Traitors from Inside Out

Traitors Trilogy #1

by M.M. Justine

It is grabbing with livid intensity, genuine sensitivity and a real understanding of the human condition. ~ Elizabeth T


It is captivating. .. I loved it. ~ Joelia N


"It will keep you spellbound to the last page."


Dr Peter Strmstedt and his wife died in a mysterious car accident. Their daughter, Martina and her brother Sebastian are left with a vast inheritance of a medical company. Martina discovers there are forces working against her. She sets out on a dangerous path to find answers.


She unveils a sinister plot that threatens to exterminate humanity, working in the shadows to replace natural immunity with artificial immunity for economic gains. The evil forces unleash their powers on humanity to exploit, control, manipulate, and intimidate the population into submission to harmful treatment.


Martina stands as a shield for humanity against the evil powers. Time is running out. Martinas life is in danger, but will she stand to save humanity, or will she save her own skin. Her decision must be weighed carefully. The wrong decision will mean the extinction of humanity.

Genres: Fiction

323 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 7, 2014

Reviews

[Jill McGill · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for an intense and gripping story with a strong female character lead, then this is definitely the book for you! Martina, what can I say, she is powerful and a force to be reckoned with. She keeps fighting for justice every step of the way and never gives up on her beliefs. One word to describe her would be FIERCE.

Traitors from Inside Out hooks you in right from the start. This powerful story is well-written, intense, and very suspenseful with highly developed characters that you will find relatable. This story deals with murder, corporate greed, government corruption, family, and a love triangle.

A thrilling rollercoaster ride of emotions and definitely worth the read!

[Lulu · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the plot and the twists in this story. It started off kinda slow for me, but once the story got going it was really intriguing. There seemed to be a lot of repetition and tons of characters (some of which were truly annoying, lol), which caused the story to drag a little. I also think the book was originally published in Swedish which may have caused some things to get lost in translation. With all that being said, I did enjoy this story with it’s mysteries and thrills and look forward to the next book in this series.

[Roma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: Traitors from the Inside Out

Author: M. M. Justine

Length: 321 Pages

Publisher: Authorhouse

Genre: Medical Fiction, Science fiction, Thriller, Suspense

My rating: 4/5

 

Summary:

The book is the story of the protagonist Dr. Martina and her fight for Good over Evil. The book is a Medical fiction with detailed descriptions on the sad aspect of Human guinea pigs who are injected with Life Threatening drugs and grave sufferings along with irreversible damage to their bodies. Book strongly depicts Martina’s quest to succeed in the fight against the gruesome damage being caused to humanity. Book also is about Martina’s personal life, her ex-husband Thomas, her 5 year old son Joachim, her Lover Jonas and her relationship with her employees.

 

My Take:

I thank the author and booktasters for providing me this book for reading and reviewing. The book is the First part of the trilogy “The Traitors Trilogy”. The book starts with the funeral of Martina’s parents who are killed in a car accident and her son Joachim who was also riding in the accidental car. Joachim however is very critical. He miraculously recovers from such a serious accident which is a bit hard for a person to digest given the descriptions of his condition. The story then moves forward to Martina taking over her Dad’s company Althonaut Global. The transition and her condition during the period is described beautifully.

 

The book goes on to describe a very sad facet of reality during World War where the prisoners were forcibly converted into medical guinea pigs to test the effectiveness of a medicine by injecting the disease into their blood first. The book also describes how the same is practised currently. If it is a reality, it is a very sad one. The descriptions can give anybody goosebumps. The character of Grenzken, the main scientist or Martina’s rival company, is hateworthy. His other half Birgit, though seems sensible and at one point you pray that Grenzken listens to what Birgit tells him to do. The depiction of Grenzken making Anna suffer feels disgusting. You can only empathise with Anna.

 

The love triangle between Thomas, Martina and Jonas is amazing. Though I couldn’t connect to Jonas and secretly wished they both break-up (Was happy when they did for a brief period). Character of Thomas, though brief, is lovable and I wished they got together. Some scenes do give you an adrenaline rush. The ones that had my heart pacing were first where Martina ventures into Devilund clinic through a secret tunnel and her escape and also the one where Martina and Jonas were attacked while in a cafe. The last chapter is also worth mentioning which keeps you glued on what next.

Just thinking about life – the clock coursing, propelling us forward; yesterday turning into the past, creating memories

The book is a medium paced book. Some chapters are long while some are small. Each chapter ends on a completed note. Every chapter builds the mystery further into the plot which is very intriguing. I commend the author for making the plot so unpredictable keeping the readers guessing for what will come next. Every character has some mystery attached to it. Once cannot help but wonder who exactly is the Traitor in the plot. The book ends on a note where one cannot help but pick up the second book in the trilogy.

 

Some chapters in the book have been dragged which could have been avoided to make it an even better reading experience. Some of the dialogues could have been made better with use of apt punctuation giving them the much needed effect to the readers. I would have loved to see more of Sebastian (Martina’s brother) who has a brief role in the book, however I would read on the second book to see how his character is shaped. The character of Dr. Rangor is intimidating, however, he too has a limited appearance in the book, probably, he too would emerge in the second installment in the series.

 

Overall, I enjoyed the thrill ride the author presented me with and without the doubt I am picking up the next book in the series to read the story further. Given that this is the debut book of the author, it is very impressive and a must read for thriller fans. Truly an unpredictable story.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

This suspenseful thriller is the epitome of good vs. evil as one tries to control and destroy humanity while the other rushes to detox the effects in an effort to save it. What makes this an easy read is although detailed, lacks the gore that often accompanies a medical based thriller. Although I do not mind ending in a cliffhanger since this is a trilogy, I would have liked to see more justice served within this book.

