India, June 10 -- English novelist, journalist and former spy Frederick Forsyth, who is known for his well researched thrillers, died at the age of 86 on June 9, media reports said.

He died after a brief illness, a statement said.

Forsyth's career, which spanned journalism, military service, and even covert intelligence work, was marked by an amalgamation of fiction and authenticity in his thrillers.

Hugely known for his debut novel The Day of the Jackal (1971), Forsyth published 14 novels and sold more than 75 million copies worldwide.

Forsyth had shared that he wrote his debut novel when he was out of job.

The Day of the Jackal was made into a film starring Edward Fox as the Jackal in 1973 and also a TV drama featuring Eddie Redmay...