Can I read David Lagercrantz's Millennium books without reading the original trilogy?

It is strongly discouraged . Lagercrantz's sequels, starting with The Girl in the Spider's Web , build directly on the characters, relationships, and conspiracies established by Stieg Larsson in the first three books.

What is the recommended reading order for the Rekke & Vargas series?

You should read them in publication order: Dark Music (2022), followed by Fatal Gambit (2024), and then Post Mortem (2026).

Who wrote the Millennium series books after David Lagercrantz?

The series was taken over by Swedish author Karin Smirnoff , beginning with the seventh book, The Girl in the Eagle's Talons , published in 2022.

What is David Lagercrantz's most famous biography?

His most famous biography is I Am Zlatan Ibrahimović (2011), a massive global bestseller co-written with the legendary Swedish soccer player.

What is the novel 'Fall of Man in Wilmslow' about?

It is a fictionalized account of the life and suspicious death of Alan Turing , the British mathematician who cracked the Enigma code during World War II.

David Lagercrantz Books in Order

Where to Start Reading David Lagercrantz

David Lagercrantz is best known for two major crime fiction projects: his continuation of Stieg Larsson's legendary Millennium series and his original Rekke & Vargas detective novels. Depending on your interests, there are two primary entry points:

For Millennium Fans: If you want to follow Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist, you must start at the very beginning of the entire series with Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Do not jump straight into Lagercrantz's books, as they rely heavily on the character development and backstories established in the original trilogy.
For Fans of Classic Detective Duos: If you prefer a fresh, Sherlock Holmes-style procedural, start with Dark Music, the first book in the Rekke & Vargas series. It requires no prior reading and introduces a completely new set of characters.

1. The Millennium Series Reading Order

In 2013, David Lagercrantz was selected by the estate of Stieg Larsson to continue the Millennium series. Larsson wrote the first three books before his untimely death, and Lagercrantz penned the next three. Following Lagercrantz's tenure, Swedish author Karin Smirnoff took over the series. To get the full story of Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist, read the books in their publication (and chronological) order:

The Stieg Larsson Originals

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2005)
The Girl Who Played with Fire (2006)
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (2007)

The David Lagercrantz Sequels

The Girl in the Spider's Web (2015) - Lagercrantz's debut in the series, introducing a complex plot involving cyber-espionage and Lisbeth's past.
The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye (2017) - Lisbeth uncovers deeper secrets about her childhood and the governmental experiments performed on her.
The Girl Who Lived Twice (2019) - The final installment written by Lagercrantz, wrapping up his narrative arc for Lisbeth and Mikael.

The Karin Smirnoff Continuation

The Girl in the Eagle's Talons (2022) - Smirnoff continues the saga, moving the setting to the raw wilderness of northern Sweden.

2. Rekke & Vargas Series

After finishing his run on the Millennium series, Lagercrantz created his own detective duo: Hans Rekke, a brilliant but troubled world-authority on interrogation techniques who struggles with depression and drug use, and Micaela Vargas, a street-smart police officer from a tough neighborhood. This series is designed to be read in order as the characters' personal lives and working relationship evolve across the novels:

Dark Music (2021/2022) - The duo team up to investigate the murder of a soccer referee with roots in Afghanistan. (Published in Sweden as Obscuritas).
Fatal Gambit (2024) - The investigation of a stockbroker's disappearance leads the pair into a web of international finance and Rekke's own past. (Published in Sweden as Memoria).
Post Mortem (2026) - Rekke and Vargas face their first serial killer investigation, connecting back to an unsolved cold case from 1988.

3. Standalone Novels & Biographies

David Lagercrantz began his career as a journalist and non-fiction writer before transitioning into fiction. These standalones can be read at any time:

Notable Standalone Works

Ultimate High (1997) - Lagercrantz's first major work, a biography of Swedish adventurer Göran Kropp and his historic, unsupported summit of Mount Everest. (Originally published in Swedish as 8000+).
Fall of Man in Wilmslow (2009) - A fictionalized historical novel detailing the final days of the legendary British mathematician and codebreaker Alan Turing, and the police officer investigating his mysterious death.
I Am Zlatan Ibrahimović (2011) - The massive international bestseller co-written with soccer superstar Zlatan Ibrahimović. It stands as one of the fastest-selling books in Swedish history.

What to Know Before You Start

When Lagercrantz took over the Millennium series, it was met with both excitement and skepticism. Readers should note that while Lagercrantz honors Larsson's dark, socially conscious themes, his writing style is slightly more streamlined and focus-driven compared to Larsson's highly detailed, exposition-heavy prose. Additionally, readers looking at his non-fiction and standalones will find a consistent theme of brilliant but misunderstood nonconformists—from Alan Turing and Göran Kropp to Zlatan Ibrahimović—reflecting Lagercrantz's deep interest in unconventional minds.