Hard Town

Hard Town by Adam Plantinga begins with a former Detroit cop, Kurt Argento, who is called to action in the small desert town of Fenton, Arizona. When a plea for help sends him there, things immediately don't appear as they seem. Argento finds himself unraveling secrets that want to stay hidden, forcing him to question his own moral compass.

After surviving a deadly prison break, ex-cop Argento is ready for some peace and quiet. Still coping with the loss of his wife, he finds solace in house-sitting for a friend with his loyal Chow Chow-Shepherd mix, Hudson. He lives a simple life, picking up odd jobs, and is content with his newfound simplicity.

However, when Kristin Reed and her young son, Ethan, appear, begging Argento to help find her missing husband, he insists he'd merely be in the way. No longer an investigator, he considers himself just a handyman. Yet, he can't ignore his instincts when something feels wrong. Upon attempting to find Kristin and her son in the next town, only to discover they too are missing, Argento begins to suspect that Fenton holds more than it reveals.

First, there is the large, overly equipped public safety team with advanced tactics and weaponry. Then, curious financial aid efforts for failing small businesses come into view, courtesy of the U.S. government. At the centre of it all is a mysterious man who appears to have extraordinary control over the town.

Argento uncovers not only the truth behind the missing family but a conspiracy that the whole town has conspired to conceal. However, Fenton, Arizona will push him to his limits, threatening to strip away a part of himself. Because in a town like Fenton, justice isn't as black and white as Argento once believed.