Frederick Forsyth, the acclaimed author of The Day of the Jackal, has passed away at the age of 86 after a brief illness. Born in Kent, England in 1938, Forsyth had a distinguished career as a pilot, foreign correspondent, and writer.
Forsyth’s experiences, including covering the attempted assassination of French President Charles de Gaulle in 1962, served as inspiration for his bestselling thriller about a professional assassin. The book was published in 1971 and catapulted him to global fame, with adaptations into film and television starring iconic actors like Edward Fox and Eddie Redmayne.
In addition to his literary success, Forsyth worked for the British intelligence agency MI6, providing information on various assignments but reportedly not receiving payment. He revealed this information during a BBC interview in 2015.
Throughout his career, Forsyth penned over 25 books, including The Afghan, The Kill List, and The Dogs of War, which have sold over 75 million copies worldwide. His publisher has announced that Revenge of Odessa, a sequel to The Odessa File, will be published in August, further solidifying Forsyth’s legacy as a master thriller writer.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2025/06/10/nx-s1-5429071/day-of-the-jackal-author-frederick-forsyth-dies-at-86