When Stieg Larsson’s Millennium trilogy took the world by storm, readers wondered if Lisbeth Salander’s story could ever continue. In 2015, Swedish author David Lagercrantz picked up the mantle, penning three novels that expanded Salander and Blomkvist’s world for a new generation. While opinions remain divided, Lagercrantz delivered stories filled with cyber-intrigue, espionage, and brutal conspiracies. Here’s our ranking of his contributions, from solid continuation to standout entry.
Our Rankings
3) The Girl in the Spider’s Web (2015)
Lagercrantz’s debut is ambitious, thrusting Salander and Blomkvist into a tangled web of cybercrime and NSA secrets. While it reestablishes the duo well, the pacing stumbles at times, and it never fully captures the raw energy of Larsson’s original.
2) The Girl Who Lived Twice (2019)
The final installment of Lagercrantz’s trilogy raises the stakes with political espionage and a mountain-climbing thriller’s intensity. Lisbeth confronts her most personal demons here, and while the narrative sometimes sprawls, it delivers satisfying closure to her arc under Lagercrantz’s pen.
1) The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye (2017)
The strongest of the three, this novel blends prison drama, corruption, and Lisbeth’s relentless pursuit of justice into a gripping tale. Its tighter structure and exploration of systemic abuse give it the closest feel to Larsson’s original spirit—dark, sharp, and unflinching.
Final Thoughts
David Lagercrantz’s trilogy may not fully match Larsson’s brutal brilliance, but it succeeds in keeping Lisbeth Salander alive in the literary spotlight. The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye stands as the high point, proving that Salander’s fight against corruption is far from over.
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