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The book arrived promptly and in pretty good condition. Am reading it for my book club. I found it hard to get into at the beginning and find the Swedish place names a bit distracting and difficult. Now I've read quite a bit I am really enjoying it. Not finished it yet but am looking forward to the next one.

If you like hearing about coffee and sandwiches this book is for you. There is lots of coffee consumed and a whole host of open sandwiches are scoffed by Mikael, one of the main characters. He seems to eat nothing else. Apart from that, the book is one long crashing bore from start to finish. Nothing actually happens for 187 pages, even the eponymous heroine makes few appearances. We do get a lot of very dull stuff about some implausible investigative Swedish magazine (the very words want to make you nod off), and a reporter, the sandwich eating Mikael, who for reasons not really explained has got on the wrong end of a libel judgement and is packed off to open prison.
The central plot is an unlikely rambling tale about some Swedish magnate who wants the Sandwich Scoffer to look into an old family mystery. It's been on his mind for 40 years and now seems a good time to do something about it. We then have to endure a lengthy and torturous trail through and endless list of weirdo family members, all of whom seem to hate the rest of the family. I know how they feel. There is a nasty detour involving the Girl with the Dragon Etc and a sadistical lawyer. The plot groans towards its denouement where we come across, yes you've guessed it, a rather nasty serial killer. In the style of the best James Bond villains, he inexplicably makes a stupid mistake which results in his downfall.
The only positive thing I can say is that I finished it. I was rather hoping for a twist that would make it all worthwhile, but was sadly disappointed. At least I don't have to read the two sequels. Horrible stuff.

I was debating whether to write a review for this book or not and waste any more time on it, but seeing as the trilogy is still in the Top Ten of the bestseller list, I have decided to add my voice to the discussion after all. I thought the variation of the locked room-mystery quite unusual and intriguing and found it quite gripping in places. Unfortunately the way to the rather unlikely solution was filled with further incredible coincidences and rather nasty scenarios that left a bad taste in my mouth. I guess the author fancied himself as the male protagonist, the honest but wronged journalist with a bristling sexual energy so that most of the women he encounters during the course of his investigation can't help but go to bed with him. The character of the titular girl with the dragon tattoo is, admittedly, a far cry from every other heroine I've ever come across but is a walking contradiction; I certainly won't bother with the other two titles in the trilogy and my copy will go straight to the charity shop. I'm all for making up your own mind about a book but save yourself the money and get it from the library.

I finally succumbed and bought the trilogy of books... I thought, if everyone else is reading them, and loves them, then I probably will too...though I started reading the first one, The Girl with the Gragon Tattoo, and prepared myself not to expect much. How surprised I was when I was soon gripped into the story and could not put it down! Unusual for me as I can get bored easily....and I also have 'big-book-phobia' and am usually not keen on books with more than about 300 pages....and, I'm not normally in to thrillers and crime novels! The plot bounces along at a fast pace, and the characters are intriguing, especially Lisbeth Salander, who is the main and most interesting character, and who the title is based on! This first book introduces us to her, and her extraordinary 'spy' skills. The first 50 or so pages may be a bit slow, but do persevere....it really is un-put-downable! I was finding myself thinking, ''when can I get home and carry on reading my book?!'' Stieg Larsson obviously is an immensely talented author...such a shame his life came to such a sudden and unexpected end. I have finished this book and am now, without delay, reading the next book in the Millenium Trilogy! Great stuff!!! Buy it and read it, you'll love it!

There are some faults with this book, it isn't a masterpiece of literary skill by any means but.... it's a stonking good read. The reads only get better with each successive book. I loved Lisbeth Salander. Such an utterly flawed heroine is unique in my experience. The downsides are that the author used all three books to grind his own personal axes and this intrudes sometimes. I also think that Blomkvist, for all of his liberal male perfection, was much more flawed than Salander. He has all the emotional depth of an amoeba. You never get the feeling that any of the primary relationships in his life, the one with his daughter included, impact on him greatly. Still, flaws aside, I couldnt put any of the books down.
Great reads.