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US Crime & thriller Literary Agents

311 agents · 201 currently open to submissions

Crime and thriller fiction in the United States spans everything from cozy mysteries set in small towns to psychological thrillers exploring unreliable narrators, with 100+ agents representing various approaches to the category. Some focus on police procedurals and detective series, while others seek domestic suspense, Nordic noir influences, or literary crime fiction that blends genre elements with character-driven narratives. The category includes agents who represent traditional mystery series reminiscent of Agatha Christie's work alongside those seeking contemporary psychological suspense in the vein of Gillian Flynn or Tana French. Many agents cross over into adjacent areas such as romantic suspense, historical mysteries, or speculative crime fiction. Before submitting, writers should research whether agents prefer standalone novels or series, their tolerance for graphic content, and their interest in specific subgenres like legal thrillers, espionage fiction, or amateur sleuth mysteries. Understanding each agent's recent deals helps determine whether they lean toward commercial page-turners, literary crime fiction, or niche subgenres within the broader category.

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Represents

Adult fiction, upmarket fiction, commercial fiction, literary fiction, crime fiction, mystery, cozy mystery, historical mystery, suspense, thriller, historical fiction, contemporary fiction, book club fiction, romantic comedy, contemporary romance, women's fiction

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first three chapters, proposal, author bio, pitch

Looking for

Sandy Harding is Senior Literary Agent at Spencerhill Associates. She is seeking mainly upmarket commercial and literary fiction for the adult market, including women's fiction for book clubs, smart page-turning thrillers, suspense with complex protagonists, mysteries of all sorts including cozies, historical, and traditional mysteries, and romance. Her official submissions page adds engaging adult upmarket and commercial fiction, crime fiction of all sorts, historical and contemporary upmarket fiction, book club reads, romantic comedies, and contemporary romance. She is drawn to complicated protagonists, multiple points of view, diverse voices, and writing with a captivating voice and story.

How to submit

Submit through Sandy Harding's official Spencerhill linked QueryManager form. Spencerhill accepts submissions only through Query Manager, asks writers to query one agent, and says a response from one agent should be considered a response from all. Sandy's form requests a query letter, author biography, book details, synopsis, first 3 chapters or full nonfiction proposal, pitch, target audience, and similar books.

Last checked 8 Jul 2026Via Online Form
Represents

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, commercial fiction, speculative fiction, psychological suspense, environmental fiction, feminist fiction

Wants: Online form submission

Looking for

Sarah Bedingfield is Senior Agent at Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency. She reads most types of literary and upmarket commercial fiction, especially works with powerful imagination, revelatory character arcs, compulsive plotting, unpredictable points of view, timeless themes, motherhood, human connection, feminist issues, light speculative elements, darker can't-look-away tension, wild and unexpected settings, nature or environment, and voices that need to be heard. She does not typically represent fantasy or science fiction but is interested in grounded approaches to what might be off about our world.

How to submit

Submit through Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency's official online submission form linked from the official submissions page.

Last checked 8 Jul 2026Via Online Form
Represents

Middle grade, young adult, adult fiction, speculative fiction, thriller, fantasy, commercial fiction, upmarket fiction

Wants: Query letter, author bio, synopsis, brief proposal, first three chapters

Looking for

Sarah Landis is Senior Agent at Sterling Lord Literistic. She represents a wide range of fiction from middle grade to adult and is particularly drawn to high-concept plots, big hooks, speculative fiction, twisty thrillers, novels with a strong emotional core, and sweeping fantasy. She is always on the lookout for new talent and narrative risk-takers.

How to submit

Submit through Sterling Lord Literistic's official submissions page. Choose one SLL agent, include a query letter with brief author bio, a synopsis, and either a brief proposal or the first 3 chapters. SLL may share submissions internally if a project is a better fit for a colleague.

Last checked 8 Jul 2026Via Online Form
Represents

Children's books, adult contemporary fiction, upmarket fiction, speculative fiction, light fantasy, magical realism, romantic comedy, thriller, mystery, suspense, horror, picture books, chapter books, middle grade, young adult

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, full manuscript, full proposal, artwork samples

Looking for

Savannah Brooks is an associate literary agent whose official personal site says she joined KT Literary in 2022 and represents all of kid lit plus adult contemporary and upmarket fiction, speculative/light fantasy/magical realism, romcoms, thrillers, mystery, suspense, and horror. She is especially interested in stories that teach her something new, add to a larger sociopolitical conversation, and highlight underrepresented identities and cultures.

How to submit

Submit through Savannah Brooks's QueryManager route. The live form asks writers to check her website before submitting, confirm whether the project has been submitted to her before, and include author details, title, word count, genre, query letter, synopsis, and full manuscript or nonfiction proposal, artwork samples may be uploaded if applicable. The form says she is only open to children's books by request or referral, so public unsolicited submissions should match the currently open adult categories.

