I thought I’d kick off this year’s Big Book Summer Reading Challenge with one of the big daddies of Nordic Noir, Stieg Larsson’s The Girl Who Played with Fire. Some of you might remember back in December of 2022 I finally read the novel’s predecessor, global sensation The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and, like many readers was completely blown away. Wanting a break from a heavy diet of nonfiction I recently decided to read the second book in Larsson’s best-selling Millennium trilogy. Just like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo I thoroughly enjoyed Larsson’s smart, edgy thriller. I found his complex novel a roller-coaster ride from start to finish, and easily one of the best works of fiction I’ve read all year.
The Girl Who Played with Fire begins a year after the adventures of investigative journalist Mikael Blomkvist and everyone’s favorite hyper-talented computer hacker and social rebel Lisbeth Salander ended in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Blomkvist is back helping run his beloved investigative magazine Millennium while Salander has taken a well deserved vacation. After spending the year traveling the world she’s returned to Stockholm, and thanks to her creatively acquired newfound wealth has established a guarded yet, comfortable life. Despite Blomkvist’s repeated attempts to remain in touch she adamantly refuses and the former duo has grown estranged.
Millennium’s reputation for hard-hitting investigative journalism now revitalized Blomkvist and his colleagues are approached by Dag Svensson and Mia Johansson and offered exclusive publication rights to the couple’s detailed exposé of an international underground sex trafficking network with links to law enforcement and journalism. But just as the couple’s project gets the green light the two are found murdered in their Stockholm apartment. At the same time Salander’s former legal guardian and all around sleaze ball Nils Bjurman is also found murdered. Almost immediately the circumstantial evidence points to of all people Salander as the killer. Not only does someone not want Millennium to publish the exposé Blomkvist must now must catch the real killer and clear Salander’s name.
Salander fans like myself can rejoice because while Blomkvist arguably might have been the main character of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo here it’s Salander. Even after it appears she’s deliberately gone to earth following the murders and even Blomkvist is having a few doubts about her innocence she remains the novel’s star even in absentia. In addition, those curious about Salander’s backstory, a young woman as brilliants as she’s troubled are also in for a treat.
Just like he did with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Larsson is able to take what starts out as a dark, convoluted plot and by the time he’s done wrap up every loose end and in the process entertain the hell out of you. The Girl Who Played with Fire will definitely be on my year-end list of favorite fiction.
