| SYMONS | Author of a number of crime novels including The Colour of Murder and The Paper Chase (6) |
| WALLACE | Edgar -; author of a number of crime novels including The Clue of the Twisted Candle, The Daffodil Mystery and The Green Archer (7) |
| JAMES | Author of the Adam Dalgliesh novels and unrelated short stories including The Mistletoe Murder and The Twelve Clues of Christmas (5) |
| ALICEWALKER | US author of novels including The Color Purple (Pulitzer Prize, 1983) (5,6) |
| DEMURRAGE | It's the age of murder and undue delay! |
| REDCOAT | Garment worn by a Welsh Guard (including the colour) (3,4) |
| OSAGE | "Killers of the Flower Moon: The ___ Murders and the Birth of the F.B.I." (nonfiction book adapted into a 2023 film) |
| FERMOR | Author of a number of travel books including Between the Woods and the Water and A Time of Gifts (6) |
| FFORDE | Author of a number of romance novels including A Vintage Wedding, A Country Escape and A Rose Petal Summer (6) |
| MCEWAN | Author of a number of novels including The Comfort of Strangers, Enduring Love and On Chesil Beach (6) |
| PEYTON | Author of a number of books for children and young people, including Apple Won't Jump, Fly-by-Night, A Pattern of Roses, The Scruffy Pony as well as her classic Flambards novels that were adapted to s |
| LAWSON | Nigella -; author of a number of cookery books including How to Eat, How to Be A Domestic Goddess and Feast (6) |
| JENSEN | Liz ___, author of the novels Egg Dancing and The Paper Eater (6) |
| HAMISH | Forename of constable Macbeth of Lochdubh in a series of crime novels written by Marion Chesney under the pen name M. C. Beaton (6) |
| OSBORN | "The Paper Chase" author John Jay ___ Jr. |
| AGATHA | _ Christie, author of crime novels (6) |
| RIPLEY | Character in a series of crime novels by Patricia Highsmith (6) |
| MAUGHAM | Paris-born British author of a number of novels including Of Human Bondage, The Moon and Sixpence, The Painted Veil and Cakes and Ale (7) |
| DRABBLE | Margaret -; author of a number of novels including A Summer BirdCage, The Millstone, The Radiant Way and The Seven Sisters (7) |
| ALIBIS | "I was home asleep at the time of the murder" and others |
