Fictitious Inflation: The Puppeteers of Money follows veteran intelligence investigator Thomas “Thad” Harrison, who stumbles upon a seemingly ordinary economic report containing one unsettling line: “Expansion of the monetary base has produced measurable redistribution effects…”
What begins as curiosity becomes a global investigation into the hidden logic of modern money. Harrison teams up with economist Mario Lebron, whose calm, incisive explanations reveal that inflation, debt, and monetary expansion are not driven by shadowy villains—but by incentives embedded in institutions, markets, politics, and human behavior. As Harrison travels from Washington to London, Basel, Vienna, Buenos Aires, Seoul, Tokyo, and back again, he uncovers a pattern: Money is created publicly, but its consequences unfold quietly. Confidence is fragile. Debt is a promise. Production—not currency—is the true engine of prosperity.
Through anonymous clues marked with a marionette symbol, Harrison is pushed to confront the deeper truth: the real “Puppeteers” are not people, but the collective choices of millions, the incentives that shape them, and the institutions that channel them.
The investigation culminates in Project Lighthouse, a revelation that prosperity depends on productivity, trust, credible institutions, and civic responsibility—not conspiracy. Harrison ultimately discovers that the strongest currency in any republic is the character and ingenuity of its people, a theme echoed throughout the manuscript: “Money exists to facilitate exchange… but money itself is not civilization.”
A gripping fusion of economic thriller, geopolitical mystery, and philosophical exploration, Fictitious Inflation: The Puppeteers of Money pulls readers into a globe‑spanning investigation that exposes the hidden forces shaping modern prosperity. When intelligence veteran Thomas “Thad” Harrison uncovers a cryptic economic clue, he enters a world where money is power, confidence is currency, and incentives quietly steer nations.
Guided by economist Mario Lebron, Harrison discovers that inflation, debt, and financial crises are not born from secret cabals—but from the everyday decisions of governments, banks, businesses, and citizens. From Washington to Buenos Aires, Basel to Tokyo, Harrison learns that the true battle is not over who prints money, but who earns trust.
Perfect for fans of The Big Short, House of Cards, and The Da Vinci Code, this novel blends real economic concepts with high-stakes intrigue, delivering a story that entertains while provoking deep reflection. It’s a rare thriller that leaves readers not just breathless—but wiser.