[Megan Rivera · Rating 5 out of 5]

During an terrible experience of their parents. Martina and her brother inherited a medical business. Things begin to take a turn and bad things start to happen. This allows her to find a great evil to fall upon humanity and it’s up to her to find a solution. A false move can effect the entire human race. I absolutely loved reading this book. It was a book I couldn’t put down. It had me on the edge of my seat.

[Helen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gosh I struggled with this book – and had I been reading it for pleasure rather than to review it, I would have given up!

The plot with all its many twists and turns is very original and the story is intriguing so it wasn’t the story line that I found difficult it was the language and writing style that I couldn’t engage with.

I found the writing to be very formal (perhaps a little old fashioned) rather stiff and stilted. There was nothing colloquial about it – that isn’t a problem if you find a way to connect with the characters or identify with them in some way, but I found that I just couldn’t get into their minds or feelings. Martina seemed to be so inconsistent that I couldn’t really believe in her or her motivation, and her relationship with the other characters just didn’t ring true, partly because the dialogue was so unnatural and non-conversational.

The style of writing is very ‘overblown’ lots of long words and filled with descriptive words that felt unnatural – and were sometimes just plain wrong. For example, ‘his appetite wasn’t optimum’ or ’the traffic was light and the weather radiant’ are hardly colloquial. I don’t know anyone who thinks or talks like this.

The author is perhaps just trying too hard rather than being more spontaneous and natural in her writing. The word usage is often so odd that it felt as though I was reading a rather poor translation of a book originally written in another language. There was no flow, no passion.

I generally find something sooner or later in a book that allows me to make the connection with the story. Sometimes it’s humour, sometimes it’s drama, sometimes it’s an empathy with the characters – and though I was drawn in further as the story progressed, it was a real effort to get to that point.

I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Ana Souza · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel gives to us, the readers, a glimpse of how the scientific world works, underlining here, the Medical field and how its Companies act in the Pharmaceutical Industry Market.
Especially here, there is a dispute between a Natural Medicine Company, which represents the holistic medical field (and therefore more humanistic) and a Pharmaceutical which is responsible for a creation of a mortal vaccine that can exterminate the humankind.
The idea here is to report delicate subjects like corruption, cheating, mass murder, mass manipulation and the use of homeless people as guinea pigs showing how companies create dependents and misled users instead of responsible and aware patients.
The mentioned Natural Medicine Company owner is Martina, the protagonist of the book. Martina is a captivating and prominent doctor that inherited her company after a mysterious car accident where her parents have died.
From the moment she starts to run her company, she becomes aware of strange and evil circumstances and a possible connection between them and the death of her parents. So she starts a solo investigation that leads her to disturbing discoveries about a certain clinic that manufacture The life vaccine.
The plot is nice and is fluid although some situations are unnecessary or apparently inconsistency but it was the end my main delusion. In my opinion, it is really incongruence or it is a clear cue to immediately start reading its sequel to try to find answers for some questions.

[Sisilia Meli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd like to thank the author and Booktasters the opportunity to read Traitors from Inside Out. It was such a thrill and kept me hooked the more I read!

Dr. Martina's journey really leaves you wondering about what can be considered morally correct and the sad reality of unrighteous use of power. Dr. Martina highlights real life issues such as corruption, greed, murder, and justice while she sorts between what is good and evil. I don't think I've ever read a book in the medical fiction genre that was as eye opening as this one that I needed the second book almost right away

I'm currently reading book 2 and can't wait to see what's in store!

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

You see a darker side of human nature in this novel, and there's a character that is inhumanely cruel and very greedy. One thing I wasn't a huge fan of is that at times there was no break in paragraphs to indicate a different/new scene. I was also intrigued by Martina Stromstedt Edgren's ex.

[Chris Maddix · Rating 2 out of 5]

Set in Sweden, Traitors from Inside Out, book #1 in a trilogy, addresses a couple of timely subjects - the uncertain value of some vaccines and the motivation for administering them, as well as the best methodology for administering health care in general. The main character, Martina Edgren, has just lost her parents to an automobile accident; son Joachim is recovering from the same mishap. As a result of the death of her father, Martina has become the boss at Althonat Towers, heading a company that offers homeopathy. Althonat's foe in this book is Devilund Clinic, run by a doctor named Grenzken, which is creating something called Life Vaccine which incorporates an evil concoction known as Rensblad, the secret purpose of which is to fight "overpopulation" by introducing ovarian failure. The book is the consummate good v evil, and readers who gravitate toward this sort of book will be attracted to Traitors from Inside Out.

There are stereotypical aspects and implausible twists and turns to the book which detracted from the story and might be smoothed out by a good editor. It was difficult to root for any character; even Martina is not framed in a solidly positive light, although compared to Dr. Grenzken, the escaped Nazi who seemingly delights in life ending procedures, Martina is a saint. Evil Nazi doctors who are still out there fighting Hitler's war is a story that's been overplayed. Even the name of Grenzken's clinic, Devilund, has overly sinister implications. Steven Rangor, one of the bad guys, lacks any tact whatsoever and demonstrates this by showing up at Martina's parents' funeral and pressing for a consulting job that he asserts was promised to him. Martina, in turn, immediately recognizes him as a baddie and shows him the door. Martina's ex shows up and offers to "remarry" her but also wishes to remove Joachim from the scene for his "protection"; Martina shows no interest in this offer. Why were they divorced? I guess we don't really need details. The current desire for protection is also not thoroughly explained at this point. Joachim, meanwhile, has emerged from a coma and soon thereafter is permitted to play with friends with apparently minimal supervision. The bad guys get aggressive - Martina has her car brakes disabled, gets a brick thrown through her rear window, and the local Inspector can't make heads nor tails of either, nor can he find motivation or culprits for the perpetrators of the accident that killed Martina's parents. Evidently, the inspector is also a bad guy; he wants to "hypnotize" Joachim, but Martina will not allow it. Oh, the child Joachim joins in play is "sold" to medical research, Martina is attacked by the child's father, a would-be ax murderer, and the child's mother becomes another in an unending line of car crash victims. For me, these were some head scratchers.

