Bonus Book: The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

I have been wanting to finish this book, or should I say trilogy, for some time.  The book The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by writer Stieg Larsson I thought was the best of the three books.  (Spoilers ahead!) The level of intrigue and complex story began right from the first moment as we find our heroine, Lisbeth Salander, being brought to the hospital after being shot by her half-brother and almost being killed by her father. Surgery is performed on her while her father, Zalanchenko, sits two doors down in recovery.  In an attempt to keep the secret “Section” of the underground government a secret (a group Zalanchenko was a member) one of the old timers (Gullberg) who is dying of terminal cancer comes in and kills Zalanchenko and then turns the gun on himself in the hopes to keep the “Section” under wraps.  Simultaneously, our hero, Blomkvist, writer for the daily paper Millennium, continues his pursuit to save Lisbeth and also uncover the “Section.”  And oh yeah, Lisbeth’s half-brother, the human freak Niedermann, is on the loose killing people and waiting for the moment to kill Lisbeth.  Lisbeth, after her recovery, is charged with attempted murder of her father, which is being fueled by members of the Section who are still in control of the government.  The trial of Lisbeth is intense.  Her lawyer is none other than Blomkvist’s sister.  The trial ends with her psychiatrist, the evil Dr. Teleborian, being caught in the lies he crafted regarding Lisbeth’s mental health and he is found to be in possession of child pornography on his computer.  Lisbeth is acquitted of the crimes because of the work of Blomkvist with the publishing of the “Lisbeth story” chronicling her abuse by the members of the Section.  All of the members of the Section are caught.  Lisbeth is freed.  The end, far from it.  Watch out Lisbeth, your half-brother is going to find you!  A great last scene with brother/sister in a duel to the death with the “nail gun” being the pivotal instrument in the demise of….  well, let’s just say things end as they should, happily ever after.  Lisbeth and the reporter Blomkvist meeting as the moonlight is in the background (I added the last part of that meeting!).  So many turns and twists that this review does it limited justice.  A wonderfully crafted story and characters that are of this world.  Great read!  I look forward for RAs to put this one on the list.