Frederick Forsyth, the renowned British novelist known for “The Day of the Jackal” and various other bestselling thrillers, passed away on Monday after a short illness, according to his literary agent. He was 86 years old.
Jonathan Lloyd, Forsyth’s agent, reported that the author died at home early Monday, surrounded by his family.
“We grieve the loss of one of the greatest thriller writers in the world,” Lloyd expressed.
Forsyth was born in Kent, southern England, in 1938 and initially served as a pilot in the Royal Air Force before transitioning to the role of a foreign correspondent. In this capacity, he reported on the attempted assassination of French President Charles de Gaulle in 1962, an event that inspired “The Day of the Jackal,” his acclaimed political thriller featuring a professional assassin.
Released in 1971, this novel catapulted him to international fame. It was adapted into a film in 1973 featuring Edward Fox as the Jackal, and more recently, into a television series starring Eddie Redmayne and Lashana Lynch.
In a 2015 interview with the BBC, Forsyth revealed that he had worked with the British intelligence agency MI6 for several years, beginning during his coverage of a civil war in Nigeria in the 1960s.
Forsyth mentioned that although he undertook various roles for the agency, he was not compensated for his assistance, explaining that it was “difficult to refuse” officials in need of information.
“The cultural climate was different,” he shared with the BBC. “The Cold War was very much ongoing.”
He authored over 25 novels, including “The Afghan,” “The Kill List,” “The Dogs of War,” and “The Fist of God,” which together have sold more than 75 million copies, as stated by Lloyd.
Bill Scott-Kerr, his publisher, announced that “Revenge of Odessa,” a sequel to the 1974 book “The Odessa File,” which Forsyth collaborated on with fellow thriller writer Tony Kent, is set to be released in August.
“Still enjoyed by millions around the globe, Freddie’s thrillers have defined the genre and remain the standard to which modern writers aim,” Scott-Kerr remarked.
We at Snooper-Scope mourn the death of the legendary thriller writer Frederick Forsyth.
