96+ United Kingdom crime & thriller literary agents whose current PairPi record says they are open to submissions. Each listing includes a source link and last-checked date.
96+ verified agents · 96 currently open
Fiction and non-fiction
Book club/crossover fiction, crime and thrillers (incl unusual hooks), historical fiction (incl historical crime). Non-fiction: memoir, narrative-led books from experts (history/science/tech/politics/nature)
Submit via the agency online form at https://amheath.com or submissions
Drama, comedy-drama, thriller, science fiction, horror, genre mashups
Drama and comedy-drama with elevated storytelling, including thrillers, grounded science fiction, horror, and genre mashups. Series that explore social politics and human psychology while remaining highly entertaining with complex, well-rounded characters. A unique perspective and original voice are particularly valued.
Read the submissions guidelines first. Send your submission to cisubmissions@davidhigham.co.uk if you believe you are a good match. Allow up to six weeks for a response, if you do not hear back within that timeframe, assume your submission has been unsuccessful.
General fiction, thrillers, crime, historical fiction, suspense, mystery, women's commercial fiction, non-fiction, arts and crafts, cookery, biography and autobiography, popular science, business, natural history, sport, travel, health
Wants: See submissions page; requires synopsis and first 3 chapters.
General fiction including thrillers, crime, historical fiction, suspense, mystery, and women's commercial fiction. On the nonfiction side, illustrated books covering arts and crafts, cookery, biography and autobiography, popular science, business, natural history, sport, travel, and health. Open to submissions from new authors.
Email a brief synopsis and the first three chapters as Word or Open Document attachments to mail@limelightmanagement.com. Include 'Submission' in the subject line and the title of your work in the attachment filename. Also include a note about your professional life and writing ambitions.
Fiction, non-fiction, crime, historical fiction, thriller
A good story, whether fiction or non-fiction, peopled by credible characters and told in a distinctive voice. Represents crime writers, historical novelists, thriller writers and non-fiction. Also looks after several major literary estates including Georgette Heyer.
Email - peter@theampersandagency.co.uk
Science fiction, fantasy, horror, crime, thriller, sport non-fiction
Commercial fiction, especially science fiction, fantasy, horror, crime and thrillers. Also looking for sport-related non-fiction and keen to see submissions from under-represented voices and LGBTQ writers.
Email jamie@theampersandagency.co.uk
Crime fiction, thriller fiction, contemporary fiction, historical fiction, women's fiction
Kate Burke seeks dark thrillers with surprising plot twists and interesting narrative structures, crime series featuring fresh lead investigators, and high-concept thrillers with 'what if?' premises that comment on society. She represents historical fiction combining strong sense of place and time with mystery elements, particularly post-1800 settings, and has special interest in Gothic, atmospheric historical thrillers set in spooky old houses. Burke also looks for contemporary novels with discussable issues suitable for book club debates and sweeping family stories about mothers, sisters and daughters set anywhere in the world.
Email kate@blakefriedmann.co.uk with your cover letter as the body of the email and the book title and your name in the subject line. Attach a synopsis (250–300 words for fiction, up to 500 words for non-fiction) and the first three chapters or first 10,000 words as Word documents (.doc or .docx) with 1.5 line spacing and numbered pages. Name each attachment with the book title and your name. Do not send PDFs, Pages files, or external links such as Google Docs. Submit to one agent only.
Fiction, non-fiction, literary fiction, commercial fiction
Wants: Strong commercial genre fiction (noir-ish thrillers/spy/gritty crime; also saga/romance/romcom) and surprising reading-group fiction; non-fiction with strong narrative voice in memoir/history and big ideas/smart thinking
Wide range of fiction and non-fiction, literary and commercial. Has a taste for the unlikely, likes to be surprised and transported. In fiction, loves stories that take him somewhere strange and wonderful. For non-fiction, loves books that reveal something new or inspire readers to imagine the world differently.
Email - submissions@sheilland.co.uk
Fiction, non-fiction, memoir, popular science, historical fiction, crime, thrillers
See source page for more info
Send a submission package to london@susannalea.com. See the submissions page for more details on how to submit to the London office.
