PairPi is a verified literary agent directory for writers looking for representation. Save shortlists, check submission details, and track every submission in one place.
Start a free account →Historical fiction has to pass two tests at once: the period has to feel true, and the story has to work without the costume. Research needs to feel lived-in, not displayed. Agents see plenty of manuscripts with the facts right and the human pressure missing. This page shows agents who explicitly represent historical fiction. The broad search toggle catches more who'd consider it under commercial fiction, literary fiction, saga, or book club fiction.
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Describe your book in a sentence or two. Smart Search ranks open agents whose taste actually matches.
Fiction and non-fiction
Thrillers, commercial fiction, historical and literary fiction, narrative non-fiction (history, natural history, politics, military)
Email - philip@marjacq.com
Sff, romance
SFF across genres for all ages, romance including romcom/paranormal/romantic suspense/dark/historical/fantasy, wants big worlds, strong hooks and distinctive voice
Online form - https://www.madeleinemilburn.co.uk or submissions/
Chick lit, commercial, contemporary, cozy fantasy, cozy romantasy, crime, detective, police, family saga, fantasy, fantasy: magical realism, fantasy: urban, graphic novel, historical, horror, lgbtq and, literary, middle grade, military, espionage, multicultural, mystery, new adult, offbeat, quirky, romance, romantasy, suspense, thriller, upmarket, women's fiction, young adult
Query Letter, Synopsis, One Paragraph Pitch, Comparable Books, First 10 Pages
Submit through Query Manager. Unsolicited queries sent to his email address will be deleted unread.
Literary fiction, mainstream fiction, mystery, suspense, thriller, historical fiction, contemporary women's fiction, young adult, middle grade, memoir, biography, history, business, psychology, pop culture, popular science
Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first 5 to 10 pages, writing credentials
Maria Carvainis Agency represents a wide range of fiction and nonfiction with special interest in literary and mainstream fiction, mystery, suspense, thrillers, historicals, contemporary women's fiction, young adult and middle grade, memoir, biography, history, business, psychology, pop culture, and popular science.
Email a query letter, a synopsis of the work, the first 5 to 10 pages, and a note of any writing credentials to mca@mariacarvainisagency.com. Attachments must be Word documents or PDF files. Queries are also accepted by post.
Talking point, uplifting, speculative, historical, women's fiction, saga, book club
Wants: Cover letter, synopsis, first 3 chapters or 50 pages
Sarah is building a list of bold, voice-driven book club, women's fiction, historical fiction, reading group fiction and commercially accessible stories with emotional depth.
Submit via the Darley Anderson online submissions portal. Include a cover letter, one-page synopsis, and the first three chapters or first 50 pages or 10,000 words.
Commercial fiction, literary fiction, romance, crime, thriller, historical fiction, narrative non-fiction, true crime, cookery and food writing
Wants: Commercial to accessible literary fiction; plot-driven stories exploring big emotions; romance; family/friendship sagas; twisty crime/thrillers; grounded dystopian; narrative-led non-fiction (true crime/untold histories etc.)
Plot-driven fiction from commercial to the accessible end of the literary spectrum, including romance and rom-coms (particularly with queer love or interesting backdrops), sweeping family and friendship sagas, unputdownable crime and thriller standalones, upmarket psychological crime, contemporary and historical fiction (especially based on real events, with gothic elements, or focusing on underrepresented lives), narrative non-fiction that reads like fiction, literary true crime, untold histories, accessible books on complex topics, and cookery and food writing with uncomplicated recipes. Keen to hear from authors whose voices are underrepresented in publishing. Not currently taking YA, children's, poetry, fantasy, romantasy, science fiction, diet, or business projects.