Last checked 8 Jul 2026Via Online Form
Represents

Commercial fiction, upmarket fiction, chick lit, contemporary fiction, dark romance, erotica, family saga, fantasy, magical realism, urban fantasy, historical fiction, horror, romance, lgbtq and fiction, multicultural fiction, mystery, new adult, science fiction, suspense, thriller, women's fiction, young adult

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, one sentence pitch, comparable books, first five pages

Looking for

Shannon Snow is an Associate Agent at Rosecliff Literary and is actively building her list. She has eclectic reading taste across most genres in the commercial and upmarket space, seeks books with a unique angle and authors with engaging voices, depth, and nuance, and is especially drawn to vivid, well-developed characterization and stories that make her laugh, cry, or feel emotion. Her official linked form lists commercial, upmarket, romance, thriller, suspense, speculative, historical, horror, mystery, women's fiction, new adult, and young adult categories.

How to submit

Submit through Shannon Snow's official Rosecliff-linked QueryTracker form. The form asks for author details, one-agent confirmation, title, word count, genre, query letter, synopsis, one-sentence pitch, comparable books, AI disclosure, publication status, and the first 5 pages.

Last checked 8 Jul 2026Via Online Form
Represents

Adult nonfiction, true crime, pop culture, breaking news, issue-oriented nonfiction, celebrity-driven nonfiction, book to film, film and television adaptation

Wants: Query letter, pitch, synopsis, short bio, publishing credits, submission history

Looking for

Sharlene Martin is founder of Martin-Newens Literary Management and Senior Literary Manager/Producer. She primarily represents adult nonfiction and is known for true crime, with a policy that crime-related books must benefit the victim rather than the perpetrator. Her official submission page says she accepts adult nonfiction queries only and is interested in highly commercial nonfiction including true crime and pop culture, breaking news, issue-oriented and celebrity-driven books, and work adaptable to the screen.

How to submit

Email Sharlene Martin at Sharlene@MartinLit.com. In the subject line write QUERY followed by the title of the work. In the email, provide the query letter text, including pitch or synopsis and short bio, plus publisher submission history and previous publishing credits if applicable. Query one MLM representative only. Do not include the manuscript or proposal in the initial nonfiction query, Sharlene will request those if interested.

Last checked 8 Jul 2026Via Email
Represents

Middle grade, young adult, adult fiction, adult nonfiction, contemporary fiction, grounded fantasy, horror, mystery, cozy mystery, romantic suspense, cookbooks, health, fitness, advocacy, bipoc voices

Wants: Query letter, first 50 pages, proposal

Looking for

Stefanie is exclusively taking on clients systemically excluded from publishing, with a focus on BIPOC authors. She is seeking MG, YA, and adult fiction and nonfiction, especially gutsy contemporary, grounded fantasy, horror, mystery, cozy mysteries, romantic suspense, cookbooks from immigrant perspectives, and advocacy-centered nonfiction around sports/exercise science, health, fitness, nutrition, medicine, and animals.

How to submit

Submit through Stefanie Molina-Santos's QueryTracker form with a query plus the first 50 pages, or a full proposal for nonfiction.

Last checked 8 Jul 2026Via QueryTracker
Represents

Adult fiction, literary fiction, upmarket fiction, literary thriller, historical fiction, psychological suspense, speculative fiction, memoir

Wants: Querymanager submission

Looking for

Stephanie Delman is Founding Partner and Literary Agent at Trellis Literary Management. She focuses on adult fiction: stylish writing, high-stakes and high-concept literary thrillers, upmarket fiction, sweeping and underrepresented historical fiction, psychologically propulsive suspense, maximalist storytelling in ambition rather than word count, and literary novels that play with genre. She likes fiction grounded in reality but tinged with surrealism or horror, books that are many things at once, projects using gothic traditions or speculative elements to upend narrative conventions, and work with tenderness, vulnerability, and humor. A small part of her list is braided or speculative memoir by authors with established platforms and diverse perspectives.

How to submit

Submit through Stephanie Delman's official Trellis linked QueryManager form. Trellis accepts unsolicited submissions only through QueryManager, asks writers to choose the best-fitting agent and follow that agent's QueryManager instructions, and asks writers not to submit to multiple Trellis agents during the 8-12 week review period.

Last checked 8 Jul 2026Via Online Form
Represents

Serious nonfiction, history, journalism, parenting, food writing, health, wellness, sports, self-help, memoir, science, nature, pop culture, big ideas, legal thriller, middle grade, young adult, picture books, graphic novels, children's nonfiction

Wants: Query letter, first fifteen pages, author bio

Looking for

Suzy Evans is a literary agent, attorney, author, and founder of Suzy Evans Literary Agency. In adult books she is looking for serious nonfiction, especially historians moving from academic to trade audiences and journalists with unique and significant things to say; smart parenting books with useful original hooks; food, health, wellness, sports with crossover appeal, self-help by experts with established platforms, riveting memoir, science and nature, pop culture, big idea books about controversial issues, small quirky books that surprise her, legal thrillers, and timely important books by and about smart, strong women. In children's books she loves middle grade and seeks lively engaging nonfiction, wacky or hilarious commercial MG fiction with series potential, graphic novels that bring history, literature, and historical figures to life, coming-of-age MG, YA fiction tackling difficult issues boldly, sweet lyrical picture books, contemporary MG/YA exploring diversity, and high-concept thrillers with film potential.

