Historical Fiction Literary Agents

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.

Fantasy, historical fiction, young adult, middle grade, scary fiction, grounded fantasy

Wants: Query letter, sample pages

Rebecca is interested in fantasy of all kinds, strong hooks, good pacing, grounded worlds, believable characters, scary YA, and middle grade historical fiction.

Rebecca Love is currently closed to queries. When open, submit through her QueryManager route and follow Booker Albert's current guidelines.

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.

Literary fiction, contemporary fiction, historical fiction, crime fiction, thrillers, cookery, food writing, comedy, travel writing

All types of writing, with particular interests in cooking and food journalism, comedy, and travel writing. Also loves literary fiction, contemporary and historical novels, crime fiction, and thrillers. Also works closely with radio and television production companies, and the speakers and presenters side of the agency.

Claudia is not currently accepting submissions. When open, submissions go to submissions@greeneheaton.co.uk with the agent's name in the subject line. Include a covering letter in the body of the email. Fiction: attach the first three chapters (or around fifty pages) and a one-to-two page synopsis that reveals the ending, as Word documents. Non-fiction: attach three sample chapters and a chapter summary or synopsis. Postal submissions are not accepted.

Crime, thriller, horror, romance, contemporary fiction, historical fiction, memoir, narrative non-fiction, cookbooks, food writing, lifestyle, wellbeing, investigative journalism, nature writing

Hannah represents quality commercial and upmarket fiction and non-fiction. In fiction, she is drawn to crime, thriller and horror novels with a confident voice and fresh approach, love stories ranging from smart romcoms to epic weepy narratives, and general contemporary fiction about complicated people and families—often with a mystery at its heart. She also takes on a small amount of historical fiction set in the 19th and 20th centuries. In non-fiction, she seeks lifestyle and wellbeing titles, narrative non-fiction such as memoir, nature writing and investigative journalism, cookbooks and food writing, and thought-provoking non-fiction across the arts and academia. She is not the right agent for sci-fi, fantasy, action, spy or military thrillers, children's and YA novels, scripts or poetry.

Hannah is currently closed to submissions.

Book club fiction, commercial fiction, women's fiction, historical fiction, thriller, memoir, cookbooks, narrative nonfiction, prescriptive nonfiction, mystery, romance

Erin Niumata represents book club fiction, commercial fiction, women's fiction, historical fiction, thrillers, memoir, cookbooks, narrative nonfiction, prescriptive nonfiction, mystery, and romance.

Erin Niumata's official profile links to QueryManager, but her official linked QueryManager page currently says she is not accepting queries and will open again before the end of the year.

Nonfiction, history, historical fiction, fantasy, science fiction

Amy Collins is an agent with Talcott Notch Literary Services. In her agent role, she focuses on nonfiction and history, historical fiction, fantasy, and science fiction.

Amy Collins is closed to unsolicited queries at this time. Talcott Notch general guidelines ask for a one- to two-page query letter and first ten pages, but Amy Collins's official profile states she is currently closed to unsolicited queries.

Commercial fiction, narrative nonfiction, historical fiction, fantasy, crime, adult fiction

Alice Speilburg represents commercial fiction and narrative nonfiction for the adult market. She is drawn to culturally relevant nonfiction, especially by journalists, and in fiction has particular interest in immersive historical adventures, myth-based fantasy, and atmospheric crime.

Alice Speilburg uses QueryManager. Her official agency profile says she is open to queries on the 10th through 16th of each month, but the linked QueryManager page currently says she is not accepting queries at this time and may close when she reaches capacity.

Fantasy, sf, horror, crime, thriller, historical fiction, urban fantasy, space opera

Wants: Plot-driven fantasy and sf (not tolkien-derivative); monsters/magic; also hybrids incl horror/thriller/crime/historical

Plot-driven narratives where a character faces a problem and the story is driven by forward momentum. Considers all kinds of fantasy and SF but not Tolkien derivatives; likes cool monsters, heavy magic, and magic seeping into contemporary life. Will read urban fantasy but only at the highest quality. Open to space opera, horror, thrillers, crime, historical fiction, and combinations thereof. Not interested in political treatise disguised as fiction, overly whimsical writing, or failed comedy.

Email berlyne@zenoagency.com following the agency's submission guidelines. Currently closed to submissions.