Aside from the stereotypes and implausible twists and turns, the book has positive aspects. Swedish names and locales do not make it more difficult to read; the plot flows fairly smoothly and the foreign-sounding titles in fact add to the intrigue. The book is a glimpse into the part of the world that struggles over health and medicine, which, as I suggested, is a timely subject. I can forecast that substantial readers will anticipate the sequel.

[Mel Sparks · Rating 2 out of 5]

Traitors from the inside out was not my cup of tea, the story was long winded, lacked engaging narration and ended terribly. I'm writing this with the assumption that this was a stand alone novel, if there's a follow up then maybe there's some hope of redemption.

The book begins with the tragic loss of Martina 's parents, the author does a good job of setting a melancholic atmosphere, Martina is overwhelmed with grief and for a few pages we witness her inability to cope with the loss. One of my biggest issues beyond that point was with the confusing narration and lack of clear transition between characters. There were instances in which Martina 's POV switched to Thomas or John and I had no idea until clues were given via internal monologue, it was disconcerting.
Switches between passive and active voice did nothing to help this plot either, the sentences became jumbled and the characters intent was distorted due to a lack of clear narration. Objects became subjects and verbs got lost in the uneccessary telling of an action instead of actively describing it. In short for most of this book I was confused. A lot.
Due to my issues with reading this, completing Martina 's story was difficult. As the heir to an esteemed pharmaceutical company, Martina's authority was tested by internal conflict after learning of the nefarious activities performed by individuals employed at her company (full details are still unclear as I had to skim a few chapters), after learning that her parents' accident was indeed homicide she's advised by well meaning friends and exes to beef up security until the truth comes to light. Stupidly Martina ignores these suggestions for much of the plot until she meets her untimely demise in an anti climatic, accident caused by her parents' killers.
My thoughts about this book remains the same, it wasn't my favorite, I didn't enjoy it and I doubt I'll read another like it anytime soon. Perhaps what I wrote prior wasn't completely accurate because like I said, I had to skim a few chapters, but for the most part that's the gist of it and if you're into those kind of mystery/thriller type plots with a crappy ending maybe this one's for you, for me though, it's a no.

[Manisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Martina has taken over the research and hospital Althonat after her father Dr Peter Strmstdt died in a car accident. She realises soon after that she is fighting sinister forces which are trying to derail not just her company but potentially the entire human race. The antagonists are known to her very closely and the plot is all the more vile for that. Along with trying to save humanity and her research she is also trying to figure out her relationships while protecting her son. This strong a female character is fantastic to read about. Her clarity of purpose along with her vulnerability on a personal level are real, endearing and completely believable.
The book does have a lot packed in but constantly moves forward. The science in it is plausible specially after reading it at the tail end of the pandemic. It is horrifying to say the least. There are some intense twists and turns which are quite unexpected. The end is a complete shocker.And its not just for that, that I would like to read the sequel.

This book was given to me by Booktasters to read in return for my honest review.

[Mina Chrys · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came by this book through Booktasters in exchange for an honest review.

After losing her parents, and almost losing her only child in an accident, Martina must take charge of her family business, and step into the midst of a conspiracy conceived by a malicious group. With her mind set on helping people heal, she will stop at nothing to interefere in their plans.

This is such a gripping story, we hear a lot about women being empowered and the main character of this book is a perfect example of this, balancing work and personal life is as hard for her as for anyone else, that’s what makes this character so real and relatable.

The plot is fast paced, not a moment of peace, and the rest of the characters are so well designed that readers can somehow understand their reasons, though not justify them.

A great first part for a Book Series, it outlines a great story, with characters worth following. Totally recommend it 👌🏼

[Ivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must admit, when I started reading this book, I became sceptical. I was still kind of skeptical when I was halfway through it as well. But what did keep me hooked is the really good writing. I liked how the author was able to paint the scenes in the book.

So why was I sceptical at first? Because it's about a vaccine that makes you really sick and infertile. I find it hard to believe that millions of people can get vaccinated without anyone noticing anything, and recommend that they get such vaccine to other people. However, it is a fiction book and I took this into consideration. The reason why I gave it four stars is because aside from that inconsistency, the rest of the story was superb and I wanted to know what else happens. The characters in the book are interesting as well.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another DNF! I'm being so choosy these days but I can't help it, this book is a masterpiece of a work, however it just isn't my cup of tea, or coffee or whichever drink you prefer using in this phrase.
Anyway, Traitors From Inside... is a scientific, biological thriller touching upon medical advancements, alternative medicines, therapies, solutions to cure humans through non-scientific medicines and the horror of illegal experiments on humans. I could've read the book had it not been biological (I know, CHOOSY).
Four stars for a strong storyline, characters, thrill and language. Ate one star because the pace is a bit slow.
- M. K

[Mick Barley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a review for Traitors From Inside Out, the first book in Traitors Trilogy - written by MM Justine, 2014. I received a free copy of this book to review.

This thriller opens as the heroine of the story, Martine, watches her parents being laid to rest on a grim, grey day. Set in Sweden, the cold sadness of that occasion seeped onto my fingers. Things feel extremely grim as Martine tries to deal with: her unconscious son—in hospital in a coma from the same accident that killed her parents; her brother, Sebastian; and her ex-husband, Thomas. There are mysterious and dodgy men trying to insinuate themselves into Martine’s business life and the company she now finds herself CEO of. This is something the author does very well. Her descriptions of the wintery countryside and weather is striking.

