Frederick Forsyth, the author behind timeless classics such as The Day of the Jackal and The Dogs of War, has passed away at the age of 86 after a short illness. He died on June 9 at his home in Jordans, Buckinghamshire, surrounded by his family.
Frederick Forsyth began his professional career as a pilot in the Royal Air Force, then became a foreign correspondent for Reuters and the BBC, and during the Cold War was an informal asset to MI6 during conflicts such as the Biafran War.
These life experiences laid the foundation for his journalistic and fact-based narrative style. He went on to become one of the greatest thriller writers of modern times.
His debut novel, The Day of the Jackal (1971), was written in just 35 days when Forsyth was under financial pressure. The book was a huge success thanks to its realistic portrayal of a professional assassin hired to kill the then French president Charles De Gaulle.
– The point was not whodunit, but how, and how close would he get?[to de Gaulle].
Among his most notable works are The Odessa File (1972), The Dogs of War (1974), and The Fourth Protocol (1984).
Frederick Forsyth’s writing was characterized by a fact-based and documentary style, where the complexity of reality always took center stage.
Very sad to report the passing of award winning novelist Frederick Forsyth. His books have sold more than 80 million copies worldwide and have been adapted into spy movies like The Day Of The Jackal, The Odessa File and The Fourth Protocol.
Thank you Frederick pic.twitter.com/LKjtGTIeBS
— SpyHards – A Spy Movie Podcast (@SpyHards) June 9, 2025
Successful films and a title of nobility
During his career spanning more than fifty years, Forsyth wrote over 25 books, which together sold over 75 million copies worldwide.
Many of these were successful film adaptations – from The Day of the Jackal (1973) and The Dogs of War (1981) to later productions such as The Fourth Protocol (1987).
For his life’s work, he was awarded the title Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1997 and the Diamond Dagger Award, the Crime Writers’ Association’s highest honor, in 2012.
Despite his success, Forsyth remained a low-key, research-driven writer who often emphasized how his own background – from military service to investigative journalism – gave his stories a distinct credibility.
Now the world mourns a true master storyteller – but his stories, as captivating as they are incisive, will live on and inspire generations to come.
Fact box: Frederick Forsyth
Name: Frederick McCarthy Forsyth
Born: August 25, 1938, Ashford, Kent, England
Death: June 9, 2025, Jordans, Buckinghamshire
Occupations: RAF pilot, foreign correspondent, author
Debut novel: The Day of the Jackal (1971)
Other known works:
- The Odessa File (1972) - Untitled Odessa
- The Dogs of War (1974) - The Dogs of War
- The Devil's Alternative (1979) - The Devil's Alternative
- The Fourth Protocol (1984) - The Fourth Protocol
- The Fist of God (1994) - The Fist of God
- The Afghan (2006) - The Afghan
- The Cobra (2010) - The Cobra
- The Kill List (2013) - The Kill List
- The Fox (2018) - The Fox
Awards:
- Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), 1997
- Diamond Dagger, Crime Writers' Association, 2012
Style: Documentary, research-driven and fact-based thriller
Books sold: Over 75 million copies worldwide
Film adaptations: The Day of the Jackal (1973), The Odessa File (1974), The Dogs of War (1981), The Fourth Protocol (1987) – and more