The following version of this book was used to create this study guide: Lagercrantz, David. The Girl Who Lived Twice. Maclehose Press, 2019. Paperback Version

The narrative, told from a third person perspective, begins in Sweden, where a beggar, who no one knows, suddenly dies one evening after drinking from a bottle he receives from a mysterious man. Meanwhile, in Moscow, Lisbeth Salander, the narrative’s anti-hero, launches an attack against a man who causes harm by spreading fake news and her twin sister, Camilla Salander who now calls herself Kira and has links to the criminal world. Lisbeth plans to kill her sister and has the opportunity to do so, but cannot. After the failed attack, Lisbeth leaves Moscow. Meanwhile, Kira, who knows that Lisbeth was her attacker, mobilizes her team with the goal of ending their conflict by killing Lisbeth.

Back in Sweden, Dr. Fredrika Nyman, the medical examiner who examines the beggar’s body, acts on her feeling that everyone, including the dead, deserves dignity. She finds the phone number of journalist Mikael Blomkvist amongst the beggar’s belongings and even though the police have decided not to investigate his death any further, she calls Blomkvist to see whether he can identify the beggar. The call begins an investigation into what turns out to be the murder of the beggar. Blomkvist, who still has contact with Lisbeth but does not know what she is doing, enlists her help in identifying the beggar from his DNA. She discovers that he is a Sherpa and finds a possible relative named Bob who lives in the United States. Blomkvist talks to Bob and finds out that he had a relative who was part of a Mount Everest expedition that ended badly. The leader, Viktor Grankin, and a famous lady named Klara Engelman, died. However, Bob thought that his relative died prior to the death of the beggar. Further research uncovers that the beggar is indeed his relative, Nima.

NIma’s story becomes even more of a mystery once the information surfaces that Johannes Forsell, Sweden’s Defense Minister, was on the same expedition. Lately, he has been a victim of a fake news campaign. People know Forsell as being an energetic man who gets along with everyone and has a optimistic disposition. However, his wife, Rebekca, sees him becoming more and more distant. This occurs after Nima’s death in the narrative. At the same time that Blomkvist finds Nima’s identity, Forsell attempts suicide. It turns out that Blomkvist is in the same area and has taken on an assignment to write a story about Forsell. When he calls to set up a meeting, Rebekca tells him that Forsell has run away. Blomkvist finds and saves him.

The suicide attempt causes Rebekca to insist that Forsell tell her what is going on. They go to the home of Janik Kowalski who is officially retired from the British Foreign Office, but still has dealings with them. Together, they tell the story of what really happened during the expedition. Grankin used to work in Russian intelligence. However, he learned about corruption centered around Lisbeth’s father who had defected to the West, but was really a double agent and also the leader of a crime group. Janik’s group suspects that Lisbeth’s father is a double agent, but needs proof. So Janik sent Forsell on the expedition to recruit Grankin who is following his passion for mountain climbing. Forsell takes a man on the expedition who had worked with him before named Svante Lindberg. During the expedition, Grankin and Klara have an affair. They both have incriminating information about Klara’s husband, Stan. She plans to go public with it when she returns. It turns out that Lindberg is also a double agent, working in Stan’s interest, but Forsell and Janik do not realize this until much later. His goal is to keep Grankin and Klara from talking. So, he drugs them on the day of the ascent to the top. On the way down, Grankin dies. There is a chance to possibly save Klara and Nima tries to do so. Lindberg tries to convince him to leave her. Finally Nima saves Forsell, who was also having difficulties, instead of Klara. Forsell was not responsible for the decision, but he feels guilty when he finds out what happened. He helps Nima and his wife financially. However, Nima becomes emotionally unstable after the expedition and becomes even worse after the death of his wife. Forsell brings him to a hospital in Sweden. Nima escapes from the facility and this is how became to be the beggar. When Lindberg finds out that he is there, he poisons him before someone listens to his story.

Janik and Forsell call Blomkvist as they want him to write the story. However, Blomkvist does not arrive at the appointed time. This is because the man Camiila has bought along to help her capture Lisbeth has managed to kidnap Blomkvist by saying that he has information about Grankin. He tortures Blomkvist and Kira releases the images of the torture. She wants a trade – Lisbeth for Blomkvist. Lisbeth plans to liberate Blomkvist and when Kira’s Chief Hacker sends her the coordinates of their location, she goes to do so. Janik notifies the Chief Inspector who has helped solve Nima’s murder because he is interested in capturing the man who is torturing Blomkvist as he also has ties to Lisbeth’s father criminal network. In the end, Camilla kills herself while aiming for Lisbeth and Ivan, the torturer, is caught. Lindberg is arrested and Forsell resigns, but does not face criminal action. Blomkvist recovers and is now dating a reporter who helped solve the mystery surrounding Nima and wrote Forsell’s story. Lisbeth’s rampage is now over and she plans to start her life again.