This was definitely one of those “can’t wait to get back to reading it” books!  The time is 1963 and France is violently divided over the war in Algeria. The Gaullist Fifth French Republic under President Charles DeGaulle has decided to yield to the Algerian FAS, separating the long held colony from France and granting it independence.  The OAS, an alienated group of French Army and Foreign Legion officers, is committed to killing DeGaulle and retaining Algeria which they consider an integral part of France.  Stymied at every attempt, they turn to a foreign assassin, code-named The Jackal who undertakes the assignment for $500,000, lots of money in 1963.

The French government deduces that a foreign assassin has been hired, and the Minister responsible for DeGaulle’s safety gathers a nightly meeting to address the threat. They turn to Detective Lebel known for his tenacious work to ferret out criminals, and the hunt is on.  Every time Lebel gets close to his man, The Jackal escapes and eventually gets to Paris where the President will hand out medals at the Resistance monument.

The book ends with ten pages of absolute tension and excitement, a couple of totally unanticipated turns, and a crashing end.  Superb suspense novel.

Forsyth (August 25, 1938-June 9, 2025) wrote 18 novels, more than a dozen of them adapted to film.  His books sold over 70 million copies in 30 languages.  “The Day of the Jackal” was his first book, written according to him because he needed money, and it received the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel in 1972.  He died in England.