks the start of a literary journey rooted in the Bluff City’s past and a fresh voice in Southern fiction that feels both hauntingly historical and urgently relevant.
“I’ve always been fascinated by Memphis, its layers of history, its contradictions, its creativity,” Dann said. “There’s still some unfinished business in this city, and maybe I’m trying to work that out on the page.”
A City of Shadows and Songs
Set during the decline of Boss Crump’s 40-year political reign, Midnight in Memphis captures a moment when old systems were cracking and new ones were struggling to emerge. The novel follows Burdett, a white veteran detective, and Eustace, a young Black rookie cop, as they investigate a string of racially charged murders.
What begins as a classic murder mystery unfolds into a deeper meditation on justice, truth, and the ghosts of America’s original sins.
“We all live with our history,” Dann explained. “The good and the bad. Memphis, maybe more than any city, still carries that weight — the things we’ve done and the things we’ve never really reconciled.”
Every chapter opens with a blues lyric, grounding the story in the rhythms of the Delta. These verses, often drawn from 1920s and 1930s flood songs, serve as both a soundtrack and emotional undercurrent.
“Those songs carry hope and hardship in equal measure,” Dann said. “They set the tone for each character. For Burdett, it’s the old blues; for Eustace, it’s something more modern, forward-looking.”
Law, Justice, and the Stories Between
Dann’s perspective is academic and informed by experience. A former felony defense investigator for the DC public defender, he’s spent years immersed in the gray areas of law and human behavior.
“The courtroom is like a performance,” he said. “Everyone’s presenting their version of truth — the cops, the defendants, even the lawyers. My experience taught me that justice isn’t always about what’s real, but what can be proved. That tension is all over this book.”
Originally written with only Burdett in mind, Dann says Eustace, the Black rookie, “just showed up” in his drafts and refused to leave.
“Eustace started as a side character,” Dann said. “But he became essential. He’s the counterbalance, the person Burdett might want to be but can’t. Their dynamic is what gives the story its moral core.”
What’s Next: A Memphis Trilogy
Midnight in Memphis is just the beginning. Dann is already deep into writing a prequel, which will explore the roots of race, power, and truth in the same chapter of the city’s history. A third novel is already on his mind, completing what he calls “a Memphis trilogy.”
📚 Book Launch Details
What: Book Release for Midnight in Memphis
Who: Author Thomas Dann
When: November 18, 6:00 PM
Where: Novel Bookstore, Memphis
Follow the Story
📖 Pre-order Midnight in Memphis here.
“We’re all shaped by where we come from,” Dann said. “And Memphis with all its scars and its beauty is the perfect place to start.”
