US Crime & Thriller Literary Agents Open to Submissions

Horror, mystery, thriller, romance, cultural criticism, true crime, pop culture, lifestyle, illustrated books, general nonfiction

Wants: Query letter

Claire represents a wide range of adult fiction and nonfiction, especially horror, standalone psychological thrillers, mysteries, romcoms, diverse characters and authors, friendship stories, revenge stories, sharp voices, cultural criticism, true crime, pop culture, lifestyle guides, and illustrated gift books for adults.

Follow the instructions on Helm Literary's submissions page.

General fiction, literary fiction, anthology, biography, business, cooking, health, history, politics, current affairs, humor, lifestyle, memoir, narrative nonfiction, parenting, pop culture, reference, sports, true crime, general nonfiction

Wants: Query letter

Bill focuses heavily on sports and nonfiction, with AALA-listed interests including biography, business, cooking, health, history/politics/current affairs, humor, lifestyle, memoir, narrative nonfiction, parenting, pop culture, reference, sports, true crime, general nonfiction, general fiction, and literary fiction.

Contact Bill Ames at bill@amesliterary.com for submission instructions, which vary based on genre, length, and topic.

Historical fiction, upmarket fiction, mystery, thriller, narrative nonfiction, science, creative nonfiction, psychological suspense

Wants: Query letter, book proposal

Gisa is open to historical fiction, upmarket fiction, and narrative nonfiction. Inspired Ink is especially drawn to compelling voices, emotionally resonant storytelling, immersive settings, psychological suspense, creative nonfiction, science-related nonfiction, and work that lingers beyond the final page.

Submit through Gisa Seeholzer's Inspired Ink Literary QueryTracker form.

Debut fiction, horror, new adult, paranormal fiction, science fiction, fantasy, thriller, romance, general fiction

Wants: Query letter, synopsis

Liz focuses on dark fiction at the intersection of fantasy, romance, thriller, and horror. AALA lists interests in debut fiction, horror, new adult, paranormal, science fiction/fantasy, thriller, romance, and general fiction.

Use the current Myth Literary submission route. AALA notes that nonfiction is closed, and asks for a complete query letter and full synopsis including spoilers.

Science fiction, fantasy, mystery, suspense, horror, speculative fiction

Wants: Query letter, first 5 pages, comparable books

Cameron is especially looking for projects that combine genre style plotting with literary quality writing. She is interested in anything speculative, including science fiction and fantasy, mystery and suspense, horror, and projects with multi-cultural, international, environmental, and LGBTQIA+ themes.

Fill out the online form at the QueryTracker link. Include query letter with genre and word count, first 5 pages pasted in the body, and comparable books. Do not query via email.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, mystery, crime, thriller, science fiction, horror, western, women's fiction, middle grade, young adult, narrative non-fiction, true crime, memoir

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, author bio, first five pages

She is a fan of magical realism, contemporary westerns, science fiction and all stories that quicken the pulse and imagination.

Make your submission letter to the point and as brief as possible. Include a short synopsis of your work, an author bio, and the first five pages of your manuscript pasted into the body of your email, no attachments please.

Commercial fiction, upmarket fiction, speculative fiction, romance, fantasy, horror, mystery, thriller, science fiction

Wants: Query letter, first twenty pages

She particularly loves speculative fiction, adventurous, character-driven stories with largely emotional stakes, stories featuring Caribbean characters/settings, and stories where queer characters find happy endings.

Use Trinica Sampson-Vera's QueryManager form. Include a query letter and the first twenty pages. Do not query more than one New Leaf agent at the same time.

Fiction, narrative non-fiction, idea books, entertainment, sports, cookbooks, design, satire, science fiction, thriller, spy stories, young adult, humor

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, sample pages

Luke seeks books that are prime examples of their type, successful at what they're trying to be with natural storytelling and strong voices. He particularly enjoys satire, high concept science fiction, big ambitious novels, humor, thrillers and spy stories.

Direct submission to Luke Janklow at submissions@janklow.com. For fiction: send informative description, brief synopsis and first ten pages in email body. For non-fiction: send informative description, full outline, and first ten pages in email body.

