Fenly Aquino and Raquel Lopez, members of an international security team, try to stop a terrorist attack on an unknown target in New York City. Working in Madrid’s underworld of prostitutes, pimps, drug dealers, and money runners, they have only two weeks to unravel the plot, which will use laundered money to buy weapons of mass destruction.
Fenly Aquino, who works in America’s homeland security, arrives in Madrid to help a Spanish security team stop a terrorist attack. He is assigned to work with Raquel López, a former cop. They have major cultural differences since Fenly was born and raised in the Bronx by a mother from the Dominican Republic, whereas Raquel was born and raised in Madrid, but they have a common source of motivation since he lost his fiancée in the attack on the World Trade Center and she lost her brother in the attack on Madrid commuter trains. The current plot, which the Spanish team heard about from a man on trial for the attack on the commuter trains, involves the use of laundered money to buy weapons of mass destruction that will be directed at a target in New York City. The key to stopping the attack is to pick up the trail of the money being laundered, follow the money to the weapons, and stop the weapons from being deployed. As they work together Raquel introduces Fenly to Madrid and its underworld of drug dealers, prostitutes, pimps, and money runners. They have only two weeks to stop the attack, so time is running out on them as they desperately try to unravel the plot.
Excerpt
When the waiter had brought their drinks and left them, Raquel leaned forward over the table.
"Well, as you know, our assignment is to stop a terrorist attack."
"Before you go any further," he said, "can you tell me your source of information?"
"Sure I can. You probably know that the men accused of being involved in 11-M are still on trial—"
"I read that in the newspaper."
"A few days ago one of them offered us information in return for a more lenient sentence."
"What kind of sentence is he facing?"
"Almost certainly life in prison."
"And you’re willing to bargain with him?"
"Why not? If his information helps us to stop an attack, then it's worth bargaining for."
"But what if he gave you false information?"
"If he did, we've been conned."
"It sounds like you've already made a deal with him."
"We have. And we already have his information."
"What did he tell you?" Fenly asked.
"He told us about an attack they're planning. If you look at a map," Raquel said, drawing an imaginary line on the table with her index finger, "you'll see that Spain is a natural bridge between Europe and North Africa. We were conquered by Islamic armies from North Africa, and we were under their rule for hundreds of years. We finally drove them out, but now after more than five hundred years they're coming back.”
"You mean as immigrants."
She smiled. "Yes. But also as merchants and financiers."
"Are they involved in international trade?"
"They're involved in the drug trade. North Africa is a main source of drugs for Europe, and Spain is where these drugs enter the European market."
"So money from drugs changes hands in Spain."
"A lot of money. Some goes back to North Africa, some stays here, and some goes elsewhere. We're interested in the money that goes elsewhere."
"Where does it go?"
"We don't know. But we know what they're doing with it."
"What are they doing with it?"
"They're buying weapons."
"What kind of weapons?"
"Presumably weapons of mass destruction."
"What are they planning to do with these weapons?"
"They're planning to attack a target in New York City."
"Did he tell you the target?"
"He doesn't know."
"Well, we don't have to know," Fenly said. "If we could find the money we could follow it to the weapons, and we could stop them from being deployed."
"We could," Raquel said, "but we don't know where to look for the money."
"So my job is to find the money."
"That's your specialty, isn't it?"
"Yeah, but I can't guarantee success."
"You have to," she said urgently.
"You really believe what this guy told you?"
"I have an instinct about it."
"A cop's instinct?"
"A woman's instinct."
"Can we talk with him?"
"We can give the interrogators questions to ask him, and we can watch the interview."
"How soon could that happen?"
"Tomorrow if you're ready."
"I'll be ready. How much time do we have?"
She frowned. "He doesn't know the exact date, but he says the attack is scheduled to occur in about two weeks."
"Two weeks? Then we better get off our fucking butts."
