Frederick Forsyth, the British author famous for thrillers like The Day of the Jackal, has died at the age of 86 after a short illness. His agent, Jonathan Lloyd, confirmed his death on Monday and described him as one of the world’s greatest thriller writers.
Forsyth became well-known for his gripping political novels, but he also had strong ties to Nigeria. As a young journalist, he covered the Nigerian Civil War and supported the Biafran cause. His book The Biafra Story was one of the first detailed accounts of the conflict. He also wrote Emeka, a biography of Biafran leader Emeka Ojukwu.
Born in Kent, England, in 1938, Forsyth joined the Royal Air Force at 18 and later worked as a journalist for Reuters and the BBC. In 2015, he revealed he had secretly worked for Britain’s MI6 intelligence agency for over 20 years.
His first novel, The Day of the Jackal, was written in 1971 when he was broke and unemployed. It became a global bestseller and was later made into two films, one in 1973 and another in 2024 starring Eddie Redmayne.
Forsyth wrote over 25 books, including The Odessa File, The Dogs of War, and The Fourth Protocol, selling more than 75 million copies worldwide. His publisher, Bill Scott-Kerr, praised his storytelling skills and said Forsyth’s books remain the standard for thriller writers today.
He is survived by two sons.
