| 100% | OPENING | 7 | & 19A 1951 novel by Ngaio Marsh also published as Night at the Vulcan |
| 38% | MEETTHEBARON | 12 | 1937 novel by John Creasey also published as The Man in the Blue Mask |
| 37% | STRANGELAND | 11 | The —, 1954 novel by Hammond Innes also published as The Naked Land |
| 31% | GIRLFRIDAY | 10 | 2009 novel by Jane Green published in the US as Dune Road |
| 30% | AMANLAYDEAD | 11 | 1934 novel by Ngaio Marsh |
| 30% | PHOTOFINISH | 11 | 1980 novel by Ngaio Marsh |
| 30% | WHENINROME | 10 | 1970 novel by Ngaio Marsh |
| 30% | OFFWITH | 7 | & 4D 1957 novel by Ngaio Marsh |
| 29% | AMERIKA | 7 | Incomplete novel by Franz Kafka also known as Der Verschollene published posthumously in 1927 |
| 28% | LAY | 3 | "A Man ___ Dead" (first Roderick Alleyn mystery novel by Ngaio Marsh) |
| 28% | CAROL | 5 | Patricia Highsmith novel first published in 1951 as The Price of Salt under pseudonym Claire Morgan |
| 27% | MONEY | 5 | Non-edible currency that might also go by the edible names at 19a, 43a, 50a, 4d, 22d, and 37d |
| 26% | RIGHTHO | 7 | & 15A 1934 novel by P G Wodehouse published in the US as Brinkley Manor |
| 26% | CRUELSEA | 8 | The —, 1951 novel by Nicholas Monsarrat |
| 25% | MISTAKE | 7 | Crime novel by Dame Edith Ngaio Marsh: A Grave __ |
| 25% | SALLY | 5 | "The Adventures of ___," novel by P.G. Wodehouse first published as a book in 1922 |
| 25% | HELDIN | 6 | & 14D 1863 novel by Ouida first published as Granville de Vigne |
| 25% | MATT | 4 | American spy in novels by Donald Hamilton such as The Damagers |
| 24% | THEBELLJAR | 10 | 1963 semi-autobiographical novel by Sylvia Plath published under the pseudonym Victoria Lucas |
| 24% | FORTUNESROCKS | 13 | Novel by 29-Across set at a beach house on the New Hampshire coast (2 wds.) |
| 24% | LUDLUM | 6 | Robert, writer who also published novels under the names Jonathan Ryder and Michael Shepherd |
| 24% | THEGOOD | 7 | & 19A 1931 novel by Pearl Buck that won the Pulitzer Prize the following year |
| 24% | STATEFAIR | 9 | 1932 novel by Phil Stong adapted for the cinema and as a Broadway musical |
| 23% | ROADKILL | 8 | 1994 Jack Ketchum novel also published as Joyride |
| 23% | BOAT | 4 | "The Girl on the ___," a novel by P.G. Wodehouse published as a book in 1922 |
| 23% | STRAIGHTMAN | 11 | Novel by 28-Across adapted as the 2023 AMC series "Lucky Hank" starring 36-Across (2 wds.) |
| 23% | STATE | 5 | & 20D 1932 novel by Phil Stong adapted for the cinema and as a Broadway musical |
| 23% | STATE | 5 | & 15A 1932 novel by Phil Stong adapted for the cinema and as a Broadway musical |