The central plot follows Martine - the CEO of a big natural therapies business - pitted against the evil doings of a rogue pharmaceutical company. The unscrupulous pharma company are testing a new medicine, Life-Vaccine, full of deadly and toxic ingredients, with a plan to roll out Life-Vaccine on the unsuspecting public. Althonat, Martine’s herbal medicine company, are trying to provide a naturally therapeutic anti-vaccine to block the effects of Life-Vaccine. While this is happening, there are problems within Martine’s company - as the title suggests. This is an all too real battle between the forces of good, pitted against some very unscrupulous people who will stop at nothing to carry out their plan.

I found the characters were well portrayed throughout. During some of the dialogue I had trouble distinguishing between who was addressing whom. In fact, I had to start the book again to keep a better track of the main personnel and minor players. Martine was a Little difficult for me to empathise with—she was very snappy with her underlings—giving her ex-husband, and even her son, a hard time. She is always in the best outfits, wearing the best shoes, driving the best car and living in the best house, which is full of high quality art. Even the bad guys were dressed in designer suits. She is trying to come to terms with the death of her parents and, sometimes in tears of grief, she is quickly able to snap back to reality and order people around. I felt there was an over-use of descriptive adjectives. I never felt like I had much of a feel for the character’s inner selves.

The dialogue is somewhat clinical, though the message did come through in synch with the story. As though actors were coming onto a stage and reading their lines at the right times, and then leaving. There was no relaxed chit chat or friendly conversations. The scene settings in the tale was always well described, but I felt each change of scene was dropped on the reader in an unsubtle way.

Initially, this made me feel as though the pacing of the story was stilted and uneven. I really wanted to feel some grey areas in the people and some dirt in the scenes. A Thesaurus is a handy ally when writing a novel, but the author had some issues with descriptors.

I found it difficult to like Martine, especially in the first half of the story. She spoke and thought like a bully to her staff, and was mechanical at home or out with her closest people. She seemed incapable of making rational decisions and made poor choices. I thought she treated her ex-husband pretty badly.

The second half of novel was a lot more interesting. I became intrigued as the action hotted up. All the elements of a spy/medical thriller, and the wider implications for the world, were on display as Althonat battles with the Nazi-inspired bad guys. The unique plot definitely took some turns in the second half that I did not expect. I felt the author became more invested in telling the story in the second half and that made me, the reader, more engaged. I found the second part of the story exciting and compelling, an immersive experience, which is what I look for in a book.

I think it was unfortunate that the much of the the first part of story was difficult for me to read, because I would not have finished this story if I wasn’t writing a review. I’m not sure if Ms Justine edited her own work. This story would definitely benefit from being tightened up by an objective editor.

[Alisha Rowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review was originally posted at https://bit.ly/3HMcSTd.











When Martina's parents are killed in a car crash her young son is temporarily put into a coma and she inherits the company, Althonat, with her brother Sebastian. Her father developed a wonder alternative medicine that will cure everything from ADHD to Alzheimer's with just one dose. The only problem is before his death he split the Rensblad formula, giving his brother half for safekeeping. The brother then sold his half to a pharmaceutical company with one goal in mind: secure the life of the top 5-percenters. They hope to accomplish this by launching their own form of vaccine: The Life-Vaccine which claims to keep you you safe from many diseases and instead makes those who take it sterile. What better way to control the population than by making sure another generation isn't born? If Martina can't stop this from happening her life and up to ninety-five percent of the world won't survive.
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. When I was reading this book I was initially having problems staying interested. It is set in Stockholm, Sweden and I was skipping over a lot of words that I can't pronounce. Mostly names. It gave me serious Girl with the Dragon Tattoo flashbacks. Which makes since with them set in the same country. I can't hold that against this book, however. It is no one's fault but my own since whenever any names like that I always skip over. I do it in any language, especially German.

I will say that I was a bit confused by some aspects of the book. For instance, Martina was divorced from her previous husband, Thomas. Thomas didn't abuse her, they loved each other, and there was still a spark. So I don't get it. Why divorce someone you love and have a child with because you want to live and work in different towns? I have done long distance relationships in the past. They are hard, but if both parties work at it there is no reason they can't succeed.

The plot was very interesting once my brain started auto-filtering the foreign words. We have a alternative, herbal medicine versus a major corporation of traditional medicine. Twisted individuals doing experiments on humans to further their own agenda. These people treated their experiments as inmates and if they died then it was no loss on society. I am wondering how long their inside man was undercover and what they had to do during that time. Traumatizing I am sure, to say the least.

I would be interested in knowing what happens in book two as it does end with a bit of a cliffhanger. We don't know if the end of the world is still going to happen and I would love to know what happens to the characters. Not so much interested in the romantic relationship and which male Martina chooses. More so if the world will end because some rich douchebags want to make sure no one takes what they believe belongs to them. In a way it is a tale that has been told for years but every one is different. Every one is unique and for some reason the books about very possible apocalyptic books intrigue me most.