How to submit

Email Suzy Evans at suzy@evansliterary.com. For fiction, send a query and the first 15 pages of the manuscript. For nonfiction, send a query with a concise author bio. Suzy Evans says she reads all queries personally.

Last checked 8 Jul 2026Via Email
Represents

Adult fiction, children's books, literary suspense, family saga, nonfiction, young adult, middle grade, coming of age, romance, fantasy, suspense, picture books, children's nonfiction

Wants: Pitch, bio, synopsis, first five pages, full picture book text, illustration samples

Looking for

Tanusri Prasanna represents compelling new voices in adult and children's books. In fiction she is specifically interested in literary suspense and multigenerational family sagas, and welcomes diverse perspectives, contexts, and storytelling styles. She also looks for select accessible and wide-reaching nonfiction that helps make sense of our times. In YA and middle grade she is drawn to contemporary coming-of-age stories, charming and relatable romances, ambitious world-building fantasies, well-plotted voice-driven suspense, and stories set in schools or interesting neighborhoods told from fresh viewpoints. For picture books, she likes meaningful and lyrical stories as well as books that bring alive the wonder and complexity of the world with humor and heart, and she is interested in select nonfiction for young readers.

How to submit

Email Tanusri Prasanna at tpsubmissions@defliterary.com. For adult fiction and YA or MG projects, include the pitch and bio, a short synopsis under 1 page, and the first 5 pages pasted in the body of the email. For picture books, include the entire text in the body of the email. For illustrated projects, provide sample illustrations and links to a website or Instagram page.

Last checked 8 Jul 2026Via Email
Represents

Narrative nonfiction, mind body spirit, social and political science, health and wellness, current affairs, biography, psychology, self-help, business, spirituality, popular culture, lgbtq and, history, cooking, sports, memoir, literary fiction, suspense

Wants: Query letter, overview, sample pages, author bio, platform details

Looking for

Tom Miller is a senior literary agent at Liza Dawson Associates. He develops and sells commercial and serious narrative nonfiction and select literary fiction. In nonfiction, he wants highly credentialed experts with strong networks and platforms in mind-body-spirit, narrative nonfiction, social and political science, health and wellness, current affairs, biography, psychology and self-help, business, spirituality, popular culture, LGBTQ+ topics, history, cultural and social history, science, cooking, and sports. He is open to exceptional memoirs by well-connected authors. In fiction, he is highly selective and wants beautifully written literary novels with compelling characters and story lines, LGBTQ+ fiction, and literary-quality suspense. He is not interested in thrillers, science fiction, romance, children's books, or fantasy.

How to submit

Email querytom@lizadawson.com with a query letter including a detailed overview of the nonfiction or fiction project, no more than 25 pages of sample writing, a concise author bio, and network or platform details pasted into the email body. Do not send attachments or snail mail.

Last checked 8 Jul 2026Via Email
Represents

Literary fiction, crime fiction, thrillers, queer fiction, commercial women's fiction, memoir, biography, cookbooks, food writing, journalism, health and wellness, graphic nonfiction

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages

Looking for

Vicky Bijur started the Vicky Bijur Literary Agency in 1988. She represents fiction and nonfiction, including memoir, biography, cookbooks, food writing, journalism, health and wellness, and graphic nonfiction. The agency submissions page says it is looking for literary fiction, crime fiction/thrillers, queer fiction, high-end commercial women's fiction, memoir, and nonfiction including biography, cookbooks, food writing, journalism, health/wellness, and graphic nonfiction. Vicky Bijur is currently accepting fiction and nonfiction submissions, but she is not the right agent for science fiction, fantasy, romance, or self-help.

How to submit

Send queries by email only to queries@vickybijuragency.com. Include a brief query letter with publication history, current project, and other relevant experience, and paste a sample of the first ten pages into the body of the email. Do not send unsolicited attachments.

Last checked 8 Jul 2026Via Email
Represents

Literary fiction, mainstream fiction, suspense, southern voices, family secrets, love stories, memoir, narrative nonfiction, self-help, popular psychology, parenting, lifestyle, pop culture, health, wellness, spirituality, food

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages, author bio, table of contents, overview

Looking for

Wendy Sherman founded Wendy Sherman Associates Literary Management in 1999. She loves voice- and story-driven fiction between literary and mainstream, with a passion for Southern voices, suspense with a well-developed protagonist, family secrets, mother-daughter relationships, and realistic love stories. She is also interested in nonfiction with a unique twist by authors with strong media platforms, including memoir, narrative nonfiction, practical and prescriptive nonfiction, self-help and popular psychology, parenting, lifestyle, pop culture, health, wellness, spirituality, and food.

