Robert Ludlum was an American author renowned for his thrilling novels, particularly as the creator of the iconic Jason Bourne from the original The Bourne Trilogy series. His literary repertoire includes 27 thriller novels, all of which became New York Times bestsellers.

The estimated number of copies of his books in print ranges from 300 million to 500 million, translated into 33 languages and available in 40 countries. Besides writing under his name, Ludlum also embraced the pseudonyms Jonathan Ryder and Michael Shepherd.

Several of his novels have been adapted into films and mini-series, including The Osterman Weekend, The Holcroft Covenant, The Apocalypse Watch, and the Bourne series. Ludlum's legacy continues as other authors, such as Eric Van Lustbader, have continued the Jason Bourne series with additional novels.