The Day of the Jackal (novel)

The 1971 thriller by Frederick Forsyth centers on a plot to assassinate French President Charles de Gaulle. The assassin is hired by a disgruntled French terrorist organization called the OAS.

While the OAS and their hatred for de Gaulle were entirely real, the specific plot and the titular "Jackal" are fictional. De Gaulle actually survived a real assassination attempt in 1962, which serves as the jumping-off point for the novel.

Forsyth worked as a journalist in Paris and had actually interviewed real members of the OAS secret army organization. He used his knowledge of their internal workings, alongside real stolen passports and authentic police procedures, to give the book a documentary feel.

The Jackal is famous for his methodical, painstakingly researched acquisition of custom sniper rifles and fake identities. He meticulously navigates the bureaucratic passport systems of multiple European countries to avoid detection.