Product Description

Even more gripping and astonishing than the first ... this novel will leave readers on the edge of their seats.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #15 in Books
• Published on: 2009-07-09
• Released on: 2009-07-09
• Original language: Swedish
• Binding: Paperback
• 608 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Stieg Larsson gleaned a remarkable degree of success before his too-early death in 2004. He had delivered to his publisher three remarkable crime novels; the initial book in his ‘Millennium’ sequence, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, had enjoyed an unprecedented success in his native Sweden before the translation took the UK by storm. Larsson had made a considerable mark as a crusading journalist, with a speciality in tackling political extremist groups. But he offered assistance to many people and groups who he felt were vulnerable – something of a modern hero, in fact.

One of Larsson's key achievements as a writer was to create an innovative kind of heroine for the crime novel. His unconventional sleuth, the highly intelligent computer hacker Lisbeth Salander, is a confrontational young woman, whose Goth accoutrements sometimes alienate those around her (except the individuals she opts to have sexual relations with – strictly, that is, according to the rules she lays down). In the second book in the Millennium sequence, The Girl Who Played with Fire (as in its its predecessor), Lisbeth's closest ally is the older journalist Mikael Blomqvist, even though she has abruptly ended her emotional relationship with him. Lisbeth has left all she knows behinds her and has begun a relationship with a gauche young lover. But after a grim revenge run-in with a man who has abused her, she becomes a suspect in three murders, and is the subject of a nationwide search. Blomqvist, however, is convinced of her innocence (he has just been responsible for a blistering report on the sex trafficking industry in Sweden), and is determined to help her – whether she wants his help or not.

As with Larsson’s earlier book, this is highly compelling fare, with tautly orchestrated suspense; it's often grisly and uncompromising (not a problem for many readers), and the massive text may be longer than is good for it, but Larsson admirers won't begrudge the late author a word,and will be impatient for the third (and, regrettably, concluding) book in the sequence. --Barry Forshaw

Review
'Intelligent, complex, with a gripping plot and deeply intriguing characters' Philip Pullman, Guardian. 'A frighteningly suspenseful mystery' Harlen Coben. 'Brilliantly written and totally gripping' Minette Walters. 'As vivid as bloodstains on snow' Lee Child. 'In her (Salander) Larsson has created a heroine unique to detective fiction. Where else can you find a bisexual female detective with punk-era fashion sense who just happens to be an expert computer hacker?' Independent. --Reviews

Star of the show is, once again, the brilliant and misanthropic computer hacker, Lisbeth Salander, an eccentric and unique heroine...it is tightly orchestrated, with all the twists and turns of an old-fashioned spy novel, and the most jaw-dropping ending. It s a perfect summer read. --Kate Mosse

Pascale Frey, Elle
Warning - addictive thriller. All who taste it get hooked!

Customer Reviews

Amazing
An outstanding and dare I say superior sequel to "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo". Having read the first story of the trilogy this summer I was eager to know how the sequel would compare. In the girl with the dragon tattoo, Lisebeth Salander is definitely an enigmatic character and there are subtle hints that there is a lot of back story to her character. Am I glad that this back story has been developed and interwoven into this sequel. Too often we say "I couldn't put a book down" but in this case it is definitely a book you will be glued to.

The story comes to life when Salander is wanted in connection with some murders that have been commited. From this point the story moves on at a frenetic pace with all characters connected to Salander such as Blomkvist the journalist and Armansky her former employer defending her and trying to get to the bottom of the case alongside a national police investigation.

Ultimately this book is about why is Salander the way she is. What drives her and what is she willing to do to get to the truth?

Enjoy and look forward to the third part of the trilogy which should hopefully be translated from Swedish before the end of the year. If you're lucky (not me) and can read Swedish then why not get the third installment asap. Having said that if you're Swedish you've probably already read it.

Simply marvellous
I promised myself after finishing the first novel in the Millennium trilogy that I would not start this, the second book in the series, until the third was available for purchase. I didn't want to have that vague feeling of bereavement that comes when finishing an utterly engrossing book involving characters that have become familiar and for whom, and this probably sounds ridiculous, it is possible to feel an element of affection. The `good guys', at any rate, are people who, were you to meet them in real life, you feel you would like to get to know better. They are intelligent, sympathetic, motivated, for the most part, by a higher moral code than mere financial gain and supremely competent at what they do, which is getting the bad guys! And all of this is still true of the superficially nihilistic Salander.

There are certain structural inconsistencies within this book that might be explained by the author's sudden death and some may find this, shall we say, irritating? I didn't and contented myself with the thought that the plusses so far outweigh the minuses that it would churlish to gripe! Larsson's talent in creating these characters and setting them in high tech yet plausible environments is obvious almost from the first paragraph of the first book and is matched by the skill necessary to provide a structure and narrative drive that produces something that truly can be described as `un-put-downable'! Book lovers everywhere should lament the loss of such a rare talent.

As you can see, when the temptation is so great, promises are sometimes difficult to keep!

THE must-buy sequel of the year
Having read 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' earlier this year, I couldn't WAIT for the next installment in Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy..
And WHAT a sequel!
Oh my god from the moment the story gets going you won't want to stop reading. I finished it in one weekend it, was that good!
In brief, Michael Blomkvist hasn't seen or heard from Lisbeth Salander since she disappered after their successful partnership on the Vanger case nearly 2 years ago.
But when Salander suddenly hits the national headlines as the prime suspect in three killings, Blomkvist has his doubts, and is compelled to do some of his own research..
What follows is an exciting rollercoaster ride filled at every corner with shocks, twists, and turns.. but most importantly, the answer to the question:
Who is Lisbeth Salander??