The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Summary

The story unfolds with Mikael Blomkvist, a reporter, facing libel charges from tycoon Hans-Erik Wennerström. Dejected, Blomkvist considers his impending prison sentence and the future of his magazine, Millennium. Concurrently, Lisbeth Salander, a pierced and tattooed investigator, is compiling a report on Blomkvist for lawyer Dirch Frode and her boss, Dragan Armansky. Frode, who represents magnate Henrik Vanger, is interested in hiring Blomkvist. As the story rolls forward, Blomkvist contemplates Vanger's job offer to document his family's history while secretly investigating the disappearance of Vanger's great-niece, Harriet. He finally accepts the task upon learning that he will receive information that could destroy Wennerström's reputation once the job is done.

While Blomkvist settles on the Vanger family's island, Hedeby, he finds a set of cryptic names and digits in Harriet's old diary. Meanwhile, Salander's life takes a dark turn when her new guardian, Nils Bjurman, assaults her. In response, she blackmails him and forces him to allow her financial independence. As Blomkvist unravels Harriet's mystery with Salander's help, they discover that the cryptic diary entries point to a series of horrifying murders. As their investigations reach a critical point, they are targeted by an unknown attacker. The climax of their investigation comes when they identify Martin Vanger, Harriet's brother, as a prime suspect from a photo taken on the day Harriet disappeared.

In an adrenaline-fueled finale, Blomkvist confronts Martin, who admits to the murders and to attempting to involve Harriet in the carnage. Martin, however, claims ignorance about Harriet's disappearance. Salander saves Blomkvist from a near-death experience with Martin, who later dies in a car crash. Blomkvist eventually discovers that Harriet is alive and brings her back to Henrik. The story takes an unexpected turn when Blomkvist is informed that he will receive no useful information about Wennerström from Henrik. Salander steps in to share crucial details about Wennerström's unscrupulous financial activities. The narrative concludes with Blomkvist publishing a scathing exposé on Wennerström, thus restoring his credibility and the magazine's future. Simultaneously, Salander secures her own financial future by draining Wennerström's bank accounts. The unresolved romantic tension between Blomkvist and Salander adds a final touch of intrigue to the tale.