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Le Léopard
An assassination attempt on the President of the Republic; rumours circulating of an impending coup d'etat and a dying man whispering a codename - "The Leopard". Prefect of the Paris police, Marc Grelle guesses there's a connection that could tear France apart.
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First published December 31, 1975
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About the author
Colin Forbes
156 books116 followersRaymond Harold Sawkins was a British novelist, who mainly published under the pseudonym Colin Forbes, but also as Richard Raine, Jay Bernard and Harold English. He only published three of his first books under his own name.Sawkins wrote over 40 books, mostly as Colin Forbes. He was most famous for his long-running series of thriller novels in which the principal character is Tweed, Deputy Director of the Secret Intelligence Service.
Sawkins attended The Lower School of John Lyon in Harrow, London. At the age of 16 he started work as a sub-editor with a magazine and book publishing company. He served with the British Army in North Africa and the Middle East during World War II. Before his demobilization he was attached to the Army Newspaper Unit in Rome. On his return to civilian life he joined a publishing and printing company, commuting to London for 20 years, until he became successful enough to be a full-time novelist.
Sawkins was married to a Scots-Canadian, Jane Robertson (born 31 March 1925, died 1993). Together they had one daughter, Janet.Sawkins died of a heart attack on August 23, 2006.
Sawkins was often quoted as personally visiting every location he features in his books to aid the authenticity of the writing. As a result, there is detailed description of the places where the action in his books takes place.
Fury (1995) was inspired by the courage of his wife before she died, and he set it apart from his other novels “because of the strong emotion and sense of loss that runs through it”.
Just one of Forbes' novels was made into a film: Avalanche Express, directed by Mark Robson and starring Lee Marvin and Robert Shaw, which was released in 1979 to generally poor reviews.
Sawkins attended The Lower School of John Lyon in Harrow, London. At the age of 16 he started work as a sub-editor with a magazine and book publishing company. He served with the British Army in North Africa and the Middle East during World War II. Before his demobilization he was attached to the Army Newspaper Unit in Rome. On his return to civilian life he joined a publishing and printing company, commuting to London for 20 years, until he became successful enough to be a full-time novelist.
Sawkins was married to a Scots-Canadian, Jane Robertson (born 31 March 1925, died 1993). Together they had one daughter, Janet.Sawkins died of a heart attack on August 23, 2006.
Sawkins was often quoted as personally visiting every location he features in his books to aid the authenticity of the writing. As a result, there is detailed description of the places where the action in his books takes place.
Fury (1995) was inspired by the courage of his wife before she died, and he set it apart from his other novels “because of the strong emotion and sense of loss that runs through it”.
Just one of Forbes' novels was made into a film: Avalanche Express, directed by Mark Robson and starring Lee Marvin and Robert Shaw, which was released in 1979 to generally poor reviews.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
June 13, 2022
This is probably a 3.5 / 5 book.
Colin Forbes knew how to write a good yarn in the Alistair MacLean / Desmond Bagley genre. This is a thriller but not a mystery story as it seems straightforward to work out who the antagonist is. There's lots of criss-crossing of the border between France and Germany as both sides in this Cold War story try to discover / cover up the identity of The Leopard, a communist politician at the heart of the French government.
Colin Forbes knew how to write a good yarn in the Alistair MacLean / Desmond Bagley genre. This is a thriller but not a mystery story as it seems straightforward to work out who the antagonist is. There's lots of criss-crossing of the border between France and Germany as both sides in this Cold War story try to discover / cover up the identity of The Leopard, a communist politician at the heart of the French government.
June 4, 2016
I picked this up in a used bookstore (5 books for a dollar? Heck yes!) to use as part of a reading challenge. What drew me to the book was the title (fit the constraints of the challenge) and the fact that the description compared the book to The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth. While I've never read the book, my dad and I are huge fans of the movie adaptation of The Day of the Jackal that came out in the 70s. The blurb on the back of this book made me agree--the plot seemed so similar that I wondered why Forsyth did not sue Forbes for what is a blatant rip off.
Maybe I'm not the right type of reader to enjoy mass market thrillers, but the writing style seemed even worse than the few that I've read. Forbes describes each person's age, physical appearance, and attire in such a formulaic manner, it was like reading a Baby-Sitter's Club novel, but without the charmingly ridiculous outfits that Claudia wears. Even minor characters get this treatment.
Police Prefect Grelle is pretty much an expy of Lebel from TDotJ.
The "twist" everyone keeps referring to gets revealed pretty early on in the book, and there aren't many thrills in this thriller. I mean, it's an interesting twist, but I wouldn't say the book got more exciting as the reveal happened (and I'd also argue that the reveal isn't all that surprising). Also, Forbes sets up this long narration about the Cold War history going on in his book, and it's awkward and stilted.
I also wonder if this would have been as a better movie than as a book. I find a lot of thrillers make better movies because you can cut out the subpar writer narratives and focus on the action (who knows, maybe TDotJ is also like this). If you are tempted into reading this, just rent TDotJ instead and call it a day.
