The Girl Who Played with Fire

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

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Before the Dragon - Rated
I read this book not having read the girl with the dragon tattoo and still really enjoyed it.It kind of fills you in with what has previously happened along the way. The only thing that I was a bit lost with was all the characters- I got a bit confused at times but that might just be me:)

unputdownable... amazing.. - Rated
the first book in this trilogy was great "the girl with the dragon tattoo" but this 2nd book as a continuing story is truly amazing! i haven't enjoyed a book like this is so long! you discover all the things you were desperate to know and understand in book one! i highly recommend this trilogy!

As good as the first. - Rated
After thoroughly enjoying 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, I just had to buy this. I was not disappointed! Excellent.

great - Rated
very good book, but you need to read the book which precedes it first. That is the girl with the dragon tattoo. Well written and maintained my interest.

the girl who played with fire - Rated
This was a first class read, continuing the same quality as in his previous book.
The "heroine", if that could be an appropriate term is a complex person who I could identify with, although being a real person I doubt that I would be able to aspire to her unconventional methods; I would probably be too afraid of the consequences.
A truly remarkable genre of a subject which held me captive until the very end. Not for the fainthearted.
I eagerly anticipate the final volume.