Most Popular Mystery Books of the 1980s

The Name of the Rose

Umberto Eco

Crime Fiction · Historical Fiction · Mainstream · Mystery · Thriller

1983

The Eight #1

The Eight

Katherine Neville

Historical Fiction · Mainstream · Mystery · Thriller

December 27, 1988

Inspector Lynley #1

A Great Deliverance

Elizabeth George

Crime Fiction · Suspense Thriller · Adult · Mystery · Thriller

January 1, 1988

Kindle County Legal #1

Presumed Innocent

Scott Turow

Crime Fiction · Legal Thriller · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

1987

Lucas Davenport #1

Rules of Prey

John Sandford

Crime Fiction · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

July 24, 1989

Jake Brigance #1

A Time to Kill

John Grisham

Crime Fiction · Legal Thriller · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

1989

Elvis Cole and Joe Pike #1

The Monkey's Raincoat

Robert Crais

Crime Fiction · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

1987

Kay Scarpetta #1

Postmortem

Patricia Cornwell

Crime Fiction · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

1989

Classics of the Macabre

Daphne du Maurier

Horror · Short Stories · Mystery

1987

Inspector Lynley #2

Payment in Blood

Elizabeth George

Crime Fiction · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

August 1, 1989

Kidd #1

The Fool's Run

John Sandford

Crime Fiction · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

1989

Kinky Friedman Mysteries #2

A Case of Lone Star

Kinky Friedman

Crime Fiction · Mystery · Thriller · Western

1987

A Cry in the Night

Mary Higgins Clark

Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

1982

Elvis Cole and Joe Pike #2

Stalking the Angel

Robert Crais

Crime Fiction · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

1988

Hannibal Lecter #2

The Silence of the Lambs

Thomas Harris

Horror · Crime Fiction · Suspense Thriller · Movie · Mystery

July 1, 1988

Inspector Rebus Novels #1

Knots and Crosses

Ian Rankin

Crime Fiction · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

1987

The Russia House

John Le Carré

Spy Thriller · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

1989

A Perfect Spy

John Le Carré

Spy Thriller · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

1986

The Little Drummer Girl

John Le Carré

Spy Thriller · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

1983

Cathedral

Nelson DeMille

Spy Thriller · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

February 1, 1981

Kinky Friedman Mysteries #4

Frequent Flyer

Kinky Friedman

Crime Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

June 10, 1989

Dave Robicheaux #3

Black Cherry Blues

James Lee Burke

Crime Fiction · Suspense Thriller · Edgar Allan Poe Award · Historical Fiction · Mystery

1989

Dave Robicheaux #2

Heaven's Prisoners

James Lee Burke

Crime Fiction · Suspense Thriller · Historical Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

1988

Dirk Pitt #9

Treasure

Clive Cussler

War & Military · Historical Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

1988

Dave Robicheaux #1

The Neon Rain

James Lee Burke

Crime Fiction · Suspense Thriller · Historical Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

1987

Dirk Pitt #8

Cyclops

Clive Cussler

War & Military · Historical Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

1985

Laguna Heat

T. Jefferson Parker

Crime Fiction · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

1985

Alex Delaware #1

When the Bough Breaks

Jonathan Kellerman

Crime Fiction · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

April 1, 1985

One Police Plaza

William J. Caunitz

Crime Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

1984

Dirk Pitt #7

Deep Six

Clive Cussler

War & Military · Historical Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

1984

Dirk Pitt #1

Pacific Vortex!

Clive Cussler

War & Military · Historical Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

1983

Dirk Pitt #6

Night Probe!

Clive Cussler

War & Military · Historical Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

1981

The Charm School

Nelson DeMille

Spy Thriller · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

1988

Word of Honour

Nelson DeMille

Spy Thriller · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

1985

The Talbot Odyssey

Nelson DeMille

Spy Thriller · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

1984

Rune #1

Manhattan Is My Beat

Jeffery Deaver

Crime Fiction · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

1988