The Girl Who Played with Fire

A Lisbeth Salander Novel

By: Stieg Larsson, Reg Keeland - translator

Narrated by: Simon Vance

Length: 18 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

The electrifying follow-up to the phenomenal best seller The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo ("An intelligent, ingeniously plotted, utterly engrossing thriller" The Washington Post), and this time it is Lisbeth Salander, the troubled, wise-beyond-her-years genius hacker, who is the focus and fierce heart of the story.

Mikael Blomkvist, crusading journalist and publisher of the magazine Millennium, has decided to publish a story exposing an extensive sex trafficking operation between Eastern Europe and Sweden, implicating well-known and highly placed members of Swedish society, business, and government.

On the eve of publication, the two reporters responsible for the story are brutally murdered. But perhaps more shocking for Blomkvist: the fingerprints found on the murder weapon belong to Lisbeth Salander.

Now, as Blomkvist, alone in his belief in her innocence, plunges into his own investigation of the slayings, Salander is drawn into a murderous hunt in which she is the prey, and which compels her to revisit her dark past in an effort to settle with it once and for all.

Listen to the rest of The Millennium Trilogy.

©2009 Stieg Larsson (P)2009 Random House

Critic reviews

“Boasts an intricate, puzzle-like story line . . . even as it accelerates toward its startling and violent conclusion.” (Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times)

“[A] gripping, stay-up-all-night read.” ( Entertainment Weekly)

“Gripping stuff. . . . A nail-biting tale of murder and cover-ups.” ( People)

Excellent book, awesome production of audiobook

I resisted listening to these books because I had the mistaken impression that they would be too weird for my taste. Was I ever wrong--they are wonderful thrillers and difficult to put down. I also hesitate to read or listen to series because I'm often bored by the second book but not so in this case. I can't wait to listen to book number 3 although I'm also reluctant to start it because I don't want it be be over. If you like thrillers and like cheering for those who are oppressed, you will like these books.

Great story, Awesome narrator

I read the first book in this series and it took a bit of time for me to warm up to it. I decided to listen to this one and it far surpassed my expectations. The story is instantly engrossing and, as most Audible listeners know, the narrator can make or break the story. He absolutely makes it. I have listened to this non-stop and am about to download to next. Don't miss this.

Further the excitement

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes! A must read. Great escapism.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Loved continuing with the story of Lisbeth and her twisted strange world.

Another great Audible experience

The second story for Lizbeth Salander dives deeper into why she is what she is! Yet another great listening experience

Outstanding book, What a great series,

Any additional comments?

#2 in the series and I couldn't put it down. The reading was fantastic. Can wait to get the 3rd book.

I love this series

The narrator is incredible. He can make every character seem authentic as if they were played by other actors. He also has a way with pronunciation that is consistent which is tough between languages. The story is complex and intriguing.

Finally - a great listen

Don't often write reviews because I've been seriously misled so many times by other's reviews, but this was an excellent listen - just as good as the first book. Great character development, awesome plot line! A book that deserves the stars it gets!!

Loved it!

Spent a few very late nights because I just couldn't put this one down. Beautifully read -- which makes so much difference to being able to relax and enjoy a book such as this with many characters coming in and out of the scenes. I could never enjoy this as a movie. Too much to capture of character and mood.

Best of the trilogy--Lisbeth Salander's Tale!

What did you love best about The Girl Who Played with Fire?

I found this book to be the best in the trilogy. This was Lisbeth Salander's tale. Don't get me wrong, I was a big fan of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo; however I found that while the mystery story line in the first book was interesting, it didn't hold a candle to the Salander-focused scenes in the book. Bottom line if you want more Salander you'll find it in spades in The Girl who Played with Fire.

This book was very cinematic in the telling and because of that I was pulled completely into the story, even more so than the first novel which also did a great job of showing instead of telling.

Sadly, I have to say the third and final book in this series was a major disappointment. The first two thirds of the novel was mostly narrative description of Swedish governmental workings and was Blomquist centric to say the least. Yawn. Most of Salander's action is stymied by the fact that she is literally incapacitated for the majority of the novel. I must say the overall series was good enough that I would have been compelled to read The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest even if I had a crystal ball to tell me how disappointed and, for most of the book, bored I would be.

But I digress..if you want a pull you in, keep you up late reading, nerd out and immediately have to rent the movie type experience, read The Girl who Played with Fire--it really stands on its own.

And the characters are developed....

As her life opens up, we understand more of her personality/character. Hope you paid attention in the first book, because they're all back in the second with increasing clarity.
You won't want to put it down.