Robert Ludlum (1927-2001) was an American author who has written dozens of thrillers. He is perhaps best known for his Bourne Trilogy novels, which were made into movies starring Matt Damon.

Ludlum started writing in the ’70s. During that time, he was living in Leonia, New Jersey and spent hours every day writing. The lion’s share of his work was published in the ’70s. After which, he noticably slowed down. Ludlum also published novels under the pen names of Jonathan Ryder and Michael Shephard. Following his death in 2001, his characters lived on through other authors such as Eric Van Lustbader. Ludlum is now a brand name, with novels inspired by his work trademarked as “Robert Ludlum’s” novels.

Below is a list of Robert Ludlum’s books (whether written by him or based on his notes) in order of publication:

Publication Order of Jason Bourne Books

The Bourne Identity(1980)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Bourne Supremacy(1986)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Bourne Ultimatum(1990)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Bourne Legacy (By: Eric Van Lustbader)(2003)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Bourne Betrayal (By: Eric Van Lustbader)(2007)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Bourne Sanction (By: Eric Van Lustbader)(2008)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Bourne Deception (By: Eric Van Lustbader)(2009)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Bourne Objective (By: Eric Van Lustbader)(2010)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Bourne Dominion (By: Eric Van Lustbader)(2011)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Bourne Imperative (By: Eric Van Lustbader)(2012)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Bourne Retribution (By: Eric Van Lustbader)(2013)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Bourne Ascendancy (By: Eric Van Lustbader)(2014)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Bourne Enigma (By: Eric Van Lustbader)(2016)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Bourne Initiative (By: Eric Van Lustbader)(2017)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Bourne Evolution (By: Brian Freeman)(2020)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Bourne Treachery (By: Brian Freeman)(2021)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Bourne Sacrifice (By: Brian Freeman)(2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Bourne Defiance (By: Brian Freeman)(2023)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Bourne Shadow (By: Brian Freeman)(2024)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Bourne Vendetta (By: Brian Freeman)(2025)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
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Publication Order of Covert-One Books

The Hades Factor (With: Gayle Lynds)(2000)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Cassandra Compact (With: Philip Shelby)(2001)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Paris Option (By: Gayle Lynds)(2002)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Altman Code (By: Gayle Lynds)(2003)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Lazarus Vendetta (By: Patrick Larkin)(2004)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Moscow Vector (By: Patrick Larkin)(2005)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Robert Ludlum's The Arctic Event (By: James H. Cobb)(2007)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Ares Decision (By: Kyle Mills)(2011)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Janus Reprisal (By: Jamie Freveletti)(2012)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Utopia Experiment (By: Kyle Mills)(2013)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Geneva Strategy (By: Jamie Freveletti)(2015)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Patriot Attack (By: Kyle Mills)(2016)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
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Publication Order of Matarese Dynasty Books

The Matarese Circle(1979)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Matarese Countdown(1997)Description / Buy at Amazon.com

Publication Order of Blackbriar Books

(with Simon Gervais)

The Blackbriar Genesis (By: Simon Gervais)(2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
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Publication Order of Paul Janson Books

The Janson Directive(2002)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Janson Command (By: Paul Garrison)(2012)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Janson Option (By: Paul Garrison)(2014)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Janson Equation (By: Douglas Corleone)(2015)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
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Publication Order of Road to Books

The Road to Gandolfo(1975)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Road To Omaha(1992)Description / Buy at Amazon.com

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

The Scarlatti Inheritance(1971)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Osterman Weekend(1972)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Matlock Paper(1973)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Trevayne (As: Jonathan Ryder)(1973)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Rhinemann Exchange(1974)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Cry of the Halidon (As: Jonathan Ryder)(1974)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Gemini Contenders(1976)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Chancellor Manuscript(1977)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Holcroft Covenant(1978)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Parsifal Mosaic(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Aquitaine Progression(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Icarus Agenda(1988)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Scorpio Illusion(1993)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Apocalypse Watch(1995)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Prometheus Deception(2000)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Sigma Protocol(2001)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Tristan Betrayal(2003)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Bancroft Strategy(2004)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Ambler Warning(2005)Description / Buy at Amazon.com

Publication Order of Treadstone Books

(with Joshua Hood)

The Treadstone Resurrection (By: Joshua Hood)(2020)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Treadstone Exile (By: Joshua Hood)(2021)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Treadstone Transgression (By: Joshua Hood)(2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Treadstone Rendition (By: Joshua Hood)(2023)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
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Notes: Although the Covert-One series was created by Ludlum, the novels themselves were written by other authors.

Following Ludlum’s death, the Jason Bourne series was continued by American author Eric Van Lustbader and Brian Freeman.

If You Like Robert Ludlum Books, You’ll Love…

Robert Ludlum Synopses: In Robert Ludlum’s second book The Osterman Weekend, investigative news TV show host John Tanner is informed by a CIA agent that his friends are involved in a group that is threatening national security. John loses his trust in his friends and has been put against them. However, John finds out the truth about his friends, it turns out he has been manipulated. The Osterman Weekend was made into a film in 1983 by the great director Sam Peckinpah. It had an all-star cast that included Rutger Hauer and Dennis Hopper.

The Matlock Paper is a standalone novel by Robert Ludlum. College professor and Vietnam veteran James Barbour Matlock’s name is selected to stop a large-scale conspiracy on an undercover mission that is going to put his life in danger. But the anonymous men working behind the scenes don’t care if it means murdering the woman he loves or putting him in a maze of unstoppable terror. Only one thing concerns them: The reason Matlock is the ideal candidate for the position is alarming, explosive, and extremely lethal.

Trevayne is a standalone title by author Robert Ludlum (originally written as Jonathan Ryder). Title character Andrew Trevayne is a self-made millionaire who has never been swayed by fear. He used to be an undersecretary of state and is now the head of one of the most prestigious foundations in the country. Trevayne now conducts an investigation into the “secret government” at the president’s explicit request, and he soon finds himself swept up in a tsunami of danger and intrigue. He discovers a nightmare maze beyond the corridors of official power, where billionaires and Mafia lords mix, where evil forces are poised to carry out a chilling conspiracy, where Congress and even the presidency can be bought and sold, and where survival depends on a hair trigger. A man like Trevayne can easily become a king, an enemy, or a pawn in this world.

Order of Books » Authors » Order of Robert Ludlum Books

2 Responses to “Order of Robert Ludlum Books”

  1. William H Legg: 11 years ago

    I doubt if I’ll ever love an Author Like Mr Ludlum. I have a copy of all his books, I tried a couple of the books written about his characters by different authors and was very disappointted. They were good but not close to Mr Ludlum. I never met the man, but I mourned his passing.

    Reply

    • Troy Wadina: 10 years ago

      Agreed what an incredible author. I own and have read every novel he has ever written and no one else can compare.

      Reply

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