*The Day of the Jackal*

*The Day of the Jackal*
Name	The Day of the Jackal
Author	Frederick Forsyth
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Genre	Thriller, Political thriller
Publisher	Hutchinson
Release date	7 June 1971
Pages	380
Isbn	0-09-107390-1

*The Day of the Jackal* is a 1971 political thriller novel by British author Frederick Forsyth. Its plot centers on a meticulous professional assassin, codenamed the "Jackal", hired by the French dissident group OAS to kill President Charles de Gaulle in the summer of 1963. The novel is renowned for its detailed procedural narrative, alternating between the assassin's preparations and the desperate efforts of the French authorities, led by Deputy Commissioner Claude Lebel, to stop him. Blending fiction with real historical events and figures, the book established Forsyth as a master of the modern thriller and became an international bestseller.

Plot summary

In the aftermath of the failed April 1961 Algiers putsch and the Algerian War, the militant OAS vows revenge on Charles de Gaulle for granting Algeria independence. After their own operatives fail, OAS leaders Antoine Argoud, Marc Rodin, and André Casson hire a mysterious Englishman known only as the Jackal. The plot follows his methodical preparations across Europe, including obtaining a false identity in London, customizing a rifle in Italy, and forging documents in Belgium. Meanwhile, French security, alerted by an informant, tasks Claude Lebel of the Sûreté Nationale with finding the assassin. The narrative builds to a climactic confrontation on Liberation Day in Paris, where the Jackal’s plan is ultimately foiled.

Background and historical context

The novel is deeply rooted in the political turmoil of early 1960s France. The central conflict stems from the bitter end of the Algerian War and the Évian Accords, which led to Algerian independence. The OAS, formed by dissident French military officers and pieds-noirs, conducted a violent campaign against de Gaulle’s government, including the infamous Petit-Clamart assassination attempt in 1962. Forsyth, a former Reuters correspondent, drew on his journalistic knowledge of European politics and intelligence services. The book’s verisimilitude is enhanced by its incorporation of real figures like de Gaulle, OAS leader Raoul Salan, and Prefecture of Police official Maurice Papon, alongside fictionalized events.

Characters

The central protagonist is the **Jackal**, a cold, calculating, and nameless assassin whose true identity remains obscured. His primary antagonist is **Claude Lebel**, a shrewd and determined French detective. Key OAS conspirators include Colonel **Marc Rodin**, the operational leader; **Antoine Argoud**, a former army officer; and **André Casson**, an ex-intelligence colonel. Other significant figures include **Colette de Montpellier**, a romantic liaison who becomes a pawn; **The Minister**, the French official overseeing the manhunt; and **Inspector Thomas**, Lebel’s assistant. Real historical persons such as President **Charles de Gaulle**, Interior Minister **Roger Frey, and Scotland Yard’s **Superintendent Bryn Thomas are woven into the narrative.

Literary analysis and themes

The novel is a seminal work in the procedural thriller genre, notable for its detached, journalistic style and intricate attention to detail regarding espionage tradecraft, forgery, and weaponry. Major themes include the cold professionalism of evil, embodied by the Jackal’s amoral precision, and the bureaucratic machinery of state security. It explores the tension between individual agency and institutional power, as well as the lingering trauma of colonial conflict on the French Fifth Republic. The structure, which reveals the assassin’s plan to the reader while maintaining suspense about the outcome, creates a compelling cat-and-mouse dynamic between hunter and hunted.

Publication and reception

Published by Hutchinson in the United Kingdom on 7 June 1971, after being rejected by several publishers, the novel was an immediate critical and commercial success. It won the Edgar Award for Best Novel from the Mystery Writers of America in 1972. Reviews praised its gripping authenticity and masterful plotting, with some noting its chilling plausibility. The book propelled Forsyth to international fame, becoming a benchmark for the political thriller and influencing a generation of writers in the genre. It has remained continuously in print and has sold millions of copies worldwide.

Adaptations

The novel was adapted into a highly successful 1973 film directed by Fred Zinnemann. Starring Edward Fox as the Jackal and Michael Lonsdale as Lebel, the film was praised for its suspense and fidelity to the source material. It won the BAFTA Award for Best Editing and was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Film. A 1997 loose adaptation, titled The Jackal, directed by Michael Caton-Jones and starring Bruce Willis and Richard Gere, transposed the premise to a plot against a FBI official. The original novel has also inspired numerous radio dramas and is frequently cited as a classic of thriller cinema.

Category:1971 British novels Category:Political thriller novels Category:Novels about Charles de Gaulle