[Joni Martins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review

Basic Details:
Book Title: Traitors from Inside Out
Subtitle: (Traitors Trilogy #1)
Author: M.M. Justine
Genre: Crime/Mystery/Suspense
Part of a series? Yes
Order in series: 1
Best read after earlier books in series?
Available: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...
Overall score:
I scored this book 5/5
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Short Summary of the book:
We meet Martina, our heroine, at the time of her parent’s funeral. Her young son, Joachim, lies in hospital fighting for his life following the same car accident that killed his grandparents.
The book takes us through a web of deceit, industrial espionage, and more and keeps you spellbound and unwilling to put the book down.
What I liked about the book:
I loved the entire book and can’t wait to read what will happen next.
What I didn’t like about the book:
There was nothing to dislike about the book.
My favourite bits in the book:
How Martina keeps upright in a world where everything seems to turn against her.
My least favourite bits in the book:
The ending. Simply because I want to know what happens next.
Any further books in the series? Any more planned by this author?
This is the first book in the series and I can’t wait to read the other two books which I expect will be just as much pageturners as this one.
What books could this be compared to and why?
This is a book that ranks up high with other suspense and thriller novels.
Recommendation:
In summary, I would recommend this book for the following readers:

Children No
Young Adult Yes
Adult Yes

If you like your books dark, action-filled and full of intrigue, this novel may be the book for you.
I’m certainly looking forward to reading more by this author.
Book Description by Author:
It is grabbing with livid intensity, genuine sensitivity and a real understanding of the human condition. ~ Elizabeth T


It is captivating. .. I loved it. ~ Joelia N


"It will keep you spellbound to the last page."


Dr Peter Stromstedt and his wife died in a mysterious car accident. Their daughter, Martina and her brother Sebastian are left with a vast inheritance of a medical company. Martina discovers there are forces working against her. She sets out on a dangerous path to find answers.


She unveils a sinister plot that threatens to exterminate humanity, working in the shadows to replace natural immunity with artificial immunity for economic gains. The evil forces unleash their powers on humanity to exploit, control, manipulate, and intimidate the population into submission to harmful treatment.


Martina stands as a shield for humanity against the evil powers. Time is running out. Martinas life is in danger, but will she stand to save humanity, or will she save her own skin. Her decision must be weighed carefully. The wrong decision will mean the extinction of humanity.
About the Author:

[Suzanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

A note before my review: Please remember that this book is fiction! It is not based on real events! There is no scientific evidence to back up the notion that vaccines will or are designed to hurt us. Get your COVID-19 vaccination as soon as you can!


I’d like to start out with 2 things I liked about the book:

1) MM. Justine’s inclusion of human trafficking issues
2) Her discussion on how wealth has never been about money, but about well-being

Now, 2 stars is the lowest rating I’ve given a book because typically when I read a book I think is only 2 stars, I don’t end up finishing it. (However, I did need to finish this book.*) There were a few reasons I did not enjoy reading this book (as harsh as that is to say), but I’m going to say them succinctly because I don’t believe it is right to tear apart the work of a published author to the point of being disrespectful. I admire anyone who can write a novel and find someone to publish it. But here are the main issues I had with this book:

1) The writing does not sound natural at all. It sounds a bit like someone wrote each sentence with a thesaurus and I’ve never heard anyone speak the way these characters do.
2) The villains and heroes are completely black and white. Anyone who is into alternative medicine is good and anyone who uses Western medicine is evil.
3) For me, reading this while vaccinations for COVID-19 were rolling out was very poorly timed. I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone to read if they’re having the slightest doubt about the validity of vaccination for fear the author’s very creative writing and strong stance against vaccines would influence them to make a poor decision for their health and the health of others.
4) I guess I expected more diversity in the characters. From an author who is Ugandan and Swedish, I suppose I thought she might have had more unique characters. The main character is a stunning blonde Swedish woman who has money coming out of her ears. Pretty much everyone else in the story is white and whenever they talk about Africa, they talk about it like it is one country rather than an entire diverse continent. It was just pretty hard to relate to these characters that are a) not like people I’ve ever met before, and b) homogenous.
5) A pet peeve of mine is when a book changes POV constantly without warning or apparent reason.
I’ll stop there. I’m grateful for the chance to read an author’s work, however it just was not for me. Doesn’t mean it isn’t someone else’s, though!

*I was offered a free e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Indian Dagama · Rating 5 out of 5]

📘Traitors from Inside Out: Book 1: Traitors Trilogy📘

🖋️Author:- MM Justine
📱Platform: Kindle
📄Pages: 334
🌠Rating: 5/5

📘BOOK REVIEW📘

⭐️Wow! What a book! This was totally a mindblowing book I am in love with the book.

⭐️As this is the first book I have read by this author I was not sure what to expect as you just never know when trying a "new to you" author. But once I completed the read I was quite satisfied about my selection.

⭐️The title of the book is based on the context and the cover is beautifully designed.

⭐️The book has been written in a very simple manner so that everyone can understand it and does not require any special aid.

⭐️Talking about the story a bit,The book starts with the funeral of Martina’s parents who are killed in a car accident and her son Joachim who was also riding in the accidental car. Joachim however is very critical. He miraculously recovers from such a serious accident which is a bit hard for a person to digest given the descriptions of his condition. The story then moves forward to Martina taking over her Dad’s company Althonaut Global. The transition and her condition during the period is described beautifully.

⭐️The book is a medium paced book. Some chapters are long while some are small. Each chapter ends on a completed note. Every chapter builds the mystery further into the plot which is very intriguing. I commend the author for making the plot so unpredictable keeping the readers guessing for what will come next. Every character has some mystery attached to it.

⭐️The book goes on to describe a very sad facet of reality during World War where the prisoners were forcibly converted into medical guinea pigs to test the effectiveness of a medicine by injecting the disease into their blood first. The book also describes how the same is practised currently.

⭐️Book strongly depicts Martina’s quest to succeed in the fight against the gruesome damage being caused to humanity. Book also is about Martina’s personal life, her ex-husband Thomas, her 5 year old son Joachim, her Lover Jonas and her relationship with her employees.

⭐️The satisfaction you get after the final completion of the story is just incredible, sometimes you are really happy with the ending and sometimes you feel it could have been better but when you will complete this your heart is just satisfied.

⭐️THE BOOK IS A MUST READ AND I RECOMMEND IT TO EVERYONE!!

