'Day of the Jackal' author Frederick Forsyth dies at 86, his literary agent says

Published connected 09/06/2025 - 19:40 GMT+2•Updated 20:02

Frederick Forsyth, nan British writer of "The Day of nan Jackal" and different bestselling thrillers, has died astatine nan property of 86 aft a little illness, his literate supplier said connected Monday.

Jonathan Lloyd, his agent, said Forsyth died astatine location early Monday surrounded by his family.

"We mourn nan passing of 1 of nan world’s top thriller writers," Lloyd said.

Born successful Kent successful 1938, Forsyth served arsenic a Royal Air Force aviator earlier becoming a overseas correspondent.

He covered nan attempted assassination of French President Charles de Gaulle successful 1962, which provided inspiration for "The Day of nan Jackal," his bestselling governmental thriller astir a master assassin.

Published successful 1971, nan book propelled him into world fame.

It was made into a movie successful 1973 starring Edward Fox arsenic nan Jackal and much precocious a tv bid starring Eddie Redmayne and Lashana Lynch.

In 2015, Forsyth told nan BBC that he had besides worked for the British intelligence agency MI6 for galore years, starting from erstwhile he covered a civilian warfare successful Nigeria successful nan 1960s.

Although Forsyth said he did different jobs for nan agency, he said he was not paid for his services and "it was difficult to opportunity no" to officials seeking information.

"The zeitgeist was different," he told nan BBC. "The Cold War was very overmuch on."

He wrote much than 25 books including "The Afghan," "The Kill List," and "The Dogs of War" that sold complete 75 cardinal copies, Lloyd said.

His publisher, Bill Scott-Kerr, said that "Revenge of Odessa," a sequel to nan 1974 book "The Odessa File" that Forsyth worked connected pinch chap thriller writer Tony Kent, will beryllium published successful August.

"Still publication by millions crossed nan world, Freddie's thrillers specify nan genre and are still nan benchmark to which modern writers aspire," Scott-Kerr said.