Fiction, nonfiction, history, biography, politics, psychology, lgbtq and, women's issues, arts, investigative journalism, thrillers, historical fiction, multicultural fiction

Ellen Geiger represents a broad range of fiction and nonfiction. Her special interests include multicultural and social issues, change, history, biography, progressive politics, psychology, gay and women's issues, the arts, serious investigative journalism, good thrillers, novels that provoke and challenge the status quo, historical fiction, and multicultural works.

Ellen Geiger is not accepting unsolicited queries at this time.

Literary fiction, historical fiction, speculative fiction, fantasy, romantasy, literary suspense, thrillers, contemporary fiction, short stories, narrative nonfiction

Elizabeth Pratt looks for fiction from diverse perspectives and emerging voices that turns the familiar on its head, recounts history from a different point of view, sheds light on something previously unnoticed, or makes readers think differently. Her wishlist includes character-driven literary fiction, family sagas, place-driven fiction, grief-centered fiction, historical fiction, genre-bending fiction, fantasy and romantasy that breaks common tropes, mythology or folklore retellings, formal experiments, literary suspense, contemporary fiction with young female characters, story collections, and select narrative nonfiction about theater, documenting history, people behind power, and the natural world.

Elizabeth Pratt is currently closed to queries according to her official linked QueryManager page. Trellis accepts unsolicited submissions only through QueryManager and asks writers not to submit to multiple Trellis agents during the 8-12 week review window.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, women's fiction, thrillers, mystery, historical fiction, young adult, nonfiction, health, science, environment, true crime, memoir, spirituality

Elizabeth Kracht represents literary and commercial fiction, women's fiction, thrillers, mysteries, historical fiction, crossover YA, and nonfiction. She appreciates writing with depth, an introspective voice, thematic layers, multicultural themes and characters, and strong settings. Her nonfiction interests include high concept, health, science, environment, prescriptive nonfiction, investigative nonfiction, true crime, voice- or adventure-driven memoir, sexuality, spirituality, and animal or pet stories.

Elizabeth Kracht is currently only open to queries and pitches through conferences, online events, workshops, and referrals. Kimberley Cameron and Associates uses QueryManager for submissions and asks writers to tailor submissions to each agent's interests, but her public QueryManager page currently says she is not accepting unsolicited queries.

Fiction and non-fiction

Story-driven fiction: historical fiction, suspense and crime, contemporary women's fiction, genre and book club fiction. Big-hearted love stories, unputdownable suspense, crime series with returning characters, and immersive historical fiction. Non-fiction: experts in their field, commentators, creators with platforms, and memoir.

Viola Hayden is currently closed to new submissions as of January 2026 and will reopen in January 2027. When open, submissions should be emailed to viola.hayden@curtisbrown.co.uk. Include your query letter in the body of the email, a synopsis or proposal as an attached Word document, and your first 10,000 words as an attached Word document.

Commercial fiction, romance, rom-com, historical fiction, book club fiction, romantic fantasy

Commercial fiction across a wide range of genres, including rom-com, love stories, historical fiction, book club, romantic fantasy, and female-driven narratives with a darker edge. Looking for clear hooks, stand-out memorable characters, and stories readers invest in.

Online form - https://airtable.com or embed or appsPGIWpsujYaPta or pagyOsqhGT1gQbS14 or form

Historical fiction, women's fiction, science fiction, fantasy, non-fiction

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, sample pages

He represents historical fiction, women's fiction, science fiction and fantasy, and nonfiction of all stripes.

Fiction submissions should include a cover letter listing previously published work, a one-page summary and the first five pages in the body of the email. Nonfiction submissions should query first, and 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.

Crime, thrillers, reading group fiction, upmarket commercial fiction, historical fiction, literary fiction, narrative memoir, nature writing, cookery, voice-led non-fiction

Crime and thrillers, reading group fiction, high-concept hooks, upmarket commercial fiction, narrative memoir, nature writing, cookery and other voice-led non-fiction

Email a synopsis and either the first three chapters of a novel or a non-fiction proposal to afeiner@unitedagents.co.uk. Let the agent know if another agent has requested your full manuscript or offered representation.

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.

