British author of thrillers Frederick Forsyth dies at 86
British novelist Frederick Forsyth, the author of "The Day of the Jackal" and other bestsellers, has died. He was 86.
Forsyth served as a Royal Air Force pilot before he became a reporter. He worked in Paris, former East Berlin and Nigeria as a foreign correspondent for Reuters and BBC.
He later began writing thrillers based on his experiences.
"The Day of the Jackal," about an attempt to assassinate French President Charles de Gaulle, was made into a film.
Forsyth wrote many novels themed on international affairs and geopolitical risks.
"The Odessa File" depicts a reporter trying to track down a former Nazi officer, while "The Fourth Protocol" supposes that the former Soviets are plotting a communist revolution in Britain. His works sold more than 75 million copies in total.
The New York Times reported that Forsyth spent six months on research before writing a book, and was particular about details. It noted that many of his characters are based on real people.
Forsyth revealed in 2015 that he cooperated with the British secret intelligence agency MI6 for more than 20 years from 1968.
Forsyth reportedly died on Monday.
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