Most Popular Thriller Books of the 1980s

The Choice

Ted Allbeury

Spy Thriller · Thriller

February 1, 1988

Rene Shade #3

The Ones You Do

Daniel Woodrell

Crime Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

September 1, 1988

Rene Shade #2

Muscle for the Wing

Daniel Woodrell

Crime Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

September 1, 1988

Leaphorn & Chee #8

A Thief of Time

Tony Hillerman

Crime Fiction · Mystery · Thriller · Western

June 1, 1988

Herald Classics

Sheep's Clothing

Celia Dale

Crime Fiction · Psychological Horror · Bram Stoker Award · British Fantasy Award · Collection

October 22, 1988

Joe Gunther Mysteries #1

Open Season

Archer Mayor

Crime Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

September 9, 1988

Kinsey Millhone #5

E is for Evidence

Sue Grafton

Crime Fiction · Adult · Mystery · Thriller

May 15, 1988

Kinky Friedman Mysteries #3

When The Cat's Away

Kinky Friedman

Crime Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

1988

Independent #1

Silver Tower

Dale Brown

Science Fiction · Suspense Thriller · War & Military · Adventure · Mystery

May 2, 1988

Hemlock County #1

The Dead of Winter

David Poyer

Thriller

January 1, 1988

Rambo: First Blood Series #3

Rambo III

David Morrell

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

May 1, 1988

Spy in Question

Tim Sebastian

Spy Thriller · Thriller

April 1, 1988

Dan Lenson Novels #1

The Med

David Poyer

War & Military · Adventure · Historical Fiction · Thriller

April 1, 1988

Herbie Kruger #3

The Quiet Dogs

John Gardner

Spy Thriller · Thriller

June 28, 1988

The John Wells Mysteries #3

The Rain

Andrew Klavan

Crime Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

December 1, 1988

The John Wells Mysteries #2

There Fell a Shadow

Andrew Klavan

Crime Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

August 1, 1988

The John Wells Mysteries #1

The Trapdoor

Andrew Klavan

Crime Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

February 1, 1988

Island

Thomas Perry

Crime Fiction · Adventure · Mystery · Thriller

January 1, 1988

L. A. Quartet #2

The Big Nowhere

James Ellroy

Crime Fiction · Historical Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

September 1, 1988

Spenser #15

Crimson Joy

Robert B. Parker

Crime Fiction · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

June 1, 1988

The Charlie Muffin Thrillers #8

The Run Around

Brian Freemantle

Spy Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

January 1, 1988

Quiller #11

Quiller's Run

Adam Hall

Spy Thriller · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

1988

Bernard Samson #4

Spy Hook

Len Deighton

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

1988

Night Soldiers #1

Night Soldiers

Alan Furst

Spy Thriller · Suspense Thriller · War & Military · Historical Fiction · Mystery

1988

Jake Grafton #3

Final Flight

Stephen Coonts

Spy Thriller · Suspense Thriller · Adventure · Thriller

1988

White Cargo

Stuart Woods

Crime Fiction · Suspense Thriller · Adventure · Mystery · Thriller

1988

The Butcher's Theatre

Jonathan Kellerman

Crime Fiction · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

1988

Inspector Lestrade #6

Lestrade and the Ripper

M. J. Trow

19th century · Crime Fiction · Sherlock Holmes · Historical Fiction · Mystery

1988

Inspector Lestrade #5

Lestrade and the Brother of Death

M. J. Trow

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

1988

Sherlock Holmes and the Eminent Thespian

Val Andrews

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

1988

Final Friends #2

The Dance

Christopher Pike

Young Adult · Thriller

1988

Final Friends #1

The Party

Christopher Pike

Young Adult · Thriller

1988

Day-Dreaming on Company Time

Robert Hood

Fantasy · Horror · Short Stories · Thriller

1988

Dies Drear Chronicles #2

The Mystery of Drear House

Virginia Hamilton

Horror · Young Adult · Thriller

1988

Black Midnight

Graham Diamond

Thriller

1988

Shadow Money

George Alec Effinger

Thriller

1988