The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

 I just finished the novel, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I know it’s probably the most buzzed about book on the planet right now…but I just heard about it about a month ago. I was convinced to pick it up as due to the fact that I while I glanced at the book a few times prior to buying it…at Costco, or the airport, or reading a magazine that was reviewing it….random people came up to me and said emphatically, “You need to read this book. It is great!”

I took it as a sign and grabbed the book. Turns out the randoms were correct, the book was fantastic. It is, to an extent, a classic murder mystery novel, but it had modern twists with complex characters that you didn’t know if you like, but you are obsessed with finding out what they’ll do next. It’s action packed, although it actually starts fairly slowly. I had to force myself to read past the first 50 pages. After that things heated up quickly. The book takes place in Sweden and follows the investigation into the death of a 13 year old heiress, thirty-five years after the crime has taken place. The family patriarch is obsessed with finding out who killed her and hires a famous journalist to conduct an investigation. He, in turn, brings in an withdrawn, young researcher who’s punk looks, including many tattoos and piercing, give the title of the book. The book describes the year in which they solved the mystery. I can’t really say anymore than that as it will give away the twists and turns of the book, but I recommend it if you like mysteries and aren’t afraid of a little disturbing literature.

It turns out the book is a trilogy(called the Millennium Trilogy) by the Swedish author, Stieg Larsson. Who actually died in 2004. The book wasn’t even published until after his death and became a huge hit in Sweden first, and then all over the world. His intent was to write a series of 10 books, but his untimely death stopped him at 3. The fourth novel was supposedly ¾ complete when he died but a manuscript has never been confirmed.

I’m about to start book 2, The Girl who Played with Fire, and will provide an update on the blog when I finish it.