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Upmarket Fiction Literary Agents

215+verified agents141open nowLast reviewed20 Jul 2026

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Upmarket fiction exists because some books are too crafted to be called purely commercial and too accessible to be sold as purely literary. It is book-group readability with sentence-level care. Agents here want a strong hook that does not flatten the prose. This page shows agents who explicitly represent upmarket fiction. The broad search toggle catches more who'd consider it under literary, book club, women's fiction, commercial fiction, or contemporary fiction.

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Agents representing upmarket fiction

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Represents

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, thrillers, nonfiction, speculative fiction, horror

Looking for

Gabrielle represents literary and upmarket fiction, particularly with queer themes or from unusual and underrepresented perspectives, as well as select upmarket thrillers and nonfiction. In fiction, she is drawn to bold hooks and flawed characters, atmospheric character-led stories about overlooked aspects of history and culture, literary speculative and high-concept fiction from queer, female, or transnational perspectives, and horror. In thrillers, she seeks atmospheric mysteries involving family secrets, small communities, or epic natural settings. In nonfiction, she is looking to work with experts, academics, journalists, or influencers specializing in dating and relationships, personal finance, career guidance, queer family formation, fashion, cultural history, economics, food, or music. She is not the right agent for crime procedurals, hard sci-fi, fantasy, YA, or children's books.

How to submit

Gabrielle is closed to new submissions until 20 April 2026.

Last checked 10 Jul 2026
Represents

Fiction, nonfiction, memoir, biography, history, business, health, science, pop culture, current affairs, narrative nonfiction, upmarket fiction, commercial fiction, literary fiction

Wants: Personal recommendation only

Looking for

Joëlle represents adult fiction and nonfiction. The agency no longer accepts children's books, YA, middle grade, picture books, screenplays, novellas or poetry.

How to submit

Joelle Delbourgo Associates is currently closed to queries except through personal recommendation.

Last checked 9 Jul 2026Via Email
Represents

Upmarket fiction, commercial fiction, women's fiction, psychological thriller, contemporary romance, romantic comedy, young adult, science fiction, paranormal romance, thriller, nonfiction, cookbooks, memoir, self-help, lifestyle

Looking for

Mariah is interested in upmarket and commercial adult fiction, women's fiction, psychological thrillers, contemporary romance and rom-coms, young adult science fiction, paranormal romance, thrillers and contemporary romance, plus nonfiction including cookbooks, memoirs, self-help, lifestyle and how-to.

How to submit

Mariah is currently closed to submissions.

Represents

History, pop culture, science, memoir, investigative narrative nonfiction, issue-focused narrative nonfiction, upmarket fiction, literary thrillers, upmarket horror, family novels, coming of age

Looking for

Sophie Brett-Chin is a Literary Associate at Folio Literary Management who is actively building her list. In nonfiction she is looking for history, pop culture, science, memoir, and investigative and issue-focused narrative nonfiction. In fiction she is drawn to propulsive plots that are beautiful on a technical and craft level, including upmarket and literary thrillers, upmarket horror that uses and subverts genre tropes to probe larger societal issues, and big-hearted novels about family or coming of age. Across genres she likes work that interrogates adolescence, especially teenage girlhood, as well as books about religion and ritual and books about the ocean. She is not looking for children's books at any level.

How to submit

Sophie Brett-Chin is currently closed to unsolicited submissions according to her official Folio profile.

Represents

Narrative nonfiction, literary commercial fiction, mystery, thriller, legal thriller, psychological thriller, domestic thriller, biography, history, science, sports, travel

Wants: Closed to unsolicited queries

Looking for

Anne-Lise Spitzer is president of Spitzer Agency. Current public materials describe interest in narrative nonfiction from writers with diverse voices, literary commercial fiction, mysteries, legal, psychological, and domestic thrillers, plus biography, history, science, sports, and travel.

How to submit

The Spitzer Agency site says it is not accepting new clients for representation at this time.

Represents

Adult fiction, adult nonfiction, upmarket fiction, literary fiction, family saga, friendship fiction, psychological suspense, campus novel, love story, progressive politics, popular science, psychology, self-development, gender, pop culture, food writing, media studies, agriculture, housing

Looking for

Sarah Phair represents a range of fiction and nonfiction for the adult market. In fiction she focuses on upmarket and literary fiction accessible to a wide audience, with beautiful language and elevated ideas, and particularly likes family sagas, friendship-centered stories, complex psychological suspense, campus novels, anti-heroines, and good love stories. In nonfiction she is interested in progressive politics, popular science, psychology, self-development, gender, pop culture, food, media consumption, food systems, agriculture, and housing.

How to submit

Sarah Phair's official profile links to QueryTracker for submissions, but the linked QueryTracker form is currently closed and says she is not accepting queries at this time.

