The Girl Who Played with FireThe Girl Who Played with Fire
Score Modern
What it's about
Mikael Blomkvist, the crusading publisher of Millennium magazine, is about to run a story exposing a sex-trafficking operation. On the eve of publication, the two reporters behind it are murdered, and the fingerprints on the weapon belong to his friend, the hacker Lisbeth Salander. Convinced she's innocent, Blomkvist investigates, while Salander is drawn into a deadly game that forces her to confront her past.
Why it's worth reading
It reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It's the middle of Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy, and it reveals who Lisbeth Salander really is.
You'll love it if you liked
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest
Gone GirlGood to know
Read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo first. This book ends on a cliffhanger that the third resolves.
By the numbers
- Readers76 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller81 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #28 of the 555 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #188 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #373 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping
More by Stieg Larsson
The Girl with the Dragon TattooThe Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's NestIf you like this, read next
Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland
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Gideon the Ninth
PiranesiExplore the best-of lists
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Quick answers
Is The Girl Who Played with Fire worth reading?
Yes. It reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It ranks #373 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 80.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Girl Who Played with Fire about?
Mikael Blomkvist, the crusading publisher of Millennium magazine, is about to run a story exposing a sex-trafficking operation. On the eve of publication, the two reporters behind it are murdered, and the fingerprints on the weapon belong to his friend, the hacker Lisbeth Salander. Convinced she's innocent, Blomkvist investigates, while Salander is drawn into a deadly game that forces her to confront her past.
How long does it take to read The Girl Who Played with Fire?
About 16 hours (642 pages), or about 5 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Girl Who Played with Fire?
If you liked it, try The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson or Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.