The Day That Harriet Went Missing

It was September 24, 1966. The wealthy and well-connected Vanger family hosted a party at their home which took up much of Hedeby Island in northern Sweden. When it came time for dinner, the Patriarch of the family, Henrik Vanger, noticed an empty chair, that of his grandniece, 16-year-old Harriet. The next morning she was still missing at breakfast.

Frantic, the family literally called out the dogs and a massive search of the island ensued.  She was not to be found.  “No, she would not have just run off like that. We were too close; how shameful I was for not taking those few seconds to speak with her that day when she asked to see me. She must have been in trouble, and I could have protected her. No, it’s foul play for certain.  ALL her belongings were still in her room, surrounding her bed, unslept in.”

Fast forward to the year 2005, Stockholm, Sweden. It was a typically cold and frosty winter. Henrik Vanger never lost his devotion to finding out what happened to (likely who killed) Harriet on that day she went missing. He noticed on the evening news one day a report that Swedish journalist – and part owner of the small, but acclaimed, Millennium Magazine – Mikael Blomkvist, had lost a libel suit, not being able to sufficiently prove allegations made against a local businessman. “This is going to bankrupt the Millennium,” said Henrik to his friend, confidante and legal counsel, standing by his side. “Go hire that Blomkvist. He’s one helluva good investigative journalist. Perhaps he can figure out whatever happened to Harriet.”

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