A Book A Week

David Lagercrantz faced a daunting task when he took on the responsibility of continuing the acclaimed Millennium series after the untimely passing of Stieg Larsson. His first endeavor, The Girl in the Spider's Web, advanced the storyline and stayed true to the core elements that captivated readers in the initial trilogy. Although it has been a while since I immersed myself in that narrative, I've had Lagercrantz's fifth book, The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye, patiently waiting on my shelf for several years. Inspired to reenter the ominous universe of these stories, I finally decided to read it.

At the book's outset, Lisbeth Salander, the girl with the dragon tattoo, finds herself incarcerated. The reason is her use of excessive force while rescuing a child from their abuser. Lisbeth is now paying the price for her unwavering moral code. Confined behind prison bars, she immerses herself in the study of Quantum Field Theory. This subject is utterly elusive to me, yet effortlessly unfolds its intricacies for the brilliant Salander. Her solitary existence is disrupted by interactions with fellow inmates, one of whom has targeted another woman on the block. Never one to ignore injustice, Lisbeth is inevitably drawn into the midst of it all.

Mikael Blomkvist, renowned for his incisive exposés at Millennium Magazine, makes a return, this time delving into the mysterious Registry, the organization believed to be behind the appalling abuse suffered by Lisbeth and her twin sister. As Blomkvist probes deeper into Salander's past, it becomes evident that those accountable for her childhood trauma are determined to prevent him from uncovering the truth. What's even more disturbing is the potential continuation of their horrific research into the present day. Their threat is as present as ever, and Blomkvist will stop at nothing to finally bring their actions to light. 

On the surface, The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye was poised to be a successful continuation of this thrilling narrative. Having mostly enjoyed the previous book, I anticipated another captivating tale. However, I found the novel to be a complete misfire, setting the series on a path of diminishing returns. Interestingly, many of my complaints about this book align with my issues with one of Lagercrantz's recent efforts, Dark Music. Like that novel, this one relies too heavily on telling the reader about the action instead of showing it, turning what should be page-turning moments into dull retellings that left me yearning to witness the action. Furthermore, Salander takes a back seat as a character in this story, leaving the supporting cast to try to bear the emotional weight of the narrative. None of the confusing cast of characters can fully carry the mantle of the story on their own, resulting in a messy tangle of threads that simply don't come together for a satisfying conclusion. With two books left in this series, I think this one will be my last.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2024, 13)

Lately, it seems that domestic situations dominate the landscape of popular thrillers. The recurring theme of a wife concealing secrets or a husband leading a double life seems to permeate the genre. Now, don't get me wrong, I've read and enjoyed my fair share of domestic thrillers, and some of them have even become my favorite reads. There's an undeniable allure to a classic murder mystery, though, that I find irresistible. It's the kind of story that has become noticeably less prevalent in today's most popular thriller novels.

My journey into the world of thrillers began over a decade ago when dark serial killer tales were all the rage. Stieg Larsson's The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo had taken the world by storm, leading publishers to translate numerous Scandinavian crime novels into English, all in the hopes of finding the next blockbuster hit. While authors like Jo Nesbo and David Lagercrantz managed to make their mark, many others faded into obscurity. I had mostly set aside this particular thriller subgenre from my memory until my friends at Knopf Publishing sent me a copy of the latest release from the husband-and-wife writing duo Lars Kepler. The Spider, the ninth installment in their series that originated with The Hypnotist in 2009 during the height of the genre's popularity, harks back to that era with a twisted serial killer narrative that both captivates and disturbs.

Saga Bauer has taken a hiatus from her detective duties, grappling with a form of PTSD that stems from her harrowing encounter with a serial killer. During her absence, her partner Joona Linna has been handling investigations solo. Saga's time away hasn't been the healing break she had hoped for, and her return is marked by a disturbing development. A new serial killer has emerged on the streets, earning the moniker "The Spider" for their gruesome method of leaving victims suspended in plastic bags filled with acid, subjecting them to a horrifyingly slow demise. This merciless killer has escalated things further by singling out Joona as their ultimate target and delivering a chilling message that leaves no room for doubt: only Saga possesses the capability to halt this reign of terror.

The Spider delivers a level of shock and awe that may play a significant role in determining your enjoyment or decision to read this book. Kepler takes the narrative to an exceedingly dark place, featuring creatively brutal murders, unsettling sexual situations, and profound psychological trauma. While these elements serve the story, I needed to take breaks from the book on multiple occasions. Trigger warnings are abundant in this narrative.

That said, I became utterly absorbed in the mystery of uncovering the killer's identity and whether the protagonists could thwart their gruesome acts. As the pattern of the murders emerged, I read with a sense of anticipation and dread, torn between fearing what would come next and being unable to look away. Even though this is the ninth installment in a series, my lack of familiarity with the preceding books did not impede my understanding of this one. Overall, The Spider presents a twisted murder mystery that seems to belong to a different era. It is a dark and unsettling narrative that is simultaneously disturbing and enthralling.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2023, 65)