Author Frederick Forsyth dies at 86

BRITISH thriller writer Frederick Forsyth, who instantly became a global bestselling author when his book The Day of the Jackal was published in 1971, died on Monday aged 86, his literary agents Curtis Brown said.

- AFP

Forsyth has penned his most famous work about a fictional assassination attempt on French president Charles de Gaulle by right-wing extremists in just 35 days after falling on hard times.

The Jackal went on to be made into a hit film starring Edward Fox as the assassin. A Netflix remake last year with Eddie Redmayne in the lead role was released last year.

“We mourn the passing of one of the world’s greatest thriller writers,” his agent Jonathan Lloyd said.

Forsyth died at home surrounded by his family following a brief illness, according to Curtis Brown.

The former journalist and pilot wrote over 25 books including The Odessa File (1972) and The Dogs of War (1974) and sold over 75 million copies worldwide.