ADAM PLANTINGA
Release Date: Oct. 27, 2027
Pre-order available now.
After the events of Hard Town, former Detroit cop Kurt Argento had to disappear. He reemerges in the small town of Barton, South Dakota, working under an assumed name as a church handyman.
It’s a serene existence of tending to the church grounds and avoiding questions. Until he meets seventeen-year-old Majed, a Syrian refugee trying to build a life in Barton with his single mother, as he’s running for his life.
Two men with hard eyes are close behind. Argento steps in, and Majed’s pursuers retreat with a thin excuse about a stolen wallet. It’s a story Argento doesn’t buy for a second. Digging deeper, he uncovers something far more lethal than a street-level shakedown.
Majed isn’t just in trouble—he’s a target. And the hunters are closing in.To safeguard Majed, Argento hits the road with the boy, pushing west. And along the way it becomes clear that whatever Majed knows—or carries—someone powerful wants it and will kill to get it. But Argento can’t let that happen. Because he’s made a promise.
Protect the boy. Or die trying.
When a plea for help sends retired Detroit cop Kurt Argento to the small desert town of Fenton, Arizona things immediately don’t appear to be as they seem, and he finds himself unraveling secrets that want to stay hidden and questioning his own moral compass.
Edgar Nomination 2026. Best Novel.
"Once again, Plantinga hit the mark, delivering perfectly paced action and new dimensions to Kurt’s psychology. This series has legs." — Publishers Weekly, starred review.
Amazon Editor's Pick: April 2025, Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Apple Books. April 2025. Must Listen, Staff Pick
“Hard Town knocked the breath out of me, in the best way. Gripping, fiercely propulsive, and vividly written, it grabbed me from the first word and never let go.” ―Meg Gardiner, #1 New York Times bestselling author
"Adam Plantinga brings a cop’s gritty authenticity and a poet’s lyricism to Hard Town, elevating this fine novel above the pack. He writes with smarts, street sense, and a tender heart, breathing life and luster into this tale of a Detroit cop who finds himself way out of his element and deep in the thick of one helluva small town mess. We’ll be reading Plantinga for years to come. What a delight."―Gregg Hurwitz, New York Times bestselling author of Nemesis, an Orphan X thriller
"Hard Town packs hard hitting thrills and punches with intriguing moral dilemmas interspersed between suspenseful bits of crime solving and ass-kicking. You’ll be reading this without wanting to take even the smallest of breaks."―Kashif Hussain, The Best Thriller Books
The Ascent is Adam's debut novel, released in January 2024.
Kurt Argento, an ex-Detroit street cop who can’t let injustice go—and who has the fighting skills to back up his idealism.
If he sees a young girl being dragged into an alley, he's going to rescue her and cause some damage.
When he does just that in a small corrupt Missouri town, he’s brutally beaten and thrown into a maximum-security prison.
Julie Wakefield, a grad student who happens to be the governor's daughter, is about to take a tour of the prison. But when a malfunction in the security system releases a horde of prisoners, a fierce struggle for survival ensues.
Argento must help a small band of staff and civilians, including Julie and her two state trooper handlers, make their way from the bottom floor to the roof to safety.
All that stands in their way are six floors of the most dangerous convicts in Missouri.
"Jaw-dropping, authentic, and absolutely gripping" - Harlan Coben, #1 New York Times bestselling author.
About Adam Plantinga
Police Sergeant & Author
I've been in law enforcement for twenty-three years, seven with the Milwaukee PD and sixteen with the San Francisco PD. I am the author of two nonfiction books about urban law enforcement. My debut novel The Ascent came out in January of 2024. It was a USA Today bestseller and optioned by Universal for television. Some folks have had some nice things to say about it.
“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
“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
“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
"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
OTHER BOOKS
400 Things Cops Know
400 Things Cops Know is a collection of facts, anecdotes, and reflections from police work. I've had excellent teachers on the job and I paid attention when they said and did smart things. Figured out a few things myself too, mostly the hard way.
400 Things Cops Know was nominated for an Agatha and a Macavity Award and won the 2015 Silver Falchion award for best nonfiction crime reference.
Police Craft
A sequel to 400 Things Cops Know, but with a short essay format and an emphasis on specialty units such as Homicide, CSI, and SWAT.
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CONTACT
Literary Representation
Caitlin Blasdell, Liza Dawson Associates
121 West 27th Street, Suite 1201
New York, NY 10001
(212) 868-1365
CBlasdell@lizadawsonassociates.com
Film/TV Representation
Steven Fisher, APA
405 South Beverly Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
(310) 888-4200
Media Inquiries
Kitanna Hiromasa
Grand Central Publishing
kitanna.hiromasa@hbgusa.com