Most Popular Thriller Books of the 1980s

The Lindsay Gordon Mysteries #2

Common Murder

Val McDermid

Crime Fiction · LGBTQ+ · Mystery · Thriller

January 1, 1989

The Fireman

Stephen Leather

Crime Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

December 1, 1989

Philip Marlowe #8

Poodle Springs

Robert B. Parker, Raymond Chandler

Crime Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

April 30, 1989

The Scarred Man

Andrew Klavan

Mystery · Thriller

December 1, 1989

The John Wells Mysteries #4

Rough Justice

Andrew Klavan

Crime Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

October 1, 1989

Home Run

Gerald Seymour

Spy Thriller · Thriller

January 1, 1989

A Journeyman Tailor

Gerald Seymour

Crime Fiction · Spy Thriller · Thriller

January 1, 1989

On the Edge

Peter Lovesey

Crime Fiction · Historical Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

January 1, 1989

Spenser #16

Playmates

Robert B. Parker

Crime Fiction · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

April 27, 1989

The Charlie Muffin Thrillers #9

Comrade Charlie

Brian Freemantle

Spy Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

September 15, 1989

The Fourth Durango

Ross Thomas

Crime Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

August 1, 1989

Quiller #13

Quiller KGB

Adam Hall

Spy Thriller · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

1989

Bernard Samson #5

Spy Line

Len Deighton

Crime Fiction · Spy Thriller · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

1989

Jake Grafton #4

The Minotaur

Stephen Coonts

Spy Thriller · Suspense Thriller · Adventure · Thriller

1989

Will Lee #4

Grass Roots

Stuart Woods

Crime Fiction · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

1989

Sherlock Holmes and the Brighton Pavilion Mystery

Val Andrews

Crime Fiction · Sherlock Holmes · Historical Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

August 18, 1989

Jack Paine Mysteries

Cold Night

Al Sarrantonio

Thriller

1989

To the Seventh Power

Felice Picano

Science Fiction · Thriller

1989

Final Friends #3

The Graduation

Christopher Pike

Young Adult · Thriller

1989

Last Act

Christopher Pike

Young Adult · Thriller

1989

Cold Eye

Giles Blunt

Horror · Thriller

1989

Quarry

C. Terry Cline, Jr.

Thriller

1989

The Night of the Moonbow

Thomas Tryon

Horror · Thriller

1989

Solomon's Knife

Victor Koman

Science Fiction · Thriller

1989

Rapture

Thomas Tessier

Thriller

1989

Cold in July

Joe R. Lansdale

Thriller

1989

Constance and Charlie #3

Smart House

Kate Wilhelm

Thriller

1989

Night Angel

Kate Green

Thriller

1989

The Refuge

Chaz Brenchley

Thriller

1989

Fear and Trembling

Robert Bloch

Horror · Short Stories · Thriller

1989

Badge Of Honor #1

Men in Blue

W.E.B. Griffin

Crime Fiction · War & Military · Historical Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

January 1, 1988

Brotherhood of War #8

The Aviators

W.E.B. Griffin

War & Military · Adventure · Historical Fiction · Thriller

August 15, 1988

The Picture of the Year

Clive Egleton

Mystery · Thriller

January 1, 1988

The House of Stairs

Barbara Vine

Crime Fiction · Psychological Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

January 1, 1988

Inspector Wexford #14

The Veiled One

Ruth Rendell

Crime Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

January 1, 1988

Mitla Pass

Leon Uris

War & Military · Adventure · Historical Fiction · Thriller

July 1, 1988