Literary fiction and narrative non-fiction
Literary fiction with distinctive/off-kilter voice, high-concept literary, realist novels exploring moral/philosophical/political questions, non-fiction bold voices, investigative/essayistic work, cultural histories, literary true crime
Email - seren@lexingtonliterary.co.uk
Fiction
Crime and thriller, dark commercial/book-club-leaning fiction, high-concept psychological suspense, clever mysteries, propulsive thrillers, smart genre blends
Email - stephanieglencross@davidhigham.co.uk
Fiction and non-fiction
Fiction: high-concept crime/thrillers, female-led commercial, upmarket commercial, book club, contemporary women's stories, romance, underrepresented voices, fresh-take historical, funny smart romcoms, sagas, gothic, sweeping love stories. Non-fiction: humour, memoir, lifestyle, social justice/polemic, cookery. Not horror/ghosts, not SFF, not YA/children, not sport/true crime, no short stories/novellas, no poetry/screenplay
Email db.submission@dhhliteraryagency.com with a cover letter, first 3 chapters, and a 1-page synopsis as Word attachments.
Fiction and non-fiction
Non-fiction: history, popular science, social issues, nature, money/life management, music, sport, film, technology, memoir, true crime, experts with wide appeal. Fiction: literary and well-written commercial, boundary-pushing style with emotional heart and plot, upmarket with satisfying arc, historical or contemporary, genre-mixing
Email submissions@watsonlittle.com with a cover letter in the body of the email, a synopsis, and approximately 10,000 words from the beginning of the manuscript for fiction, or a proposal including a sample chapter and chapter summaries for non-fiction. Address one agent only. No AI-originated or AI-edited material.
Fiction, literary memoir, narrative nonfiction
Actively seeking wide-ranging fiction: excellent writing, compelling plots, diverse/unexpected voices, engrossing reads, especially literary/commercial crossover, romantasy, psychological thrillers/suspense, family dramas, savvy love stories, ambitious crime/thriller, smart historical/speculative/magical realism. Not looking for children's/YA/MG, short story collections, poetry or drama, no straight sci-fi or high fantasy that is not romantasy
Email nelle@rmliterary.co.uk with a one-page outline, the first 3 chapters or 50 pages, and a covering letter.
Non-fiction and select fiction
Non-fiction: compelling narrative history, ideas books on urgent questions, absorbing biography and memoir, pop culture, humour, and entertainment. Fiction: memorable characters on gripping journeys, principally crime or literary-commercial crossover. Not considering children's, YA, sci-fi/fantasy, or screenplays
Send your work and a covering letter to wiseofficesubmissions@curtisbrown.co.uk. Gordon Wise and his team are taking on only a couple of fiction writers a year. They are not considering submissions for Children's, Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy, or screenplays. If you have not heard back within four to six weeks, this means they are unable to offer representation.
Literary fiction, commercial fiction, women's fiction, crime fiction, non-fiction
Well-written commercial and literary fiction (incl women's fiction, award-winning crime, upmarket), interested in dysfunctional families, outsiders, messiness, working-class/regional voices (Irish/Scottish), diverse perspectives. Non-fiction: housing, class, feminism, social change, globalisation, sexuality and similar areas
Email - submissions@ryeliterary.com
Fiction, narrative non-fiction
Thrillers, mystery, suspense, knotty relationship and family novels, big-ideas non-fiction, memoir, pop science, food writing. Not children's or YA.
Email emma.submissions@cwagency.co.uk with the first three chapters (or approximately 50 pages) and a synopsis for fiction, or a 30-page proposal for non-fiction, plus a covering letter. Attach files in .doc or .docx format. Do not submit to more than one agent.
Fiction and non-fiction
Adult crime, thrillers and suspense, contemporary romance, women's fiction (commercial/literary/historical/humour). Adult non-fiction: mental health advocates, adventurers, entertainers
Email - submission@bell-lomax.co.uk
Fiction and non-fiction
Fiction: book club, psychological suspense, crime, speculative, historical, commercial and upmarket women's with unique hook/voice/characters. Non-fiction: history (with platform) and memoir
Email - kate@khla.co.uk
Women's fiction, crime, thrillers, new nature writing
Well-written, engrossing fiction with a compelling plot, characters worth caring about, and an intriguing or attractive world. Particularly interested in women's fiction, contemporary or historical, as well as crime and thrillers. Also actively seeking new nature writing as a personal enthusiasm.
Email anne@khla.co.uk. The agency accepts submissions by email only.
