The Fifth Millennium

We were delighted to hear from Quercus Publishing’s imprint MacLehose Press with news of Book five in the Stieg Larsson series; having been avid readers and film viewers of these remarkable thrillers.

This Feature from Jeff Pierce’s The Rap Sheet has embedded links indicating our enthusiasm for the adventures of Mikael Blomkvist, and the enigmatic and deeply troubled computer hacker Lisbeth Salander

So via Quercus Publishing -

On September 7, 2017, the fifth installment of the Millennium series will be published in more than 20 countries. Once again it is David Lagercrantz who’s writing the book.

The Girl in the Spider’s Web, the fourth novel in the series, and the sequel to Stieg Larsson’s groundbreaking crime trilogy, has been published in more than 40 countries and has sold 5 million copies to date.

 Eva Gedin, Publisher at Norstedts, says:

“I have just read a first draft. It is wonderful to once again work with David Lagercrantz and a new story set in the Millennium universe. I am so impressed by David’s ability to find unexpected themes and how he can create unpredictable plots. Just like in 2015 when we published The Girl in the Spider’s Web, this new novel will be launched simultaneously around the world. And I promise, this will be just as thrilling!”

David Lagercrantz, how did the attention around The Girl in the Spider’s Web affect you?

“I couldn’t have imagined what effect the news about an upcoming fourth novel in the Millennium series would have. I thought people would shrug their shoulders and go on with their lives, instead Swedish and international media went half-crazy and the whole thing just escalated. Sure, I fantasized that the novel would become a success; I am after all a hopeless dreamer. When I struggle the most, I dream of triumphs, and most often I am disappointed. This time however I was amazed by the response.”

 How do you find the motivation to write yet another book in the series?

“Stieg Larsson created a fantastic universe that I feel continuously inspired by. During a holiday trip with my family an idea struck me and arose the same fever that I lived with when I wrote The Girl in the Spider’s Web. It is not so good for my sleep and my neurosis, but it is definitively good for my writing.”

You are donating moneys from your royalties to Läsrörelsen, the Reading Movement. Why specifically to them?

“This work to make young people read cannot be praised enough. Today more than ever, with a growing right wing populist movement and extremism. Reading and learning critical thinking are cornerstones in building our democratic future.”

About the author

David Lagercrantz was born in 1962, and is an acclaimed author and journalist. As well as numerous biographies (including the internationally bestselling I Am Zlatan Ibrahimović, for which he was the ghostwriter) he has written five novels including The Girl in the Spider’s Web.

Farewell Maxine Clarke aka Petrona

We were shocked this morning to learn of the passing of Maxine Clarke, one of most insightful book reviewers we have had the fortune to have known, and shared smiles with over the years.

We always enjoyed her erudite book reviews, her enthusiasm as well as her insight into the genre and her championing of work that she saw merit in. We met her many times at Crimefest Bristol [where she won the quiz with her team on more than one occasion], and she too was an early advocate of Roslund and Hellstrom as well as Jo Nesbo and Stieg Larsson [attending the launch party in London on 15th January 2008] among many other authors she championed.

The Shots collective wish her family our sincere condolences and best wishes during this difficult time. We however acknowledge that her work and insight lives on, as does the memory of her presence in our lives.

The Rap Sheet reports –

Rhian Davies (aka CrimeFicReader) first brought us the sad news that Maxine Clarke, an editor of the British scientific journal Nature who also--over the last seven years--wrote the excellent blog Petrona, died yesterday after what’s being described as a “lengthy” battle with cancer. But online tributes have been rolling in ever since. Her friend Karen Meek of Euro Crime, to which Clarke often contributed “peerless” book critiques, describes her as “a fast reader” who, “even when ill could read and review a book I’d given her before I’d get back to Birmingham! I can’t imagine how many books have been bought as a result of her well-written reviews, and that is legacy worth leaving.” Norman Price of Crime Scraps Review adds: “She tempted so many inexperienced bloggers to dip their toe in the blogging water and then jump in with her helpful comments and encouragement, that we all owe Maxine a great debt of gratitude.

Read more from The Rap Sheet here with further commentary available here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Photos of Maxine Clarke © 2008 - 2009 Ali Karim

Top - With Karen Meek and Adrian Magson at Crimefest 2009

[Below] with Karen Meek of Eurocrime at the Launch in London of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo on 15^th January 2008 in London

With her quiz team at Crimefest 2009 winning the Pub Quiz featuring Karen Meek, Rik Shepard, Ann Cleeves and Martin Edwards - in Bristol

With her quiz team at Crimefest 2008 with Karen Meek and Rhian Davies in Bristol

A personal message from Ali Karim –

Though personally not religious, there are passages in the Bible that are worth quoting, worth reflecting upon, and sometimes they provide insight, other times they don’t. When I heard about Maxine’s passing this morning, the line “It rains on the just and the unjust, alike” came to mind from Matthew 5:45, used also in Alan Moore and Dave Gibbon’s Watchmen as well in many philosophical work. It is an interesting line that resonates contextually in both the reality we see around us, as well as thematically in the crime fiction we read; the same fictional world that Maxine explored, reviewing and commenting upon. She will be missed dearly by the crime fiction community, rest in peace Maxine Clarke.

In the Vaults of The Dragon Tattoo

As the Shots team enjoyed viewing David Fincher’s version of Stieg Larsson’s THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, we were delighted to be invited to the UK press launch of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo on Blu-ray and DVD. The launch was hosted at new London Film Museum, Covent Garden, where an exclusive exhibition of iconic film and book memorabilia from the David Fincher film was on display. It was apt that the display was in the Exhibition Vaults, suitably creepy considering the dark Imagery of the source material. The exhibition includes a tattoo booth where the Shots team got themselves emblazoned with the iconic tattoos as fashioned by Rooney Mara [aka Lisabeth Salander]. The other displays included film props, such as the torture devices, the wall flower frames that emblazoned Henrik Vanger’s wall, photo still, audio visual displays and much more, all in the creepy vaults of The London Film Museum. The exhibition is well worth a visit but a warning – it is strictly over 18’s only.