Commercial fiction, contemporary fiction, reading group fiction, historical fiction, saga, police procedural, crime, thriller, psychological suspense, narrative non-fiction, cookery, health and wellbeing, parenting, nature, travel

Fiction across contemporary (funny/romantic/moving/high-concept), reading group, historical, saga, police procedural/crime/thriller/psychological suspense, character-led storytelling (incl unreliable narrators). Non-fiction: cookery, health/wellbeing, parenting, nature, travel, female focus, narrative non-fiction with humour and poignance

Submit via the online form at https://amheath.com or submissions — include a covering letter (max 500 words), a synopsis (max 1,500 words), and the first 10,000 words of your manuscript. Rebecca is currently on maternity leave, submit to a colleague instead. Email submissions@amheath.com only if another agent has requested the full manuscript, you have received an offer of representation, you have not heard back within 6 weeks, or you are submitting a cookery proposal or illustrated children's book.

Historical narrative, biography, offbeat fiction, nonfiction, children's books, nature writing

Wants: Closed to unsolicited queries

William has a long-running interest in historical narratives, biography, slightly offbeat fiction and nonfiction, children's books, and nature writing.

William Reiss is closed to submissions according to the current John Hawkins and Associates agent profile.

Women's fiction, historical fiction, mystery, romance, romantic comedy, horror, science fiction, fantasy, young adult, humor, nonfiction

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, sample pages

Courtney represents women's fiction, historical fiction, mysteries, romance and rom-coms, horror, science fiction and fantasy, YA novels, humor, and nonfiction. Her list emphasizes work from underrepresented voices.

Check Handspun submission status and submit through the agency query system when open. Query each project once with the agency.

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.

Historical fiction, upmarket fiction, romance, women's fiction

Historical fiction, upmarket fiction, romance, and women's fiction. She is especially drawn to narratives that center resilient, complex female protagonists

Submission form: http://QueryManager.com/QueryNadia

Commercial fiction, suspense, thrillers, mysteries, crime fiction, historical novels, historical suspense, romance, women's fiction

Commercial fiction, writers with distinctive voices in suspense, thrillers, mysteries, crime fiction, historical novels and historical suspense, romance, and women's fiction

Check agent's submission page

Upmarket fiction, historical fiction, supernatural suspense

Bold, emotionally resonant fiction with unforgettable characters, strong stakes, and a sense of urgency. Especially drawn to upmarket, historical, and supernatural suspense, with a soft spot for haunting atmosphere, richly layered relationships, and characters who carry deep emotional wounds

Check agent's submission page

Horror, gothic romance, grounded fantasy, thriller, mysteries, commercial fiction, science fiction, speculative fiction, historical fiction, erotic fiction

Wants: Query letter, 10-20 pages, synopsis

She seeks horror across almost all subgenres and age categories, gothic romance, grounded fantasy, thrillers and mysteries with non-cop protagonists, commercial fiction, science fiction, speculative fiction, historical fiction featuring BIPOC and queer characters, and adult erotic fiction especially featuring BIPOC and LGBTQIA characters. She particularly welcomes stories by Honduran authors and Latine/x authors from Central America and the Caribbean.

All ALA agents use Query Manager. Submit to one agent at a time, but if one agent passes, you can submit to up to three agents at ALA. Submit 10-20 polished pages for novels.

Contemporary fiction, literary fiction, historical fiction, lgbtq, fantasy, magical realism, science fiction, pop culture, memoir, humor, creativity, craft, graphic novels

Wants: Query letter

She is primarily interested in fiction for adults, young adults and middle grade readers in contemporary fiction, literary fiction, historical fiction set in the 20th Century, LGBTQ issues, fantasy, magical realism, and science fiction. In non-fiction, she represents books by authors with demonstrable platforms in pop-culture, memoir, humor, creativity, and craft. She is also interested in graphic novels and memoirs for all ages.

Submit query via QueryManager only. No snail mail submissions will be considered.

Historical fiction, foreign fiction, women's fiction, thriller, mysteries, middle grade fiction, history, business, political thought

Wants: Query letter, first five pages

Josh is particularly interested in foreign and historical fiction, women's fiction, thrillers and mysteries, and some middle grade fiction. In nonfiction, he seeks history including micro-histories, business, and political thought.

Send a query letter and the first five pages of your manuscript within the email with no attachments to the appropriate agent. Submit to only one agent at a time.

