Larsson's Partner To Finish 4th Millenium Book

Stieg Larsson's Millennium series had a great year. The trilogy took most of the top sales spots and has two movie series - one in Sweden, one in Hollywood - out or in development. Of course, the sad coda to this story is that Larsson didn't live to see any of it - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was published posthumously.

Eva Gabrielsson had been Larsson's partner for 30 years before he died. But since they never married, under Swedish law, the copyrights for the series passed to Larsson's family. Gabrielsson, however, has something Larsson's family doesn't - the remnants of the fourth book in the series.

According to a Guardian report, Gabrielsson is now trying to both finish the book and get the rights for it from Larsson's family, as well as a piece of the millions the books have made.

ByAmerican law, Gabrielsson probably would be successful in her pursuit of the copyright - at least, partially. Without a will, Gabrielsson and Larsson would still have been in a common law marriage, having lived together for 30 years. I, however, have no idea of how Swedish law works on that account, so it might truly be up for Larsson's relatives to decide what will happen.

I do enjoy that the Guardian points out that Gabrielsson has made several disparaging remarks about the ways the books have been commercialized and overblown. This feels oddly disjointed coming from someone who wants to finish a novel that someone else (sure, it was her lover, but still) wrote, when the series is the top-selling series out right now and when she's suing for control of the the rights.

Oh, well. I, like the Guardian, can't wait to hear what Gabrielsson has to say about the Hollywood remake that is apparently drastically changing the ending of the first novel for the movie.