The Fifth Victim (FBI Task Force S.W.O.R.D. Book 1)

Name: The Fifth Victim (FBI Task Force S.W.O.R.D. Book 1)
Price: 0.99 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.5 (7975 reviews)
Author: D.D. Black

by D.D. Black

Mystery Thriller Thriller

4.5 (7,975)

4.5 stars from 7,975 reviews. One of the highest rated Mystery Thriller books we track.

$0.99KU83% off peak

Last checked: Jun 25, 2026

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Perfect for you if...

You love serial killer thrillers with a mythological twist and don't mind spending time understanding the killer's obsession alongside the hunt.
You want character-driven FBI procedurals where the team feels like actual people with flaws and backstories, not just archetypes themselves.
You appreciate Pacific Northwest noir settings and don't need everything wrapped up neatly by the final page.

Maybe not for you if...

You prefer fast-paced, plot-driven thrillers without heavy philosophical or religious underpinnings woven through the investigation.
You want a protagonist at the height of their powers, not someone balancing personal turmoil and an impending retirement.
You're after a standalone thriller rather than book one of a series with cliffhangers.

About this book

Across the Pacific Northwest, a serial killer targets victims representing ancient archetypes: The Ruler, The Warrior, The Scholar, and The Priest. Four victims are dead, each left with color-coded shrines. Evidence now suggests a fifth victim is in danger. With only two weeks until retirement, FBI Agent Claire Anderson is assigned to lead a special task force to capture the "Color Killer." The task force, known as S.W.O.R.D. (Special-Washington-Oregon-Regional-Detachment), consists of a criminal psychologist, an undercover specialist, a covert-ops expert, and a tech specialist. As S.W.O.R.D. pursues the killer through the Pacific Northwest's rain-soaked streets and forests, the team uncovers connections to an ancient lost religion and its teachings on life and death. When the investigation begins intersecting with Claire's own life, she realizes the killer is always ahead of her. The fifth victim may be closer than she imagined. This is Book 1 of the FBI Task Force S.W.O.R.D. series by D.D. Black.

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Price History

Kindle price over time. Green zones = periods when the book was free.

Free – $5.99

Currently on sale at $0.99 — 83% off peak. Price has dropped 7 times over the last 2 years. Goes on sale roughly every 101 days.

Sales Rank

Amazon sales rank: lower number = better selling book. #1 is the bestseller.

Currently #7,417 in the Kindle store — a top-10K bestseller. Sales have softened 119% recently.

Rating & Reviews

Purple line = star rating over time. Blue area = total review count growth.

Currently 4.5★ from 7,975 reviews

Gaining approximately 302 new reviews per month. Reader interest is accelerating. Rating has dipped slightly from 5.0 to 4.5.

Sale Prediction

Actual Predicted

This book is currently discounted at $0.99. It typically returns to around $5.99.

Prices shown in USD from Amazon US. We continuously pull new data to improve tracking. If dates look old, it usually means there has been no significant change since the last data point.