Thriller, horror, historical fiction, science fiction, fantasy, adult fiction, board books, picture books, early readers, chapter books, middle grade, young adult fiction, young adult non-fiction

Wants: Query letter, author bio, first 10 pages

Lara is currently open to adult fiction queries only. She seeks thrillers, horror with purpose, historical fiction that feels immediate and hooky, and grounded and unexpected science fiction and fantasy. She is always excited to see unreliable narrators, twisty mysteries, eerie settings, psychological horror, and character-driven stories with sparks of magic.

Submit through QueryManager with a short query letter, author bio, contact information, and first 10 pages of text for novels. Complete the required fields in the submission form.

Adult fiction, young adult fiction, book club fiction, romantic comedy, literary fiction, mystery, thriller, horror, narrative nonfiction, cultural criticism, essays, current affairs, pop culture, psychology, nature, science

Wants: Query letter, comparable books, first twenty pages or proposal

Dana Murphy represents a wide range of fiction and nonfiction for adults and select fiction for teen readers. She wants fiction with heart, humor, specificity, surprise, high-concept hooks, confident voice, rom-coms, book club fiction, literary fiction with form or genre elements, mysteries, thrillers, horror, found family stories, and narrative nonfiction or essay collections about culture, pop culture, criticism, power structures, object histories, big ideas, and deeply researched cultural history.

Submit through Dana Murphy's official QueryManager form linked from Trellis. The form asks writers to review her wishlist and provide author bio, title, word count, genre, query letter, comparable books, AI-use disclosure, and the first 20 pages or a full nonfiction proposal. Trellis asks writers not to submit to multiple Trellis agents during the 8-12 week review window.

Speculative fiction, horror, thriller, science fiction, fantasy, romance, upmarket fiction, young adult

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first five pages

Danai Christopoulou loves speculative fiction of all flavors, from horror and thriller to sci-fi, fantasy, and romance, especially from marginalized voices. They are mostly focused on adult fiction but are interested in YA with crossover appeal, and like upmarket fiction with nuanced plots from BIPOC, queer, neurodivergent, and other traditionally marginalized groups.

Submit through Danai Christopoulou's official QueryManager form. Tobias agents only accept submissions through QueryManager, do not query more than one Tobias agent at a time. Danai's form asks for author bio, pronouns, marginalized or BIPOC identification questions, title, word count, genre, query letter, synopsis, AI-use disclosure, publication history, and the first 5 pages or a full nonfiction proposal.

Commercial fiction, dark psychological fiction, romantic comedy, young adult, true crime, self-help, business, pop culture, lifestyle, reality television

Wants: Online submission form

Courtney Paganelli enjoys voice-driven commercial fiction, dark psychological fiction, heartwarming romantic comedies, relatable adult or YA novels with budding relationships, tough topics, complex family dynamics, paranormal activity or magical realism, atmospheric and creepy stories, whodunits, true crime, millennial-driven self-help, practical business, pop culture, lifestyle, and reality television.

Submit through Levine Greenberg Rostan's official online submission form. Courtney Paganelli's official profile lists her direct LGR email, and the official submissions page directs submissions through the agency form.

Commercial fiction, science fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, mystery, thriller, women's fiction, middle grade, young adult, romance, action adventure

Wants: Query letter

Caitlin Blasdell specializes in quality commercial fiction including science fiction and fantasy, historical fiction, mysteries, thrillers, and women's fiction. Liza Dawson's submissions page also lists commercial adult fiction, science fiction/fantasy, romance, mystery, and action/adventure for Caitlin, and her profile says she handles a few select middle grade and YA authors.

Send only a query letter in the body of the email to querycaitlin@lizadawson.com. Liza Dawson Associates asks writers to check each agent profile, use the agent's query email and guidelines, and query only one agent at a time, the agency does not represent screenplays.

Young adult fiction, middle grade fiction, graphic novels, women's fiction, romance, historical fiction, science fiction, fantasy, horror, psychological thriller, narrative nonfiction, biography, culture, social justice, history

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first five pages, comparable books, full nonfiction proposal, ai disclosure

Michelle Witte founded Mansion Street Literary Management and represents MG and YA fiction, graphic novels, adult fiction, and narrative nonfiction. In YA she is looking for rom-com, historical, science fiction and fantasy, horror, psychological thrillers, and mashups of those categories; in MG, fun voices in adventure, contemporary, mystery, humor, horror, speculative, science fiction and fantasy, plus select graphic novels. In adult fiction she seeks women's fiction, romance, and speculative work. For nonfiction she is interested in biographies, culture, social justice, and history with a fresh lens and a personal element.