Non-fiction, book club fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, speculative fiction, crime fiction
Non-fiction across a broad range of subjects, particularly from authors who are authoritative and accessible, including activists, psychologists, creatives and thought leaders. Also growing a fiction list focused on book club, fantasy, historical, speculative and crime fiction. Actively champions marginalised and underrepresented voices.
For non-fiction, email nonfiction@grahammawchristie.com with a one-page topic summary, detailed chapter-by-chapter outline, author credentials, online profiles, market overview, promotional plan, and 1-2 sample chapters. For fiction, email fiction@grahammawchristie.com with a completed manuscript, including genre in the subject line, a one-to-two line elevator pitch, a 500-800 word synopsis (including spoilers), up to five comparative titles, author bio, promotional notes, and the first three chapters or approximately 10,000 words. Attach documents in Word, Pages or PDF format. Do not submit directly to individual agents. No postal submissions accepted.
Commercial fiction, women's fiction, intelligent crime, thrillers, historical fiction, history, nature, science, self-development, biography, memoir, lifestyle, food
Quality commercial and popular literary fiction with emotional heft, original voices and broad appeal, including twisty thrillers, ghost stories, and epic romantic stories. For non-fiction, experts in their fields writing about history, nature, science, self-development, biography, memoir, original thinking, lifestyle and food — particularly books that educate and illuminate worlds readers don't know, strong women's voices, and food writers with fresh perspectives or a built community.
Email submissions@hhbagency.com with the genre in the subject line. Put your covering letter in the body of the email including a brief pitch, relevant background, and comparison titles. Attach the first three chapters or around 50 pages as a Word document, plus a synopsis. Fiction writers must have completed the manuscript before submitting. Non-fiction writers may submit before completion.
Nonfiction, lifestyle, current affairs, health, sport, true crime, family issues, crime, thriller, book club fiction, historical fiction, romance
Wants: Synopsis, first three chapters, covering letter, detailed outline, sample material
Katie Fulford is looking for authors in both nonfiction and fiction. In nonfiction she wants experts and journalists with something new to say, especially in lifestyle, current affairs, health, sport, smart true crime, and books about female and family issues that put women at the heart of things. In fiction she wants high-concept and hooky crime and thriller, commercial locked-room thrillers, emotional uplit, book club books with big issues, memorable characters and immersive settings, historical fiction about forgotten real people or people connected to more famous figures, and romance. She does not want fantasy, science fiction, children's fiction, or picture books.
Email submissions@belllomaxmoreton.co.uk. For fiction, children's and young adult fiction, or narrative nonfiction, send a short synopsis including the full plot for fiction, the first three chapters or no more than 50 pages double spaced, and a covering letter with any previous publications. For illustrated nonfiction send a detailed outline, sample material if available, and previous publication information. Query one Bell Lomax Moreton agent at a time.
Fiction and non-fiction
Fiction: book club/literary, character- and voice-driven crime/thriller/suspense, dark/gothic/uncanny, love stories, family sagas, historical from a slant, Highsmithian thrillers. Non-fiction: accessible social/cultural history, biography/memoir, reportage, popular science, nature, arts, food/cookery, experts, journalists, lived experience
Email charlotte@johnsonandalcock.co.uk with a short covering letter (including a book blurb and brief author bio), a synopsis of no more than two pages, and the opening 50 pages of the manuscript (fiction), or a book proposal of approximately 50 pages (non-fiction). Submissions must be in Word Doc format, at least 1.5 line spaced, page-numbered, on A4. Submit to one agent only, do not blind-copy. Attachments must be under 5MB.
Literary fiction, commercial fiction, book club fiction, contemporary fiction, commercial women's fiction, crime, mystery, thrillers, fantasy, genre romance, historical fiction, horror, ghost stories, sagas, science fiction, biography, memoir, cookery, gardening, gift books, humour, history, military history, lifestyle, mind-body-spirit, self-improvement, politics, popular science, psychology, travel, children's, ya
SF/fantasy, sweeping historical fiction, character-driven sci-fi, action/adventure, crime. Non-fiction: history, biography, music
Email submissions@sheilland.co.uk with a cover letter, a one-page synopsis (fiction) or brief outline (non-fiction), a short CV, and the first three chapters or around fifty pages. Submissions should be 1.5 line spaced with margins and page numbers, and must include a word count. Only one work at a time. No AI-generated content accepted.
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