Fletcher Knebel was the author of several popular works of fiction. "Seven Days in May" and "Night at Camp David" (1965) deal with political intrigue.

Seven Days in May was adapted for the cinema by Rod Serling, and was released in 1963 by Warner Brothers, with an all-star cast featuring Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, Frederic March, Edmond O' Brien, Ava Gardner, Martin Balsam, Andrew Duggan and John Houseman.

It was said President John F.Kennedy liked the movie about a thwarted coup engendered by right-wing hawks in the military.He had a particular reason for this in light of the bad advice he was given by General Curtis LeMay and others that led to the disasterous Bay of Pigs invasion of 1961.

Knebel was a well known for his widely syndicated political newspaper column "Potomac Fever".