Posted on July 23, 2009 by Nayab Naseer

The Day of the Jackal, published in 1971 is one of the best spy and thriller novel ever, and Frederick Forsyth’s masterpiece. The story is about a professional assassin contracted by the OAS French terrorist group to kill Charles de Gaulle, the President of France. What makes the novel remarkable is the fact that Charles De Gaulle, a historical figure who was not assassinated is the prime target in the novel, and yet the readers feel the suspense as the assassination plot unfound.

The novel has received all round acclaim and praise for its plot and the accurate and realistic portrayal of 1963 France. The author has covered in minute detail and in an accurate manner intelligence, covet operations, and firearms. The attempts to obtain a UK passport by fraudulent means explained in detail in this book is accurate and thanks to the book, became a well-known loophole of British law! The actual assassination attempt is taken from history, but the rest of the plot is a work of fiction.

The book has been adopted into films twice.