This week: New Year's with Frederick Forsyth Edited by: Adore lol ♥  
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This December mystery newsletter is the last one of the year and I'm not writing as a guest editor, this time, it's my contribution to the mystery section.
I've chosen a great author and bestselling writer named Frederick Forsyth, author of the "The Day of the Jackal", "The Odesa Files", and so many others.
It's going to be a fun short trip but we will learn about an amazing writer, thinker, journalist, a craftsman in the writing arts, Frederick Forsyth. Buckle up and enjoy this ride... |
Pull up a chair, pour something warm, and settle in — because tonight we’re stepping into the world of a writer who didn’t just craft thrillers… he engineered them.
Frederick Forsyth, the bestselling mastermind behind "The Day of the Jackal", "The Odessa File", and
"The Dogs of War", didn’t merely write stories. He built operations. He constructed missions.
He drafted blueprints for danger so convincing that intelligence agencies sometimes wondered how he knew what he knew.
And that’s exactly why he’s perfect for this month’s deep‑dive.
Welcome to another mystery newsletter from Adore lol ♥ this month; the last one of the year! This is where we take another look at the writers we love, the authors who keep us up at night, flipping pages long after we promised ourselves, we would sleep.
Tonight’s case file: Frederick Forsyth, the man who turned global tension into gripping fiction.
Before he was a novelist, Forsyth was a reporter — but not the kind who sat behind a desk rewriting press releases.
No, he was the kind who flew into war zones with a notebook and a stubborn streak. He interviewed dictators. He learned how governments maneuvered, how intelligence agencies whispered, and how soldiers moved when no
one was supposed to be watching. He covered the Biafran War. And when I say, "he covered the Biafran War", I mean, he STAYED for two YEARS longer than he was commissioned to stay. He covered his cost, learned parts of
the Biafran people's language, whatever was necessary since the military wasn't involved in his
two years in Biafran covering the war; his passion, this immersion into the African war, the people of Biafran, and more shaped his worldview and changed not only him but this genre for the better.
And here’s the twist: journalism didn’t just shape his writing. It trained him for it.
Forsyth once said he wrote thrillers the way a reporter files a story — with precision, clarity, and a refusal to embellish what didn’t need embellishing.
That’s why his novels feel so real. They’re not padded with melodrama. They’re built on logistics, timing, and the cold mechanics of power.
He didn’t write “what if.” He wrote “what would happen.” And that is the distinction to his enduring grip on readers. Let’s talk about the book that changed everything.
The Day of the Jackal wasn’t just a bestseller — it was a seismic event in thriller writing. A novel so meticulously crafted that real intelligence officers reportedly wondered whether Forsyth had access to classified files.
The premise is deceptively simple. A professional assassin is hired to kill French President Charles de Gaulle. But it's in the execution — oh, that’s where Forsyth’s genius shines!
He walks us through the assassin’s preparations with such methodical detail that the reader becomes complicit. You’re not just watching the Jackal plan. You’re learning how to plan. You’re inside the operation, step by step, heartbeat by heartbeat.
And yet, Forsyth never glamorizes violence. He glamorizes competence — the razor‑sharp mind, the discipline, the precision. That’s what makes the Jackal unforgettable.
The novel became the gold standard for procedural thrillers. It’s the book that taught a generation of writers how to build tension not through chaos, but through control.
If The Day of the Jackal is a masterclass in suspense, the "Odessa File" is a masterclass in moral gravity.
Set in the aftermath of World War II, the story follows a journalist who uncovers a secret organization of former SS officers. It’s a thriller, yes — but it’s also a confrontation with the ghosts of the 20th century.
Forsyth’s journalistic instincts are on full display here. He doesn’t sensationalize the horrors of the past. He exposes them. He contextualizes them. He forces the reader to reckon with the idea that evil doesn’t simply vanish when the headlines fade.
And yet, he never loses the pulse of the chase. The novel moves with the urgency of a ticking clock, each revelation tightening the noose.
It’s one of those rare thrillers that entertains and unsettles in equal measure.
Forsyth’s third major bestseller, "The Dogs of War", takes us into the world of mercenaries, mining interests, and political manipulation. It’s a novel about a coup — but more importantly, it’s a novel about the machinery behind a coup.
This is where Forsyth’s signature style becomes unmistakable: He wrote using detailed research, detailed realistic logistics in his writing style, he used characters who operated in moral gray zones and he created a plot that unfolded like a classified dossier.
He doesn’t just show you the battlefield. He shows you the boardroom. He shows you the bank transfers. He shows you the conversations that happen in quiet corners where the fate of nations is decided.
Forsyth understood something essential: Power doesn’t always roar. Sometimes it whispers.
When we think about Frederick Forsyth's books, here's the thing that is amazing. His books just don't seem to age. Even when the geopolitics shift, the underlying mechanics of espionage, corruption, and ambition
remain eerily familiar. His stories feel like they could be happening right now — or worse, like they
already are. I'd say it's because Forsyth didn't write about trends in the spy regions.
