Let's review...'The Girl Who Played With Fire' by Stieg Larsson

I stayed up late last night to finish "The Girl Who Played With Fire" by Stieg Larsson. I couldn't wait to find out the ending...there had been so many unexpected twists and turns...I was riveted.

And then just as I reached page 503 at midnight, I was greeted with a cliffhanger. A cliffhanger!!!!! I can't say for sure but there may have been swear words involved as I walked around the apartment getting ready for bed.

"The Girl Who Played With Fire" is the second in a three part series. The first book, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," was released last year. Amazon states that the third and last book, "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest," will be released on Oct. 31. However, the official Web site of Stieg Larsson has a date of January 2010. Oh, please let it be Oct. 31. I don't think I can wait until January to find out what happens.

If you're unfamiliar with Stieg Larsson and his series...allow me to introduce you. Stieg Larsson was a Swedish author who died unexpectedly shortly after delivering these three manuscripts. It's very sad that these are the only three works we'll ever see from him. Larsson was a great writer who had a gift for storytelling.

The books follow journalist Mikael Blomkvist, who is part owner of a magazine called Millennium. In both books he becomes involved in criminal investigations. Trouble definitely seems to follow him. His sidekick in the first book, Lisbeth Salander, is one of the main characters in the second book. She is feisty, aloof, smart, interesting...she is unlike any character I have read before. And she has a history... a mysterious history that keeps you guessing until the end of the second book.

These books are definitely a bit racey with its content. A LOT of discussion about sex crimes, sex trading, prostitution, incest...etc. So if these subjects make you uncomfortable, you might want to pick up something else to read.

But if you're game, check them out.