The Girl who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson

Rarely do you pick up a book as long as The Girl who Played with Fire and read cover to cover without once being bored.  This is a good page turner that anyone who likes a good crime thriller will enjoy.

If you haven’t already read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, the first novel in this Millennium trilogy by Larsoon, then I strongly recommend that you read it first because it provides necessary background for The Girl who Played with Fire.

The earlier book is a slower start but once the plot gets up and running it is hard to put down. I thought the denouement was a little disappointing in the first book but the second part of the trilogy is  much better.

Character-driven more than plot-driven, it captures your attention from the very first page and the pace never lets up. The plot is complex – in fact there are several plots running simultaneously – and we get to know a log more about Lisbeth Salander. It’s an exciting read that you won’t want to put down. I can’t wait to read the final part.

If you like The Girl who Played with Fire you might also like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Also, have a look at Chain of Events by Fredrik T Olsson and check out the Nordic Noir category on this website.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

I am a little late to the Stieg Larsson party and must confess that I picked up a copy of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo more from curiosity after all the media hype than because it was on my list of books to read. This was the first of the Millennium trilogy and has since been released as a movie.

For the first few pages, it’s a little slow and I wondered if it was going to be to my taste. But, once the story gets underway, it’s becomes a gripping read with more than one mystery going on in the background. It is a plot driven novel but the characters are well drawn and interesting. Suspense builds — so much so that you may find yourself slowing down because you don’t want to get to the end of the novel. No doubt that is why this novel has had such good reviews. I’m looking forward to reading Larsson’s other titles.