The first time I read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, it changed my reading tastes significantly. I’d always been drawn to mysteries in books, growing up as an admirer of Harry Potter and Sherlock Holmes. But the Millennium books had so many other aspects around the mystery/thriller hybrid that made me fall in love with the series and its characters. There was the strong character building, the political espionage and the empowerment of characters who had been subjected to abuse. There’s seriously not many books like the Millennium series.
When it comes down to it, the Millennium books cater to a real specific taste. Which means that once you’ve made your way through the series, it can be difficult to find something that even comes close to matching the general tone. That’s why I want to help myself and others find new books to fill that void. Below, I’ve done my best to curate a small list of recommendations that should satisfy those with a thirst for more Millennium-like vibes.
Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood
Alias Grace is a fictionalized version of a real murder case from 1843. It involves the murders of Thomas Kinnear and his housekeeper Nancy Montgomery. The reason this book makes the list is because it includes a mysterious women who displays great strength—sound like Lisbeth Salander?—crime, suspense and tons of psychological drama.
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Livia Lone by Barry Eisler
Livia Lone is a victim of sex-trafficking, but she doesn’t let this keep her down. She learns to fight, defend herself and becomes a detective, all so she can cope with her failure to protect her sister. Although it’s not directly related, Livia Lone mirrors many of the themes from Lisbeth’s past in the Millennium series.
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Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith
Child 44 follows the struggles of Leo Demidov, an officer who’s trying to uncover the truth about a chain of child murders that his superiors seem to be ignoring. Child 44 is much like the systematic conspiracies that fuel the events of The Girl Who Played With Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest. Many readers feel this is an extremely depressing book to read so be warned. This one comes with a huge trigger warning.
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The Ice Princess by Camilla Läckberg
Since the Millennium series opened many eyes to Swedish literature, it’s only right that another Swedish psychological thriller makes this list. The Ice Princess is about writer Erica Falck discovering the frozen body of her best friend in an ice cold bath. With slashed wrists, it seems like her friend Alex has taken her life. But there’s much more to this story than meets the eye. Detective Patrik Hedström has his theories about this murder, and Erica decides to team up with him to find the truth, and much more.
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The Hangman’s Daughter by Oliver Pötzsch
A drowning and gruesomely injured boy, tattooed with the mark of a witch, is pulled from a river and the villagers suspect the local midwife, Martha Stechlin. Jakob Kuisl is supposed to force a confession from her. But convinced she is innocent, he, Magdalena, and her would-be suitor race against the clock to find the true killer. The tone of this book is very similar to the Millennium series, but this one is set in Germany.
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If there are more books like the Millennium series that you know of then please drop the names in the comment section below!