How to submit

Send all email submissions to submissions@wsherman.com. Include your last name, title, and the name of the agent in the subject line. For fiction, send a query letter and the first 10 pages pasted in the body of the email. For nonfiction, send a query letter and author bio, the guidelines also ask for a double-spaced table of contents and overview for nonfiction. Do not send attachments unless requested, do not query direct personal email addresses, and do not query multiple agency agents simultaneously.

Last checked 8 Jul 2026Via Email
Represents

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, mystery, thriller, suspense, science fiction, fantasy, horror, historical fiction, family saga, women's fiction, young adult, narrative nonfiction, history, biography, science, business, psychology, pop culture, food writing

Wants: Query letter, first five pages, proposal

Looking for

Sandy Lu founded Book Wyrm Literary Agency after more than a decade as a literary agent. In fiction she seeks stories with a unique voice, thrilling plot, lasting characters, humor or emotion, and especially loves historical fiction, atmospheric world-building, and anything dark, twisted, or with a supernatural bent. In nonfiction she looks for projects that connect unexpected topics, explain complex research for general audiences, introduce cutting-edge science or little-known historical facts and figures, teach useful skills, or expand readers' knowledge of the world. Book Wyrm submissions are open for literary and commercial fiction, mystery, thriller, suspense, science fiction, fantasy, horror, historical fiction, family saga, upmarket women's fiction, YA, narrative nonfiction, history, biography, science, business, psychology, pop culture, and food writing.

How to submit

Submit through Sandy Lu's official Book Wyrm linked QueryManager form. The form asks for author details, book title, word count, genre, query letter, AI disclosure, publication history, and the first 5 pages, or a full proposal for nonfiction. Book Wyrm does not accept email queries.

Last checked 8 Jul 2026Via Online Form
Represents

Adult fiction, upmarket fiction, historical fiction, speculative thriller, fantasy, romance, adult nonfiction, narrative history, food writing, beverage writing, self-help, popular science, young adult, middle grade, picture books, graphic novels

Wants: Query letter, first fifty pages, proposal, full picture book text, graphic novel pitch package

Looking for

Sam Farkas is Global Rights Director and Literary Agent at Jill Grinberg Literary Management and is open to queries. Above all, she is drawn to exemplary writing. In adult fiction she looks for upmarket fiction, especially historical; fast-paced high-concept speculative thrillers; lyrical and immersive fantasy with book club appeal; and romance that simmers. In adult nonfiction she seeks immersive narrative history, food and beverage writing, quirky self-help for millennials and Gen Z, and beautifully written pop science. She is also open to young adult and middle grade of all genres, especially voice-driven contemporary with a speculative twist, historical with modern sensibilities, fresh fantasy, tightly plotted thrillers, mysteries, horror, the very strange, and the very funny. Across categories she wants diverse and underrepresented voices.

How to submit

Email info@jillgrinbergliterary.com with the subject format QUERY: Title of Project by Your Name or Book Age Category and Genre or ATTN: Sam Farkas. Paste the query letter in the email body and address it directly to Sam. Attach materials as a docx file. Fiction submissions should include a query letter and the first 50 pages. Nonfiction submissions should include a query letter and proposal. Picture book submissions should include the full text, and graphic novel submissions should include a full pitch package.

Last checked 8 Jul 2026Via Email
Represents

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, historical fiction, suspense, thriller, crime fiction, memoir, history, women's issues, cultural studies, current affairs, journalism, narrative nonfiction, pop culture, true crime, young adult

Wants: Query letter, first five pages, proposal

Looking for

Sally Wofford-Girand is an agent at Union Literary. Her particular interests include history, memoir, women's issues, cultural studies, and fiction that is both literary and gripping. Her officially linked QueryTracker form lists genres including contemporary, crime/detective/police, fantasy, historical, horror, LGBTQ+, literary, suspense, thriller, upmarket, young adult, current affairs, journalism, multicultural, narrative nonfiction, pop culture, and true crime. She cares more about voice, character, and stakes than plot and would be happy to find a literary ghost story.

How to submit

Submit through Sally Wofford-Girand's official Union Literary linked QueryTracker form. The form asks for author details, title, word count, genre, a query letter, one-paragraph pitch, comparable books, AI disclosure, and the first 5 pages, or a full book proposal for nonfiction.

Last checked 8 Jul 2026Via Online Form
Represents

Adult fiction, children's books, literary fiction, upmarket fiction, narrative nonfiction, historical fiction, contemporary fiction, family saga, magical realism, mystery, crime fiction, suspense, coming of age, story collections, journalism, history, cultural criticism, true crime, middle grade, mental health, science, political activism, environmentalism

Wants: Query letter, brief bio, first fifteen pages

Looking for

Reiko Davis represents both adult and children's books. On the adult side she seeks literary and upmarket fiction and narrative nonfiction, including historical and contemporary novels set in the U.S. and internationally, ambitious multigenerational family sagas, novels that rewrite what it means to be American today, stories with speculative or magical elements, offbeat novels with troubled but lovable protagonists, mystery/crime/suspense with a literary edge, later-in-life coming-of-age stories, linked story collections, immersive journalism, gap-filling history, cultural criticism, true crime that sheds light on larger social issues, and the occasional book on writing craft. In children's books she is actively looking for middle grade projects with big questions, emotional truth, storytelling, humor, and heart, plus MG nonfiction in mental health, science, political activism, environmentalism, and narrative history.

