The Day of the Jackal

APPLE BOOKS REVIEW

Frederick Forsyth’s political thriller felt very timely when it was first published in 1971; nearly 50 years later, The Day of the Jackal is still tense and suspenseful enough to keep us up long past bedtime. The story follows the mysterious Jackal’s plan to assassinate French President Charles de Gaulle and cunning detective Claude Lebel’s attempt to snuff out the crime before it happens. Forsyth lays out both plotlines with a chilling sense of evenhandedness, and Scottish actor David Rintoul narrates with pitch-perfect pacing. In the end, the details surrounding the charismatic assassin’s planning and training prove just as fascinating as Lebel’s dogged police work. This is a gripping listen. Frederick Forsyth’s political thriller felt very timely when it was first published in 1971; nearly 50 years later, The Day of the Jackal is still tense and suspenseful enough to keep us up long past bedtime. The story follows the mysterious Jackal’s plan to assassinate French President Charles de Gaulle and cunning detective Claude Lebel’s attempt to snuff out the crime before it happens. Forsyth lays out both plotlines with a chilling sense of evenhandedness, and Scottish actor David Rintoul narrates with pitch-perfect pacing. In the end, the details surrounding the charismatic assassin’s planning and training prove just as fascinating as Lebel’s dogged police work. This is a gripping listen.