Maybe I'm not the right type of reader to enjoy mass market thrillers, but the writing style seemed even worse than the few that I've read. Forbes describes each person's age, physical appearance, and attire in such a formulaic manner, it was like reading a Baby-Sitter's Club novel, but without the charmingly ridiculous outfits that Claudia wears. Even minor characters get this treatment.
Police Prefect Grelle is pretty much an expy of Lebel from TDotJ.
The "twist" everyone keeps referring to gets revealed pretty early on in the book, and there aren't many thrills in this thriller. I mean, it's an interesting twist, but I wouldn't say the book got more exciting as the reveal happened (and I'd also argue that the reveal isn't all that surprising). Also, Forbes sets up this long narration about the Cold War history going on in his book, and it's awkward and stilted.
I also wonder if this would have been as a better movie than as a book. I find a lot of thrillers make better movies because you can cut out the subpar writer narratives and focus on the action (who knows, maybe TDotJ is also like this). If you are tempted into reading this, just rent TDotJ instead and call it a day.
May 10, 2011
I am amazed at the vitriolic reactions on the Internet against Colin Forbes, who, for me, has been one of the most successful thriller writers of the last few decades. As far as I can see here, the biggest criticism that Forbes has faced from most of the readers is that his characters are not developed properly. While I would concede that to an extent, I would say, in his defence, that Forbes probably sacrificed character development for a smooth flow in his stories. I think this is the most important part in a thriller novel. I just love the way Forbes' novels pick up pace. He doesn't waste time in telling people what his characters look like or how they dress, because he moves straight to the point. He would rather concentrate on the surroundings. And that, I think, is something which is very unique to him.
His books are well researched. One funny criticism I noticed is that Tweed doesn't like mobile phones but still ends up using them! How hillarious! I know people who don't carry a cellphone even these days but do borrow them to make a call when required. Folks, don't put down a writer just for the sake of it.
I think Forbes' earlier novels, those not featuring Tweed, were much better. But that's not to stay that the Tweeed ones are trash! He wrote much better than most people and I have throughly enoyed his books. Among my favorites are The Stone Leopard,The Fury and The Leader and the Damned.
His books are well researched. One funny criticism I noticed is that Tweed doesn't like mobile phones but still ends up using them! How hillarious! I know people who don't carry a cellphone even these days but do borrow them to make a call when required. Folks, don't put down a writer just for the sake of it.
I think Forbes' earlier novels, those not featuring Tweed, were much better. But that's not to stay that the Tweeed ones are trash! He wrote much better than most people and I have throughly enoyed his books. Among my favorites are The Stone Leopard,The Fury and The Leader and the Damned.
February 26, 2018
A good paced and interesting espionage thriller in the classic mode. What links an attempt assassination attempt on the French president and a hit a run at the same spot? Is there any truth to the dying words of the man? Can the WWII communist resistance leader codenamed ‘Leopard’ really be a high ranking official in the French government? This is the premise of the story that unfolds with two investigations trying to get the bottom of the mystery and Russian commando hit squad on the loose trying to silence the potential witnesses before they can reveal what they know.
As the unthinkable appears to become more likely the next problem faced by the Paris Prefect is even more difficult to solve. What should be done if the truth is the Leopard is high up in government? The scandal would be too great for France to survive with its place in world intact. Are there any alternative solutions – and are these not more terrifying the original problem?
Really enjoyable story, excellently well told by Forbes.
As the unthinkable appears to become more likely the next problem faced by the Paris Prefect is even more difficult to solve. What should be done if the truth is the Leopard is high up in government? The scandal would be too great for France to survive with its place in world intact. Are there any alternative solutions – and are these not more terrifying the original problem?
Really enjoyable story, excellently well told by Forbes.
May 16, 2013
Another Cold War thriller. an excellent read even if the Cold War era is history right now.
June 15, 2017
A very good book - a wee bit dated now. It still has one of the most shocking ending to a thriller that I have read
December 19, 2020
Forbes does a good job with this book; it is a good, fast paced read. It starts with a failed terrorist attack on an airliner that has little directly to do with the plot. Forbes sets his plot in the cold war of the mid 1980s, in France. This France has a new leader but is surrounded by a Europe that has, except for Germany, gradually turned communist. A war with the Soviet Union would allow Germany and France to be attacked from virtually any European border.
The protagonist, the French policeman responsible for his President’s life, hears rumours about an attempt upon that life during an upcoming summit with the Soviet Chairman. As he digs deeper, he finds that the key to this attempt might lie with a small team of Resistance fighters from 40 years ago. He calls on help from his associates in the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany but they have little to offer but moral support.
The action flows quickly as people get killed by interesting means. The deaths all appear natural or accidental. However, the protagonist gradually collects information and closes in on the killers, the antagonist and a solution to France’s problem. The action and solution with three pages to go are exciting and unusual. The final page is truly extraordinary.
