The Day of the Jackal

“In a class by itself. Unputdownable.” Sunday Times “Mr Forsyth is clever. Very clever and immensely entertaining.” Daily Telegraph “I was spellbound … riveted by this chilling story.” Guardian “It is no exaggeration to say The Day of the Jackal has influenced a generation of thriller writers… Before, thrillers were self-evidently works of the imagination. Forsyth changed all that; never before had a popular novelist created a world that seemed indistinguishable from real life… Few writers can claim to have changed the literary landscape. Forty years ago, a penniless British journalist, unwittingly or not, did just that” Guardian

Former RAF pilot and investigative journalist Frederick Forsyth defined the modern thriller when he wrote The Day of the Jackal, described by Lee Child as ‘the book that broke the mould’, with its lightning-paced storytelling, effortlessly cool reality and unique insider information. After that, he wrote thirteen novels which became bestsellers around the world- The Odessa File, The Dogs of War, The Devil’s Alternative, The Fourth Protocol, The Negotiator, The Deceiver, The Fist of God, Icon, Avenger, The Afghan, The Cobra, The Kill List and The Fox. He also published his memoirs in The Outsider. Frederick Forsyth died in June 2025.