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Elly James

Open
HHB Agency·UK

Agent profile summary

Represents
commercial fictionwomen's fictionintelligent crimethrillershistorical fictionhistory
+7 morenaturescienceself-developmentbiographymemoirlifestylefood
Looking for
Commercial fiction; quality non-fiction (illustrated and non-illustrated)
How to submit
Email
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Recently verified·Last verified: 29 May 2026
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Elly James is a literary agent at HHB Agency based in UK. Their list focuses on genres including commercial fiction, women's fiction, and intelligent crime. Currently open to submissions, with responses usually within Up to 8 weeks (no reply = pass). Submissions via Email. For current guidelines, check the agent's own submission page linked below.

Age Categories

Adult

Response Time

Usually responds within Up to 8 weeks (no reply = pass)

Notes

HHB Agency was founded in 2005 by Heather Holden-Brown, who retired in January 2024. Elly James, who joined in 2007 and previously worked in television and film development, is now sole director and agent. The agency does not handle scripts, screenplays, poetry, science fiction, fantasy, police procedurals, or YA and children's books, and only represents authors based in Europe. Notable clients include The Secret Barrister, Adam Kay, Laura Cummings, Hannah Barnes, Katy Hessel, and Sophie Elmhirst.

Agents with overlapping taste

Fiona Lindsay

Limelight Management

Open
RepresentsGeneral 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
Looking forGeneral 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.
How to submitEmail 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.
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Ian Drury

Sheil Land Associates

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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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Jack Fogg

DunnFogg

Open
RepresentsSpeculative fiction, historical fiction, upmarket crime and thriller, memoir, narrative-led non-fiction, nature, food, sport, psychology, business, craft and design, social sciences, investigative journalism
Looking forIn fiction, books combining compelling storytelling, engaging characters and strong plotting, especially novels of ambition and scope with big-hearted characters. Particularly interested in speculative fiction with a real-world edge or near-future settings. In non-fiction, broad tastes including memoir, narrative non-fiction with deep focus that expands outward to explain a culture or subculture, immersive journalism, and books where subject-matter expertise meets great writing. Does not represent children's books.
How to submitFiction: first 3 chapters or 50 pages and synopsis. Non-fiction: pitch and sample chapter
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Isabel Atherton

Creative Authors

Open
RepresentsNonfiction, illustrated books, fashion, biography, autobiography, crafts, health, cookery, children's picture books, history, natural history, popular culture, true crime, select fiction, illustrators
Looking forIsabel Atherton is an experienced literary agent and founder of Creative Authors. The agency represents commercially strong titles in fashion, biography especially music, autobiography, crafts, health, cookery, children's picture books, history, natural history, popular culture, true crime, select fiction, and illustrators. Creative Authors is not currently looking for new fiction clients but is considering well-crafted nonfiction and illustrated books. It is not looking for fantasy, science fiction, poetry, short stories, plays, scripts, or fiction at present.
How to submitSubmit through the Creative Authors Join Us form with publishing history and CV, synopsis, and three sample chapters. Creative Authors does not accept paper submissions, does not charge a reading fee, and asks writers not to telephone about unsolicited submissions.
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Charlotte Seymour

Johnson & Alcock

Open
RepresentsFiction and non-fiction
Looking forFiction: 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
How to submitEmail 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.
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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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commercial fictioncrime & thrillerhistorical fictionwomen's fictionmemoirbiographyhistorynature & environmentfood & cookeryillustrated / picture books

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.