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A professional assassin plans to kill the French president while police race to stop him
1971Fast paceTense
What it is about
In 1963, a group of French extremists hires an anonymous British killer known as the Jackal to assassinate Charles de Gaulle. French police assign their best detective, Claude Lebel, to find him. The book tells both sides of the hunt in careful, almost documentary detail.
Who will enjoy it
Readers who like classic spy and manhunt thrillers.
What you will get
A masterclass in suspense that reads like a report. It was adapted into a 1973 film.
The Day of the Jackal Facts: Pages, Genre and Setting
Genre
Mystery & Thriller · Assassin · Cat and mouse · 1960s Europe
Length
380 pages · ≈ 11 h
More about this book
Characters
The Jackal, Claude Lebel and the French authorities.
Setting
France and Europe, in 1963.
What makes it different
It builds suspense even though readers know history’s outcome.
Feel
Cool, precise and tense.
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