How to submit

Email Reiko Davis at reiko@defliterary.com with Query and the project title in the subject line. Include a brief description of the project, a brief relevant bio, and for fiction the first 15 pages pasted in the body of the email. Do not send attachments. DeFiore prefers electronic queries, does not represent original screenplays, teleplays, or theater plays, and allows multiple DeFiore agents at once if disclosed.

Last checked 7 Jul 2026Via Email
Represents

Upmarket fiction, book club fiction, women's fiction, contemporary romance, romantic comedy, historical fiction, family saga, speculative fiction, magical realism, thriller, psychological suspense, domestic suspense, young adult, narrative nonfiction, pop culture, cultural criticism, social justice, politics, self-help, health and wellness, parenting

Wants: Query letter, first page

Looking for

Rachel Beck is open to queries and seeks upmarket/book club women's fiction, smart contemporary romance and rom-coms, historical fiction from World War II forward, sweeping or multigenerational nongenre fiction, speculative fiction and magical realism, gripping thrillers and psychological or domestic suspense, contemporary YA, and select nonfiction. Across genres she welcomes LGBTQIA+ stories, Jewish fiction, immigrant stories, body and sex positivity, feminist themes, found or chosen families, female friendships, complex sibling relationships, and urban or Southern settings.

How to submit

Email Rachel Beck at queryrachel@lizadawson.com. Send a query letter and the first page only of the manuscript or proposal in the body of the email. Include the book's genre and word count, keep the letter concise, and do not include attachments, emails with attachments are deleted unread. Follow up only if you have an offer of representation.

Last checked 7 Jul 2026Via Email
Represents

Nonfiction, memoir, biography, business, cookbooks, design, health and wellness, humor, idea-driven nonfiction, journalism, lifestyle, narrative nonfiction, pop culture, psychology, religion, science and technology, self-help, social issues, sports, travel, true crime

Wants: Query letter, project description, book proposal

Looking for

Monika Verma represents distinctive voices in nonfiction. LGR lists her categories as memoir, biography, business, cookbooks, design, health and wellness, humor, idea-driven nonfiction, journalism, lifestyle, narrative nonfiction, pop culture, psychology, religion, science and technology, self-help, social issues, sports, travel, and true crime.

How to submit

Submit through Levine Greenberg Rostan's official online submission form. The form asks writers to choose the agent being queried and notes that Monika Verma is open to queries. The LGR submission page also lists submission-form guidance and warns writers to use official agency channels.

Last checked 7 Jul 2026Via Online Form
Represents

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, story collections, thrillers, book club fiction, literary suspense, genre-bending fiction, upmarket women's fiction, memoir, narrative nonfiction, young adult fiction, underrepresented voices

Wants: Author biography, query letter, one sentence pitch, comparable books, first twenty pages, full nonfiction proposal, ai disclosure

Looking for

Michelle Brower is Founding Partner and Literary Agent at Trellis Literary Management. Her list spans literary and commercial fiction, from thought-provoking story collections to page-turning thrillers. She is primarily interested in work that focuses on storytelling and emotional connection rather than formal experimentation. She is looking for book club novels with commercial ideas and literary execution, literary fiction, literary suspense, genre fiction for a non-genre audience, and upmarket women's fiction. In nonfiction, she wants a personal story that illuminates a greater subject. She also very selectively represents literary YA fiction and supports underrepresented voices in all of these areas.

How to submit

Submit to Michelle Brower through her official QueryManager link. Trellis accepts unsolicited submissions only through QueryManager. Do not submit to multiple Trellis agents during the 8-12 week review window. Michelle's QueryManager form asks for an author bio, why Trellis, title, word count, genre, query letter, one-sentence pitch, comparable books, AI disclosure, and the first 20 pages or full nonfiction proposal.

Last checked 7 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

Adult fiction, adult nonfiction, book club fiction, mystery, crime fiction, psychological thrillers, speculative fiction, horror, historical fiction, history, science, memoir, idea-driven nonfiction, diverse voices

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages, proposal, ai disclosure

Looking for

Melissa Danaczko represents a wide range of adult fiction and nonfiction. In fiction, she gravitates toward high-concept novels with a fresh perspective, energetic writing, deep emotional connection, and an immersive sense of place; favorite categories include contemporary book club fiction, mystery, crime, psychological thrillers, speculative fiction, horror, and historical novels. She also represents history, science, memoir, and idea-driven nonfiction that is rigorous, emotionally compelling, and has something big to say about the world. Across categories, she seeks diverse voices and projects that are both entertaining and enlightening.

