The first two books were suspenseful and enthralling. This one had all the suspense and thrill too. But as I was reading it, I wondered if it really was going to be predictable or not. I had this feeling about how I knew the book was going to end, but at the same time, I wondered if that is what the author intended and therefore was going to throw a major curve-ball at the end of the book. It was that way for about the first 3/4ths of the book.
But by the time Blomkvist is rescued from the Yugoslav hit-men, I knew how the book was going to end. Up the that point, I was teetering between "predictable ending" vs. "curve-ball". After Blomkvist survived and the trial started, I wasn't in suspense as much. The best way I can describe it is how I feel playing a long chess game. Who is going to win remains in doubt for about the first 20 to 30 moves. But then one player begins to gain small advantages and then reaches a tipping point when you know what the outcome is going to be. From that point on, it's just a matter of finishing the game. That's how this book read for me.
Now, the last part of the book was a bit unexpected. I had completely forgotten about Niedermann until he entered the scene again at the very end of the book. The last 30 or so pages were like the last big firework in a 4th of July fireworks display.
I'm selling all three books to Half Price Books tonight - I don't really want these books sitting around collecting dust and I don't think my wife will want to read them. Also, I found all three movies (Swedish versions) on Netflix. Not sure I'll watch them, but I'm tempted.
If I can find them at HPB tonight, I plan on getting Tipping Point, Outliers & Blink - all three by Malcolm Gladwell. I keep running into articles citing one of these books - it must be a sign.
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