The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth (1971)

It is surprising and a tribute to the author that this book is as exciting as it is. It concerns the planning and actions of an assassin who has been paid to kill French President Charles de Gaulle and the efforts of the police and several other government agencies to stop him. Since the reader already knows that de Gaulle was not in reality assassinated, one might assume that all suspense would be lost, but that is not the case.

Forsyth divides his book into three sections. The first, titled "Anatomy of a Plot," describes the political situation behind the hiring of the killer. It includes a description of a previous assassination attempt which failed, one which actually happened just as depicted here. This book's assassin is a foreigner whose true identity is known only to three men. His chosen code name is The Jackal. Almost by accident, French authorities learn of the existence of the plot, but they have no idea as to the identity of the killer or of the time of the attempt. This part moves a little slowly.

Things heat up in the next section, "Anatomy of a Manhunt," which focuses on the meticulous preparations of The Jackal for his mission and on the efforts of "the best detective in France," Claude Lebel, to find the culprit and prevent the murder. This part is fascinating, particularly since the reader has not learned the details of The Jackal's plan, and thus the reason behind most of his preparation is unclear. Suspense intensifies as time after time The Jackal is almost caught, always changing plans and identities at the last minute, as if he is being forewarned.

Suspense ramps to a high point in the third section, "Anatomy of a Kill." As Lebel continues to investigate, he is able to identify the source of the information leak that has allowed The Jackal to escape apprehension. Meanwhile, The Jackal makes his final preparations, including a highly ingenious disguise and method of transporting his high-powered rifle. It appears that he is bound to succeed in his mission. Of course, the reader knows that the assassination didn't happen, so the question of how The Jackal is to be stopped takes center stage.

Despite what one would expect, The Jackal is the most interesting character in the book. His various disguises and clever devices even invite admiration for his resourcefulness. His dispassionate dedication to a task he has undertaken purely for the monetary reward provides insight into the mind of an amoral killer for hire.