Email sian@blakefriedmann.co.uk
Fiction and non-fiction
Non-fiction: narrative, political writing, popular science/psychology, history, big ideas, nature, travel, essays, memoir. Fiction: literary to book club, emotionally complex, families/friendship, vivid historical fiction
Online portal - https://felicitybryan.com or submissions or submit-your-work/
Fiction and non-fiction
Sexual politics, relationships, lifestyle how-tos, erotica, thrillers, whodunit, historical crime
Email submissions@cmm.agency with: a one-paragraph author biography, a one-paragraph blurb or hook including genre and intended audience, a short synopsis covering plot, setting, theme and characters, and the first three chapters as an attachment. Manuscript must be double or 1.5 line-spaced, in 12-point font (preferably Times New Roman), with wide margins and full page numbering. Include your name, address, contact number and email on the first page.
Literary fiction, book club fiction, memoir, narrative non-fiction
Distinctive voices, strong writing, literary-to-commercial sweet spot, short powerful novels, ambitious intergenerational stories, gothic, historical, some fantasy, experts writing popular science/health/social history
Email a covering letter, a short synopsis, and the first three chapters (or up to 5,000 words) to submissions@lutyensrubinstein.co.uk. If you have a particular agent in mind, let the reader Susannah Godman know. No plays or scripts, do not post unsolicited manuscripts.
Narrative non-fiction, memoir, historical fiction, literary fiction, history, pop culture, cultural studies, women's studies, natural history, children's
Wants: Query letter, synopsis, sample pages
Katherine loves books that explore the lesser-known territories of human experience.
For fiction, include a cover letter listing previously published work, a one-page summary and the first five pages in the body of the email (not as an attachment). For non-fiction, query first. When a proposal is requested, include an author biography, overview, chapter-by-chapter summary, marketing and publicity plan, analysis of competitive titles, and sample chapters or text.
Thriller, suspense, horror, fantasy, romantasy, magical realism, speculative fiction, romance, mystery, women's fiction, historical fiction, young adult, middle grade, picture books
Wants: Query letter
Vicky is interested in adult thriller and suspense with psychological, paranormal, supernatural or gothic elements, horror, dark fantasy, romantasy, magical realism, mystery, women's fiction, historical fiction, young adult horror and fantasy, middle grade, and picture books from author-illustrators.
Vicky's CMA profile links to QueryManager but states that she is currently closed to queries. CMA asks writers to query only one CMA agent at a time.
Historical fiction, horror, contemporary fiction, fantasy, suspense, thriller, graphic novels
Wants: Query letter
Kaitlyn is interested in historical fiction, horror, contemporary fiction, fantasy, suspense/thriller, and graphic novels across age groups, with emphasis on non-mainstream history, psychological or haunting horror, LGBTQ+ storylines, mental health angles, MG/YA and crossover fantasy, and commercial MG graphic novels.
Kaitlyn is closed to queries. When open, submit through her official QueryManager route. Belcastro asks writers to read each agent's wishlist and submit to one agent at a time.
Literary fiction, horror, speculative fiction, historical fiction, historical fantasy, narrative nonfiction, essays, graphic novels, middle grade
Wants: Query letter, full synopsis, first three chapters, first twenty five pages, graphic novel spreads, graphic novel rough pages, portfolio
Anna Ange is a junior agent at Liza Dawson Associates. She is looking for adult literary and genre crossover, literary-forward novels with horror, speculative, or weird elements, true horror, queer historical fiction and historical fantasy before 1900, narrative nonfiction or essays on niche and surprising topics, adult graphic novels in fiction and nonfiction, and spooky or horror-adjacent middle grade prose or graphic novels.
Anna Ange is currently closed to queries as of 2025-10-10. When open, prose queries should be sent to queryanna@lizadawson.com with the query in the email body, a full synopsis in a Word document, and the first three chapters or 25 pages in a Word document. Graphic novel queries should include a query, full story synopsis, at least five completed spreads, and any rough pages available. Anna does not accept script-only graphic novel queries. Query only one Liza Dawson Associates agent at a time.
Narrative nonfiction, historical fiction, young debut authors
Heather is particularly interested in narrative nonfiction, historical fiction, and young debut authors with strong voices.
Heather Mitchell is currently closed to queries. Gelfman Schneider says any queries not following current guidelines are deleted unread and that all listed agents are currently closed or referral-only.
