Robert Ludlum Reading Order
8 series · 66 books · Born 25 May 1927
Robert Ludlum was a renowned American thriller writer known for his gripping narratives and intricate plots. With a prolific career from 1971 to 2026, he authored 66 novels across eight series, including the famed Jason Bourne and Covert-One franchises. His works have captivated millions, selling an estimated 290-500 million copies worldwide.
Blackbriar Series
Complete1 book (2022–2022)
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  The Blackbriar Genesis(By: Simon Gervais) 2022Buy 🇺🇸 |
Covert-One Series
Complete12 books (2000–2016)
Start with The Hades Factor(With: Gayle Lynds), the first of 12 books in the Covert-One series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  The Hades Factor(With: Gayle Lynds) 2000Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  The Cassandra Compact(With: Philip Shelby) 2001Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  The Paris Option(By: Gayle Lynds) 2002Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  The Altman Code(By: Gayle Lynds) 2003Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  The Lazarus Vendetta(By: Patrick Larkin) 2004Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  The Moscow Vector(By: Patrick Larkin) 2005Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  Robert Ludlum's The Arctic Event(By: James H. Cobb) 2007Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  The Ares Decision(By: Kyle Mills) 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 |  The Janus Reprisal(By: Jamie Freveletti) 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 |  The Utopia Experiment(By: Kyle Mills) 2013Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 |  The Geneva Strategy(By: Jamie Freveletti) 2015Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 12 |  The Patriot Attack(By: Kyle Mills) 2016Buy 🇺🇸 |
Jason Bourne Series
Ongoing22 books (1980–2026)
Start with The Bourne Identity, the first of 22 books in the Jason Bourne series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  The Bourne Identity 1980Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  The Bourne Supremacy 1986Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  The Bourne Ultimatum 1990Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  The Bourne Legacy(By: Eric Van Lustbader) 2003Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 | The Bourne Betrayal(By: Eric Van Lustbader) 2007Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 | The Bourne Sanction(By: Eric Van Lustbader) 2008Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 | The Bourne Deception(By: Eric Van Lustbader) 2009Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 | The Bourne Objective(By: Eric Van Lustbader) 2010Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 | The Bourne Dominion(By: Eric Van Lustbader) 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 | The Bourne Imperative(By: Eric Van Lustbader) 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 |  The Bourne Retribution(By: Eric Van Lustbader) 2013Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 12 | The Bourne Ascendancy(By: Eric Van Lustbader) 2014Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 13 | The Bourne Enigma(By: Eric Van Lustbader) 2016Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 14 |  The Bourne Initiative(By: Eric Van Lustbader) 2017Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 15 |  The Bourne Evolution(By: Brian Freeman) 2020Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 16 |  The Bourne Treachery(By: Brian Freeman) 2021Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 17 |  The Bourne Sacrifice(By: Brian Freeman) 2022Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 18 | The Bourne Defiance(By: Brian Freeman) 2023Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 19 | The Bourne Shadow(By: Brian Freeman) 2024Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 20 | The Bourne Escape(By: Brian Freeman) 2025Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 21 | The Bourne Vendetta(By: Brian Freeman) 2025Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 22 | The Bourne Revenge(By: Brian Freeman) 2026Buy 🇺🇸 |
Matarese Dynasty Series
Complete2 books (1979–1997)
Start with The Matarese Circle and read in order.
Paul Janson Series
Complete4 books (2002–2015)
Start with The Janson Directive, the first of 4 books in the Paul Janson series.
Road to Series
Complete2 books (1975–1992)
Start with The Road to Gandolfo and read in order.
Standalone Novels Series
Complete19 books (1971–2005)
Start with The Scarlatti Inheritance, the first of 19 books in the Standalone Novels series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | The Scarlatti Inheritance 1971Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  The Osterman Weekend 1972Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  The Matlock Paper 1973Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  Trevayne(As: Jonathan Ryder) 1973Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  The Cry of the Halidon(As: Jonathan Ryder) 1974Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  The Rhinemann Exchange 1974Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  The Gemini Contenders 1976Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  The Chancellor Manuscript 1977Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 |  The Holcroft Covenant 1978Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 |  The Parsifal Mosaic 1982Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 |  The Aquitaine Progression 1984Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 12 |  The Icarus Agenda 1988Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 13 |  The Scorpio Illusion 1993Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 14 |  The Apocalypse Watch 1995Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 15 |  The Prometheus Deception 2000Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 16 |  The Sigma Protocol 2001Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 17 |  The Tristan Betrayal 2003Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 18 |  The Bancroft Strategy 2004Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 19 |  The Ambler Warning 2005Buy 🇺🇸 |
Treadstone Series
Likely Complete4 books (2020–2023)
Start with The Treadstone Resurrection(By: Joshua Hood), the first of 4 books in the Treadstone series.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many books has Robert Ludlum written?
- Robert Ludlum has written 66 books across 8 series. Their published works span from 1971 to 2026.
- What is the first book in each Robert Ludlum series?
- Here are the first books in Robert Ludlum's series: Covert-One: The Hades Factor(With: Gayle Lynds); Jason Bourne: The Bourne Identity; Matarese Dynasty: The Matarese Circle; Paul Janson: The Janson Directive; Road to: The Road to Gandolfo.
- What order should I read Robert Ludlum's books?
- We recommend reading Robert Ludlum's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
- Is Robert Ludlum still writing new books?
- Yes, Robert Ludlum has 1 ongoing series: Jason Bourne.