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Caroline Hardman

Open
Hardman & Swainson·UK

Agent profile summary

Represents
fiction and non-fiction
Looking for
Fiction: literary; upmarket commercial; book club; historical; crime; thrillers (no SF/fantasy/children's). Non-fiction: serious/pop science (biology/medicine), psychology, feminism, big ideas/current affairs, health/body/mind, personal development; selective lifestyle; narrative/memoir.
How to submit
Email
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Recently verified·Last verified: 29 May 2026
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Caroline Hardman is a literary agent at Hardman & Swainson based in UK. Their list focuses on fiction and non-fiction. Currently open to submissions, with responses usually within If no response within 8 weeks treat as pass. Submissions via Email. For current guidelines, check the agent's own submission page linked below.

Age Categories

Adult

Response Time

Usually responds within If no response within 8 weeks treat as pass

Notes

Submissions: choose one agent name in cover email and send to central submissions address. Fiction requires cover email and 1-page synopsis and full manuscript (attachment). Non-fiction requires cover email and proposal and sample chapter (or whole work if complete). No TV/film scripts or poetry. Caroline co-founded Hardman & Swainson and previously worked at the Christopher Little Literary Agency and The Marsh Agency, where she specialised in translation rights. She holds a first-class BA and an MA with distinction in English Literature from the University of Leeds. Her client list includes authors such as Helen Fields, Dinah Jefferies, Liz Trenow, and Rebecca Wait, among many others across literary fiction and serious non-fiction.

Other agents at Hardman & Swainson

Joanna Swainson

Hardman & Swainson

Open
RepresentsFiction, non-fiction
Looking forFiction: crime/thrillers across commercial-literary, atmospheric/setting-as-character, accessible speculative, ghost stories, folk horror, originality and distinctive voice, humour threaded. Non-fiction: narrative history/prehistory, memoir, nature/landscape, folklore
How to submitEmail submissions@hardmanswainson.com. For fiction, attach a one-page synopsis and the full manuscript. For non-fiction, attach a proposal and a sample chapter (or the full work if completed). Name your chosen agent in the cover email. Submit to one agent only, do not email individual agent addresses.
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Lucy Malone

Hardman & Swainson

Open
RepresentsLiterary fiction, historical fiction, psychological suspense, crime, thrillers, non-fiction
Looking forMulti-generational domestic novels that follow characters over a significant time frame, particularly those exploring the intricacies of female familial relationships. Pre-twentieth century historical fiction. Big, pacy standalone crime and thriller novels, preferably with surprising twists. Non-fiction with an element of mystery and discovery, especially books that challenge readers to re-examine previously held conceptions of history.
How to submitEmail submissions@hardmanswainson.com naming Lucy Malone in your cover email. For fiction, attach a one-page synopsis and the full manuscript. For non-fiction, include a covering email outlining the book, why it has a place on the bookshelf, and why you are qualified to write it, along with a proposal and a sample chapter or the whole work if completed. Submit to one agent only, do not email individual agent addresses.
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Hannah Ferguson

Hardman & Swainson

Check availability
RepresentsFiction and non-fiction
Looking forWomen's fiction (commercial to literary), book club reads, crime and thrillers, interesting narrative non-fiction
How to submitEmail submissions@hardmanswainson.com and specify Hannah Ferguson's name in the cover email.
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Agents with overlapping taste

Ian Drury

Sheil Land Associates

Open
RepresentsLiterary 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
Looking forSF/fantasy, sweeping historical fiction, character-driven sci-fi, action/adventure, crime. Non-fiction: history, biography, music
How to submitEmail 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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Antony Topping

Greene & Heaton

Open
RepresentsHistorical thrillers, literary fiction, upmarket genre fiction, book club fiction, science writing, food writing, history, nature writing, music journalism, memoir, cultural criticism
Looking forContemporary crime and thrillers, historical fiction and historical crime, upmarket and literary fiction with a fresh or distinctive angle, voices from marginalised or underrepresented communities, and non-fiction on any subject where the author has found the right angle and can make the material a page-turning story
How to submitEmail submissions@greeneheaton.co.uk with covering letter in the body of the email. Fiction: attach first three chapters or around fifty pages plus a one-to-two page synopsis that reveals the ending. Non-fiction: attach three sample chapters or around fifty pages plus a chapter breakdown or synopsis. Attach files as Word documents, not PDFs. Include preferred agent name in the subject line.
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Donald Winchester

Watson, Little Ltd

Open
RepresentsFiction and non-fiction
Looking forNon-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
How to submitEmail 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.
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Jon Wood

RCW Literary Agency

Open
RepresentsLiterary fiction, crime fiction, thriller, historical fiction, science fiction, fantasy, commercial fiction, book club fiction, upmarket fiction, history, sport, popular science
Looking forEntertaining and diverse fiction with well-told stories, big ideas, emotional hooks and gripping plots. In commercial fiction, particularly interested in crime, thriller, book group and upmarket titles, as well as historical fiction, science fiction and fantasy. In non-fiction, looks for expertise, fresh ideas and genuine passion for the subject, working across history, sport and popular science.
How to submitDirect queries about submissions to Isobel@rcwlitagency.com.
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Lisa Moylett

Coombs Moylett Maclean (CMM Literary Agency)

Open
RepresentsFiction and non-fiction
Looking forCommercial women's fiction with strong hook/twisty plots/emotion/drama, eclectic list. Agency also considers crime/mystery/suspense/thrillers, horror, historical, commercial and literary, non-fiction including politics/current affairs, environment, lifestyle, popular science, self-help/how-to, true crime
How to submitEmail submissions@cmm.agency with a one-paragraph author biography, a one-paragraph blurb or hook including genre and audience, a short synopsis covering plot, setting, theme and characters, and the first three chapters as an attachment. Manuscript must be double or 1.5 line-spaced, with wide margins, in a font no smaller than 12-point (preferably Times New Roman), fully page-numbered, with your name, address, contact number and email on the first page.
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Ariella Feiner

United Agents

Closed
RepresentsCrime, thrillers, reading group fiction, upmarket commercial fiction, historical fiction, literary fiction, narrative memoir, nature writing, cookery, voice-led non-fiction
Looking forCrime and thrillers, reading group fiction, high-concept hooks, upmarket commercial fiction, narrative memoir, nature writing, cookery and other voice-led non-fiction
How to submitEmail 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.
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This profile was last verified on 29 May 2026. PairPi tracks UK literary agents' submission guidelines against their own websites. If you spot something wrong, please email hello@pairpi.com.