LBA Books
Crime, historical fiction, historical romance, women's fiction
Crime, historical fiction (especially historical romance), women's fiction
Alison is not currently receiving submissions. When open, email the agent directly. Include the manuscript title and genre in the subject line. For fiction, send a covering letter in the body of the email, a brief synopsis, and the first three chapters or first 5,000 words as a Word document.
Commercial fiction, upmarket commercial fiction, crime or psychological thriller, historical, gothic, magical realism or urban fantasy, selected non-fiction (per wishlist)
Not children's, YA, sci-fi, epic fantasy, or romantasy
Email - eg.submission@dhhliteraryagency.com
Commercial fiction, book club fiction, horror, fantasy, young adult, new adult, paranormal romance, urban fantasy, non-fiction
Horror (especially folk/social/feminist/queer, not heavy body horror), crossover YA/NA fantasy with romance, paranormal romance/urban fantasy, narrative pop science (neuroscience) and smart-thinking, lesser-known female historical figures
Submit via QueryManager at https://www.perezliterary.com or submit or submit-to-kristina/
Young adult, adult genre fiction, nonfiction, fantasy, horror, genre crossovers, queer fiction, contemporary fiction, historical fiction, romance, romantic comedy, nerd culture, queer history
Wants: Query letter, first three chapters
Rebecca Podos is Senior Agent at Neighborhood Literary. She is looking for young adult and adult genre fiction, with select nonfiction projects considered. Current fiction interests include character-driven fantasy rooted in folklore and culture, horror as a vehicle for otherness, identity, and trauma, fresh genre crossovers such as cozy science fiction and horror romance, queer contemporary and historical fiction, and romance or rom-com with a strong commercial hook and upmarket prose. In nonfiction she is interested in deep dives into nerdy topics such as TTRPGs, cosplay, and fandoms; strong narrative voice paired with expertise; and kid lit centering queer history.
Rebecca Podos accepts queries only through QueryManager, but her official linked QueryManager page currently says she is closed to queries while working through her inbox. The Neighborhood submissions page says to include a query letter and the first three chapters when she is open.
Fiction, nonfiction, literary fiction, commercial fiction, book club fiction, thrillers, mystery, speculative fiction, historical fiction, narrative nonfiction, big idea nonfiction, wellness, history, sports, collaborative writers
Mark Tavani is VP of Business Strategy and Literary Agent at the David Black Literary Agency. He represents both fiction and nonfiction. His fiction list includes a wide range of literary and commercial fiction, book club novels, thrillers, mysteries, speculative fiction, and historical fiction, especially fiction that entertains and enriches readers. In nonfiction, he represents work that illuminates or inspires and works with experts and journalists, especially in narrative nonfiction, big ideas, wellness, history, and sports. He also represents collaborative writers who partner with authors in those spaces.
Mark Tavani is not accepting unsolicited queries at this time according to his official David Black profile. The general David Black submissions page lists the agents currently accepting new queries, and Mark Tavani is not listed there.
Middle grade, young adult, adult fiction, historical fiction, science fiction, fantasy, romance, contemporary fiction, design, cooking, fashion
Whitney Ross is an agent at High Line Literary Collective. She represents middle grade, young adult, and adult fiction across genres, with emphasis on historical fiction, science fiction and fantasy, romance, and contemporary fiction. She is also open to nonfiction in design, cooking, and fashion. She likes novels set in unusual time periods and locations, with or without fantastical elements; trickster-king motifs; subtle romances; tropes turned upside down; unusual takes on old favorites; compelling characters; and emotionally involving plotlines.
Whitney Ross is currently closed to queries according to her official High Line profile and the official High Line submissions page.
Adult fiction, select children's or ya and non-fiction
Upmarket commercial/book club and accessible literary, female-lens storytelling, historical with hook, romcoms, unusual structures, thrillers/crime with point of difference, select children's/YA crime/thrillers and MG adventure
Email - sohoagencysubmissions@gmail.com
General fiction, horror, mystery, thriller, historical fiction, science fiction, fantasy, cookbooks
Wants: Query letter, sample pages
Becky represents adult and teen fiction across general fiction, horror, mystery/thriller, historical fiction, science fiction, and fantasy, and has a special place for cookbooks.
