Lisbeth Salander is wanted for a triple murder. All three victims are connected to a trafficking expose about to be published in Mikael Blomqvists magazine Millenium, and Lisbeths fingerprints are on the weapon.
Lisbeth vanishes to avoid capture by the justice. Mikael, not believing the police, is despairingly trying to clear her name, using all his resources and the staff of his magazine. During this process, Mikael discovers Lisbeths past, a terrible story of abuse and traumatizing experiences growing up in the Swedish care system.
When he eventually finds her, it’s only to discover that she is far more entangled in his initial investigation of the sex industry than he could ever imagine. (source)