Why did I love this book?
I’ve read The Day of the Jackal at least a dozen times, and I still find new inspiration. Forsyth created an antagonist akin to Hans Gruber in Die Hard—I nearly find myself rooting for him. Along with great characterization is some of the greatest plotting I’ve ever read. The book is tight, smart, and absolutely engrossing, not to mention gorgeously written.
10 authors picked The Day of the Jackal as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.
The Day of the Jackal is the electrifying story of the struggle to catch a killer before it's too late.
It is 1963 and an anonymous Englishman has been hired by the Operations Chief of the O.A.S. to murder General De Gaulle. A failed attempt in the previous year means the target will be nearly impossible to get to. But this latest plot involves a lethal weapon: an assassin of legendary talent.
Known only as The Jackal, this remorseless and deadly killer must be stopped, but how do you track a man who exists in name alone?