Buying The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

The late Stieg Larsson's "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" brings his wonderful "Millenium" series of crime/mystery novels to a probable close. I suppose it's possible that some of his sketches for additional books in this series could see the light of day at some point, but this fine novel is being publicized as the final novel in the trilogy. Either way, it's a terrific novel and wonderful read to what's one of the best series of its genre.

"The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" picks up where "The Girl Who Played with Fire" (also a 5-star book) ended. Those who've read that novel remember the explosive conclusion and will certainly be keen to see where things head. I believe this particular novel will likely be more enjoyable to readers who've read the other two in the series, but that's not a prerequisite. Larsson provides enough detail and summary (spread throughout the novel) to make this novel fine as a standalone.

The plot once again revolves around punk, street-tough, computer-hacker Lisbeth Salander and middle-aged journalist Mikael Blomkvist. Salander is in the hospital recovering from wounds and is once again (or still) accused of heinous crimes. Blomkvist is out to prove her innocence and uncover corruption within the Swedish government/secret police. Nearly all the characters from the previous books make an appearance as do several new ones (to include a new love interest for Blomkvist). The book starts a little slow and Larsson provides perhaps too many details of Swedish government history, but things really pick up and the last 150 pages take the reader for an incredible ride. This is one of those rare books I skipped sleep to finish. One mild complaint--the translation (or perhaps the original) overdoes the use of the word "that". It's a mild annoyance once you notice it--and it's hard not to--but even that fails to detract from the story or the pace of the book. This is the best novel in the trilogy and it's a great trilogy. If you've not read any of these books, start from the beginning and enjoy the ride. If you've already read the others, what are you waiting for? A worthy read for certain--I only regret there aren't more to come.Get more detail about The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest.