October 31, 2025
Biafran Story Author

Fredrick Forsyth, a British journalist, prolific writer and award winning author who became a household name due to his thrilling novels and in-depth analysis has died at the age of 86.

His agent, Jonathan Lloyd, conveyed that the celebrated author “died at home early Monday surrounded by his family,” underscoring a quiet departure rather than a prolonged hospitalization or public health crisis

“We mourn the passing of one of the world’s greatest thriller writers,” Lloyd said in a statement.

Born in 1938, the renowned journalist worked for agencies like Reuters and the BBC. His experience as a foreign correspondent, combined with a keen eye for detail, shaped his later work as a novelist, with bestsellers such as The Day of the Jackal and The Odessa File.

During the Nigeria-Biafra war (1967–1970), Forsyth’s report was both daring and deeply impactful. He was one of the few Western journalists to cover the conflict extensively, embedding himself within Biafra’s secessionist territory. His dispatches provided vivid and often harrowing portrayals of the human toll of the war, including the famine and suffering of civilians. Forsyth was critical of the British government’s support for Nigeria, exposing the geopolitical interests at play and the tragic consequences for the Igbo people.

His firsthand observations during the war was documented in a book that exposes his commitment to telling uncomfortable truths, blending journalistic precision with a novelist’s eye for narrative and human drama.

His experience and sympathy for the Biafran cause led him to write The Biafra Story in 1969, which is one of the earliest detailed accounts of the conflict, and later Emeka, a biography of Biafran leader Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.

Born in Kent, Forsyth joined the Royal Air Force at 18, becoming one of its youngest ever pilots. In 2015, he revealed that he had also secretly served for more than two decades with the British intelligence agency MI6.

His debut novel, The Day Of The Jackal, was published in 1971 while he was out of work. “[I was] skint, in debt, no flat, no car, no nothing and I just thought, ‘How do I get myself out of this hole?’ And I came up with probably the zaniest solution – write a novel,” he recalled.

The book, a suspenseful tale of an English assassin hired to kill French President Charles de Gaulle, became a massive success. It was adapted into a 1973 film starring Edward Fox, and a television remake starring Eddie Redmayne was released in 2024.

Forsyth went on to write more than 25 books, including The Odessa File, The Dogs of War, and The Fourth Protocol. His books sold over 75 million copies globally, making him one of the most successful thriller writers of his generation.

His publisher, Bill Scott-Kerr, said: “Still read by millions across the world, Freddie’s thrillers define the genre and are still the benchmark to which contemporary writers aspire. He leaves behind a peerless legacy which will continue to excite and entertain for years to come.”

 

Scott-Kerr described working with Forsyth as “one of the great pleasures of my professional life.” He added: “The flow of brilliant plots and ideas aside, he was the most professional writer an editor could hope for.

His journalistic background brought a rigour and a metronomic efficiency to his working practice and his nose for and understanding of a great story kept his novels both thrillingly contemporary and fresh.”

The Odessa File, released in 1972, was adapted into a film starring Jon Voight. Forsyth also completed a sequel, Revenge of Odessa, co-written with Tony Kent, which is scheduled for publication this August.

He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1997 for services to literature.

He passed away peacefully at his home in Jordans, Buckinghamshire, on Monday, after a brief illness. In his final days, Forsyth was surrounded by his close family in the comfort of his own residence.

He is survived by two sons from his first marriage to Carole Cunningham. His second wife, Sandy Molloy, died in October 2023.

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