Last checked 9 Jul 2026Via Form
Represents

Upmarket fiction, commercial fiction, young adult, horror, speculative fiction, gothic fiction, mythology, folklore retellings, romance

Wants: Query letter, sample pages

Looking for

Elizabeth represents thought-provoking upmarket and commercial fiction for adult and YA audiences, especially lush prose, complex characters, creative genre blends, boundary-pushing horror and speculative fiction, psychological terror, gothic atmosphere, macabre humor, dark mythology and folklore retellings, and unexpected love stories.

How to submit

Elizabeth is open only to referral and submission invitations, such as conference invitations. Existing pending submissions via Copps Literary Services QueryTracker remain under consideration. Queries sent by email or contact form will not be considered.

Last checked 8 Jul 2026Via QueryTracker
Represents

Fiction, upmarket fiction, book club fiction, thriller, fantasy, nonfiction

Wants: Query letter, first several chapters, proposal

Looking for

Jennifer Herrera is currently open to fiction queries and closed to unsolicited nonfiction queries. In fiction, she loves character-driven thrillers, upmarket book club fiction, and imaginative fantasy. Her nonfiction interests include books about big ideas, especially smart, issue-driven work from journalists and writers with professional expertise in science, psychology, philosophy, economics, prescriptive, lifestyle, history, and the stories of underrepresented groups.

How to submit

Jennifer Herrera is currently closed through her official linked QueryManager or QueryTracker page because she is only open to queries from the 1st through the 14th of each month. When open, submit fiction through the official QueryManager or QueryTracker link. The David Black submissions page says to query only one agent at a time, include a concise query letter, and for fiction include the first several chapters. Nonfiction queries should include a proposal, but Jennifer is currently closed to unsolicited nonfiction.

Last checked 8 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

Adult nonfiction, memoir, journalism, reportage, hidden histories, prescriptive nonfiction, literary fiction, upmarket fiction, speculative fiction, historical fiction, graphic novels

Looking for

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.

How to submit

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.

Last checked 8 Jul 2026Via Form
Represents

Commercial fiction, upmarket fiction, literary fiction, new adult, adult fiction, romance, women's fiction, horror, dark comedy, satire, weird fiction, lgbtq and, black stories, paranormal romance

Wants: Query letter, sample pages

Looking for

Kaylyn is a junior literary agent interested in commercial, upmarket, and literary fiction for New Adult and adult audiences. She is seeking romance, women's fiction, horror, dark comedies and satires, weird fiction, Black stories and LGBTQ+ stories not centered around trauma, unique takes on classic stories, and paranormal romances.

How to submit

Kaylyn Aldridge's QueryManager route is currently closed and says to check back in December, June, or July.

Last checked 8 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

Serious nonfiction, journalism, history, business, upmarket fiction, children's books

Looking for

Laura Dail is focused on representing serious nonfiction by journalists, historians, and business leaders, upmarket fiction, and select children's books. She is always seeking fresh, diverse voices and innovative partners.

How to submit

Laura Dail is currently closed to submissions according to the official LDLA submissions page, so there is no open submission route for her at this time.

Represents

Upmarket fiction, commercial fiction, literary fiction

Wants: Query letter, sample pages

Looking for

Rose focuses on stylistically subversive and thematically layered fiction, upmarket and smart commercial fiction with inventive structures, emotional depth, distinctive voices, braided narratives, unexpected points of view, and prose that takes creative risks.

How to submit

Rose Conway is closed to queries and the Confluence submissions page says she will reopen via QueryTracker on 2026-05-01.

Last checked 8 Jul 2026Via QueryTracker
Represents

Adult fiction, upmarket fiction, literary fiction, commercial fiction, romance, psychological thriller, cozy mystery, memoir, young adult, middle grade, humor

Looking for

Saba Sulaiman is Senior Agent at Talcott Notch. She is currently closed, but when open she looks for adult upmarket literary and commercial fiction, romance except paranormal, character-driven psychological thrillers, cozy mysteries, and memoir; young adult in all subgenres except paranormal, fantasy, and science fiction, especially contemporary realistic YA with heart, humor, and personality; middle grade that is smart, accessible, funny, sweet, or written with flair; and humor nonfiction. She looks for strong voices, unconventional narratives, complex relationships, fresh perspectives, multicultural perspectives, and themes of immigration, displacement, and cultural adjustment.

How to submit

Saba Sulaiman is currently closed to queries according to her official Talcott Notch profile.

Represents

Nonfiction, health, wellness, spirituality, lifestyle, food writing, drink writing, sustainability, running, fitness, memoir, narrative nonfiction, women's fiction, literary fiction, upmarket fiction, romance, crime fiction, mystery, thriller

Looking for

Stephany Evans is an affiliate agent at Ayesha Pande Literary. Her official APL profile says she has represented nonfiction writers in health and wellness, spirituality, lifestyle, food and drink, sustainability, running and fitness, memoir, and narrative nonfiction for more than 25 years. She also represents women's fiction from literary to upmarket commercial, romance, crime fiction including mysteries and thrillers, and the occasional literary or commercial novel not aimed at a female market.