⭐️This is the first book in the series and I can’t wait to read the other two books which I expect will be just as much amazing as this one.. Fingers crossed.
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[CinderBelle615 · Rating 5 out of 5]

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Booktasters and the Author kindly provided me with a digi copy of the book in exchange for an honest review:


I think I went in a bit biased because right from the get-go I was completely enthralled with the plot. As I delved into the pages, I just couldn't get over how prophetic this book was (it was written in 2014!) and reading it now, it was as if  the author had managed to catch a glimpse of the future, our present.


I realized this wasn't going to be a book I'd be able to put down so quickly. From the very first paragraph in Chapter 1, the author caused me to to become emotionally invested in the main character, Martina, which was interesting because I'm usually judgy about main characters. They tend to be arrogant and annoying but Martina came off as broken, and human, because of all she was going through, she sometimes came off as mean, but I can't judge her for that because she had emotions I could relate to as a person as well. And yet, despite her imperfections she was strong, brave and respected:

"Her natural charisma commanded respect and total silence fell upon the hall." pg 10

and another time when she slapped that guy, I don't recall his name right now but he deserved it, he was a jerk.


At times, the book had beautiful, descriptive language, this was one of my favorites:

 

"A scintillating velvet horizon announced the crack of dawn. A misty morning, the world caught between autumn and winter. The warm shades of autumn seemed to float in the fog as the early morning chirps of songbirds echoed through the valley." pg 88


As for the topics that surfaced while reading the book, they were like a box of assorted candies and chocolates for me. I like books that introduce medicine, alternative medicine, big pharma, it's the quirky conspiracy nut in me that really appreciated it.


It also had heavy topics like human trafficking, sexual abuse and so the tone of the books isn't your typical chick-lit, it was heavy ok and that inevitably made it so that the characters wouldn't waste time talking about dumb and irrelevant things.


As for the "negatives" in the book:


Well, was it slow paced? Yes. But when there are well thought out books, I don't think they deserve to be read in a flash. Lastly, I don't normally read thrillers so, there was a reason this one kept me on the edge of my seat! I'll have to continue reading this genre by the author!! 


Those were my thoughts :)

[Diane Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I agreed to write an honest review of Traitors from Inside Out in return for a free copy of the book.

The story starts out with a lot of information. The main character, Dr. Martina Edgren, has just lost her parents in a car accident in which her son was badly injured. Her father was the head of a company that creates natural medicine. Because he had enemies in Sweden, he and his wife had moved to the States to continue his work. With his death, Dr. Edgren steps into his shoes at the company (and in the scope of his enemies), while mourning her parents and worried about her son.

In this book of good vs evil, Dr. Edgren’s company is the good; the evil is a pharmaceutical complex that is trying to control the population by creating a vaccine that causes uteruses to shrink. Behind this vaccine is a mad doctor and people waiting to make tons of money.

While Dr. Edgren is trying to figure out how to stop this evil scheme, she is almost killed in a car accident and ONE of her houses (see below) is broken into. She is also involved in a love triangle that includes her ex-husband (the father of her child), who still loves her, and another doctor who works for her company. Oh, and her uncle is working with the bad guys because he feels he was dissed by her father.

The story is interesting in the way, with a very strong female protagonist, but there is a disconnect between how rational and orderly Dr. Edgren is at work and the chances and poor choices she makes while trying to figure out the mystery. At times I was taken out of the story because of disbelief, wondering how much more evidence people would need to report the medical abuse. But the storyline kept me wanting to read.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t emphasize or connect with any of the characters. For the most part they are uber rich with the best clothes, cars, and numerous houses, and get to attend gala events, such as the Nobel awards. Dr. Edgren often leaves her child in the care of others as she tries to save the world, but can’t imagine letting her ex have custody to give him a more solid parent to be around.

There are other subplots I won’t go into. The premise is good, the writing a bit more flowery than I like, and some transitions are rough. A good editor would help the author make this a book worth 5 stars.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Traitors from the Inside out by M. M. Justine is a medical thriller that reads like current headline news. The story opens as Dr. Martina Strömstedt Edgren and her brother Sebastian lose their parents in a horrific car wreck. They carry on in their father’s footsteps continuing his research into the efficacy and possible adaptation of herbal therapies to treat and heal incurable illnesses.

Martina is a strong female protagonist; a single mom and a successful businesswoman who finds herself navigating relationships with an ex-husband who still loves her and a doctor/co-worker who wants to marry her. Amid all the craziness of regular life, Martina experiences pressure and intimidation against her company’s herbal therapies, especially her father’s miracle cure, Rensblad. She is unsure who is behind the coercion, but learns of experiments done by her competitors on young people taken off the streets. It infuriates her. She ignores warnings to be cautious and takes risks to find answers and save lives. She uncovers a greed-driven plan by her big pharma competitor, shadowing elitists, and corrupt politicians who use subverted science to manipulate and exploit the general population into taking their harmful “Life Vaccine.” As she keeps digging, she uncovers a plot that threatens to wipe out humanity by replacing natural immunity with artificial immunity for financial gain. She faces danger straight on in order to do the right thing.

Justine’s descriptive narrative creates vivid backdrops as this suspenseful thriller unfolds. In today’s world of Covid vaccine controversy, some might think this book was written after the Covid pandemic hit, but it was actually published in 2014. With that fact, it is a timely tale people can relate to. I recommend Traitors from the Inside Out to people who enjoy medical suspense with a touch of romance and a sense of family. I did feel the story jumped forward in time at a few points that left a few gaps, but overall, I give this book 4 stars.

As Book Hookup, I am a longtime book reviewer. I received this book as a free review copy from the author, and have not been compensated for reviewing or recommending it. This review is posted in collaboration with #BookTasters.

