The Shepherd by Frederick Forsyth

The Shepherd was Forsyth's fourth novel, after the massive bestsellers The Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File, and The Dogs of War, all made into hit films.

The German countryside lay clear and crisp beneath a frosty moon around the Royal Air Force Base, as a pilot swung his snub-nosed 'Vampire' fighter onto the runway. The last of the men on duty were retiring to their Christmas Eve celebration, and the pilot is looking forward to crossing the channel to his family.

With only fifteen minutes before he reached the English coast, he hit a thick patch of fog at 27,000 ft. There was a change in sound, possibly a main fuse blowout, causing his compass to spin and his instruments to fail. With radio contact lost, he flies a distress pattern to alert Lakenheath base, and soon sees below him the shining propellers of a Mosquito fighter, now used as guide planes by the meteorological squadron at RAF Gloucester. Using traditional signals, he was guided safely into RAF Minton, a disused storage depot but the nearest landing strip. The two men on duty welcome him, and the mystery begins.

This is a satisfying and effective ghost story rooted in flying culture. My copy was enhanced with illustrations by Lou Feck. As someone who seeks out supernatural stories, I found this a solid read that worked on many levels, especially for fans of flying stories.

Taking place on Christmas Eve (and from the title) this has been absorbed as a Christmas tale, often packaged with others like The Gift of the Magi and Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus. You can interpret it as spooky or religious as you like.

This was filmed by Disney in 2023, and has been read nearly every Christmas Eve on Canadian radio since 1979.

Frederick Forsyth flew a deHavallind Vampire for the RAF in the National Service, before becoming a journalist (and informant for MI6). The Day Of The Jackal won the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel, and he received both an OBE for his contributions to literature and the Cartier Diamond Dagger from the Crime Writers' Association for his body of work.

1976 / Paperback / 128 pages