The London Film Museum’s brand new exhibition space follows a multi-million pound refurbishment of the original Flower Cellars in the heart of Covent Garden.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – the gripping, hard-edged thriller based on the first of Stieg Larsson’s suspenseful and spell-binding “Millennium” trilogy – arrives on Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital Download on April 23. This highly anticipated motion picture from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment brings together an all-star ensemble cast led by Daniel Craig (James Bond franchise), Rooney Mara (The Social Network),and Stellan Skarsgård (Thor).

More Information available here -

The Vaults at The London Film Museum, Covent Garden

45 Wellington Street

London, WC2E 7BN

Phone: 020 3617 3010

http://www.londonfilmmuseum.com

If you wish to attend the exhibition, note that the entrance to the Vaults is off Covent Garden Piazza next to the London Transport Museum, and well worth a visit, but note it is restricted for Adults Only.

Photo Top © A Karim 2012 of Barry Forshaw, Mike Stotter, Nicci Praça of Quercus Publishing and Ayo Onatade and some of the exhibition pieces including artwork for the upcoming crime-writer Denise Mina’s graphic novel adaptation of the Stieg Larsson trilogy.

DANIEL CRAIG talks about THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO

promotional poster for Fincher’s Dragon Tattoo

The US film version of THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO is gathering a lot of internet exposure even before its release. Recently the trailer was posted from an anonymous source before Sony took it down.
Director David Fincher’s English-language take on Stieg Larsson’s best-selling murder mystery novel will be R-Rated, which has been a given since it was announced that the filmmaker responsible.
Daniel Craig, who plays crusading Swedish journalist Mikael Blomkvist, sat down recently with Esquire to chat about a variety of subjects, pertaining to both his personal and professional life. However, it was the actor’s comments about Fincher’s next dark work of cinematic art that were perhaps the most intriguing.

“It’s not that [David Fincher] simply showed me footage that was horribly graphic. It was stuff that was happening, or had happened. And somehow you don’t see it… There’s more than one way to sense violence… Much more powerful ways than seeing it step-by-step.”

But there is a rather excellent interview with him in ScreenRant

TGWTDT is scheduled for November release in the UK.

EXCLUSIVE LARSSON COMPETITION

Win exclusive MILLENNIUM prizes

You can tell we've gone Christmas mad. We're giving you the chance to win fantastic prizes in conjunction with Quercus Publishers and Momentum Pictures! To help celebrate the phenomenal international success of Stieg Larsson we are offering a top prize of: One LIMITED EDITION Box Set of the Millennium series, DVD (UK and Europe Region) of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and a must for the fashionista inside – an exclusive promotional T Shirt.

PLUS we are also offering a second prize of the DVD, T-Shirt and the complete paperback Millennium Trilogy. Think that is all? No way.

We have a further three sets of DVD & T-Shirts to give away.

Sound like your perfect prize?
To be in with a chance of winning, just answer one simple question:
In which country does The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo take place?
Enter for FREE now.
Competition ends on Midnight 15 December 2010.

SHOTS’ Online's competition Terms And Conditions apply see below

Terms and conditions

• Closing date for entries is 15.12.2010
• All correct entries will be entered into a prize draw and will be picked at random on 16.12.2010
• The winners will be notified by email within 1 day of the promotion closing date and are required to accept their prize by email or phone call within 3 days of notification.
• In the event of non-acceptance within the specified period, the promoter reserves the right to reallocate the prize to the next randomly drawn correct and valid entry.
• No responsibility can be accepted for lost or misplaced entries
• The prizes are non-transferable and there is no cash alternative
• Only one entry per person
• Incorrect or illegible answers or entries received after the entry date will not be entered into the prize draw
• The judges decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

The Girl with the Dragon tattoo film news.

According to The Wrap one of the biggest roles in Hollywood is about to be taken off the table.

Daniel Craig is nearing a deal to take the lead role in a U.S. adaptation of the Swedish blockbuster trilogy, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," TheWrap has learned.

David Fincher will direct the crime thriller, based on a trilogy by the late Swedish novelist and journalist Stieg Larsson.

Actresses including Oscar-nominated Carey Mulligan have expressed interest in playing Lisbeth Salander, a computer hacker recruited by a journalist to find a woman who has been missing for 40 years. That part has not yet been cast, and other actresses including Keira Knightley and Natalie Portman have also expressed interest. Craig would play journalist Mikael Blomkvist who is looking for the missing woman, Harriet Vanger.

A Sony spokesman however has said, "We have not offered any roles to anyone nor are we negotiating with anyone."

While Brad Pitt has been reportedly considering the lead role, an individual close to the negotiations said that Craig was close to a deal. The James Bond star will fly out to Los Angeles on Friday to have dinner with Fincher, who's slated to direct the three-picture franchise for Sony. The movie will shoot in October, and is slated for release in December 2011.

Larsson's "Millennium Trilogy," which includes "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo," "The Girl Who Played With Fire," and "The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets' Nest," has sold over 25 million copies around the world. A Danish film adaptation of "Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" was released last year and has been playing internationally.

Negotiations between Craig and Sony aren't entirely finished, but TheWrap was told he's extremely close to signing. Brad Pitt was also reportedly considering the role.

Craig begins shooting on Jon Favreau's "Cowboys & Aliens" next week. "Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" would be his next movie.