[Liz]

This review is spoiler free.

Traitors from the Inside Out was a difficult book for me to read; not because of the story or the characters, but because I found it troublesome to get on with the writing. I wanted a break and to read something else, but I was unsure of if I’d pick this book back up again. Had I not been provided a free copy for review, I don’t think I would have finished it; however, I persevered, and I’m glad that I did.

My struggle started as soon as the book did. Right off the bat, the writing felt stilted but also fluffed out with an unnecessary amount of adjectives.; often describing things that I felt didn’t need the elaboration or matter to me as the reader; whereas some other things could have benefited from being elaborated upon. Sometimes, this descriptiveness really put my mind right in to the location though albeit not always necessary or suited.


The main character, Martina, loses her parents in a fatal “accident” and heads up the family company in their stead. When talking about the work of the company, the writing relaxes, the flow improves and the readability of the book increases, along with my interest and investment in to the story. The story began to grip me and I wanted – no, HAD to find out where it would go.

So, what about the actual plot/premise? Well, I was determined to make it through the book, and I’m glad that I did. About 1/3rd through, we get to the good stuff. Now I want my review to be spoiler free, but all the good stuff happens beyond this point. Murder attempts, espionage, medical interference. I was hooked. I found myself incredibly keen to find out what was happening around Martina, her company and the world as a whole; things started to fall down like dominoes. I even wanted to find out how things were going to pan out for the books bad guys. Some of the villains were naturally so. Some where manipulated in to becoming the bad guys. The narrative benefited the intrigue as it would switch between perspectives which I found helped to draw me in.

I had a lot of trouble connecting with the seemingly almost-robotic Martina. Initially she seemed devoid of much personality or even emotion, however, her humanity showed through later in the book, and I found myself beginning to connect with her; eager to participate in her journey for the truth. I wanted to be by her side and stick it out as she uncovered the truth about her parents and made more headway in to uncovering something I can only describe as astounding, yet horrendous…

The story developed in a way that I didn’t expect, especially based on my initial impressions. However, Traitors from the Inside Out had an incredible unique and original plot and the sequels hold promise. It’s a shame the execution of the writing, especially initially, was poor. The fact that I ended up hooked in spite of this is a testament to the excellence of the the story that MM Justine wanted to tell.

[Jaimes Carey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Traitors From Inside Out, book one of the Traitors Trilogy, is quite a story. Anti-vaxxers get ready, this book is full of pharmaceutical drama that will give you nightmares! Martina is the new CEO of Alhonat Pharmaceutical Company, inherited by the tragic death of her parents. From the moment she takes control, Martina finds herself in a twisted tale involving the production of an experimental drug called Life Vaccine. The irony of such a drug that is meant to inoculate millions of women to decrease world population. With the help of several trusted members of her family and staff, Martina begins to unravel the secrets of her father’s past and the current threat to humanity. There is also a mystery man, Scorpion, who helps her obtain valuable information. His identity will eventually be revealed, adding a nice touch to the story.

Devilund Clinic is where lead scientist Grenzken performs his experimental test for the Life Vaccine on prostitutes and other “inmates”. Along with other antagonist in the story, we find a lot of sinister activities going on within the Clinic as well as the effects of the vaccine.

The love triangle between Jonas and Thomas (Martina’s the ex-husband) provides minimal distraction from all the chaos. Personally, I hate the way Martina treats Thomas in relation to custody. But he’s a love-sick puppy and doesn’t put up too much of a fuss. She doesn’t want to re-marry Thomas but at times, seem to give him false hope. On the other hand, Martina likes Jonas but thinks they are moving too fast. She isn’t extremely honest about the way she feels about either of them, but by the end of this trilogy, I think she will make a choice.

Traitors has all the things a great book needs, secrets, death, corporate greed, scientific experimentation, and a love story. There are also a couple of side stories that are tied into all the suspense. I must admit, I have a love/hate relationship with the ending. Cliff hangers give me anxiety! Good book, I can’t wait to read book two!

[Abhay Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

⚫️MM Justine's Traitors From Inside Out is a brilliantly crafted political-medical thriller that hooks you right from the chilling opening scene and doesn’t let go. Set against the backdrop of Stockholm and echoing with international relevance, this first installment of the Traitors Trilogy introduces us to Martina Strömstedt Edgren a clever, passionate, and vulnerable heroine who finds herself caught in a web of corporate deceit, medical intrigue, and deeply personal loss.

⚫️From the very first pages, Justine weaves a captivating atmosphere filled with mystery and emotion. The tragic death of Martina's parents, her young son’s critical condition, and the enigmatic formula left behind by her scientist father all set the stage for a compelling narrative that intertwines personal grief with a high-stakes corporate thriller. One of the book's standout features is Justine's ability to blend emotional depth with pressing geopolitical and ethical dilemmas.

⚫️Martina is a character you won't forget resilient, principled, and unafraid to take on powerful institutions. As she steps into her late father’s shoes as CEO of Althonat, she uncovers secrets that could either change the world for the better or lead to its downfall. The pacing is tight, the dialogue sharp, and the tension never lets up as layers of betrayal are revealed.

⚫️What makes Traitors From Inside Out particularly relevant and thought-provoking is its exploration of medical ethics and the exploitation of pharmaceutical science for profit and power. The novel doesn’t shy away from uncomfortable topics: corruption, abuse of power, and the clash between natural remedies and commercial drugs. Yet, it approaches these themes with a grounded sense of reality that feels very human.

⚫️MM Justine is a clear and cinematic writer. Her scenes are vivid, and her characters are fully fleshed out. The action flows like a symphony each chapter builds suspense and delivers emotional payoff. It’s no surprise that this novel has received such acclaim.

