If You Like Robert Ludlum…

Bestselling author Robert Ludlum died in 2001, but part of the legacy he left behind were several series (such as the one starring Jason Bourne) that have continued after his death. Generally fast-paced thrillers with dedicated heroes in life-threatening scenarios, Ludlum and Ludlum-like novels tend to take place all over the world and incorporate a hefty amount of spycraft to boot. The books listed below were written by novelists who, one way or another, have an association with Robert Ludlum, whether they were co-authors (Gayle Lynds), write for Ludlum series (Eric Lustbader, Kyle Mills), or write in a similar style (Jack Higgins).

Rough Justice by Jack Higgins
Spy Fiction. Robert Ludlum readers looking for more books like his will likely enjoy Jack Higgins, whose strong characters complete their missions, no matter the cost, in espionage novels that focus on military details and the politics of war and victory. In Rough Justice, the 15th Sean Dillon thriller, presidential aide Blake Johnson gets tangled up with Harry Miller, the newest recruit on team Dillon. Death, destruction, and retaliation follow as the Russians try to start a war and the British and the Americans try to prevent one. Because the series has evolved over time, you may be confused by a few names if you’ve skipped a few books; to start at the beginning, pick up Eye of the Storm. The latest, A Devil Is Waiting, is newly published.

Last Snow by Eric Lustbader
Suspense Fiction. When he’s not writing books for Robert Ludlum’s Jason Bourne series, bestselling author Eric Lustbader has a healthy career writing his own novels. In this 2nd Jack McClure novel, the presidential strategic adviser is dispatched to Eastern Europe after a U.S. senator dies under mysterious circumstances. But his assignment there is complicated by two unlikely companions — a rogue Russian agent and the U.S. president’s daughter — and attacks on his own life. With plenty of spycraft and a breakneck pace, this is one that Ludlum fans are sure to enjoy.

Agent 6 by Tom Rob Smith
 Thriller. Tom Rob Smith’s debut, Child 44, was both an award-winning, bestselling book and the 1st in a trilogy. Agent 6 is the 3rd and final novel in that trilogy, which no doubt has Smith’s fans worried. But readers who loved the details of life in the Soviet regime will continue to be fascinated here, as the empire decays and — in an interesting reflection of U.S. involvement there today — invades Afghanistan. Spanning decades and continents, this final book finds an exhausted but determined Leo Demidov hunting for answers he’s been denied for years. It also offers a conclusion to a stunning story that most readers will reach “with regret and in awe” (Publishers Weekly).