Overview

• Forsyth combined his early career as an RAF pilot and Reuters journalist with clandestine work for MI6 to craft over 25 thrillers that have sold more than 75 million copies worldwide.
• His debut novel, The Day of the Jackal, was written in 35 days while he was unemployed and set a new standard for detail-driven espionage fiction.
• Many of his books, including The Odessa File and The Dogs of War, were adapted into films and television series, most recently inspiring a 2024 TV adaptation of The Day of the Jackal.
• He was awarded a CBE in 1997 for services to literature and had been preparing a sequel, Revenge of Odessa, due for publication in August.
• Colleagues and public figures have praised Forsyth’s meticulous research and enduring influence on the modern thriller genre.