"Adam Plantinga's debut thriller, THE ASCENT, is a nail-biting ride out of Hell itself. It's Dante's Inferno--but with gangs, corruption, bone-breaking brawls, and a kick-ass, determined police officer struggling through it all to save another. It reads with raw authenticity and brutal honesty. Don't miss this debut of a new crime-thriller star!"--James Rollins, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Kingdom of Bones
"The Ascent is jaw-dropping, authentic, and absolutely gripping."--Harlan Coben, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of I Will Find You
"Damn! I had to hold onto this one for dear life. THE ASCENT is a ferociously propulsive thriller. Plantinga creates a haunted house of horrors that's utterly convincing, while at the same time keeping the focus on complex, layered, and engaging characters. An outstanding debut crime novel."--Lou Berney, Edgar award-winning author of November Road
"Not since Joseph Wambaugh released The Choirboys has a cop thriller delivered this level of authenticity, and The Ascent wears it like a badge. In his debut novel, Adam Plantinga weaves a jailhouse tale that serves up thrills from the first chapter through the final page. The book's protagonist, a world-weary Detroit cop, is a revelation. Watch out, Jack Reacher--Kurt Argento has arrived, and he's putting his rivals in the shade."--Nancy Allen, #1 New York Times bestselling author
"The Ascent is a fantastic thriller that stands apart from the crowd--a high-test, high-stakes action spectacular with true thrills, true grit, and genuine heart. You'll find the full spectrum from darkness to light between these covers, with a refreshing breeze as the pages fan by. Adam Plantinga is here to stay."--Sean Doolittle, Thriller award-winning author of Device Free Weekend
"If JD Salinger had been a street cop, he'd have written books like Adam Plantinga's. This book is the real deal - flesh and blood characters, charming wit, and an insider's pass to a one-of-a-kind white knuckle ride. Plantinga will soon join the ranks of Child and Connelly."--Douglas Brunt, New York Times bestselling author and host of Dedicated with Doug Brunt on SiriusXM
"Adam Plantinga's debut novel, THE ASCENT, is a red hot blast of crime and punishment, and crackles with sly wit and a jaded authenticity that has been hard-earned by Plantinga's many years as a street cop. THE ASCENT is so damn good that I will read anything else Plantinga cares to write, including his grocery list."--Nick Petrie, author of The Price You Pay
"THE ASCENT is terrific--a brutal portrait of a tough cop in an unforgiving world. I loved it."--Robert Crais, bestselling author
"Pulse-pounding, cleverly plotted, fast-paced--expertly made entertainment."--Kirkus Reviews, starred
"The knockout first novel... Once readers catch their breath, they'll be clamoring for more from this rising star."--Publishers Weekly, starred
"If you're itching for a bloody action-packed jailbreak thriller with a protagonist best thought of as an even angrier Jason Statham, The Ascent is a book that needs to be on your watchlist for 2024."--Kashif Hussain, The Best Thriller Books
"Adam Plantinga's debut thriller is a tense journey out of hell on earth, aka a maximum-security prison. Kurt Argento is an ex-cop whose stubborn compulsion to do the right thing ultimately lands him behind bars, where his luck goes from bad to worse. When the prison's security system mysteriously fails during a visit from a prominent young woman, Kurt find himself going up against six floors of Missouri's most dangerous inmates. Plantinga serves up a master class in suspense. Packed with high-stakes action, The Ascent is a riveting tale of survival and justice."--Apple Books Review
"Brutal, vicious and merciless, The Ascent is a heart-thumping expedition through six levels of nightmare fuel to find salvation. A journey through a wicked hellscape created by Adam Platinga to put his characters through the ultimate test with the vilest evil lurking around every corner."--Best Thriller Books