From the look in her eyes he knew she had understood what he meant, but he also knew she wouldn't have put it quite that way in Castilian Spanish.
Professional Reviews
Midwest Book Review
In the face of terror, any differences can be quickly set aside. Infamy tells the story of Fenly Aquino and Raquel Lopez, two individuals working as a union of America and Spain in stopping a terrorist plot that seems to be targeting New York City once more. To find justice, they will have to find it through the criminal underworlds of both their countries, making Infamy a riveting novel.
Catholic Fiction
Infamy is the story of a Latino American, Fenly Aquino, who works for Homeland Security. He is assigned to travel to Spain to work with Raquel Lopez, a former cop, to assist the Spanish anti-terrorist team in stopping a terrorist attack about to happen on U.S. soil. Both Fenly and Raquel have lost loved ones to terrorism: Fenly lost his fiancee, Camila, in 9/11 and Raquel lost her brother in the attack on Madrid commuter trains. They discover the current plot involves laundered money, drug dealers, prostitutes, Americans living in Spain and possible involvement of other U.S. security personnel. Eventually, it becomes obvious to the terrorists that Fenly, Raquel and the entire Spanish anti-terrorist team know too much about the plot and, by the end of the book, their lives are in danger.
Overall, I liked this novel very much. The story and plotlines were interesting, relevant and for the most part, the book was a page turner. The author is a competent writer who is also a good storyteller. His characters are believable and well-defined. A warning: there is generous usage of the "F" word, so for those who are sensitive to that sort of language, this is probably not the book for you.
I particularly enjoyed the flashback scenes, although a few times, it took one or two sentences for me to realize that the paragraph was the beginning of another flashback. Milton does a good job showing Fenly's early tumultuous relationship with his mother, his longing for his absentee father, his eventual maturity, the growing relationship with his fiancee, all leading up to the horrible events on 9/11.
The romance which eventually develops between Fenly and Raquel happens a bit too abruptly. Although the two work well together, there is very little indication that they will become romantically involved. All of a sudden, at the end, they decide they love one another. As well, the cover is too simplistic for a book of this caliber.
However, I liked how facets of Catholicism are woven throughout the story. Fenly is far from a practicing or faithful Catholic but his fiancee was and his mother is, so he is familiar with the Mass and the sacraments.
I recommend this book as an entertaining, interesting and relevant read.
Ellen Gable Hrkach, author
Emily's Hope
In Name Only
U.S. Review of Books
Infamy is a post 9/11 novel by Tom Milton, a former venture capitalist and international banker. Milton, the author of three other novels, wrote this controversial story. It takes place in New York City's boroughs and Madrid, Spain and has roots in reaction to both the Twin Towers devastations and the attack of the Madrid commuter train. The protagonists, Dominican American security agent Fenly Aquino and Spanish born counterterrorism Raquel Lopez have just days to stop another terrorist attack. The intriguing plot involves money laundering to purchase weapons of mass destruction for further terrorism, but you don't have to be a world class expert on intelligence to appreciate that a new New York target is at stake and Fenly and company must stop it. Our heroes set out on their quest, tracking the masterminds of global mayhem and of course they are beaten to a bloody pulp, repeatedly shot at along the way.
Reading much like an old fashion detective novel, Infamy deals with the criminal underworld of money runners and easy women. It shows how the good guys cross into hostile territory undetected. Several methods of subterfuge, mastering disguises and how to withstand interrogations are vividly illustrated. Milton also writes a few fairly graphic sex scenes in this novel. Aside from that, Infamy has rich dialogue, colorful characters, and exotic locales. Though hypothetical speculation on international terrorist's plots may not be for everyone, Milton has definitely crafted a gripping thriller.
SURGICALLY RE-WRITTEN and CONDENSED Feb-May 2013... A MONUMENTAL JOURNEY is an adventure mystery historical fiction novel that follows a young mans journey (with friends) to find Truth, happiness, purpose, and a long lost Norse tribe.
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