Submit to Michelle Witte through the official QueryManager link on the Mansion Street submissions page. Her form asks for project details, query letter, synopsis, comparable books, AI disclosure, and the first 5 pages or a full proposal for nonfiction. Mansion Street says if you do not hear back within 8 weeks, consider it a pass.

Commercial fiction, nonfiction, education, self-help, business, technology, fantasy, science fiction, art, film, television, true crime, spirituality, religion

Wants: Query letter, sample chapter, author bio

Global Lion says it is accepting submissions for all genres, including commercial fiction and nonfiction, education, self-help, business, technology, fantasy, science fiction, interesting subjects, art, and making-of books on film and television.

Submit through the Global Lion site or query route with full name, preferred email, standard query letter including title, genre, word count and audience, a sample chapter of about 20 pages or chapter synopsis, a short author biography, and links to social media or website URLs if available. Global Lion accepts exclusive submissions only.

Commercial fiction, literary fiction, women's fiction, thriller, mystery, psychology, science, history, biography, diet, health, fitness, how-to, self-help, narrative non-fiction

Wants: Query letter, author bio, synopsis, first five pages

Harvey loves great adult commercial and literary fiction and nonfiction books with a strong narrative voice in all disciplines, written by authors who already have an established professional platform in their field of expertise.

Submit via email with a short synopsis of your work, an author bio, and the first five pages of your manuscript pasted into the body of your email. Do not send attachments.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, thriller, romance, fantasy, science fiction, horror, historical fiction, women's fiction, young adult

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, author bio, first 5 pages

She is interested in a wide range of fiction and always on the lookout for underrepresented authors. In general, she loves quirky-off beat storytelling that can deliver heartfelt and thoughtful messaging, characters with richly developed relationships, and stories that center around a fantastical or often-overlooked setting.

Make your submission letter to the point and as brief as possible. Include a short synopsis of your work, an author bio, and the first five pages of your manuscript pasted into the body of your email, no attachments please. Do not query more than one agent at Harvey Klinger, Inc. at a time.

Narrative non-fiction, horror, thriller, speculative fiction, historical fiction, graphic novels

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, sample pages

Chad is interested in narrative nonfiction with a strong emotional pull from journalists and writers who challenge the status quo. For fiction, he is particularly drawn to novels that are more character or plot-driven, horror and thrillers that are as inventive as they are suspenseful, speculative and historical fiction that offer a nuanced perspective on place, and graphic novels that push the boundaries of the genre.

For fiction submissions, send an informative description, a brief synopsis and the first ten pages. For non-fiction submissions, send an informative description, a full outline, and the first ten pages of the manuscript. For graphic novel submissions, send 10 illustrated pages with text (attached as a PDF) and a synopsis in the body of the email below your query. Please include the sample pages in the body of the email below your query and direct your submission to an individual agent.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, upmarket women's fiction, romance, thriller, mystery, fantasy, science fiction, historical fiction, young adult fiction, middle grade fiction, memoir, narrative non-fiction, popular science, parenting, pop culture, humor, how-to, self-help, lifestyle, travel, interior design, crafts, business

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, author bio, first five pages

Andrea represents a wide range of fiction and nonfiction, including projects for adult, young adult and middle grade audiences. She actively seeks literary and commercial fiction, upmarket women's fiction, romance, thrillers, mystery, fantasy, science fiction, and historical fiction. In nonfiction, she seeks memoir, narrative nonfiction, popular science, parenting, pop culture, humor, how-to, self-help, lifestyle, travel, interior design, crafts, and business.

Submit via email with a short synopsis of your work, author bio, and the first five pages of your manuscript pasted into the body of the email. No attachments.

Historical, women's fiction, romance, fantasy, mystery, psychological thriller, middle grade, young adult, narrative non-fiction, history, film, tv, theatre, pop culture, music, commercial fiction

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, author bio, first 5 pages

She specializes in Historical fiction, whether in Young Adult, Women's Fiction and Romance, or narrative nonfiction. She is particularly drawn to oft forgotten stories of the past and underrepresented voices, and especially personal to her is unexplored Southern history and culture. She also loves high-concept fantasy in Young Adult and Adult fiction.

