The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (Book #3) by Stieg Larsson

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Title: The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

Author: Stieg Larsson
Series: Millennium Trilogy (Book #3)

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Length: 563 pages

Published: 2006

Publisher: Knopf

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Lisbeth Salander — the heart of Larsson’s two previous novels — lies in critical condition, a bullet wound to her head, in the intensive care unit of a Swedish city hospital. She’s fighting for her life in more ways than one: if and when she recovers, she’ll be taken back to Stockholm to stand trial for three murders. With the help of her friend, journalist Mikael Blomkvist, she will not only have to prove her innocence, but also identify and denounce those in authority who have allowed the vulnerable, like herself, to suffer abuse and violence. And, on her own, she will plot revenge—against the man who tried to kill her, and the corrupt government institutions that very nearly destroyed her life.

Once upon a time, she was a victim. Now Salander is fighting back.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

The final volume in this thrilling trilogy is perhaps the most thrilling of them all. Lisbeth is trying to heal from being shot in the head all while locked in her hospital room by the police. After the Section takes out Zalachenko and nearly takes out Lisbeth, it's time to fight back. Mikael spends his days finishing his book about the Section and Lisbeth and manages to smuggle a hand held computer into Salander's room. While there, she is able to use her hacker skills to get a few hacker friends on the trail, help Erika Berger with a nasty stalker, and write her autobiographical statement to deliver at the time of her trial. 

The trial is set for mid-July and it's a race to see whether those in Salander's court can stay one step ahead of the ruthless government entity which Mikael calls the Section.

And just when you think it's all over, there's another sixty pages tying up all the loose ends, at least one of which is barely mentioned throughout the book but is an integral part of the story. 

You can purchase The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

The Girl who Played with Fire (Book #2) by Stieg Larsson

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Title: The Girl who Played with Fire

Author: Stieg Larsson
Series: Millennium Trilogy (Book #2)

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Length: 503 pages

Published: 2006

Publisher: Knopf

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) The girl with the dragon tattoo is back. Stieg Larsson's seething heroine, Lisbeth Salander, once again finds herself paired with journalist Mikael Blomkvist on the trail of a sinister criminal enterprise. Only this time, Lisbeth must return to the darkness of her own past (more specifically, an event coldly known as "All the Evil") if she is to stay one step ahead--and alive. The Girl Who Played with Fire is a break-out-in-a-cold-sweat thriller that crackles with stunning twists and dismisses any talk of a sophomore slump. Fans of Larsson's prior work will find even more to love here, and readers who do not find their hearts racing within the first five pages may want to confirm they still have a pulse. Expect healthy doses of murder, betrayal, and deceit, as well as enough espresso drinks to fuel downtown Seattle for months.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

This is an excellent follow up to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Mikael Blomkvist and his magazine Millennium have achieved notoriety for his takedown of Wennerstrom. Lisbeth Salander is off seeing the world and living off the money she managed to steal from Wennerstrom before he was destroyed. And then she returns to Sweden. 

And murders start happening. Blamed for the murder of three people, Salander secludes herself in the secret apartment she had bought in order to track down who is framing her. Convinced of Salander's innocence, Mikael spends his days trying to figure out who really killed the three victims Salander is blamed for killing. 

It's a race for the truth, and it ends with a bang. 

I could not put this book down. Who is the mysterious "Zala"? Who is really responsible for these murders? Why is Lisbeth being framed and by whom? If you want to find out, pick up the second book in this trilogy and start cracking that mystery!

You can purchase The Girl who Played with Fire through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read The Girl who Played with Fire? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Book #1) by Stieg Larsson

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Title: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Author: Stieg Larsson
Series: Millennium Trilogy (Book #1)

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Length: 465 pages

Published: 2005

Publisher: Knopf

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Mikael Blomkvist, a once-respected financial journalist, watches his professional life rapidly crumble around him. Prospects appear bleak until an unexpected (and unsettling) offer to resurrect his name is extended by an old-school titan of Swedish industry. The catch—and there's always a catch—is that Blomkvist must first spend a year researching a mysterious disappearance that has remained unsolved for nearly four decades. With few other options, he accepts and enlists the help of investigator Lisbeth Salander, a misunderstood genius with a cache of authority issues. Little is as it seems in Larsson's novel, but there is at least one constant: you really don't want to mess with the girl with the dragon tattoo.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

It's been a long time coming, but I'm finally tackling this trilogy. It came on my radar around the time that the movie came out, and I knew I needed to read it. Naturally I was busy reading other books and since the movie was on its way out every single copy in the library was checked out. [I'm experiencing similar issues with both Flowers in the Attic (because of the new Lifetime movie version) and Labor Day (which I'm going to read for a book club I'm in).] So I've finally gotten around to this series. I also have to admit that I saw the movie version of this book about a year ago. The movie does a really good job, but the book is so much better (as most books are). 

My favorite character, without a doubt, was Lisbeth Salander. She takes absolutely no shit. As other characters ponder the enigma that is Lisbeth, they see her as the perfect victim. Which she truly is. Even though she takes no shit and has a "don't care" attitude, she is definitely broken. She gets her revenge on a number of people, including the man who is supposed to be her guardian. 

The other main protagonist is Mikael Blomkvist. Freshly convicted of libel against a major industrialist, Mikael is a journalist in disgrace. He ends up taking a job in the middle of nowhere ghostwriting an autobiography of industrialist Henrik Vanger. That is just the cover story, though, as his real purpose is to find out what happened to Henrik's beloved niece, Harriet, who disappeared in 1966 and is believed dead. 

It takes a long time for Lisbeth and Mikael to finally cross paths and meet up with each other (over half the book!), but once they're working together, the pair make a formidable research team. 

There is more than one mystery to be solved in this novel, and Larsson makes sure that all of the mysteries are solved by the end of the book. It's well written and does a great job explaining some of the more technical financial terms that the average person might not understand. Definitely worth the read!

You can purchase The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.