How to submit

Email Melissa Danaczko at mdquery@skagency.com with a query letter and the first 10 pages of your manuscript or proposal in the body of the email, not as an attachment. SKLA asks for full disclosure in the query if AI tools have been used or are intended to be used in creating the work. Due to volume, SKLA responds only if interested in reading more.

Last checked 7 Jul 2026Via Email
Represents

Literary fiction, noir, crime fiction, police procedurals, caribbean literature, diaspora literature, original fiction

Looking for

Madison Smartt Bell is interested in literary fiction, noir, criminal procedurals, work from the Caribbean basin and other diasporas, and anything genuinely original and fresh.

How to submit

Submit through Ayesha Pande Literary's official query form and select Madison Smartt Bell. APL asks writers not to submit to multiple APL agents simultaneously, if you have not heard back after 8 weeks, you may withdraw and submit to another agent. Queries submitted through mail or the contact page are not accepted.

Last checked 6 Jul 2026Via Online Form
Represents

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, upmarket fiction, historical fiction, grounded fantasy, science fiction, big idea nonfiction, narrative nonfiction, cultural criticism, history, psychology, social science, philosophy, natural science, current affairs, journalism, nature and ecology, pop culture, self-help, true crime

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

Looking for

Lucy Cleland is Vice President and Senior Agent at Frances Goldin Literary Agency. Her nonfiction taste is anchored in how culture shapes people and how people shape culture, including big idea books, narrative nonfiction, pop culture and cultural criticism, history, psychology, social science, philosophy, natural science, and select memoir. In fiction she likes sticky or unusual concepts, literary fiction about social issues and human hearts, transportive historical fiction, and genre-bending contemporary work, particularly grounded fantasy and science fiction where a single twist changes the world. Marginalized perspectives are warmly welcomed.

How to submit

Submit to Lucy Cleland through the official QueryTracker or QueryManager form linked from the Goldin submissions page. The form asks for a query letter, synopsis, one-sentence pitch, comparable books, AI disclosure, and the first 10 pages, or a full proposal for nonfiction. Goldin asks writers to submit to only one agent at a time.

Last checked 6 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

Historical fiction, multicultural fiction, cozy mystery, romance, science fiction, speculative fiction, suspense, thrillers, upmarket women's fiction, fantasy, action and adventure, literary fiction, military fiction, advice and relationships, biography, business, economics, leadership, diet, health and medical, history, politics, current affairs, how-to, humor, lifestyle, memoir, narrative nonfiction, parenting, religion, spirituality, self-help, true crime, young adult

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first three chapters, first fifty pages, author bio, marketing plan, book proposal, target audience, competitive analysis, chapter outline, sample chapters

Looking for

Leticia Gomez is CEO and Founder of Savvy Literary Services and a literary, film, and television agent who champions underrepresented voices, especially underserved writers and readers. Savvy has placed fiction and nonfiction with traditional publishers and lists interest in historical, multicultural, cozy mystery, romance, speculative, suspense/thriller, upmarket women's fiction, fantasy, action/adventure, literary fiction, military, and a broad range of nonfiction including advice, biography, business, health, memoir, narrative nonfiction, parenting, self-help, and true crime.

How to submit

Complete the official Savvy submission form and email submission documents directly to Leticia Gomez at leticia@savvyliterary.com. Include Leticia's first name in the query letter and submit to only one Savvy agent. Fiction submissions should include a query or elevator pitch with title, genre, and word count, a synopsis, the first 3 chapters or 50 pages, a detailed author bio, and a marketing plan. Nonfiction submissions should include a query and a polished book proposal with overview, target audience, marketing plan, competitive analysis, author bio, chapter outline and descriptions, and at least 3 sample chapters.

Last checked 5 Jul 2026Via Email
Represents

Upmarket fiction, suspense, romance, book club fiction, young adult, nonfiction, cultural and social issues, journalism, lgbtq and, pop culture, science and technology, social justice, psychology, pop science, reportage, media, contemporary culture

Wants: Query letter, one sentence pitch, comparable books, first thirty pages, full nonfiction proposal, portfolio link, ai disclosure

Looking for

Lauren E. Abramo represents a small list of clients at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret with interests across a wide range of categories and genres, focused on books by and about people from communities not well represented in publishing. Her fiction list is primarily upmarket but accessible, including suspense, romance, and book club fiction. Her nonfiction interests include social justice intersections, especially pop culture, psychology, pop science, reportage, media, and contemporary culture.

How to submit

Submit to Lauren E. Abramo through her official QueryManager form. DGB asks writers to query one agent at a time. The form asks for book and author details, a query letter, one-sentence pitch, comparable books, AI disclosure, and the first 30 pages for fiction or a full proposal for nonfiction, illustrated projects may include an online art sample or portfolio link.

