LONDON — Renowned British author Frederick Forsyth, best known for his thrilling novels such as “The Day of the Jackal,” has passed away after a short illness, as confirmed by his literary agent on Monday. He was 86.
Jonathan Lloyd, Forsyth’s agent, announced that Frederick Forsyth died peacefully at his home in the early hours of Monday, with his family by his side. Lloyd expressed the sorrow felt by the literary world, stating, “We mourn the passing of one of the world’s greatest thriller writers.”
Forsyth, born in Kent, southern England, in 1938, began his career by serving as a pilot in the Royal Air Force before transitioning into journalism as a foreign correspondent. His coverage of the 1962 assassination attempt on French President Charles de Gaulle served as the inspiration for his famed political thriller, “The Day of the Jackal.”
The novel, released in 1971, catapulted Forsyth into international fame, leading to a 1973 film adaptation with Edward Fox portraying the Jackal, and most recently a television series featuring Eddie Redmayne and Lashana Lynch.
In 2015, Forsyth revealed in an interview with the BBC that in addition to his writing career, he worked with British intelligence agency MI6 for a number of years. His involvement began when he reported on the Nigerian civil war during the 1960s. Despite handling other assignments for MI6, Forsyth stated he was never compensated, noting, “It was hard to say no” to requests for intelligence. The cultural context of the time, with the Cold War in full force, also played a role in his decisions.
Over his lifetime, Forsyth authored more than 25 books, including notable titles such as “The Afghan,” “The Kill List,” “The Dogs of War,” and “The Fist of God,” which together have sold more than 75 million copies globally, according to Lloyd.
His publisher, Bill Scott-Kerr, mentioned a forthcoming publication titled “Revenge of Odessa,” a sequel to the 1974 novel “The Odessa File.” Forsyth collaborated with fellow thriller writer Tony Kent on this new work, which is slated for release in August. Scott-Kerr remarked, “Still read by millions across the world, Freddie’s thrillers define the genre and are still the benchmark to which contemporary writers aspire.”