It’s based on the sequel to a 1966 novel

Die Hard as a book? Can’t picture it. It is, however, true. It didn’t come out of some action-loving screenwriter in Hollywood, but from a little known novel. In 1966, Roderick Thorp wrote a book called ‘The Detective.’ Thirteen years later, he published a sequel called ‘Nothing Lasts Forever.’ Since then, it’s been out of print, but was recently republished to coincide with the 25th anniversary of Die Hard in 2013. But much like most literary inspirations, only the bones of the story are the same.