He wrote about systems. And these systems don't change easily. His novels tap into the timeless tension between secrecy and truth, between authority and rebellion, between the visible world and the hidden one.
That’s why new readers continue to discover him, and longtime fans continue to revisit him. To learn from his stories, view his thrillers with new eyes. Forsyth was not just a writer. He's an architect of suspense.
I just want to throw this bit of trivia about Forsyth here in the midst for those who actually read this newsletter because I found this to be a bit of an encouragement.
Forsyth said he never thought himself of as a writer. He got into journalism because he thought he could "see the world" as a war correspondent. And he did, well, in Africa but after leaving that continent, he started on writing his best seller because he was "skint, or flat broke".
So, just research your subject to death, most already are "flat broke", cut the fluff out of your writing, and write that story, that's what I heard. It's not tied to that fact that he was brilliant, he was passionate about his mark, nothing to do with his insight, he was at the right place/right time, etc. and so much more, ...nah! We can still mimic what he did cause he gave a few pointers and now there is only to implement the tools into action. Voilà!
Frederick Forsyth’s influence stretches far beyond the printed page. His novels shaped the modern thriller genre. They inspired filmmakers, journalists, and even intelligence professionals. They taught readers to pay attention to the details — because in a Forsyth story, the details are everything.
He showed us that mystery doesn’t always lurk in dark alleys. Sometimes it hides in diplomatic cables, financial ledgers, or the quiet resolve of a lone individual standing against a powerful machine.
And perhaps that’s why his work endures. Because the world he writes about — the world of secrets, strategies, and silent battles — is still very much our world.
He was awarded the Edgar Allen Poe award for "The Day of the Jackal" in 1972, 2012 Crime Writer's Association award the Cartier Diamond Dagger award for his body of work, among other distinctions.
Forsyth was married twice in his life. It is said that he had two children from the first marriage.
He passed away in June 2025 this year of sudden illness. He was a writer unlike others.
Well, as we part from this newsletter, it is my hope that you enjoyed this little outing with this author and that we will continue to read and explore other notable authors in this mystery category.
I bid you well, and till next year, early Happy New Year to you...be well dear readers...and here's to more reading, writing and growing in our lives! |
Here's just a few of new and exciting mystery stories for your reading pleasure:
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Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form
Wow!!! Here we are at the end of this year, guys! Only a few more days till we cross that mile to 2026. And what a year it has been!
First off, I'm so glad that I decided to give the newsletter editor a try because I find so much fulfillment in contributing here and hearing back from the other members of this fine writing site.
Okay, so let's answer or see who responded to the question from last newsletter:
Fictiøn Ðiva the Wørd Weava  said here: James M. Cain wrote fifteen mystery stories. He wrote about "the wish that comes true--the wish that comes true and destroy you." His characters wish for love, money, and escape. And those wishes destroy them.
Fictiøn Ðiva the Wørd Weava answered both questions and she gets both an Awardicon for her port and a MB of her choice for participating. 
Maddie Stone <2026 Edition>  said here: Merry Christmas to you and yours as well! I thoroughly enjoyed this newsletter! I have what I think of as a sideline fascination/interest with noir but rarely engage in writing or reading it. Maybe that will change as I am learning to grow (or shove) myself out of my comfort zones! I will be getting one of his novels this season to start, at least. Thank you for the wonderful read!
Maddie Stone <2026 Edition> contributed her thoughts and paid the newsletter some compliments, (yaay), so she's getting a MB too.
A BIG Thank you to you both for your feedback and engagement...yaaaay!!!
Okay, so now to this month's newsletter questions.
So, the question from the newsletter is as follows: Fredrick Forsyth wrote a lot of novels. Just how many did he write. And were all of them spy thrillers? ? The first 5 contributors will receive either a MB or Awardicon for their participation.
The second question is: Fredrick Forsyth is said to have two kids but their names aren't listed on his Wiki. Do they actually exist? and What profession had he wanted to have before he headed into journalism? The first 5 contributors will receive an Awardicon for any writing in their portfolio for participation.
So, I asked a bit more. It doesn't matter. Hopefully, whoever decides to look this information up will learn more about this interesting author. And so will I!  
Had a great Christmas, got lots, and gave gifts both to our child here with us and to those far away in other states.
Grandson made the b-ball team so proud of his efforts. Really hoping this will be a good thing to add to his high school portfolio, as he's much more than a basketball player.
Granddaughter is in love with Roblox, as you see me write about often, lol
but she's doing great in kindergarten. Love seeing and hearing about her learning. Those early years are real important, you know. 
Hugs and best wishes for the New Year. 2026 is gonna bring even better than this year and it's gonna be so great we will hardly believe the good and success of it all. Till next year, guys, stay safe, love your family and friends and keep on writing.♥ |
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Mystery: December 31, 2025 Issue [#13527]
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