Submit queries through QueryManager only. Include a short synopsis of your work, author bio, and the first five pages pasted into the submission form. No attachments. Do not query more than one agent at Harvey Klinger at a time.

Adult fantasy, speculative fiction, thriller, suspense, book club fiction

Wants: Query letter

James is currently looking for adult fantasy, speculative fiction, thrillers, suspense, and book club fiction. He seeks works from diverse, marginalized, and/or underrepresented voices and is eager to find plot-driven books with strong characters, commercial hooks, and memorable prose.

Submit through QueryManager form linked from agent profile. Include query letter and other requested information as specified in the form. Query only one BookEnds agent at a time.

Adult fiction, thriller, psychological thriller, historical fiction, literary fiction, upmarket fiction, book club fiction, young adult romance

Wants: Query form, first five pages unless form specifies otherwise

Jillian Schelzi is a junior agent at HG Literary. She is primarily looking for adult fiction, especially psychological thrillers, shocking twists, page-turning suspense, and rich historical fiction set against war. She also likes mental-health representation, darker and challenging themes, literary and upmarket fiction, book club fiction, and YA romance. She is not looking for middle grade, picture books, religious books, fantasy, romantasy, or horror.

Submit through Jillian Schelzi's official QueryTracker form. HG Literary accepts electronic submissions only and asks writers to query one agent at a time. Unless the agent-specific form says otherwise, HG requests a query letter and the first five pages. HG does not represent screenplays or religious fiction.

Fiction, middle grade, young adult, science fiction, fantasy, african-american fiction, literary fiction, mystery, thriller

Wants: Query form, first five pages unless form specifies otherwise

Jon Cobb is a literary agent at HG Literary. He reads all genres of fiction and has particular interest in contemporary middle grade and YA, science fiction and fantasy, African-American fiction, literary fiction, mysteries, and thrillers. He also has a soft spot for track and field, geek culture, weird science, and cutting-edge technology.

Submit through Jon Cobb's official QueryMe.Online form. HG Literary accepts electronic submissions only and asks writers to query one agent at a time. Unless the agent-specific form says otherwise, HG requests a query letter and the first five pages. HG does not represent screenplays or religious fiction.

Picture books, author-illustrators, nonfiction picture books, middle grade, young adult, contemporary fiction, light fantasy, near-future dystopian, speculative fiction, psychological thriller, mystery, literary ghost stories, women's fiction, memoir, bipoc voices, diverse voices

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first ten pages, picture book manuscript, portfolio

Allison is looking for author-illustrator picture books, nonfiction picture books, middle grade with voice and a strong main character, YA contemporary coming-of-age, fantasy grounded in reality, near-future dystopian and high-concept speculative work, psychological thrillers, twisty mysteries, literary ghost stories, women's fiction, and memoir. She is interested in diverse and BIPOC voices.

Email Allison Remcheck at the spelled-out SLS submissions address listed on the Stimola submissions page. Picture book manuscripts should be attached as Word documents, dummies or portfolios as PDFs, first ten pages of middle-grade, YA, and adult fiction should be pasted in the email, a synopsis attachment is welcome.

Picture books, middle grade, young adult, new adult, fantasy, thriller, mystery, adventure, contemporary romance, horror, paranormal romance

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages, author bio, comparable books

Lindsey is building a list in picture books, middle grade, young adult and new adult. She is open to fantasy, thriller, mystery, adventure, contemporary romance, horror and paranormal romance, with fresh concepts, strong voice, high stakes and emotional drive.

Submit through Lindsey Aduskevich's QueryTracker form. Query only one Martin-Newens representative at a time.

Fiction, nonfiction, mystery, thriller, science fiction, fantasy, young adult, middle grade, biography, history, pop culture, sports, business, wellness, narrative nonfiction

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, author bio

Jonathan represents a select fiction and nonfiction list including mysteries, thrillers, science fiction, fantasy, young adult, middle grade, biographies, history, pop culture, sports, business, wellness, and general narrative nonfiction.

Email a query through the protected email listed on the Lyons and Salky literary representation page with a synopsis and short author biography in the body of the email. Do not include attachments or sample chapters.

