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.
 First edition (Swedish) | |
| Author | Henning Mankell |
|---|---|
| Original title | Den femte kvinnan |
| Translator | Steven T. Murray |
| Language | Swedish |
| Series | Kurt Wallander #6 |
| Genre | Crime novel |
| Publisher | Ordfront |
Publication date | 1996 |
| Publication place | Sweden |
Published in English | 2000 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover, Paperback) |
| Pages | 428 pp (Eng. hardback trans.) |
| ISBN | 1-86046-854-3 (Eng. trans.) |
| OCLC | 59544856 |
| Preceded by | Sidetracked |
| Followed by | One Step Behind |
Synopsis
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
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.