Product Description

Forty years ago, Harriet Vanger disappeared from a family gathering on the island owned and inhabited by the powerful Vanger clan. Her body was never found, yet her uncle is convinced it was murder - and that the killer is a member of his own tightly knit but dysfunctional family.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3 in Books
• Published on: 2008-07-24
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 542 pages

Features

• New
• Mint Condition
• Dispatch same day for order received before 12 noon
• Guaranteed packaging
• No quibbles returns

Review
A publishing sensation who seemingly came from nowhere ... crime fiction has seldom needed to salute and mourn such a stellar talent as Larsson s in the same breath - Sunday Times.

Just when I was thinking there wasn't anything new on the horizon, along comes Stieg Larsson with this wonderfully unique story. I was completely absorbed - Michael Connelly. --Reviews

Observer
A striking novel, full of passion, an evocative sense of place and subtle insights into venal, corrupt minds

Independent
Our surrender to the novel is guaranteed

Customer Reviews

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
I have just finished reading this book which was recommended to me by a friend. As someone who is not usually a crime fiction fan (I certainly never buy them), I was not very enthusiastic about it but had some curiousity because of the rave reviews it was getting in other areas also. I found the beginning of the book a bit tedious and was starting to think it was not for me, but, all of a sudden, it got a grip and I found that I was most reluctant to put it down! I have now had the satisfaction of finishing it this morning after a record reading time. I found the book most entertaining, evoking many differing emotions - suspense, disgust, intrigue, and some laughs also. The location being in Sweden was interesting and the translation certainly did not affect the impact of the storytelling. The two main characters were likeable and I grew fond of them and found myself caring about them. The author certainly can reach the reader and at the end, my main emotion was one of satisfaction. I certainly intend to the read his other two books.
Jean Ross

Intelligent tense thriller with a conscience
Some incredible thrillers are coming from Scandinavian countries these days. Anyone who is a fan of the Kurt Wallander series of books by Henning Mankell will know what I mean. Now we have a new addition to the shelf, courtesy of deceased author, Stieg Larsson.

This is the first volume in the Millenium trilogy and after finishing this first book, I am very much looking forward to the next two volumes. Larssson died in 2004 soon after delivering the manuscripts for 3 crime novels to his publisher. It's a pity that this gifted author isn't around for a long time to come.

The tale is split between the shady secrets of a wealthy family and the murky dealings of a famous businessman. Mikael Blomkvist, a recently convicted journalist, is hired by Henrik Vanger to investigate the disappearance of his niece almost 40 years ago. Vanger promises Blomkvist the means to clear his good name as part of the payment and Blomkvist accepts.

The author manages to maintain an excellent pace throughout, but still delivers a strong social lesson while providing the thrills. It is an intelligent thriller with a conscience. Probably one of the best of its kind in recent years.

Intricate Thriller
I suspect that a book so overly hyped as this one and now with a film adaptation out at cinemas is likely to suffer from a critical backlash similar to a Dan Brown novel and I can see that happening in the reviews here. The sales figures are about as close as the two get however (and I'm being a little unkind even making the comparison as they are so different).

This book is of a very different style to that which the standard English or American author would write and as such it take a little getting used to. Also, being translated to English, I think it loses something as in places it does feel a little contrived.

Having made these criticisms though, I thoroughly enjoyed the slow burning plot and the intricate back stories of the characters that are built up during the book; effectively playing out three separate plots as it goes along. The complexity of the main plot, the search for the missing Harriet, added to my enjoyment as it really allows you to get absorbed into their thinking as they go through their investigation.