The Fifth Woman (original: Den femte kvinnan; 1996) is a crime novel by Swedish author Henning Mankell, the sixth in his acclaimed Inspector Wallander series.

The Fifth Woman
First edition (Swedish)
AuthorHenning Mankell
Original titleDen femte kvinnan
TranslatorSteven T. Murray
LanguageSwedish
SeriesKurt Wallander #6
GenreCrime novel
PublisherOrdfront
Publication date
1996
Publication placeSweden
Published in English
2000
Media typePrint (Hardcover, Paperback)
Pages428 pp (Eng. hardback trans.)
ISBN1-86046-854-3 (Eng. trans.)
OCLC59544856
Preceded bySidetracked 
Followed byOne Step Behind 

Synopsis

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A sadistic serial killer has been preying on men, beginning with a retired car salesman whose interests appear to be limited to bird watching and poetry and whose body was discovered in a punji stick pit; and continuing with a flower shop manager, found starved and garrotted in the woods. Wallander soon realises both men have a past record of violence towards women, and after another man is drowned in a lake, he goes on the hunt for an avenging angel...

Adaptations

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In 2002, The Fifth Woman was adapted by Swedish public broadcaster Sveriges Television into a four-part television miniseries, starring Rolf Lassgård as Wallander. British broadcaster BBC commissioned a 90-minute adaptation for its Wallander television series starring Kenneth Branagh. The episode was broadcast in January 2010.