Becky LeJeune is open only to queries by referral and submission invitations, including conference invitations. Queries sent by email or contact form will not be considered.
Adult nonfiction, memoir, journalism, reportage, hidden histories, prescriptive nonfiction, literary fiction, upmarket fiction, speculative fiction, historical fiction, graphic novels
Kayla Lightner is primarily looking for adult nonfiction that can masterfully straddle the line between storytelling and teaching readers something new about the world or themselves. Her interests include memoir, journalism and reportage, hidden histories, and prescriptive nonfiction. More selectively, she looks for smart, propulsive literary and upmarket fiction with a speculative or historical lens and graphic novels for all ages.
Kayla Lightner is currently closed to queries according to the official Ayesha Pande Literary team and queries pages. Queries submitted by any method, including the contact page, when an agent is closed will not be considered.
Picture books, middle grade, young adult, contemporary middle grade, historical middle grade, literary middle grade, mystery middle grade, contemporary young adult, historical young adult, literary young adult, young adult mystery, juvenile nonfiction, memoir, narrative nonfiction, parenting, popular science
Shari Maurer is an agent at The Stringer Literary Agency. The official Stringer site lists her fiction interests as picture books; middle grade contemporary, historical, literary, and mystery; and young adult contemporary, historical, literary, and mystery. In nonfiction, it lists juvenile YA and middle grade nonfiction, memoir, narrative nonfiction, parenting, and popular science.
Shari Maurer is currently closed to queries according to the QueryManager or QueryTracker form associated with Stringer Literary. The official Stringer site says the agency works with Query Manager only, deletes queries sent otherwise unread, and closes submissions from time to time to catch up.
Speculative fiction, cosmic horror, graphic novels, dark fantasy, epic fantasy, science fiction, dark academia, historical fiction, adult fiction, young adult
Wants: Query letter, sample pages, synopsis
Toni is interested in speculative fiction, cosmic horror, graphic novels, dark fantasy, epic fantasy, science fiction, dark academia, historical fiction, adult projects, select YA, lyrical prose, complex philosophical themes, anticolonial stories, and non-western mythological or historical inspirations.
Toni V. Sluytman is currently closed to submissions according to the QueryManager route linked from the Looking Glass profile.
Women's fiction, historical fiction, romance, fantasy, science fiction, diverse voices
Nephele Tempest is an agent at The Knight Agency. She looks for fiction with strong, well-developed characters and a story that pulls her in and will not let go. Her official profile and submission wishlist include women's contemporary or historical fiction, contemporary or historical single-title romance, adult real-world or secondary-world fantasy, adult science fiction, diverse cultural influences, underrepresented perspectives, found families, strong sibling relationships, excellent worldbuilding, fresh settings, strong prose, distinctive voices, new twists on familiar tropes, high concepts, and smart flawed characters.
Nephele Tempest is currently closed to submissions according to The Knight Agency's official submissions page. When an agent is open, The Knight Agency requires QueryManager submissions only, asks writers not to query multiple TKA agents simultaneously, and does not accept screenplays.
Commercial fiction, select nonfiction, book club fiction, historical fiction, women's fiction, older young adult, fantasy, contemporary fiction, crime fiction, thrillers, suspense, mystery, romance, psychological horror, magical realism
Wants: Query letter, synopsis, requested materials
Marlene Stringer represents commercial fiction and select nonfiction. Her official wishlist includes book club fiction that straddles the commercial/literary line, historical fiction, contemporary and historical women's fiction, older YA in fantasy and contemporary, crime fiction, all types of thrillers, suspense, all types of mysteries, romance except erotic romance, psychological horror, and magical realism.
StringerLit uses QueryManager and accepts queries only through the linked form, but Marlene Stringer's official linked QueryManager page currently says she is closed to catch up on requested manuscripts. When open, use the official QueryManager link only, queries sent otherwise are deleted unread. Submit to only one StringerLit agent at a time and only one manuscript at a time.
