Want to learn the ideas in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo better than ever? Read the world’s #1 book summary of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson and Reg Keelan here.
Read a brief 1-Page Summary or watch video summaries curated by our expert team. Note: this book guide is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher or author, and we always encourage you to purchase and read the full book.
Video Summaries of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
We’ve scoured the Internet for the very best videos on The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, from high-quality videos summaries to interviews or commentary by Stieg Larsson and Reg Keelan.
1-Page Summary of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
The novel begins as a journalist named Mikael Blomkvist tries to leave the courthouse after being convicted for libel and defamation. He ponders his conviction while waiting in line at a café. He thinks about the fate of his magazine, Millennium, which he has worked on with Erika Berger, its editor-in-chief and his lover. Meanwhile, Lisbeth Salander attends a meeting with her boss Dragan Armansky from Milton Security’s private investigation division and Dirch Frode who wants to hire Blomkvist for an industrialist named Henrik Vanger. She compiles reports on both men before attending this meeting where she learns that they want Blomkvist to do some research into the Wennerström affair (a scandal involving financial fraud).
Lisbeth continues her research and buys a device that will allow her to monitor Wennerström’s computer. Blomkvist considers the offer, but he is worried about Millennium’s future and his own career. Henrik explains his family history, then proposes a deal: He wants Blomkvist to write an article about the Vanger family as pretext for solving Harriet Vanger’s murder in 1966. In exchange, Henrik promises to give Blomkvist information on Wennerström’s illegal activities if Blomkvist completes the job. As Millennium continues losing advertising revenue, Blomkvist decides to take the offer because it could help him repair his damaged reputation by exposing Wennerström’s crimes.
Blomkvist uses his time in Hedeby Island to investigate the names and numbers from Harriet’s date book. He also gets to know the other members of the Vanger family, including Henrik. Meanwhile, Salander has a problem with her guardian Nils Bjurman who threatens to take control of her finances and treats her with contempt. She decides to blackmail him but things don’t go as planned when he rapes her brutally. A week after that incident she goes back again into his apartment where she handcuffs him on bed and tortures him while threatening to publish a recording of their encounter if he doesn’t let her have access to her money and declare herself legally competent. Satisfied, she tattoos a reminder on his abdomen before leaving his place for good. She is surprised when she learns that Blomkvist was hired by Milton Security instead and will continue working on the Wennerström affair without needing any more help from Salander
Blomkvist gets a tip from his daughter, Pernilla, that the numbers in Harriet’s date book refer to Bible verses. He asks Frode for another researcher and is introduced to Lisbeth Salander. When Blomkvist reads her report on him, he realizes she hacked into his computer. He visits her at home and begs for help with the case. She agrees reluctantly after getting confirmation that they’re close to solving it together. They research the serial killings together and find out who was responsible for them by finding old photographs of Harriet Vanger from 1966 when she disappeared.
Blomkvist goes to Martin’s cabin to confront him. He finds a dungeon in the basement and is beaten by Martin, who admits that he and his father killed Dag and Mia. Salander comes just in time to save Blomkvist from suffocation, but she fails at catching Martin as he escapes into the road. The next day, they all agree not to go to the police about what happened with Dag and Mia because it would implicate them for murder too. Later on, Blomkvist realizes that Harriet isn’t dead after all; she tells her side of the story when she reunites with Henrik (her father). When Frode refuses to publish their book or help Blomkvist get information on Wennerström, Salander offers up some information on Wennerström’s financial corruptness instead.