Last checked 5 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

Book club fiction, commercial fiction, psychological suspense, domestic suspense, women's fiction, young adult, romance, health, wellness, psychology, memoir, current events, narrative nonfiction

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first three chapters, proposal, sample chapters

Looking for

Jennifer Weis specializes in high-concept, cleverly plotted book club fiction of all categories and nonfiction with new voices and new angles on perennial subjects. Above all, she is looking for books with a hook, a strong voice, and a powerful plot. The Weis Agency submissions page says it seeks high-concept, intricately plotted fiction of all categories, including psychological and domestic suspense, women's fiction, selected young adult, high-concept thrillers in unusual settings, and romance with a positive conclusion. In nonfiction, the agency wants new voices, fresh angles on provocative subjects, authors with platform, and compelling narratives that read like fiction, including health and wellness, psychology, memoir, current events, and narrative nonfiction of special interest to women.

How to submit

Submit to Jennifer Weis via email at jweis@theweisagency.com or through the QueryTracker page linked from the official Weis Agency submissions page. Fiction submissions should include a query letter, synopsis, and first three chapters attached as a Word document. Nonfiction submissions should include a query letter and proposal with author credentials, detailed outline, and sample chapters attached as a Word document.

Last checked 4 Jul 2026Via Email
Represents

Memoir, biography, food writing, graphic nonfiction, essays, pop science, pop culture, self-help, historical narrative, humor, business, high concept suspense, women's fiction, literary fiction, verse novels, graphic novels

Wants: Query letter, first chapter, graphic excerpt, proposal

Looking for

Gordon Warnock seeks fresh voices, timely and timeless projects, socially responsible nonfiction by authors with strong expertise or platforms, memoir and biography, food narrative and history, graphic and illustrated nonfiction, essays on social issues, pop science, pop or geek culture, self-help, historical narrative, humor, how-to, business and career, high-concept suspense, book club women's fiction, literary fiction, verse novels for YA and MG, and graphic novels for adults, YA, and MG.

How to submit

Query Gordon Warnock by email at querygordon@fuseliterary.com or through conferences he attends. For text-based works, paste the first chapter below the query, for memoir, paste the first chapter, for graphic nonfiction or graphic novels, attach a 10-page sequential PDF excerpt of finished artwork not exceeding 50 MB. Unsolicited submissions by paper mail or social media will be discarded unread.

Last checked 4 Jul 2026Via Email
Represents

Adult thriller, horror, speculative fiction, mystery, grounded science fiction, young adult thriller, young adult horror, young adult speculative fiction, young adult contemporary, young adult literary fiction, young adult historical fiction, picture books

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages, full manuscript for picture books, sample art

Looking for

Jennifer March Soloway is actively building her Starling list and is drawn to complicated, deeply human characters and stories about the difficulty of getting along with others. She is seeking adult literary psychological thrillers, horror, gothic, grounded science fiction, page-turning mysteries with unexpected twists, stories that blur the real and imagined, beautiful line-level writing, horror about motherhood, rural settings, scandal, and messy characters. In Young Adult she wants thriller, horror, speculative, contemporary, literary, and historical work, including high-school horror, dark speculative stories, psychological thrillers, grounded science fiction, creepy doll stories, coming-of-age, recovery from addiction, friendship breakups, and historical stories that show how the past led to the present.

How to submit

Submit through Jennifer March Soloway's official QueryManager form linked from her Starling profile. Starling asks writers to query one Starling agent with one project at a time and only through the agent query form. The query form asks for a query letter and the first 10 pages, or the full manuscript for a picture book, and supports sample artwork where applicable.

Last checked 4 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

Literary fiction, historical fiction, suspense, magical realism, multicultural fiction, narrative nonfiction, memoir, journalism, travel, popular science, women's issues, parenting, food writing, young adult, business, sports, pop culture

Wants: Query letter, bio, publishing history, proposal or manuscript status

Looking for

Felicia Eth is interested in literary accessible fiction, historical and suspense novels with a literary bent that transcend genre, magical realism or multicultural fiction, narrative nonfiction including memoir, journalism, unusual travel books, popular science, psychological and social concerns, women's issues, fresh parenting ideas, and culinary writing. She may occasionally consider strong short story collections, crossover YA, idea-driven business books, sports books, and pop culture.

How to submit

Send an email query to feliciaeth.literary@gmail.com or submit by hardcopy to the agency address. For fiction, write a query letter introducing yourself, the book, and your writing background, and wait for a response before sending sample pages unless requested. For nonfiction, introduce the idea, what has already been written, your background and expertise, and your platform.

Last checked 4 Jul 2026Via Email
Represents

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, commercial fiction, family saga, historical fiction, humor, lgbtq and, multicultural fiction, mystery, romance, short stories, suspense, thriller, women's fiction, cultural nonfiction, social issues, entertainment, film, food writing, journalism, memoir, narrative nonfiction, pop culture, psychology, relationship and dating, true crime

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

Looking for

Hannah Strouth is looking for literary and upmarket fiction as well as select nonfiction. She gravitates toward nuanced, emotionally deep work, stories about connection and disconnection, what haunts people literally or metaphorically, resilience, dark, edgy, or gritty stories, pop culture, narrative nonfiction, self-help, memoir, books that teach readers to be better humans or see the world through a fresh lens, and diverse voices and experiences.

