The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

by Stieg Larsson

Okay, this fabulous mystery/thriller from Sweden has three major characters/plotlines:

--Mikael Blomkvist: a financial journalist who has recently been convicted of libel

--Harriet Vanger: the subject of a new investigation by Blomkvist.

--Lisbeth Salander: the pierced and tattooed hacker who will help Blomkvist in his investigation of Harriet’s death/disappearance.

Blomkvist has been offered an obscene amount of money to find out what really happened to Harriet Vanger, who disappeared 40 years ago. To this day, her disappearance haunts her ancient uncle. In exchange for his work, Vanger’s uncle has promised Blomkvist enough damning material to avenge the libel suit/conviction.

But nothing is easy. The Vanger family is full of secrets, and very few members seem willing to help Blomkvist.

The cold danger of Sweden will sweep the reader into the story and hold the reader’s attention until the very end (or about 60 pages before the end). My only gripe is about the ending—so unnecessarily drawn out!

3/6/09