Adult literary fiction, upmarket fiction, historical fiction, magical realism, gothic fiction, narrative nonfiction, travel, health and wellness, ecology, nature, cultural criticism, indigenous voices, first nations voices, bipoc voices, queer voices, translation
Maggie Sadler primarily seeks adult literary and upmarket fiction with distinct character voices, lyrical prose, and propulsive plots. She likes work that challenges or deconstructs genre, craft, or structural conventions; grounded magical elements; folklore and fairy-tale retellings, especially non-Western; unusual concepts; unreliable narrators; liminal spaces; atmospheric magical realism; gothic work outside the Deep South; historical fiction foregrounding marginalized perspectives; adult narratives in translation; and adult narrative nonfiction on travel, health and wellness, ecology and nature, and cultural criticism. She welcomes debut Indigenous, First Nations, BIPOC, and queer storytellers.
Howland Literary uses QueryManager for submissions, but Maggie Sadler's official linked QueryManager page currently says she is not accepting queries during a short medical break.
Adult fiction, literary fiction, upmarket fiction, book club fiction, women's fiction, historical fiction, mystery, suspense, thrillers, science fiction, fantasy, speculative fiction, middle grade, young adult, children's fiction, children's nonfiction, business books, diverse voices
Lisa Abellera represents adult literary, upmarket/book club, women's fiction, historical fiction, mystery, suspense, thrillers, science fiction, fantasy, and crossover speculative fiction. In children's fiction she represents all fiction genres in middle grade and YA. She responds to well-crafted prose, strong hooks, high personal stakes, complex and sympathetic characters, tangible sense of place, lush world-building, non-Western cultural aspects, emotionally immersive fiction, and underrepresented voices. In limited nonfiction, she is looking for middle grade prescriptive projects and adult prescriptive business books for women or by women.
KC and A links Lisa Abellera's QueryMe or QueryManager form from the official team page. The linked form currently says Lisa Abellera is not accepting unsolicited queries, so there is no open submission route at this time.
Adult fiction, literary fiction, commercial fiction, thrillers, mystery, book club fiction, historical fiction, narrative nonfiction, memoir, women's issues, cross-cultural nonfiction, history, humor, quirky nonfiction
Wants: Query letter
Liza Dawson specializes in smart, plot-driven bestselling fiction; memorable, confidently written literary fiction; page-turning thrillers with spycraft, foreign intrigue, or unusual careers; mysteries with brainy detectives; literary fiction for book clubs; and breakout historical novels. In nonfiction she is drawn to cross-cultural and women's issues by experts, narrative history, memoirs about escape from closed or repressive societies, and books by journalists and poets making sense of place, race, the environment, Wall Street, Washington, or the South.
Liza Dawson is currently closed to queries according to her official profile. Her profile says to send only a query letter in the body of the email to queryliza@lizadawsonassociates.com, and the agency submissions page says to query only one Liza Dawson Associates agent at a time.
Adult fiction, narrative nonfiction, commercial fiction, women's fiction, romance, retellings, beach reads, family drama, amish romance, clean fiction, historical fiction, psychological suspense, domestic suspense, history, biography, science, sports, memoir
Lindsay Guzzardo is founder of Keystone Literary Agency and a literary agent for adult fiction and nonfiction. She is drawn to high-concept, commercial premises with clear, marketable hooks and strong voices. Her fiction tastes include classic retellings, beach reads, family dynamics, mother-daughter and sister relationships, Amish romance and fiction, wholesome clean fiction and romance, cozy small-town romance and fiction, rich historical fiction, fiction featuring historical figures, European-set fiction, dark psychological and domestic suspense, and past/present family dramas. She welcomes nonfiction proposals from journalists and experts in history, biography, science, sports, narrative nonfiction, and memoir with a strong platform.
Submit through Lindsay Guzzardo's official QueryManager form during the first week of the month. The linked QueryManager page was checked on 2026-05-25 and says she is not accepting queries at this time because she opens during the first week of the month.