How to submit

Stephany Evans is permanently closed to unsolicited queries according to her official APL profile and is listed as closed on APL's official queries page. Queries submitted by any method while she is closed will not be considered.

Last checked 8 Jul 2026Via Form
Represents

Upmarket fiction, commercial fiction, young adult, literary fiction, suspense, supernatural horror, speculative romance, romantasy, fantasy, adventure, romance, science fiction, magical fabulism, romantic comedy, speculative thriller

Looking for

Victoria Marini is Agent and Founder at High Line Literary Collective. Her list spans upmarket and commercial adult and young adult work, from literary page-turners to commercial suspense, supernatural horror, whimsical speculative romantasy, big-world fantasy, adventure, romance, edgy science fiction, grounded magical fabulism, rom-coms, and speculative thrillers. She likes unforgettable authentic characters, hooky concepts with strong plotting and an emotional core, unique voices or visions, quirk, mystery, small-town hysteria, atmosphere, secrets, things that go bump in the night, charm, magic, and humor.

How to submit

Victoria Marini is currently closed to queries according to her official High Line profile. Requested Thrillerfest 2025 materials have a specific official QueryTracker link, but general unsolicited queries are closed.

Represents

Commercial fiction, women's fiction, crime fiction, mystery, suspense, book club fiction, upmarket fiction, literary fiction

Looking for

Rebecca Scherer is an agent at Jane Rotrosen Agency. She represents commercial fiction across genres, with particular interest in women's fiction, crime and mystery, suspense, book club fiction, and upmarket or literary-leaning fiction.

How to submit

Rebecca Scherer is presently closed to queries except by referral according to her official JRA contact page.

Represents

Film and tv scripts, young adult contemporary, young adult science fiction, young adult urban fantasy, adult fiction, women's fiction, upmarket fiction, romance, new adult, cookbooks, entertainment, food, health and fitness, lifestyle, pop culture, self-help, women's issues

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first ten pages, full nonfiction proposal, one sentence pitch, comparable books

Looking for

Micah Brocker is interested in fostering authors' and screenwriters' careers from the start. In film, she is interested in YA contemporary stories dealing with messy relationships and issues that help young adults put words to their experiences, and YA science fiction and urban fantasy that provide escape while connecting to everyday growing-up troubles. In adult fiction, she likes women's fiction and upmarket fiction about burdensome secrets, messy relationships, and characters with a deep desire to change their lives or the world, especially with psychological, science-fiction, or romantic twists. Her official linked QueryManager form says that when it is accepting, it is limited to romance.

How to submit

Micah Brocker is on leave and is presently not reviewing queries or taking additional clients for 2026 according to her official Corvisiero profile. The linked QueryManager form is visible and says it is only open to romance, but the profile-level leave notice is treated as controlling for this remediation. Do not query more than one Corvisiero agent at a time.

Last checked 7 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

Adult literary fiction, upmarket fiction, narrative nonfiction, essays, pop culture, arts, history, stem, linguistics, sports, philosophy, underrepresented voices

Looking for

Mariah Stovall represents adult literary and upmarket fiction, narrative nonfiction, and essay collections by writers with strong voices and interdisciplinary perspectives. Across genres she is drawn to outsiders and stylish, inventive storytelling, especially where subcultures, social movements, and complex individuals intersect with pop culture, the arts, history, STEM, linguistics, sports, and philosophy. She is especially passionate about advocating for authors from underrepresented, marginalized, and minoritized groups, including writers without MFAs.

How to submit

Trellis accepts unsolicited submissions only through QueryManager, but Mariah Stovall's official linked QueryManager page currently says she is not accepting queries. When she reopens, follow the instructions on her QueryManager page and do not submit to multiple Trellis agents during the 8-12 week review window.

Last checked 6 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

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

Looking for

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.

How to submit

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.

Last checked 6 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

Big idea nonfiction, narrative journalism, history, science, cultural criticism, upmarket fiction, literary fiction, poetry

Looking for

Mackenzie Brady Watson is actively looking for compellingly written, deeply researched books that help readers better understand the societal forces and systems shaping their realities and how they might think or behave differently, including big idea books, narrative journalism, history, science, and cultural criticism. On the fiction side, she is seeking emotionally evocative and voice-driven upmarket and literary fiction and poetry with a surprising hook.

How to submit

Mackenzie Brady Watson is currently closed to queries according to the official SKLA submissions page.

Represents

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

Looking for

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.

How to submit

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.

