During the 1980s, Benchley wrote three novels that did not sell as well as his previous works. However, among them was "Girl of the Sea of Cortez", a fable influenced by John Steinbeck's The Log from the Sea of Cortez. Benchley's novel about a girl's complicated relationship with the sea, was his best-reviewed book and has attracted a considerable cult following since its publication. "Sea of Cortez" signposted Benchley's growing interest in ecological issues and anticipated his future role as an impassioned advocate of the importance of protecting the marine environment. "Q Clearance", published in 1986, was written from his experience as a staffer in the Johnson White House. "Rummies" (also known as "Lush"), which appeared in 1989, is a semi-autobiographical work, loosely inspired by the Benchley family's history of alcohol abuse. While the first half of the novel is a relatively straightforward account of a suburbanite's descent into alcoholic hell, the second part, which takes place at a New Mexico substance abuse clinic, is written as a thriller.