Commercial fiction, upmarket fiction, dark romance, romantasy, romance, speculative fiction, mystery, thriller, gothic, horror, historical fiction, rom com, magical realism, current events, true crime, science, history, narrative non-fiction, sports, politics, health, nutrition, pop culture, humor, music, memoir
Wants: Query letter, synopsis, author bio, sample pages
Jill seeks fiction and non-fiction by unrepresented voices, BIPOC and Latinx writers, disabled persons, and LGBTQ+ people. She wants commercial and upmarket fiction emphasizing dark romance, romantasy, speculative fiction, mysteries, thrillers, Gothic, horror, and historical fiction, plus food-centric novels and psychological suspense in the vein of Freida McFadden. For non-fiction, she seeks authors with big, timely, smart messages and deep dives into subcultures, social commentary, and historical projects.
Submit via QueryManager at QueryManager.com or JillMarr. Include query letter, 1-page synopsis, brief bio with publishing history, and first 10-15 pages for fiction. For non-fiction, include query letter and full book proposal.
Romance, contemporary romance, historical romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, speculative romance, horror romance, monster romance, dark romance, dystopian romance, new adult romance, romantasy, speculative fiction, women's fiction, historical fiction, mystery, suspense, thriller, young adult, upper middle grade, non-fiction
Wants: Query letter, first chapter, synopsis
She is looking for high-concept, commercial-leaning stories with propulsive and accessible narratives. She particularly wants dark romance, horror/monster romance, genre-mashups, fresh takes on historical romance and dystopian, mystery/thriller and suspense stories with female protagonists, and cozy crime stories with humor and charm.
Submit queries only through QueryManager. Include a query letter, first chapter, and synopsis for fiction. Include genre and word count in the cover letter. Query only one agent at a time.
Young adult, new adult, adult fiction, fantasy, magical realism, speculative fiction, folklore, mythology, fairytale retellings, literary fiction, historical fiction, science fiction, time travel, own voices
Kendyll Drilling is mostly interested in fiction for young adult, new adult, and adult audiences, especially character-driven stories with dark themes and unique narrative voices. She is looking for fantasy and magical realism with a balance between character and plot, speculative fiction meant to spark larger conversations, folklore, mythology and fairytale elements with dark themes and subverted expectations, literary fiction with morally grey or unlikable characters, gothic and dark academia themes, historical fiction set before 1900, immersive and well-researched science fiction, time travel with set rules, and Own Voices narratives exploring mental health, disability, chronic illness, cultural identity, gender and sexuality, and femininity.
Kendyll Drilling is currently closed to queries and on leave until further notice according to her official Corvisiero profile.
Picture books, middle grade, young adult, adult fiction, adult nonfiction, christian fiction, new adult, women's fiction, book club fiction, contemporary fiction, historical fiction, sweet romance, historical nonfiction, memoir
Mara Cobb is an agent at Lighthouse Literary. She is drawn to strong and feisty protagonists, antagonists with redemptive arcs, curveball plots, surprising twists, and books that are impossible to put down. Her wishlist includes MG with spunky characters navigating life changes with joy and humor; YA with believable, authentic characters, including dystopian, contemporary, and romance; adult Christian fiction, new adult, women's fiction, book club fiction, contemporary, historical, and sweet romance; and adult nonfiction including historical nonfiction, relevant topics for today's readers, and occasional memoir with a strong author platform.
Mara Cobb uses QueryTracker or QueryManager, but the official linked form currently says she is not accepting queries and expects to open again in spring 2026.
Middle grade, young adult, literary fiction, general fiction, historical fiction, thriller, women's fiction, science, popular science, self-help, health, wellness
Wants: Query letter, sample pages, proposal
A.J. is seeking middle grade and YA in all genres, plus adult literary, general, historical, thriller, and women's fiction. They are drawn to books that merge literary sensibility with compelling plot and are also interested in fresh nonfiction ideas in science, popular science, self-help, and health/wellness from authors with platforms.
A.J. Van Belle is currently closed to queries, with conference pitches noted as an exception. When open, submit through the query route linked from their Booker Albert profile.
239+ agents we've verified represent historical fiction specifically. Many others represent broader categories like commercial fiction or genre fiction — try Smart Search to find those too.
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