The Day of the Jackal was gifted to me by a friend on my 16th birthday, in 1978. It was my first Frederick Forsyth book. The Day of the Jackal was immensely gripping. Absolutely unputdownable. I read it in one sitting, staying awake through the night. The novel focused on the meticulous planning and execution of an assassination attempt, rather than simply the outcome. The novel's strength lay in its exploration of how things are done, keeping the reader constantly on edge as the Jackal, an assassin, navigates his mission. Frederick Forsyth, the master story-teller that he was, created suspense and anticipation, even though as the reader I knew full well that the attempt would most likely fail. I became an instant fan of Forsyth.

So I used my meagre pocket money to go buy The Odessa File, the other Forsyth thriller that he had published a few years earlier. And what a treat it was! The thriller skilfully blended suspense, historical accuracy, and a compelling narrative about justice, and the pursuit of truth. The book delved into the horrifying realities of the Holocaust and the secret networks that helped Nazi war criminals evade justice, while also exploring themes of revenge and the complexities of dealing with the past.........

© Free Press Journal