| RENDELL | Ruth --, English author of thrillers and psychological murder mysteries (7) |
| FORSYTH | Frederick -; author of thrillers including The Day of the Jackal, The Fourth Protocol and The Cobra (7) |
| GAMBLER | Good author of thrillers, I'll wager (7) |
| LECARRE | John -, author of thrillers including The Spy Who Came in from the Cold and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2,5) |
| CUSSLER | Clive ___, American author of thrillers featuring the character Dirk Pitt |
| HELLBOY | Supernatural thriller - and its eponymous hero - from 2004 and 2019 (7) |
| REACHER | Jack_ _: protagonist of a series of thriller novels by Lee Child (7) |
| DAVINCI | "The ______ Code" (first in a series of thrillers) |
| BREATHE | 1996 song by The Prodigy that has a scary music video featuring aural and psychological phenomena |
| JACKSON | Michael ___, US music star whose hits include Thriller and Bad (7) |
| MANILLA | Paper report of thriller, here? (7) |
| AIRPORT | Perhaps John Lennon tune on piano, or beginning of "Thriller" (7) |
| CADFAEL | Fictional Benedictine monk in a series of historical murder mysteries written by Edith Pargeter (7) |
| FISHERS | Essie Davis' Miss ... Murder Mysteries (7) |
| SLEUTHS | Crime solvers in TV murder mysteries (7) |
| CYANIDE | Poison in many murder mysteries (7) |
| MICHAEL | ___ Jackson former member of the Jackson 5 who is known for his solo hits like Thriller and Billie Jean |
| ARSENIC | Element of many murder mysteries? |
| DEANKOONTZ | Prolific US writer of thrillers, including Odd Thomas (2003) and Demon Seed (1973) |
| ERIC | Writer of thrillers such as Epitaph for a Spy, and Journey Into Fear (4,6) |
