In 1980, he wrote about the assassination of the Egyptian president a full year before the real event took place.

Perhaps the most enduring part of de Villiers' legacy is his "uncanny knack" for anticipating major global events before they happened.

Gérard de Villiers was more than just France's answer to Ian Fleming; he was a literary enigma who blurred the lines between sensationalist pulp and high-stakes intelligence. Over a nearly 50-year career, de Villiers authored 200 novels in the , featuring the aristocratic CIA contractor Malko Linge . Despite being dismissed by the literary elite for his "lurid" covers and graphic content, de Villiers became essential reading for real-world spies and diplomats. 1. The Journalist-Spy Nexus

His 2012 novel Les Fous de Benghazi detailed the threat of Islamist groups in Libya and the role of the CIA six months before the raid that killed U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens.

He meticulously researched every book by traveling to conflict zones for 15 days, followed by a six-week writing sprint.