Adam Plantinga, currently a sergeant with the San Francisco Police Department, has written two acclaimed nonfiction books revered by mystery and thriller writers—400 Things Cops Know, an Agatha Award nominee, and Police Craft. Plantinga's debut novel is called THE ASCENT. A high-security prison fails, forcing a down-on-his-luck cop and the governor’s daughter to team up if they want to escape with their lives. Kurt Argento is a former Detroit street cop who can’t let injustice go—and who has the fighting skills to back up his idealism. Reeling from the loss of his wife, Argento is headed to California to see the Pacific Ocean for the first time when he witnesses a young girl being dragged into an alley in a small Missouri town. While protecting the innocent girl from assault, Argento unknowingly beats the corrupt sheriff’s brother and ends up in a maximum-security prison. Julie Wakefield is a grad student taking a tour of said prison—and she also happens to be the governor’s daughter—when a malfunction in the electronic security system releases a horde of prisoners. Argento must lead a small band of civilians, including Julie and her state trooper handlers, as they make their way from the bottom floor to the roof where they have a chance at safety. All that stands in their way are six floors of the most dangerous convicts in Missouri, making THE ASCENT one of the most exhilarating thrillers in recent memory. For more info on the book click HERE