Last checked 6 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

Commercial fiction, upmarket women's fiction, romance, romantic comedy, paranormal romance, romantasy, young adult, middle grade, science fiction, fantasy, horror, thrillers, nonfiction, own voices, feminist literature

Looking for

Lauren Bieker is a literary agent and vice president at FinePrint. She is looking for commercial and upmarket women's fiction, romance including rom-coms, paranormal, and romantasy, YA and MG novels in most genres, and adult and YA science fiction, fantasy, horror, and thrillers. She primarily wants fiction but will consider nonfiction proposals, and she is looking for own voices stories, feminist and MeToo stories, and work by BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ authors.

How to submit

FinePrint directs authors to check Lauren Bieker's status and submit through her official QueryManager page. The linked QueryManager page currently says Lauren Bieker is not accepting queries, so there is no open submission route at this time.

Last checked 5 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

Commercial romantic comedy, speculative fiction, thriller, upmarket fiction, book club fiction

Wants: Query letter, sample pages

Looking for

Maria represents a broad range of fiction from commercial rom-coms to radical speculative fiction, subversive thrillers, and upmarket book club fiction. She is drawn to character-driven stories, unusual perspectives, genre-bending work, and pitchable high concepts.

How to submit

Maria Napolitano will reopen to queries in the first half of 2026 according to KT Literary's official agents page.

Last checked 4 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, narrative nonfiction, mystery, thriller, middle grade, young adult, history, biography, current events, long-form journalism, popular science, children's books

Wants: Closed to unsolicited queries

Looking for

Gina represents literary and upmarket fiction and narrative nonfiction for adults and children. In fiction she looks for upmarket novels, mysteries and thrillers, middle grade, and young adult. Nonfiction interests include history, biography, current events, long-form journalism, and popular science.

How to submit

Gina Maccoby is currently closed to submissions. When open, email a query with the word QUERY in the subject line to query@maccobylit.com with no attachments. Check the official agency site for reopening.

Last checked 1 Jul 2026Via Email
Represents

Upmarket fiction, literary fiction, speculative fiction, science fiction, fantasy, dystopian, middle grade, young adult, picture books, lgbtq and, marginalized voices

Wants: Closed to unsolicited queries

Looking for

Lisa likes upmarket and literary fiction with lyrical prose, memorable characters, and fast-moving plots, especially stories about friendships, parents and children, or people facing hardship due to gender. She is also interested in speculative fiction with literary/upmarket writing, cozy fantasy, sci-fi/fantasy partly set in our world, middle grade and young adult speculative work, and high-concept picture books.

How to submit

Lisa Gouldy is currently closed to queries, and email submissions will not be considered.

Last checked 1 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

Literary fiction, literary suspense, thriller, book club fiction, speculative fiction, experimental fiction, true crime, upmarket fiction, crime fiction, literary horror

Looking for

Danya Kukafka is interested in literary fiction with propulsive storylines, literary suspense, sophisticated thrillers, book club fiction, speculative fiction, experimental fiction, true crime attuned to cultural conversations, upmarket fiction, crime fiction with a literary bent, literary horror that plays with form and structure, lightly speculative fiction, expansive literary fiction, dark coming-of-age, and fun sophisticated upmarket fiction.

How to submit

Danya Kukafka is currently closed to queries. Her official Trellis profile links to QueryManager, and the linked QueryManager page states that she is not accepting queries at this time and will be closed through the summer.

Last checked 27 Jun 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

Adult fantasy, young adult fantasy, science fiction, horror, speculative fiction, upmarket fiction, literary fiction, mystery, thriller, crime fiction, young adult contemporary

Wants: Query letter, first twenty pages, synopsis, comparable books

Looking for

Ernie Chiara specializes in adult and young adult fantasy, science fiction, and horror, speculative upmarket and literary fiction, BIPOC mystery, thriller, and crime fiction, and young adult contemporary. He wants character-driven stories with layered worldbuilding, original settings, immersive plotting, propulsive pacing, genre blends, distinct voice, and complex characters.

How to submit

Ernie Chiara is currently closed to unsolicited queries and is considering queries by personal referral or event request only. When open, he accepts submissions exclusively through QueryManager, email and social-media queries are deleted unread.

Last checked 26 Jun 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

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

Looking for

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

How to submit

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.

Last checked 15 Jun 2026Via Email
Represents

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

Looking for

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.

How to submit

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.

Last checked 14 Jun 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, upmarket fiction, narrative nonfiction, graphic novels, ya, middle-grade, poetry, picture books

Looking for

Fiction that breaks her heart, non-fiction that blows her mind. Literary fiction, commercial or upmarket fiction, funny or whimsical middle-grade fiction, contemporary or speculative YA fiction, narrative-driven non-fiction

How to submit

Rachel is currently closed for submissions

Last checked 10 Jun 2026

215+ agents we've verified represent upmarket fiction specifically. Many others represent broader categories like commercial fiction or genre fiction — try Smart Search to find those too.

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