Happy reading ❤️✨

[Dr. Raye of Sunshine · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 Stars

The premise of this book is a good one and in today’s society, it’s not that far fetched to believe folks would be involved in something this sinister as long as they get rich. The storyline is good - there is enough detail about the medical side to make those of us not experts in it feel like we can follow along.

Unfortunately, the protagonist, Martina, is annoying. For being a doctor and being described as an intelligent person, she certainly is pretty stupid. First of all, the love triangle is overplayed and distracts from the story. She barely pays any attention at all to her child (whom we first meet while he’s in a coma, then he miraculously recovers and all is well ?!?!) and her son doesn’t even know her lover. What’s that about?

Second of all, she makes flippant and ridiculous assumptions for someone who is supposed to be intelligent. She assumes the worst of people in some cases but then just blindly trusts in others. Aggravating!

Third, she knows some shady stuff has happened with her parents and her uncle, yet she purposely leaves a location without her guards because she just can’t find them. Really? I mean honestly. By that point, as a reader, I’m kind of clucking my tongue and thinking “you get what you deserve, dumplin.”

There are times the POV shifts so abruptly that you aren’t sure who is speaking for a few sentences. That was distracting at times. Lastly, there are some spots when situations that require details are just glossed over to get to the next part while great attention to detail is given regarding superficial matters such as what clothing they are wearing or how the heels are “impressive.”

I’m hoping the second book gets better. Again this storyline is a good one but the above mentioned issues made it distracting and difficult to continue reading at times.

**I did receive a copy of this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Ankita Das · Rating 4 out of 5]

Traitors from Inside Out is the first book in the Traitors trilogy, by MM Justine and I can tell the trilogy is going to be an interesting one. The author really comes up with her voice in her writing.

The book starts with Martina, the protagonist attending her parents' funeral who were killed in a car crash, while her 5 year old son lies in a coma at the hospital. On top of everything she has now inherited her father's Natural Medicine Company. It's fascinating to read how she makes herself go through every tough situation without faltering. The character development I saw occupied my attention.

Further in the book many stimulating revelations take place. During the World War a subversive drug was being tested on human guinea pigs without their will. This drug was being perfected to become something which can exterminate humankind. To this day, the drug exists in the shadows ruining lives.

Martina is trying her best to get the "Life Vaccine" out of the picture, while the menacing rival organisations and the people associated with it will stop at nothing!

The plot whirls around a love triangle between Martina, her ex husband and her boyfriend while also emphasising on the biological thriller aspect. The combination of both genres was judiciously implemented. I really admired the characters, the protagonists and antagonists were drawn each in a distinct way which brought excitement to the story.

The author's writing style is remarkable, she focuses on detail which makes the book ever so thrilling, although at some points a few scenes and descriptions seemed unnecessarily dragged and the slow pace acted as a distraction from the plot. I believe thrillers work better when they build slow and mysterious but pick up the pace eventually as things are revealed. Overall I really liked the take on the medicinal development trope, and look forward to the sequel.

[Rajesh · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the outset I would like to provide a disclaimer. This book review puts me in a spot because I am a practising surgeon and have followed the science of modern medicine all my life and in this book the theme is where alternative/natural medicine is pitched against modern medicine with the proponents of modern medicine being heavily painted in dark shades. Of course the pharmaceutical industry has some questions to answer for but I can only ascribe the events and experiments detailed in the story to creative freedom of the author.

The story starts with the protagonist, Martina, and her brother Sebastian attending the funeral of their parents, who died in a car accident. Also involved in the accident is Joachim, Martina’s 5 year old son, who is in coma in the hospital.

The story goes back and forth, giving a view into the past, about the research that Martina’s dad Peter was involved in. Was the accident just an accident or are there more sinister events at play here. There are powerful people belonging to major pharmaceutical firms at play here and they will stop at nothing to expand their market share and propagate their product “Life Vaccine”. Martina has her work cut out for her as she has yet to realise the extent of the evil that she is fighting against.

There is an interesting side story involving Martina’s ex-husband Thomas and her current love interest Jonas and it will be interesting to see how that plays out in the next two books of the trilogy.

The book is paced fairly fast after around 30% and is a pleasant read. The evil that Martina faces is probably a little overboard but I have addressed that in the disclaimer at the start of the review.

As for the end, well it is a trilogy so a cliffhanger ending was to be expected.

Would be looking forward to reading the next two books.

[Jule P · Rating 3 out of 5]

*** I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review ***

'Traitors from Inside Out' is the first book in a series of three.
Set in southern Sweden we follow Dr. Martina Strömstedt, the new CEO of a company focused on natural healing and medicine, on the one hand and Dr. Fritz Grenzken, a psychopathic mad pseudo scientist, who works for 'The Group'.

The first 100 pages had me struggling and I was close to giving up. The writing style reminded me of students having to reach a specified amount of words in an assignment. Very stuffed with adjectives and overblown.
Another thing that made it hard to follow the story are not indicated jumps in time and/or perspective within a chapter, an enormous cast and abundance of places.

The story itself is intriguing and nothing I have ever read before.
Caught between schemes, lies, espionage, murder and distinctive resemblance to nazi doctor Josef Mengele, we get a glimpse into corporate pharmaceutical industries, which makes us question modern healthcare.

I don't really like the main protagonist, Martina. While I do enjoy flawed characters, she remained just too cold, arrogant and superficial throughout. While I admire her work ethic and courage, I wish she would pay more attention to her son. In every personal relationship she maintains a professional distance, always concerned with her own interest and prestige.
This makes it implausible for me, that two not only-looking, but educated, smart and successful men court her, seeming almost desperate at times.

I will start reading part two 'Traitors Unleashed', because I really want to know if my predictions prove to be true and in hope of some better writing.