| 100% | TOLLGATE | 8 | The —, 1954 novel by Georgette Heyer novel whose protagonist is Captain John Staple (4-4) |
| 95% | TOLLGATE | 8 | The —, 1954 novel by Georgette Heyer novel whose protagonist is Captain John Staple |
| 44% | INTRODUCING | 11 | & 16D 1938 novel by John Creasey whose protagonist is the Honourable Richard Rollison |
| 40% | REDPONY | 7 | The —, 1937 novella by John Steinbeck whose protagonist is Jody Tiflin |
| 37% | THEFOURWINDS | 12 | & 15A Six-volume novel series by Compton Mackenzie whose main protagonist is John Ogilvie |
| 37% | MENLIKEGODS | 11 | 1923 novel by H G Wells whose protagonist is Mr Barnstaple |
| 37% | RYE | 3 | "The Catcher in the ___," novel whose protagonist is Holden Caulfield |
| 36% | THECATCHERIN | 12 | & 12A 1951 novel by J D Salinger whose protagonist is Holden Caulfield |
| 35% | BOOKOFDAVE | 10 | The —, 2006 Will Self novel whose protagonist is a London cab driver |
| 34% | FERMATA | 7 | The —, 1994 novel by Nicholson Baker whose central character is Arno Strine |
| 33% | ANTIQUARY | 9 | The —, 1816 novel by Sir Walter Scott whose central character is Jonathan Oldbuck |
| 33% | WOBEGONBOY | 10 | 1997 novel by Garrison Keillor whose central character is John Tollefson |
| 33% | MONK | 4 | The —, 18th-century Gothic novel by Matthew Gregory Lewis whose title character is Ambrosio |
| 33% | WOBEGON | 7 | & 12D 1997 novel by Garrison Keillor whose central character is John Tollefson |
| 33% | THECONSTANT | 11 | & 14D 2001 novel by John le Carre whose central character is Justin Quayle |
| 32% | DIARY | 5 | 2003 novel by Chuck Palahniuk whose protagonist is Misty Wilmot |
| 32% | ITHEJURY | 8 | 1947 debut novel by Mickey Spillane whose protagonist is Mike Hammer |
| 32% | GOINGPOSTAL | 11 | 2004 novel by Terry Pratchett whose protagonist is Moist von Lipwig |
| 31% | USA | 3 | Novel trilogy by John Dos Passos whose second volume is 1919 |
| 31% | FRIDAYSCHILD | 12 | 1944 novel by Georgette Heyer |
| 30% | MEN | 3 | Of Mice and ___, "Restoring Force" band whose name is inspired by a John Steinbeck novel |
| 30% | USA | 3 | Novel trilogy by John Dos Passos whose second volume is 1932's 1919 |
| 30% | STELLAMARIS | 11 | 2022 prequel to "The Passenger" that is the first novel by 34-Across to feature a female protagonist (2 wds.) |
| 30% | MALTESE | 7 | “The ___ Falcon” (novel whose protagonist is the detective Sam Spade) |
| 30% | RADLEYS | 7 | The Boo ___, "Wake Up Boo!" band whose name is inspired by Harper Lee's novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" |
| 30% | CRIMEAND | 8 | Fyodor Dostoevsky novel whose protagonist is Rodion Raskolnikov |
| 30% | BLONDE | 6 | Novel by Joyce Carol Oates whose character "The Ex-Athlete" is based on Joe DiMaggio |