IN FOCUS

Frederick
Forsyth

1938 - 2025

One of the most celebrated thriller writers of the twentieth century, Frederick Forsyth redefined the modern espionage novel and captivated readers across six decades with his meticulous research and relentless pace.

Close-up of a middle-aged man with grey hair, wearing a collared shirt, outdoors with boats and a body of water in the background, in black and white.

INTRODUCTION

Bringing Frederick Forsyth to a new generation

In 2022, Portland Literary acquired from Frederick Forsyth the rights he held in his magnificent body of work. Portland then set out, in partnership with Forsyth and his agents at Curtis Brown, to bring his dynamic storytelling to a new generation of readers.

THE ODESSA FILE

A story that changed the world.

Following the global success of his debut novel The Day of the Jackal (1971), Forsyth published The Odessa File (1972). The book follows Peter Miller, a young German reporter who discovers the diary of a Holocaust survivor and becomes obsessed with bringing a former SS camp commandant, described in the diary, to justice. Miller infiltrates the Odessa, an organisation formed to assist Nazi oﬃcers living under new identities.

The Odessa File was more than fiction. Roschmann, the novel's villain, was a real-life war criminal known as the "Butcher of Riga" who had escaped to Argentina after the war. Upon the release of the novel and its 1974 film adaptation starring Jon Voight, Roschmann was identified by a member of the public, arrested, and ultimately died attempting to flee to Paraguay. The Odessa File is therefore the extraordinary saga of real-life events inspiring outstanding fiction which in turn corrected a real-world injustice.

OUR WORK

Publishing, television, and beyond

Following a thorough review of Forsyth's published works, Portland Literary identified enormous scope to further develop The Odessa File. Forsyth had previously conceived a framework for a sequel but had not brought it to completion. Working closely with Forsyth and Curtis Brown, and having identified an ideal writing partner for Forsyth in Tony Kent, a new novel, Revenge of Odessa, was developed. This was acquired by Penguin Random House (Transworld), and published in October 2025. A third novel, The Odessa Assassin, will follow in 2026.

Alongside the new novel, Portland Literary worked with a partner production company to develop a biographical television project celebrating Forsyth's life and works. This project was acquired by the BBC and released in October 2025 as part of the series In My Own Words.

Forsyth’s works continue to reach vast new audiences. His novella The Shepherd was adapted for Disney Plus in December 2023, and The Day of the Jackal became one of Sky's biggest ever drama hits on its release in November 2025. A second series is on the way. There are a host of further publishing and screen opportunities currently under active development.

PRESS ON REVENGE OF ODESSA

"Displays all of Forsyth's political prescience and reminds us how clever he was at forecasting our dangerous future."
— DAILY MAIL
"Cracking. Like Forsyth's best works, Revenge of Odessa both entertains and unsettles."
— FINANCIAL TIMES

FROM THE AUTHOR

"I am delighted to be in partnership with Portland Literary. It is pleasure to see the team developing my body of work and bringing my characters and stories to the forefront for new generations."

— FREDERICK FORSYTH

FROM THE AGENT

"It is a pleasure working with Portland Literary who add another dimension to our representation of clients. The team bring tremendous experience across all media and make wonderful partners to both agents and authors. They are proactive, enthusiastic, and hugely keen to promote and build upon Freddie's fantastic novels and short stories. The Portland Literary approach is unique and innovative. Portland Literary provide solutions for authors and estates seeking long-term stewardship and growth with committed investment in their works."

— JONATHAN LLOYD
Curtis Brown, Literary Agent to Frederick Forsyth