The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Chapter 24 Summary

How It All Goes Down

Friday, July 11 – Saturday, July 12

  • Turns out, Martin brings immigrant women and prostitutes to his dungeon. Women who won't be missed.
  • When Blomkvist had dinner here, there was a woman in the dungeon.
  • When Martin's done with the women, he kills them and throws their bodies in the ocean from his yacht.
  • His father, who taught him to rape and kill, killed the first seven women on Blomkvist's list, and Martin the eighth.
  • Martin loves planning the kidnappings and raping the women. The killing is just a byproduct.
  • At the archives, Salander realizes Martin is probably a killer. She sees missed calls from Blomkvist and she tries to call him. At the guesthouse she realizes Blomkvist went Martin's.
  • Meanwhile, in the dungeon, Martin tells Blomkvist he didn't kill Harriet and doesn't know who did.
  • They tried to make Harriet a killer, but she refused. Martin wanted to kill her but didn't.
  • Martin puts a tight leather noose around Blomkvist's neck, makes him stand up, and chains the noose high on the wall. He takes off Blomkvist's pants and cuts his shirt off with scissors.
  • Martin never had sex with a man other than his father. Sex with his father was his duty as a son.
  • Martin threatens to rape Blomkvist. Salander appears and whacks Martin with a golf club.
  • She beats him until he's writhing on the ground.
  • Blomkvist is being choked by the leather strap.
  • Martin tries to crawl away.
  • Salander grabs a knife from the floor and cuts Blomkvist's noose.
  • Martin gets away in his car. Salander pursues him on her motorcycle. Martin drives himself head-on into a truck. She makes sure he's dead and then goes back to Blomkvist.
  • Blomkvist says to call the police. Salander wants to know why.
  • She takes off his cuffs, and helps him home. She has him eat something and get cleaned up.
  • She says someone else can find the dungeon and call the cops.
  • Blomkvist asks why. She tells him she doesn't want to argue about it. He falls asleep.