The second instalment of the Millennium trilogy brings two extraordinary characters back into our lives. Lisbeth Salander finds herself suspected of murdering two journalists but Mikael Blomkvist knows that although damaged and unpredictable Lisbeth is no murderer. Larsson cleverly knits all the storylines together and gives us a deeper insight into events that have created and shaped the brilliant character of Salander. Totally addictive stuff and luckily we have one more book to come, can’t wait!
Lisbeth Salander is a wanted woman. Two Millennium journalists about to expose the truth about the sex trade in Sweden are brutally murdered, and Salander's prints are on the weapon. Her history of unpredictable and vengeful behaviour makes her an official danger to society - but no-one can find her anywhere.
Meanwhile, Mikael Blomkvist, editor-in-chief of Millennium, will not believe what he hears on the news. Knowing Salander to be fierce when fearful, he is desperate to get to her before she is cornered and alone. As he fits the pieces of the puzzle together, he comes up against some hardened criminals, including the chainsaw-wielding 'blond giant' - a fearsomely huge thug who can feel no pain.
Digging deeper, Blomkvist also unearths some heart-wrenching facts about Salander's past life. Committed to psychiatric care aged 12, declared legally incompetent at 18, this is a messed-up young woman who is the product of an unjust and corrupt system. Yet Lisbeth is more avenging angel than helpless victim - descending on those that have hurt her with a righteous anger terrifying in its intensity and truly wonderful in its outcome.
Stieg Larsson, born in 1954, was a journalist. He was the Editor-in-Chief of the magazine Expo from 1999, and had previously worked at a major news agency for many years.
He was one of the world's leading experts on anti-democratic, right-wing extremist and Nazi organisations, and was often consulted on that account. He died suddenly and unexpectedly in November 2004, soon after delivering the manuscripts for three crime novels to his Swedish publisher. These novels make up the Millennium Trilogy, which has gone on to sell more that 3 million copies in Sweden alone. Tragically, Larsson did not live to see the worldwide phenomenon his work has become.
Maxim Jakubowski's view on LISBETH SALANDER...
Pierced, tattooed and garbed in extreme punk
attire, computer hacker Salander is the touching, vulnerable but
mightily determined heroine of the late Swedish author Stieg Larsson’s
acclaimed and best-selling MILLENNIUM series. The final book to be
published is THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET’S NEST. Not a heroine cut from the usual detective cloth but a truly memorable one.
