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Quick answer: If you loved The Day of the Jackal, try The Odessa File, The Dogs of War, The Bourne Identity, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, Eye of the Needle and The Eagle Has Landed. Each one is a tense, meticulously detailed thriller about assassins, spies and a race against time.
Frederick Forsyth's 1971 debut follows a professional assassin known only as the Jackal, hired by a French terrorist group to kill President Charles de Gaulle in 1963. He plans every detail, from a custom rifle to false identities. Opposing him is Claude Lebel, a modest but tireless French detective. Readers love its realism and suspense. These books share its assassins and its cat-and-mouse tension.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Mood | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Odessa File | Frederick Forsyth | Tense | readers who want more Forsyth |
| The Dogs of War | Frederick Forsyth | Tense | readers who like mercenaries |
| The Bourne Identity | Robert Ludlum | Fast | readers who like amnesiac assassins |
| The Spy Who Came in from the Cold | John le Carré | Bleak | readers who like realistic spies |
| Eye of the Needle | Ken Follett | Tense | readers who like WWII spies |
| The Eagle Has Landed | Jack Higgins | Tense | readers who like daring plots |
| The Hunt for Red October | Tom Clancy | Technical | readers who like military detail |
| Killing Floor | Lee Child | Fast | readers who like loners |
| The Gray Man | Mark Greaney | Fast | readers who like assassins |
| I Am Pilgrim | Terry Hayes | Epic | readers who like long thrillers |
| The Ipcress File | Len Deighton | Cool | readers who like 1960s spies |
| Red Sparrow | Jason Matthews | Modern | readers who like Russian spies |
| The Fourth Protocol | Frederick Forsyth | Tense | readers who want more Forsyth |
| Six Days of the Condor | James Grady | Tense | readers who like hunted agents |
| Marathon Man | William Goldman | Tense | readers who like innocents in danger |
1. The Odessa File by Frederick Forsyth
A reporter hunts a former SS officer.
Best for: readers who want more Forsyth.
2. The Dogs of War by Frederick Forsyth
Mercenaries plan a coup in Africa.
Best for: readers who like mercenaries.
3. The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum
A man with no memory is hunted.
Best for: readers who like amnesiac assassins.
4. The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John le Carré
A spy's final mission.
Best for: readers who like realistic spies.
5. Eye of the Needle by Ken Follett
A German spy holds a deadly secret.
Best for: readers who like WWII spies.
6. The Eagle Has Landed by Jack Higgins
Germans plot to kidnap Churchill.
Best for: readers who like daring plots.
7. The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy
A Soviet captain defects.
Best for: readers who like military detail.
8. Killing Floor by Lee Child
A drifter is arrested.
Best for: readers who like loners.
9. The Gray Man by Mark Greaney
A former CIA operative is hunted.
Best for: readers who like assassins.
10. I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes
An agent hunts a terrorist.
Best for: readers who like long thrillers.
11. The Ipcress File by Len Deighton
A cynical agent investigates kidnappings.
Best for: readers who like 1960s spies.
12. Red Sparrow by Jason Matthews
A Russian agent targets a CIA officer.
Best for: readers who like Russian spies.
13. The Fourth Protocol by Frederick Forsyth
A Soviet plot to detonate a bomb in Britain.
Best for: readers who want more Forsyth.
14. Six Days of the Condor by James Grady
A CIA researcher is hunted.
Best for: readers who like hunted agents.
15. Marathon Man by William Goldman
A student is drawn into a deadly plot.
Best for: readers who like innocents in danger.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with The Day of the Jackal: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to The Day of the Jackal. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most. If a pick is part of a longer series, read the first book before you commit, and check the age or content notes in the table before passing a book to a younger reader.
How to Choose
For more Forsyth, The Odessa File and The Dogs of War are excellent. If you love assassins, The Bourne Identity and The Gray Man are fast-paced. For realistic spy craft, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold and The Ipcress File are classics. I Am Pilgrim is a modern epic.
Related: Eye of the Needle by Ken Follett: Summary and Key Takeaways
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Day of the Jackal about?
An assassin plots to kill Charles de Gaulle while a detective races to stop him.
Is it based on true events?
The OAS and plots against de Gaulle were real, but the Jackal is fictional.
Who is Claude Lebel?
The French detective who hunts the Jackal.
Is there a movie?
Yes. The 1973 film, and a 2024 TV series.
Is it realistic?
Yes. It is known for its detailed methods.
When was it published?
In 1971.
What should I read next?
The Odessa File.