Crafting Fiction Through Reality with Adam Plantinga

In this episode, Adam Plantinga joins Sabrina Thatcher for a high-energy deep dive into crafting action-packed, morally grounded thrillers, tracing the evolution of his Kurt Argento series from the over-the-top prison chaos of The Ascent to the mystery-driven expansiveness of Hardtown and Dark Country. Drawing from more than two decades in law enforcement, Plantinga shares how real-world policing, subject-matter expertise, and a commitment to “armoring fiction with reality” shape his stories, while also unpacking the challenges of writing earned twists, balancing violence with moral consequence, and creating a wandering protagonist readers can root for.