This is The Poseidon Adventure set in a prison. The characters and plot are very formulaic and predictable. ( )

The Ascent, by Adam Plantinga, is gritty and hard hitting just like its protagonist, Kurt Argento. Kurt is the kind of guy who just can’t stand by and see people breaking the law. This trait has served him well for years in the Detroit Police Department. He does have a propensity to solve most bad situations in a rough and tumble way. When his wife becomes sick, he finds his best efforts to help her are to no avail. After she passes, he takes his frustration back to the job. His inability to back away from trouble eventually leads to his having to give up his job as a police officer. Kurt takes his beloved dog, Hudson and hits the road looking for peace and possibly absolution. What he finds instead is another chance to save a victim from harm. Again, this leads to complications, this time with a small town sheriff, who will protect his criminal son from anyone including Kurt. This leads to Kurt ending up in prison awaiting a chance to see a judge and get a chance to clear himself. On the same day the prison is being visited by the Governor’s daughter, Julie, on a field trip for her school studies. She is of course accompanied by a security team. Two agents, one dedicated friend of the Governor. The other a last minute selection from the reserve pool of agents who were not assigned to other cases. Things start going bad for everyone within minutes, as the computers that control all the functions of the prison suddenly go crazy. Cell doors open and close on their own. Electronic locks and their key cards fail to work. Communications are down. The jail already understaffed is thrown into confusion. The guards and the visitors suddenly are the target of all the pent-up rage of a jail full of out of control prisoners. Kurt finds himself thrown in an impossible situation as the guardian between Julie, the Governor’s daughter and a prison full of criminals with nothing to loose. This book was provided for review by NovelSuspectInsiders. ( )

Kurt Argento and Chow-Shepherd mix Hudson left Detroit in Kurt's Ford F-350 truck. Headed west. A look at the Pacific Ocean sounded good. After all, it wasn't much of a choice after 21 years patrolling the streets from the 9th Precinct of the Detroit Police Department. Resign or face a termination hearing with multiple charges. It has all been different since he lost Emily to cancer. His dog knows it, too. Emily was love. Emily was joy. Emily was everything that the streets were not.

Julie Wakefield, 25, a graduate student and governor's daughter, is taking a tour of Whitehall, a private, maximum-security prison. It's a field visit for her Corrections class, part of the last requirements for her master's degree in public administration with a concentration in criminal justice.

Kurt and Julie will meet unexpectedly at Whitehall. The question is, will they survive the day they meet?

Authenticity isn't merely a descriptive word in this book review. It's palpable on every page long before the reader explores About the Author. Character development is strong regardless of their role in the storyline, and each is essential to the plot. The story is gripping, page-turning, edgy, taut, and jarring, taking one's imagination of a maximum-security prison to chilling, unforeseen, heart-stopping danger with every turn of the page. This is no ordinary tour.

An impressive author debut! Twists are staggering and inconceivable, and while still reeling, the next turn is even more shocking. This book is incredible. I want to read more of the author's writing. It will be an automatic pre-order as each upcoming novel is announced. Every. Single. Future. Novel.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and Novel Suspects for the opportunity to read an ARC of this novel. ( )