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Robert Ludlum's The Altman Code

A Covert-One Novel

Covert-One (Volume 4)

Robert Ludlum

St. Martin's Paperbacks

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Covert-One agent Jon Smith is sent to rendezvous in Taiwan with another agent who has acquired the ship’s true manifest. But before Smith can get the document, he is ambushed, the second agent is murdered, and the evidence is destroyed. Smith escapes with only his life and a verbal message: The President’s biological father is still alive, held prisoner by the Chinese for fifty years. As the mysterious ship draws closer to its end port, Smith is losing time in uncovering the truth about the vessel and its cargo—a truth that probes the secrets of the Chinese ruling party, a faction in Washington working to undermine the elected government, and an international cabal thrusting the world to the brink of war...

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Robert Ludlum Gayle Lynds

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PART
ONE
CHAPTER ONE
Tuesday, September 12
Washington, D.C.
There was a saying in Washington that lawyers ran the government, but spies ran the lawyers. The city was cobwebbed with intelligence agencies, everything from the legendary CIA and FBI and the little-known NRO to alphabet groups in all branches of the military and government, even in the illustrious Departments of State and Justice. Too many, in the opinion of President Samuel Adams Castilla. And too public. Rivalries were notoriously a problem.

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Robert Ludlum's The Altman Code--Audiobook Excerpt

Listen to this audiobook excerpt from Robert Ludlum's The Altman Code, the thrilling fourth suspense novel in the bestselling Covert-One series.

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Praise for Robert Ludlum's The Altman Code

“Ludlum is light years beyond his literary competition in piling plot twist upon plot twist, until the mesmerized reader is held captive...[He] dominates the field in strong, tightly plotted, adventure-drenched thrillers. Ludlum pulls out all the stops and dazzles his readers.”—Chicago Tribune

”Ludlum stuffs more surprises into his novels than any other six pack of thriller writers combined.”—The New York Times

“Reading a Ludlum novel is like watching a James Bond film.”—Entertainment Weekly

“Welcome to Robert Ludlum's world...fast pacing, tight plotting, international intrigue.”—The Plain Dealer

“Robert Ludlum is the master of gripping, fast-moving intrigue. He is unsurpassed at weaving a tapestry of stunningly diverse figures, then assembling them in a sequence so gripping that the reader's attention never wavers.”—The Daily Oklahoman

“Don’t ever begin a Ludlum novel if you have to go to work the next day.”—Chicago Sun-Times

”If a Pulitzer Prize were awarded for escapist fiction, Robert Ludlum undoubtedly would have won it. Ten times over.”—Mobile Register

“An exciting medical-military thriller that moves at a rapid pace to its climax...an exciting new series.”—Midwest Book Review

“A pop hit...that should bounce right up the bestseller lists.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Gripping...robust writing and a breakneck pace.”—Boston Herald

Reviews from Goodreads

Richard rated it

May 10, 2012

I thought Ms. Lynds carried the torch very nicely for Mr. Ludlum in this true thriller. She engaged the reader early and kept the tension and pace at a nice clip. Enough twists and turns to keep any reader thoroughly entertained. It's a keeper. ...more

Sam Marlowe rated it

May 1, 2012

I am making a return to political/spy thrillers after quite a while. Nevertheless I found myself comfortably enjoying the familiar style and plot of Ludlum, though how much of the book is attributable to Ludlum himself is something I am not sure of. Though predictable at certain moments, the book... ...more

Winnie rated it

Mar 12, 2012

Love the character of Colonel Jon Smith. If you suspend belief these are great thrillers and certainly very easy reads. If you want believable plots and great literature then this is not for you. ...more

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About the Author

Robert Ludlum

Robert Ludlum was the author of 25 thriller novels, including The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum—the books on which the international hit movies were based—and The Sigma Protocol. He was also the creator of the Covert-One series. Born in New York City, Ludlum received a B.A. from Wesleyan University, and before becoming an author, he was a United States Marine, a theater actor and producer. Gayle Lynds is the bestselling, award-winning author of several international espionage thrillers, including Masquerade, The Coil, and The Last Spymaster. A member of the Association for Intelligence Officers, she is cofounder (with David Morrell) of ITW (International Thriller Writers). She lives in Santa Barbara.

Robert Ludlum
Gayle Lynds