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The Ascent

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The Ascent

Written by: Adam Plantinga
Narrated by: Charles Halford, Christine Lakin
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About this listen

When a high security prison fails, a down-on-his luck cop and the governor’s daughter must team up if they’re going to escape in this "jaw-dropping, authentic, and absolutely gripping" (Harlan Coben, #1 New York Times bestselling author) bestselling thriller from Adam Plantinga, whose first nonfiction book Lee Child praised as “truly excellent.”

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.

©2024 Adam Plantinga (P)2024 Grand Central Publishing
Crime Thrillers Suspense Thriller Thriller & Suspense Crime Fiction Missouri

What the critics say

The Ascent is jaw-dropping, authentic, and absolutely gripping.”—Harlan Coben, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of I Will Find You

“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

"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

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Impossible de mettre ce livre de côté. J ai adoré, je recommande fortement. Si vous aimez les films Equalizer, ce livre est parfait pour vous.

Un livre à relire!

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if you like Reacher novels, this one fits. I am looking forward to the next one. this plot is more around a single character with less subplot going on.

non stop action. reminiscent of the Reacher series

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the story was gripping. I wasn't sure about it at first but it really grabbed your attention and kept it

well wtitten

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I love that it was great action while getting to know some of these characters

A pleasant surprise, good character building

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The performance was good but as I was following it with a book and sometimes reading it without audio I was irritated that the chapters in the book were not the same as the audio. For example chapter 16 in the book was chapter 19 listed in the audiobook .

This was a very exciting story, and very difficult to put down. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

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Couldn't stop listening. Great characters and story line. The narrators were top notch as well.

Exciting

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Some reviewers said this guy was like a jumped up version of other over the top action film stars. So I had a listen looking forward to this crazy ultra macho alpha male. Sadly this is not he. He fought well but was beaten up many times. He didn’t care about life anymore because his wife died. He was saved by a girl who literally carried him off to safety on her back. He cried. I’ll say one thing for him, he can take a hell of a lot of damage and keep getting up for more. Narrator’s were good and this was a good listen for what it is.

Now I have to watch The Expendables again to get my fix of completely unrealistic macho ultra violent mayhem. Peace.

NOT Jason Statham

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