The author of more than 20 novels (published in 32 languages and 40 countries), Robert Ludlum wrote at a fast pace during his last years (he died in March 2001). His second posthumous bestseller, The Janson Directive, hits the charts in the #8 position with a 550,000 printing. His first, The Sigma Protocol, is #2 on the mass market list, with 1.1 million copies. St. Martin's, publisher of both, did heavy TV promotion (CNN, the History Channel and major markets on the morning shows) for a good chunk of October. Ludlum had just about finished Sigma before his death; senior editor Keith Kahla did the editorial polishing. More than 75% of Janson was also completed, with the entire plot outlined, and Kahla also worked his editorial magic on that one. According to senior v-p/publisher Matthew Shear, Ludlum's longtime agent, Henry Morrison, says there are at least two or three more books in various stages of completion.