However, maybe the author's not so dead. The Canadian newspaper Swedish Press has been reporting that the Millennium series may have been a joint project between Larsson and his common-law wife, Eva Gabrielsson. Some of Larsson's journalist friends praise him as an outstanding researcher, but say he had trouble writing. Gabrielsson's contributions would make sense. She is hotly contesting an inheritance settlement for the profits from the Millennium books, which also points to some deeper involvement in the project. However, she won't speak to the press and only says she is writing a book about the matter.
So, with that in mind, the best way to continue is to take the essential through-line of Hornet's Nest and ignore the convoluted side-trips that are undoubtedly Larsson's pipe dreams. Lisbeth wants revenge, not only for her father's cruelty, but for all the torture and humiliation she suffered as a child. (In earlier books, she is treated as if insane, tied up, drugged and even raped. Yet her only disorder is Asperger's Syndrome, a mild form of autism, which actually helps her in her work as a computer wizard.) Blomqvist, driven to expose Zalachenko and corruption deep in the Swedish government, also has guilt pangs about the way he wooed and then casually forgot Lisbeth's affections. Still, he carries on his dalliances with his long-time love, the married Erika Berger.
Through a rather ingenious method, Blomqvist manages to sneak a computer into Lisbeth's hospital room. Once she has the device, the world is hers. In short order, after a doctor removes the bullet from her head (where it has not grazed anything too important), she's out. Between Blomqvist's investigations and her fearless search for the files of her childhood imprisonment in mental health facilities, the two get ready for Lisbeth's day in court. Yes, day in court, because incredibly, despite the overwhelming evidence in her favor, all of Sweden is scared to death of her thanks to the nasty mainstream press. She's still on trial for murders of men who Zalachenko killed. But her sentence won't be jail, it will be a return to the sanitarium where an evil doctor waits to torture her some more.
Article comments
1 - Miss Bob Etier
Lynn,
Swedish Secret Service? Who would've thought?
I guess if they can still edit Shakespeare (and Michael Crichton) none of the talented departed are safe. Great review!
--Bob
2 - Lynn Voedisch
Why, thank you!
It surprised me too that Sweden had a secret service, but then why not? But really it's over the top with the secret service within a secret service. And then you are supposed to remember who answers to whom. He's even got the budget for each organization! What a mind!
I'm rather pulling for Ms. Gabrielsson to be the ghost writer. It's all very mysterious. The latest is that she's admitted she did "more than proofreading."