"People always have secrets. It´s only a question of finding them out." Lisbeth Salander
The first book in a series of three in the Millennium Series
Stieg Larsson’s debut in crime fiction is something unique. He writes with a powerful feeling for ...
"People always have secrets. It´s only a question of finding them out."
Lisbeth Salander
The first book in a series of three in the Millennium Series
Stieg Larsson’s debut in crime fiction is something unique. He writes with a powerful feeling for contemporary life and it is effective, very accurate and professional. He also shows that his knowledge stretches across a wide field and this is matched by the depth of his insight, which makes the story very credible. He has a fantastic ability to keep many complicated plots going at once, and he ties them together in a brilliant manner. This is the first of three books about Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander.
Journalist Mikael Blomkvist is given the task of going through an old criminal case: Harriet Vanger who disappeared without trace almost forty years ago. He is being assisted by Lisbeth Salander, a young, difficult woman who knows all about hacking which makes her an unbeatable researcher. Blomkvist and Salander make an unusual pair, but a fantastic team. Together, they are soon on the tracks of a dark and bloody family history.
Stieg Larsson (1954–2004) 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. As one of the world’s leading experts on anti-democratic, right-wing extremist and nazi organisations, he was often consulted on that account. He was just as ready to give a lecture in a secondary school as at Scotland Yard.
The idealistic and apolitical foundation Expo was created in 1995 to study, document and fight anti-democratic, right-extreme and racial movements in society. Expo is a magazine, a publishing house, a research group and an archive. Stieg Larsson was the editor in chief of the magazine until autumn 2004.
Introduction to the book:
Millennium, magazine for investigating journalism.
Mikael Blomkvist, 43, journalist specialized in economics. Publisher and coowner of Millennium. Earlier married to Monica Abrahamsson with whom he has a daughter Pernilla 16. Blomkvist has a love relation with Erika Berger.
Erika Berger, 43, editor in chief and coowner of Millennium. Married to painter Greger Backman. Has a love relation with Mikael Blomkvist.
Lisbeth Salander, 24, hacker and researcher, specialized in investigations of persons.
Dragan Armanskij, 56, MD of security enterprise Milton Security, employer of Lisbeth Salander.
Holger Palmgren, 64, lawyer, and earlier guardian of Lisbeth Salander. Lives at Ersta Hospital after a brain haemorrage.
Nils Bjurman, 50, lawyer, new guardian of Lisbeth Salander after Holger Palmgren.
Henrik Vanger, 82, retired industrialist and former MD of The Vanger Group.
Dirch Frode, 68, lawyer to and longtime friend of Henrik Vanger.
Harriet Vanger, born in 1950, grandchild of Henrik Vanger´s brother. Harriet disappeared mysteriously during a family gathering almost forty years ago.
Rights sold to:
Heyne, Germany
Actes Sud, France
Signature, the Netherlands
Gyldendal, Norway
WSOY, Finland
Modtryk, Denmark
Kronta, Lithuania
Marsilio, Italy
Bjartur, Iceland
Presernova Druzba, Slovenia
Yellow Bird Film, Sweden – film rights
Santorski, Poland
Destino, Spain
Animus, Hungary
Quercus/Maclehose Press, UK
Varrak, Estonia
Fraktura, Croatia
Psichogios, Greece
Woongjin Thinkbig Co Ltd, Korea
Modan, Israel
Eurasian Publ. Group, Taiwan
Edições Asa, Portugal
Editura Trei, Romania
Host, the Czech Republic
Ikar, Slovakia
Hayakawa Shobo, Japan
Columna, Spain (Catalan)
Shanghai 99, China
Carobna Knjiga, Serbia
Zvaigzne ABC, Latvia
Companhia das Letras, Brazil
Colibri Publishers, Bulgaria
Eksmo Publishing House, Russia
Women's Publishing House, Vietnam
Mizan Publishing, Indonesia
Dudaj Publishing, Albania
Pegasus, Turkey
Pearl Publishing, Thailand
Arab Cultural Center, Marocco
TRI Publishing Center, Macedonia
Awards:
2006: Stieg Larsson received the Swedish Bookshop Assistants' plaque "Your book – our choice" for Men who Hate Women.
