Stieg Larsson

Where does one begin to describe Stieg Larsson? Is there anything that people do not already know about the man who has become a real icon in crime literature, and who left the world with three books that have become a real literary phenomenon all over the world?

Stieg Larsson was born in 1954 in Skelleftehamn, a small city in Sweden, and died in Stockholm, fifty years later, in 2004, of a heart attack. He had been a famous journalist, reporter and writer, although he never got to experience his literary breakthrough. Stieg Larsson was very involved in social and political issues such as right-wing extremism and racism, in which he was considered one of Sweden's leading experts.

Stieg Larsson was an independent man already from an early age. He left his parents’ home when he was 16 years old. Two years later, he met his future life partner Eva Gabrielsson, the architect who is believed to have being working together with Stieg Larsson in the writing of the Millennium trilogy. In addition to the now cult Millennium series, Stieg Larsson has also left behind some legal issues. Stieg Larsson and Eva Gabrielsson were not legally married and therefore, Stieg Larsson's father and brother inherited his enormous financial wealth and the rights to his books.

Stieg Larsson's name has been a regular subject of discussion, especially regarding why you find an extra "e" in Stieg. Stieg Larsson was born as Karl Stig-Erland Larsson, but decided to change his name into Stieg in order to not to be confused with the Swedish writer Stig Larsson. What is interesting is that at that time, neither Stieg Larsson nor Stig Larsson were famous authors, but both were active in photography. It is said that they tossed a coin to decide who would change his name and that in the end it was Stieg who had to do it.

 
Stieg Larsson wrote some political books and articles before he completed the three detective novels of the so-called Millennium Series. It is, however, with his three books in the Millennium trilogy that Stieg Larsson has become a famous author all over the world. The first novel is called The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and was published in 2005. The second is The Girl who Played with Fire and was released in 2006, while the third was published one year later, with title The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest.

All these exciting crime novels have become an international phenomenon. Together, they have sold over thirty million copies worldwide and they have been translated into many foreign languages. Some say that a fourth novel was almost finished when Stieg Larsson died in 2004. We currently do not know whether this book will be published.

Others authors you may like: Jan Guillou, Roslund & Hellström, Anne Holt.