Speculative fiction, literary science fiction, upmarket book club fiction, thrillers, fairy tale retellings, magical realism, horror, suspense

Dorian is actively building her list in YA and adult fiction, especially speculative fiction, literary science fiction, upmarket book club fiction, thrillers, reimagined fairy tales, magical realism, unique voices, contemporary novels with mystery, horror, suspense, and innovative storytelling.

QueryManager submissions

Crime fiction, science fiction, military action, adventure, thriller, romance, romantasy, nonfiction

Wants: Query letter

Diego is looking for well-written, engaging stories with a unique voice. His listed categories include crime fiction, sci-fi, military action, adventure, thrillers, romance, romantasy, and nonfiction.

Submit through SBR Media's submissions page and choose Diego Harrison. Query only one SBR Media agent at a time.

Romance, contemporary romance, sports romance, new adult romance, paranormal romance, suspense, romantic thriller, cozy mysteries, young adult

Wants: Query letter

Roxanne, listed as Roxie on the submissions page, is open to romance subgenres including contemporary, sports, new adult and paranormal, as well as suspense, romantic thrillers, cozy mysteries, young adult, and more.

Submit through SBR Media's submissions page and choose Roxie or Roxanne Madar. Query only one SBR Media agent at a time.

Contemporary romance, paranormal romance, dark romance, erotic romance, science fiction romance, romantic thriller, bdsm, erotica, women's fiction, thriller, suspense

Wants: Query letter

Nikki is particularly looking for heart-stopping epic romances, gritty nail-biting thrillers with clever twists, and captivating, unique writing styles. Her listed categories include contemporary romance, paranormal romance, dark romance, erotic romance, sci-fi romance, romantic thriller, BDSM, erotica, women's fiction, thriller, and suspense.

Submit through SBR Media's submissions page and choose Nikki Groom. Query only one SBR Media agent at a time.

Dark romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, romantic comedy, erotica, bdsm, lgbtq and romance, suspense, christian fiction

Wants: Query letter

Kim is open to dark romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, romantic comedy, erotica, BDSM, LGBTQ+ romance, suspense, Christian fiction, and may consider other genres outside the listed categories.

Submit through SBR Media's submissions page and choose Kim Tatum. Query only one SBR Media agent at a time.

Dark romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, romantic comedy, erotica, bdsm, lgbtq and romance, suspense, christian fiction

Wants: Query letter

Laura is open to dark romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, romantic comedy, erotica, BDSM, LGBTQ+ romance, suspense, Christian fiction, and may consider other genres outside the listed categories.

Submit through SBR Media's submissions page and choose Laura Pink. Query only one SBR Media agent at a time.

Contemporary romance, romantasy, new adult romance, sports romance, paranormal romance, romantic suspense, romantic comedy, young adult romance, women's fiction, cozy mysteries, nonfiction

Wants: Query letter

Amanda is open to contemporary romance, romantasy, new adult romance, sports romance, paranormal romance, romantic suspense, romcom, young adult romance, women's fiction, cozy mysteries, and may consider nonfiction.

Submit through SBR Media's submissions page and choose Amanda Wooden. Query only one SBR Media agent at a time.

Contemporary romance, romantic comedy, dark romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, thriller, erotica, nonfiction

Wants: Query letter

Dani is open to contemporary romance, romantic comedy, dark romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, thriller, erotica, and may consider nonfiction depending on topic. SBR notes she is looking for authors with a strong social media following and presence.

Submit through SBR Media's submissions page and choose Dani Sanchez. Query only one SBR Media agent at a time.

Suspense, literary fiction, commercial fiction, current affairs, politics, history

Wants: Query letter, sample chapter

Will is looking for original and unpredictable suspense novels, both literary and commercial, plus nonfiction focused on current affairs, politics, and history.

Email info@thegernertco.com with a query letter describing the work, author information, and a sample chapter if appropriate. Indicate which agent you are querying, do not email agents directly.

Thriller, mystery, historical fiction, contemporary fiction, romance, science fiction, narrative nonfiction, memoir, biography, middle grade

Wants: Query letter, first chapter

Ronald is focused on cinematic stories with strong hooks and relatable characters, and is actively looking for thriller and mystery, historical and contemporary fiction, romance, grounded science fiction, narrative nonfiction, memoir and biography, and middle grade.

Email a query letter to assistant@bookhaven.com with the word "Query" in the subject line and the first chapter attached as a Word document.