Frederick Forsyth, the bestselling British author and former intelligence operative best known for his thriller The Day of the Jackal, has died at the age of 86. His passing was confirmed Monday at his home in Jordans, Buckinghamshire, by his agent, Jonathan Lloyd.
Forsyth rose to literary fame with The Day of the Jackal (1971), a gripping fictional account of an assassination attempt on French President Charles de Gaulle. The novel’s success helped sell over 75 million copies of his works worldwide and cemented his place as one of the most influential thriller writers of his generation.
Before his writing career, Forsyth served as a reporter and covert informant for Britain’s MI6 intelligence agency during the Cold War. Fluent in French, German, Spanish, and Russian, he worked for Reuters and later the BBC, covering key geopolitical events including the Nigerian civil war. His experiences provided rich material for his novels.
Forsyth’s literary debut was a high-stakes gamble. He wrote The Day of the Jackal in just 35 days to resolve financial debts, a decision that proved pivotal. The book was adapted into a major film and inspired the nickname “Carlos the Jackal” for Venezuelan revolutionary Illich Ramirez Sanchez.
Among Forsyth’s other notable works are The Odessa File (1972), The Dogs of War (1974), and his final novel The Fox (2018). Throughout his career, he combined his insider knowledge of espionage with meticulous research, often supported by intelligence contacts who ensured sensitive information was not compromised.
In later years, Forsyth engaged in political commentary, contributing right-wing opinion columns to the Daily Express, particularly critiquing the European Union.
Forsyth was married twice. He divorced his first wife, Carole Cunningham, in 1988 and married Sandy Molloy in 1994. He is survived by his two sons, Stuart and Shane, from his first marriage.
Despite suffering financial setbacks in the 1980s due to investment fraud, Forsyth continued to write prolifically to sustain his livelihood.
Jonathan Lloyd described Forsyth as “one of the world’s greatest thriller writers,” whose legacy endures through his gripping novels and unique life story bridging journalism, espionage, and fiction.