2006: Stieg Larsson received the Glasnyckel (Glass Key) for Men who Hate Women, which is the prize delivered by Crime Writers of Scandinavia to the best Nordic crime novel of 2005.
Press voices:
“Dark, labyrinthine, smart, sexy, utterly original, and completely captivating, Stieg Larsson’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo delights at every level. Nuanced, sympathetic characters, caught in a tangle of unusual and compelling relationships, grapple with a baffling family mystery and with their own demons in the unique literary environment of modern-day Sweden. This book is artful and grand entertainment. I couldn’t recommend it more highly.” —John Lescroart
“With its compelling situation, its complex plot and especially its unique, fully-realized characters, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo embodies—in seamless translation—the best of European crime fiction.” —S.J. Rozan
“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a striking novel. 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
‘A publishing sensation, an accomplished crime writer 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
‘The journalist and the hacker are ingenious, believable creations… In the end, the novel becomes, among other things, something of a tender love story... This is a striking novel, full of passion, an evocative sense of place and subtle insights into venal, corrupt minds.‘ Observer
`The ballyhoo is fully justified… The novel scores on every front – character, story, atmosphere and the translation.’ The Times
‘Anticipation of the treats in store in the remainder of the trilogy are, sadly, tempered by the knowledge that shortly after presenting his manuscript, Larsson died of a heart attack aged 50… [but] his perceptive insights into the abuse of power by both individuals and institutions are designed to reach a wider readership than he could ever have imagined.’ Sunday Telegraph
‘Swedish crime fiction, like the country itself, has both class and a social conscience. It was only a matter of time before it produced its own War And Peace… This behemoth of a novel [is] not only all-encompassing in its themes with a cast of dozens but also so physically huge that if you want to stay up all night devouring it, as you undoubtedly will, you'll have to sit at the kitchen table. It's far too heavy to read in bed….The plotting and pacing are masterful. No wonder Europe has gone wild over Blomkvist and his riveting sidekick.’ Sydney Morning Herald
‘The style is leisurely and detailed, the plot interesting and credible but above all the heroine is splendidly original…an extraordinary book.’ Literary Review
‘A rip-roaring serial-killer adventure.’ Mail on Sunday
‘A multi-layered, multi-charactered tale by a writer of some considerable power. Full of social conscience and compassion, with considerable insight into the nature of corruption, it just knocked me out… a blend that is as mesmerizing as it is insightful into human motivations … This could be the crime-fiction novel of 2008.’ Ali Karim, Shotsmag
‘If you’re a reviewer, you sometimes find the hype surrounding certain books a little OTT. In the case of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, every word of praise that’s been pinned to it is richly deserved...The book is dark and absolutely compelling…The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is one of the finest crime fiction novels it’s been my privilege to read… Even if the two remaining books in the trilogy are only half as good, Larsson will have left a formidable legacy.’ Sharon Wheeler, Reviewing the Evidence
‘A long thriller [that] sustains the reader’s interest, partly because its well plotted but more, perhaps, because of the anger Larsson directs at his targets…Highly effective and a very good read: I look forward to the sequels.’ Spectator
‘The first in the trilogy of thrillers by a former political journalist who writes with pace, power and authority on every page. Not to be missed.’ Classic FM
‘Stieg Larsson’s ambitious debut novel is a potent package…It boasts a timely over-riding theme…a remarkable and distinctive punk heroine, a fascinating portrait of some aspects of modern Sweden, and a steadily accelerating narrative of … great verve and brio… This is a book of great scope and veracity, astonishing for a first novel.’ Bob Cornwell, Tangled Web
‘An epic crime story…[a] tightly woven crime thriller that pushed all the right buttons.’ Buzz!
‘Combines a good story with haunting characters and crusading message.’ EuroCrime.com
‘This book is a SENSATION!!!, and without a doubt likely to be one of the top thrillers of this – or any other – year! this is CLASSIC crime fiction… the mystery enthrals to the very end. And it's not without its serious side – this is also an impassioned social commentary on the author's part both of sex crime in his native land and the twisted morals of some of its high-flying financial players....Truly fresh, totally compelling, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo deserves to be just as popular as the early Henning Mankell – and then some!’ Readings Books Review (Australia)