| 100% | HOYLE | 5 | Fred —, scientist who authored 1957 novel The Black Cloud |
| 38% | ANNASEWELL | 10 | Author of the 1877 novel Black Beauty |
| 37% | NORA | 4 | Author Roberts who wrote the new novel "Under Currents" |
| 37% | BRUCECHATWIN | 12 | Author of novels Utz and On the Black Hill |
| 37% | SARA | 4 | Author Paretsky who wrote the V.I. Warshawski novels |
| 36% | JOHNBRAINE | 10 | Author of 1957 novel Room at the Top |
| 36% | ELENA | 5 | Italian author Ferrante, who wrote the "Neapolitan Novels" |
| 35% | MARIOPUZO | 9 | Author who wrote the novel 15-Across was based on: 2 wds. |
| 35% | TED | 3 | American author ___ Bell who wrote the Alexander Hawke novel series |
| 35% | OHANLON | 7 | Ardal —, Irish stand-up comedian and actor who authored novel The Talk of the Town |
| 34% | JOHNUPDIKE | 10 | Author of the Rabbit series who wrote the 1988 novel "S.": 2 wds. |
| 34% | AGEE | 4 | James —, author of 1957 autobiographical novel A Death in the Family |
| 34% | DAN | 3 | American author ___ Brown who wrote the Robert Langdon series of novels |
| 34% | BALDACCI | 8 | Best-selling author David who writes the “King and Maxwell” novels |
| 34% | MARIOPUZO | 9 | Author who wrote the novel The Godfather |
| 34% | SUEGRAFTON | 10 | Author of the Kinsey Millhone mysteries who wrote the 2015 novel "X": 2 wds. |
| 34% | MANICKA | 7 | Rani —, author of novels The Rice Mother and Black Jack |
| 33% | IAN | 3 | English author ___ McEwan who won the Man Booker Prize for his novel "Amsterdam" |
| 33% | BEVERLYCLEARY | 13 | Children's author who wrote the novel "Ramona and Her Mother" (2 wds.) |
| 33% | GREEN | 5 | John ___, American author and YouTuber who wrote the best-selling novel "Paper Towns" |
| 33% | SEWELL | 6 | Author of the novel "Black Beauty": Anna __ |
| 33% | SOPHIEKINSELLA | 14 | Author of the "Shopaholic" novels who also wrote stand-alone novels as Madeleine Wickham: 2 wds. |
| 33% | SUEGRAFTON | 10 | Mystery author who wrote the 2015 novel “X” (the twenty-fourth in a series) |
| 33% | JIMMYCARTER | 11 | Former US president who authored the book "The Hornet's Nest: A Novel of the Revolutionary War": 2 wds. |
| 32% | RODERICKTHORP | 13 | Author who wrote "Nothing Lasts Forever," the novel on which movie in 17a was based: 2 wds. |
| 32% | GILLIANFLYNN | 12 | Author who wrote the novels from which 17-Across and 29-/31-Across were adapted: 2 wds. |
| 32% | ISABELWILKERSON | 15 | "Caste" author who was the first Black woman to win the Pulitzer Prize in journalism |
| 32% | CARLHIAASEN | 11 | "Squeeze Me" author who wrote the novel that 49-Across is based on (2 wds.) |
| 32% | JASONREYNOLDS | 13 | Author who has written "Ghost," "Patina," and other novels for kids in the middle school years: 2 wds. |
| 31% | KUREISHI | 8 | Hanif —, author of the novels The Black Album and Intimacy |