Editions

The Day of the Jackal

The Day of the Jackal

  • The legendary assassination thriller

‘The one book I must read at least once a year, to remind me how this writing thing is really done. It reminds every thriller writer that perfection has already happened.’ Tony Kent, Daily Express
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One of the most celebrated thrillers ever written, The Day of the Jackal is the electrifying story of the struggle to catch a killer before it's too late.

It is 1963 and an anonymous Englishman has been hired by the Operations Chief of the O.A.S. to murder General Charles de Gaulle. A failed attempt the previous year means the target will be nearly impossible to get to. But this latest plot involves a lethal weapon: an assassin of legendary talent.

Known only as The Jackal, this remorseless and deadly killer must be stopped.

But how do you track a man who exists in name alone?

Reviews

  • In a class by itself. Unputdownable.

    Sunday Times

  • Mr Forsyth is clever. Very clever and immensely entertaining.

    Daily Telegraph

  • I was spellbound ... riveted by this chilling story.

    Guardian

  • It is no exaggeration to say The Day of the Jackal has influenced a generation of thriller writers... Before, thrillers were self-evidently works of the imagination. Forsyth changed all that; never before had a popular novelist created a world that seemed indistinguishable from real life... Few writers can claim to have changed the literary landscape. Forty years ago, a penniless British journalist, unwittingly or not, did just that

    Guardian

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About the Author

Frederick Forsyth

Former RAF pilot and investigative journalist, Frederick Forsyth defined the modern thriller when he wrote The Day of The Jackal, described by Lee Child as ‘the book that broke the mould’, with its lightning-paced storytelling, effortlessly cool reality and unique insider information. Since then he has written twelve novels which have been bestsellers around the world: The Odessa File, The Dogs of War, The Devil's Alternative, The Fourth Protocol, The Negotiator, The Deceiver, The Fist of God, Icon, Avenger, The Afghan, The Cobra and, most recently, The Kill List. He lives in Buckinghamshire, England.

Frederick Forsyth

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Features

Frederick Forsyth

Bestselling author Frederick Forsyth feels it may be time to retire from writing. But what inspired him to pick up a pen in the first place?

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