Fiction, graphic novels, middle grade, young adult, adult fiction, fantasy, science fiction, historical fantasy, magical realism, psychological horror, literary fiction

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, sample pages

She is currently only open to graphic novel proposals. She seeks explorations of love, friendship, or familial bonds against fantastic backdrops, obscure retold fairy tales, women and girls in STEM, quirky middle grade, modernized mythologies, psychological horror/thrillers with speculative elements, literary and near-future science fiction, historical fantasy, magical realism, and internally consistent epic fantasy.

All ALA agents use Query Manager. Submit to one agent at a time. Include polished query letter, bio, and follow manuscript guidelines: novels submit 10-20 pages, graphic novels submit proposal with 10-20 sample pages and 2-4 full colored pages.

Adult fiction, adult non-fiction, children's books, historical fiction, literary fiction, upmarket fiction, romance, fantasy, science fiction, biography, memoir, middle grade, young adult, picture books

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first 10 pages

In Adult Fiction she seeks captivating settings and relatable characters that highlight virtues like empathy and self-sacrifice in historical, literary/upmarket, romance, or fantasy/science fiction genres. In Adult Non-fiction she wants well-researched titles that make complex topics accessible, biography and memoir that connect diverse readers, and books about poverty and justice. For children's literature, she loves books that can be read aloud and shared with families, especially middle grade, and seeks books with hopeful, informative, or lyrical tones.

Starting January 2026, queries must be submitted through QueryManager only. Address your query to the specific agent you think would be the best fit. Only send one query to Dunham Literary as agents share queries with each other when appropriate.

Fantasy, historical fiction, thriller, mystery, pop science, narrative non-fiction, history

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, bio, sample pages

Claire seeks fantasy (especially non-western inspired worlds), historical fiction, thriller, and mystery with romantic or political subplots and immersive settings. She wants characters who chose to be heroes and stories with symbolic resonance. In nonfiction, she seeks pop-science books that use data to tell clear stories, narrative nonfiction between journalism and ethnography, and new histories touching present issues.

Send query letter with synopsis, bio, and opening 3-4 pages embedded in email body. Do not send attachments without request.

Reading group fiction, crime, thriller, psychological fiction, literary fiction, fantasy, historical fiction

Wants: Adult fiction across genres (reading group to SFF etc); high-concept hooks; page-turning plots; crime/thriller, historical, fantasy, reading group (per agent page).

Reading group fiction, crime and thriller, psychological novels, high-concept hooks, novels that feel ambitious and international, page-turners with a lot of twists and turns

Email submissions@mushens-entertainment.com with a clear subject line (e.g. Fiction Submission: TITLE), the cover letter in the body of the email, a synopsis as an attachment, and a PDF or Word document containing either the first three chapters, the first 10,000 to 15,000 words, or the first 50 pages. Address the email to Juliet. Note: Juliet is currently closed to submissions.

Literary fiction, historical fiction, science fiction, fantasy

See source page for more info

The agency is currently closed for submissions. Submissions are expected to reopen in the new year, so prospective authors should check the website periodically for updates.

Fiction, memoirs, historical fiction, cookbooks

She loves fiction spanning family generations, memoirs, historical fiction, and cookbooks with deliciously stunning photography.

Check agent's submission page

Women's fiction, thriller, speculative fiction, commercial fiction, horror, mystery, historical romance, poetry, picture books

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages, bio, title/genre/word count

She seeks stories that surprise and delight with characters readers can't stop thinking about and sharp writing. She wants high-concept, twisty stories with strong voices in women's fiction, thriller, and speculative fiction. She's particularly interested in timely commercial fiction where the personal intersects with world events, stories about female rage and friendships, complex family dynamics, incisive horror with social commentary, and atmospheric mysteries set in close-knit communities.

Submit through Query Manager with a brief bio including writing credentials, title or genre or word count, query letter, and first ten pages.

Commercial fiction, nonfiction, historical fiction

Giles Milburn is Managing Director of the Madeleine Milburn Literary, TV & Film Agency. His official profile says he has worked with bestselling authors in commercial fiction, nonfiction, and historical fiction, but it does not list him as an open literary agent or provide a current public query route.

Madeleine Milburn submissions are via official forms and the current submissions page lists the agents available in each form. Giles Milburn is not listed in the current submission agent options, so treat him as closed to unsolicited submissions.