The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

I loved this book written by Stieg Larsson. Here, listen to the blurb on the back:

"...combines murder mystery, family saga, love story, and financial intrigue into a complex and atmospheric novel.

Harriett Vanger, a scion of one of Sweden's wealthiest families disappeared over forty years ago. All these years later, her aged uncle continues to seek the truth. He hires Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist recently trapped by a libel conviction, to investigate. He is aided by the pierced and tattooed punk prodigy Lisbeth Salander. Together they tap into a vein of iniquity and corruption."

What more could one want? The story is written very well and kept me engaged the whole time...I could hardly put it down. Part of the attraction for me was that the book takes place in Sweden (where I visited when my daughter was going to school in Uppsala....beautiful place!).

I thought that the characters of Mikael and Lisbeth were very developed...you knew these people. Parts of the story are rather shocking, but just very interesting. I am really reluctant to say more about the book because I don't want to give anything away!

I was rather puzzled by the events at the end of the book...the mystery had been solved, and there were still 80 pages left in the book. I thought it a rather odd way to end a book, but am guessing that the ending was leaving room for a follow-up book.

The author does have a book coming out this month, The Girl Who Played With Fire, which appears to be about Lisbeth Salander again, so that will be interesting. I will be anxious to read it when it comes out. I definitely recommend The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.