How to submit

Submit through Hannah Strouth's official linked QueryManager form. The form asks for author bio, project information, query letter, comparable books, AI-use disclosure, and the first 10 pages, or for nonfiction, the full book proposal. Greenburger says not to query more than one Greenburger agent at a time.

Last checked 4 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

History, business, self-help, science, gardening, cookbooks, crafts, parenting, memoir, true crime, travel, women's fiction, paranormal, urban fantasy, horror, science fiction, historical fiction, mystery, thrillers, suspense

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages

Looking for

Gina Panettieri is open to queries and submissions. She is interested in nonfiction that teaches something new and is based on original research, including history, business, self-help, science, gardening, cookbooks, crafts, parenting, memoir, true crime, and travel. In fiction she likes quirky, edgy characters and wants women's fiction, paranormal, urban fantasy, horror, science fiction, historical, mystery, thrillers, and suspense.

How to submit

Submit to Gina Panettieri through the official QueryMe link on her Talcott Notch profile. Talcott Notch says query letters should be one to two pages and may be accompanied by the first ten pages of the manuscript, the agency strongly prefers online agent-query submissions over email queries and asks email queries to be addressed to a specific agent.

Last checked 4 Jul 2026Via QueryMe
Represents

Middle grade, young adult, adventure, fantasy, mystery, thriller, suspense, paranormal, urban fantasy, horror, speculative fiction, science fiction, contemporary fiction, romance, pop culture nonfiction, picture books, adult horror, adult mystery, adult thriller, women's fiction, new adult

Wants: Query letter, first 20 pages

Looking for

Marlo seeks emotionally involving stories with compelling characters and tight plots. She is interested in middle grade and young adult across many genres, picture books primarily from author-illustrators, and adult horror, mystery, thriller, suspense, women's fiction, and romance.

How to submit

Submit a query and the first 20 pages through Marlo Berliner's QueryManager. Picture book queries should include a portfolio link and the full text of the manuscript. Email, social, and postal queries are not considered.

Last checked 3 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

Fiction, non-fiction, children's, memoir, biography, natural history, literary fiction, mystery, suspense, women's fiction, health, fitness, young adult, faith, popular culture

Wants: Query letter, first 50 pages

Looking for

Laura represents a wide range of fiction, nonfiction and books for children. Her interests include memoir and biography, natural history, literary fiction, mystery, suspense, women's fiction, health and fitness, children's and young adult, faith issues and popular culture.

How to submit

Email Laura directly at lbp@cbltd.com and attach the first 50 pages of your project. Include 'lbpquery' in the subject line.

Last checked 1 Jul 2026Via Email
Represents

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, women's fiction, chick lit, mystery, suspense, thriller, picture books, middle grade, young adult, memoir, celebrity biography, arts, popular culture, self-help, health, spiritual

Wants: Query letter, first pages, synopsis, bio

Looking for

She seeks literary fiction with unique voices and commercial fiction including women's fiction, mysteries, and thrillers. For children's books, she wants picture books and character-driven middle grade and Young Adult with distinctive voices. In nonfiction, she represents memoirs, celebrity biographies, books about arts and popular culture, and empowering self-help titles.

How to submit

For fiction queries, send the first twenty pages in the email body to jenndec@aol.com with a one-paragraph bio and synopsis. For nonfiction, attach the complete proposal as a Word document with a sample chapter, plus bio and synopsis in the email body.

Last checked 1 Jul 2026Via Email
Represents

Chick lit, commercial, contemporary, cozy fantasy, cozy romantasy, crime, detective, police, family saga, fantasy, fantasy: magical realism, fantasy: urban, graphic novel, historical, horror, lgbtq and, literary, middle grade, military, espionage, multicultural, mystery, new adult, offbeat, quirky, romance, romantasy, suspense, thriller, upmarket, women's fiction, young adult

Looking for

Query Letter, Synopsis, One Paragraph Pitch, Comparable Books, First 10 Pages

How to submit

Submit through Query Manager. Unsolicited queries sent to his email address will be deleted unread.

Last checked 1 Jul 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

Literary fiction, mainstream fiction, mystery, suspense, thriller, historical fiction, contemporary women's fiction, young adult, middle grade, memoir, biography, history, business, psychology, pop culture, popular science

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first 5 to 10 pages, writing credentials

Looking for

Maria Carvainis Agency represents a wide range of fiction and nonfiction with special interest in literary and mainstream fiction, mystery, suspense, thrillers, historicals, contemporary women's fiction, young adult and middle grade, memoir, biography, history, business, psychology, pop culture, and popular science.

How to submit

Email a query letter, a synopsis of the work, the first 5 to 10 pages, and a note of any writing credentials to mca@mariacarvainisagency.com. Attachments must be Word documents or PDF files. Queries are also accepted by post.

Last checked 1 Jul 2026Via Email

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