Five stars.
The protagonist, the French policeman responsible for his President’s life, hears rumours about an attempt upon that life during an upcoming summit with the Soviet Chairman. As he digs deeper, he finds that the key to this attempt might lie with a small team of Resistance fighters from 40 years ago. He calls on help from his associates in the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany but they have little to offer but moral support.
The action flows quickly as people get killed by interesting means. The deaths all appear natural or accidental. However, the protagonist gradually collects information and closes in on the killers, the antagonist and a solution to France’s problem. The action and solution with three pages to go are exciting and unusual. The final page is truly extraordinary.
Five stars.
March 16, 2024
Beetje gedateerde thriller/spionage roman.
Voor liefhebbers van het genre waarschijnlijk niet slecht, maar mij kon het niet echt boeien.
Ik stoorde mij aan een aantal onwaarschijnlijkheden en wel heel erg toevallige meevallers die het verhaal in goede banen moesten leiden.
Voor liefhebbers van het genre waarschijnlijk niet slecht, maar mij kon het niet echt boeien.
Ik stoorde mij aan een aantal onwaarschijnlijkheden en wel heel erg toevallige meevallers die het verhaal in goede banen moesten leiden.
September 13, 2017
Outstanding..... A little dated but still an extremely good read.
July 11, 2020
Read in 1977. Top notch espionage mystery keeps you guessing until the very end.
December 1, 2024
3.5 stars. I love reading these books from the 60s and 70s. Great stories well written.
March 1, 2012
Originally published on my blog here in April 1998.
This Cold War thriller, written in the mid-seventies, is more than a little remniscent of Frederick Forsythe's Day of the Jackal. It reserves a neat twist, however, which makes it well worth reading.
The world in which it is set is made even more paranoid than a strictly historical Cold War setting; in Forbes' world, the recession caused by the oil crisis led to Communist coups in Greece, Spain and Portugal, and increased isolationism in the US. In this atmosphere, a young woman tries to assassinate the new President of France. In the investigation that follows, the Paris Prefect of Police Marc Grelle (who has been personally made responsible for the safety of President Florian) finds leads to a Communist resistance leader, the Leopard, supposedly dead since 1944.
He quickly realises - though he cannot immediately begin to believe - that the Leopard is not in fact dead, but has managed to become a high ranking member of the cabinet. There he has been making things ready for a Communist coup to bring him to power. The only problem is that Grelle does not know which member of the cabinet it is.
Colin Forbes maintains the suspense to make The Stone Leopard a tense political thriller. You do get the impression that there is really only going to be one thriller's worth of ideas in the author - but I'll find that out when I read another.
This Cold War thriller, written in the mid-seventies, is more than a little remniscent of Frederick Forsythe's Day of the Jackal. It reserves a neat twist, however, which makes it well worth reading.
The world in which it is set is made even more paranoid than a strictly historical Cold War setting; in Forbes' world, the recession caused by the oil crisis led to Communist coups in Greece, Spain and Portugal, and increased isolationism in the US. In this atmosphere, a young woman tries to assassinate the new President of France. In the investigation that follows, the Paris Prefect of Police Marc Grelle (who has been personally made responsible for the safety of President Florian) finds leads to a Communist resistance leader, the Leopard, supposedly dead since 1944.
He quickly realises - though he cannot immediately begin to believe - that the Leopard is not in fact dead, but has managed to become a high ranking member of the cabinet. There he has been making things ready for a Communist coup to bring him to power. The only problem is that Grelle does not know which member of the cabinet it is.
Colin Forbes maintains the suspense to make The Stone Leopard a tense political thriller. You do get the impression that there is really only going to be one thriller's worth of ideas in the author - but I'll find that out when I read another.
January 31, 2016
I didn't hate this, but it was a bit of a struggle to get through - partially 'cause it's not really my kind of thing, and partly 'cause it wasn't engagingly written. Forbes writes a complex story of political intrigue set in France in a modern reality where The Cold War has gone somewhat differently and there is a big Communist threat to France. Essentially it's a political thriller where an assassination attempt is made on the French Premier, with various shady types trying to then track down the mysterious 'Leopard' - a character involved in the resistance years previously. It felt a bit dated in being written forty years ago, was a bit over-complicated in places hence lost my attention, but there was a sense of building excitement and it wasn't all bad. Just not an author and genre I will rush to return to.
October 29, 2016
A cracker of a read. Simple and plausible plot, with enough development to keep the reader occupied. Doesn't insult the reader by trying to leave everything to the last chapter and also doesn't leave loose ends or characters. Ive not read Forbes before and will now do so - hope his other books are as good.
June 13, 2015
The worst book I have read by Forbes. Flat characters, too much switching about and no real twists in the story line. Story of undercover person who wipes out people who see him slowly being discovered many years later as they try to finish off the last few you had seen them
Want to read
January 4, 2009LOST - 322
November 12, 2014
Great spybook
September 15, 2016
I love Colin Forbes book
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews