Greatest thriller writer Frederick Forsyth dies at 86

LEGENDARY thriller writer, journalist, spy and veteran Express columnist Freddie Forsyth died at the age of 86 yesterday after a short illness.

- By Matt Nixson

The author of more than 25 books including The Day of the Jackal and The Odessa File was surrounded by his family at home in Buckinghamshire. His long and storied life was every bit as thrilling as the novels that made his name and delighted millions of readers around the world.

His meticulous eye for detail and ability to put readers at the heart of the action explains why he sold more than 70 million books in more than 30 languages and had at least 12 of his stories adapted for film or TV.

Most iconic was 1973’s The Day of the Jackal, starring Edward Fox as the assassin hired to kill French president Charles de Gaulle. It was remade last year as a blockbuster TV series starring Eddie Redmayne.

Forsyth, universally known as “Freddie”, was credited by many people with inventing the modern thriller — though he remained modest about his achievements.

Before retiring on his 85th birthday in August 2023, he wrote a must-read weekly column for the Daily Express for nearly two decades. His agent Jonathan Lloyd said last night: “We mourn the passing of one of the world’s greatest thriller writers. Only a few weeks ago I sat with him as we watched a new and moving documentary of his life [In My Own Words, to be released later this year on BBC One] and was reminded of an extraordinary life, well lived.”

Born in Kent, the son of a furrier, Forsyth completed his national service with the RAF, becoming one of their youngest ever pilots. He gained his wings 44 days before his 19th birthday. He later recalled: “As a boy I had two burning passions to fly for the '1970 dawned and I had no job...I hit on the stupid idea of trying to write a novel'

RAF and travel all over the world. National service achieved the first and time as a foreign correspondent and later a novelist accomplished the second.”