‘Midnight In America’ a dark journey into light
By Jim Smith, Daily Democrat
The first thing that strikes you when reading Mark De Anda’s “Midnight In America” is how it captures our politically divided country.
Considering that, as author De Anda, 71, explained, the novel took seven years to write, his vision of our dysfunctional nation today is spot on.
This is De Anda’s first novel, and he comes well-equipped to write the 326-page story. He attended James Marshall in West Sacramento before transferring to Woodland High School, where he graduated in 1972. He later attended UC Davis and still has family living in Woodland, where he also owns a home.
De Anda moved to Sacramento in 1980 where he started his radio career at KROY. From there he moved to the Central Coast of California, leaving behind his radio days in Santa Barbara, after which he was hired as a public relations officer for the City of San Francisco, where he spent eight years between 2008 and 2016.
All that radio experience was valuable in writing “Midnight In America,” the fundamentals of which center around nationally known radio broadcaster, Billy McKinnon, who leaves New York City for a new gig in San Francisco, at the same time he’s going through a heart-wrenching divorce.
While still in New York, McKinnon — who also does news reporting — covers the bombing of an abortion clinic. It’s during that coverage he spots a man carrying a concealed weapon, who he reports to police, leading to the man’s arrest.
Although the initial event seems minor, the brief encounter quickly escalates and continues to do so chapter after chapter.
The plot of “Midnight” (published in December 2025 by Fulton Books) is at times hard to follow as De Anda delves into McKinnon’s personal struggles over his divorce, cross-country move, where he reports on a false sex scandal involving the mayor’s daughter; along with illegal payments from a super PAC run by the President of the United States to the husband of the woman allegedly having an affair with the mayor’s daughter.
Add to this intrigue is McKinnon’s loss of savings by a beautiful, if crooked business manager; the sudden death of McKinnon’s father; and McKinnon himself finding new love, along with threats by management to limit his “negative” reporting.
None of these challenges alone are difficult to unwind but they do require perspective and a deliberative eye. Important clues can be missed by skipping a few words or lines.
In ways, “Midnight” is reminiscent of the great work that Davis author John Lescroart did with his San Francisco-based legal novels.
And in other passages, it’s easy to see author Michael Connelly and one of his relatable characters, Jack McEvoy — a onetime star reporter for the Los Angeles Times — who turns to podcasting after getting burned by the newspaper.
And like the novels of Lescroart and Connelly, “Midnight” starts out seemingly slow, giving the reader time to absorb all action. The pace picks up about midway through, and continues to build until the final chapters.
These combinations as they appear in Midnight In America make for a good read — as long as one can follow the comings and goings of the various characters.
I was particularly intrigued by McKinnon’s teaming up with San Francisco Police Sgt. Frank Grecco — who helped him unearth the bogus sex scandal while protecting him from the murderous cross-country assailant.
Grecco loses his job due to his desire to protect McKinnon, and the two achieve mutual respect — something also seen in the novels of Lescroart and Connelly.
What impressed me about the plot was how a seemingly innocuous action on McKinnon’s part escalates into a rightwing militant threat, how his superiors respond to that threat and McKinnon’s reporting on San Francisco City Hall and the U.S. President.
It’s very reminiscent of what is happening in today’s media — where business decisions are affecting news coverage.
While this is De Anda’s first crime novel it definitely won’t be the last and could lead to a longer series as McKinnon grows beyond his radio days.
“Midnight” is worth reading, as long as you take your time and pay close attention to the action.
‘Midnight In America’ a dark journey into light
By Jim Smith, Daily Democrat
The first thing that strikes you when reading Mark De Anda’s “Midnight In America” is how it captures our politically divided country.
Considering that, as author De Anda, 71, explained, the novel took seven years to write, his vision of our dysfunctional nation today is spot on.
This is De Anda’s first novel, and he comes well-equipped to write the 326-page story. He attended James Marshall in West Sacramento before transferring to Woodland High School, where he graduated in 1972. He later attended UC Davis and still has family living in Woodland, where he also owns a home.
De Anda moved to Sacramento in 1980 where he started his radio career at KROY. From there he moved to the Central Coast of California, leaving behind his radio days in Santa Barbara, after which he was hired as a public relations officer for the City of San Francisco, where he spent eight years between 2008 and 2016.
All that radio experience was valuable in writing “Midnight In America,” the fundamentals of which center around nationally known radio broadcaster, Billy McKinnon, who leaves New York City for a new gig in San Francisco, at the same time he’s going through a heart-wrenching divorce.
While still in New York, McKinnon — who also does news reporting — covers the bombing of an abortion clinic. It’s during that coverage he spots a man carrying a concealed weapon, who he reports to police, leading to the man’s arrest.
Although the initial event seems minor, the brief encounter quickly escalates and continues to do so chapter after chapter.
The plot of “Midnight” (published in December 2025 by Fulton Books) is at times hard to follow as De Anda delves into McKinnon’s personal struggles over his divorce, cross-country move, where he reports on a false sex scandal involving the mayor’s daughter; along with illegal payments from a super PAC run by the President of the United States to the husband of the woman allegedly having an affair with the mayor’s daughter.
Add to this intrigue is McKinnon’s loss of savings by a beautiful, if crooked business manager; the sudden death of McKinnon’s father; and McKinnon himself finding new love, along with threats by management to limit his “negative” reporting.
None of these challenges alone are difficult to unwind but they do require perspective and a deliberative eye. Important clues can be missed by skipping a few words or lines.
In ways, “Midnight” is reminiscent of the great work that Davis author John Lescroart did with his San Francisco-based legal novels.
And in other passages, it’s easy to see author Michael Connelly and one of his relatable characters, Jack McEvoy — a onetime star reporter for the Los Angeles Times — who turns to podcasting after getting burned by the newspaper.
And like the novels of Lescroart and Connelly, “Midnight” starts out seemingly slow, giving the reader time to absorb all action. The pace picks up about midway through, and continues to build until the final chapters.
These combinations as they appear in Midnight In America make for a good read — as long as one can follow the comings and goings of the various characters.
I was particularly intrigued by McKinnon’s teaming up with San Francisco Police Sgt. Frank Grecco — who helped him unearth the bogus sex scandal while protecting him from the murderous cross-country assailant.
Grecco loses his job due to his desire to protect McKinnon, and the two achieve mutual respect — something also seen in the novels of Lescroart and Connelly.
What impressed me about the plot was how a seemingly innocuous action on McKinnon’s part escalates into a rightwing militant threat, how his superiors respond to that threat and McKinnon’s reporting on San Francisco City Hall and the U.S. President.
It’s very reminiscent of what is happening in today’s media — where business decisions are affecting news coverage.
While this is De Anda’s first crime novel it definitely won’t be the last and could lead to a longer series as McKinnon grows beyond his radio days.
“Midnight” is worth reading, as long as you take your time and pay close attention to the action.