Most Popular Thriller Books of the 1980s

Discover popular Thriller books from the 1980s, with reader ratings and new favorites to explore.

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Books in this list

Dirk Pitt #8

Cyclops

Clive Cussler

War & Military · Historical Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

1985

7.1/10 8 ratings

Laguna Heat

T. Jefferson Parker

Crime Fiction · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

1985

8.0/10 1 ratings

Alex Delaware #1

When the Bough Breaks

Jonathan Kellerman

Crime Fiction · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

April 1, 1985

8.0/10 1 ratings

One Police Plaza

William J. Caunitz

Crime Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

1984

8.0/10 1 ratings

Dirk Pitt #7

Deep Six

Clive Cussler

War & Military · Historical Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

1984

7.6/10 8 ratings

Dirk Pitt #1

Pacific Vortex!

Clive Cussler

War & Military · Historical Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

1983

8.0/10 1 ratings

Dirk Pitt #6

Night Probe!

Clive Cussler

War & Military · Historical Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

1981

6.4/10 5 ratings

The Parsifal Mosaic

Robert Ludlum

Spy Thriller · Suspense Thriller · Thriller

1980

8.0/10 1 ratings

The Master Sniper

Stephen Hunter

Spy Thriller · Suspense Thriller · Thriller

1980

8.0/10 1 ratings

Strangers

Dean Koontz

Thriller

1986

7.7/10 11 ratings

The Charm School

Nelson DeMille

Spy Thriller · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

1988

7.5/10 2 ratings

Word of Honour

Nelson DeMille

Spy Thriller · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

1985

7.5/10 2 ratings

The Talbot Odyssey

Nelson DeMille

Spy Thriller · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

1984

7.5/10 2 ratings

Jack Ryan #2

Patriot Games

Tom Clancy

Spy Thriller · Suspense Thriller · Thriller

1987

7.3/10 3 ratings

The Bachman Books

Stephen King

Horror · Science Fiction · Thriller

1986

7.3/10 4 ratings

Cities of the Night #1

Cities of the Red Night

William S. Burroughs

Fantasy · Science Fiction · Thriller

1981

7.2/10 6 ratings

The Negotiator

Frederick Forsyth

Science Fiction · Thriller

1989

7.0/10 3 ratings

Rune #1

Manhattan Is My Beat

Jeffery Deaver

Crime Fiction · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

1988

7.0/10 2 ratings

Zodiac

Neal Stephenson

Science Fiction · Thriller

1988

7.0/10 2 ratings

Psycho #2

Psycho II

Robert Bloch

Horror · Psychological Horror · Psychological Thriller · Thriller

1982

7.0/10 2 ratings

Dismas Hardy #1

Dead Irish

John Lescroart

Crime Fiction · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

1989

7.0/10 1 ratings

Alex Delaware #4

Silent Partner

Jonathan Kellerman

Crime Fiction · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

1989

7.0/10 1 ratings

The Misadventure of Sherlock Holmes

Sebastian Wolfe

Science Fiction · Crime Fiction · Anthology · Sherlock Holmes · Short Stories

1989

7.0/10 1 ratings

Little Saigon

T. Jefferson Parker

Crime Fiction · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

1988

7.0/10 1 ratings

The Simeon Chamber

Steve Martini

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

1988

7.0/10 1 ratings

Alex Delaware #3

Over the Edge

Jonathan Kellerman

Crime Fiction · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

1987

7.0/10 1 ratings

Agents of Innocence

David Ignatius

Spy Thriller · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

1987

7.0/10 1 ratings

Alex Delaware #2

Blood Test

Jonathan Kellerman

Crime Fiction · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

1986

7.0/10 1 ratings

The Spanish Gambit

Stephen Hunter

Spy Thriller · Suspense Thriller · Thriller

January 1, 1985

7.0/10 1 ratings

The Second Saladin

Stephen Hunter

Spy Thriller · Suspense Thriller · Thriller

1982

7.0/10 1 ratings

Roofworld

Christopher Fowler

Fantasy · Thriller

1988

6.9/10 7 ratings

The Fourth Protocol

Frederick Forsyth

Science Fiction · Thriller

1984

7.0/10 3 ratings

The Voice of the Night

Dean Koontz

Thriller

1980

6.5/10 6 ratings

Watchman

Ian Rankin

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

1988

6.5/10 2 ratings

The Flood

Ian Rankin

Crime Fiction · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

1986

6.5/10 2 ratings

Whispers

Dean Koontz

Thriller

1980

6.9/10 12 ratings