ject that also pertains to some of the child-abuse and
Satanism accusations of the 1980’s and 1990’s.
Further Reading
Cox, Mike.The Confessions of Henr y Lee Lucas. New
York: Pocket, 1991.
Norris, Dr. Joel.Henr y Lee Lucas. New York: Zebra
Books, 1991.
Bernadette Lynn Bosky
See also Atlanta child murders; Crime; McMartin
Preschool trials; Missing and runaway children; Night
Stalker case.
Ludlum, Robert
Identification American novelist
Born May 25, 1927; New York, New York
Died March 12, 2001; Naples, Florida
Ludlum’s best-selling novels revolved around terrorism, in-
ternational intrigue, and conspiracy, offering readers a
glimpse into a dangerous but exciting world.
Robert Ludlum hit upon a successful formula with
his first book in 1971, and the five novels he wrote in
the 1980’s show little variation from that formula.
He created a smart and resourceful male protago-
nist with whom readers could easily identify and
then proceeded to pit him against a powerful, myste-
rious group—a clandestine government agency, say,
or a terrorist organization. Ludlum’s books were
long and his plots convoluted, but he wrote in a
graphic and readily accessible style. His distinctive
three-word titles, each of which posed a mystery that
would be resolved by book’s end, became one of his
trademarks.
Ludlum’s first novel of the decade was probably
his most famous. The protagonist ofThe Bourne Iden-
tity(1980) has lost his memory, but he gradually dis-
covers that he may be a secret agent, perhaps even a
professional assassin. The situation created a di-
lemma for Ludlum’s readers, since whatever the
protagonist’s real identity, he was likable and gener-
ous. Ludlum later plunged the same character into
a Chinese political crisis inThe Bourne Supremacy
(1986), but not before publishing two other success-
ful novels. InThe Parsifal Mosaic(1982), an American
agent discovers that a well-meaning secret society is
engineering a potentially catastrophic plot to black-
mail the governments of the world into peaceful
coexistence. WithThe Aquitaine Progression(1984),
Ludlum envisioned another cabal—in this case, an
international conspiracy of retired military figures
plotting to wrest control of the world from its civilian
leaders.
In his final novel of the decade,The Icarus Agenda
(1988), Ludlum returned to the subject of interna-
tional terrorism but worked two far-reaching con-
spiracies into the mix as well: An American politi-
cian’s heroic antiterrorist activities bring him to the
attention of two clandestine groups—a benevolent
organization working behind the scenes for the bet-
terment of the country and an opposing cabal whose
continued power depends on fear and political dis-
order. Motion-picture versions of three Ludlum nov-
els also whetted the public’s appetite for his books.
The Osterman WeekendandThe Holcroft Covenantap-
peared in 1983 and 1985 respectively, andThe Bourne
Identitywas filmed for television in 1988.Impact Robert Ludlum was widely read through-
out the world. Critics dismissed his improbable plots
and his melodramatic style, but his many readers
found that he offered not only escape but also in-
sight into the sometimes frightening international
events described in the morning’s headlines.Further Reading
Ludlum, Robert, and Martin H. Greenberg.The Rob-
ert Ludlum Companion.New York: Bantam Books,
1993.
Macdonald, Gina.Robert Ludlum: A Critical Compan-
ion.Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1997.
“Robert Ludlum.”The Economist, March 31, 2001,
p. 103.
Grove KogerSee also Action films; Book publishing; Clancy,
Tom; Cold War; Literature in the United States; Se-
quels; Terrorism.604 Ludlum, Robert The Eighties in America