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US Horror Literary Agents

189 agents · 127 currently open to submissions

Horror fiction spans everything from literary ghost stories like those in Carmen Maria Machado's *Her Body and Other Parties* to commercial supernatural thrillers, cosmic horror, and splatterpunk extremes. The 60+ agents here represent different corners of the market: some focus on elevated horror with crossover literary appeal, others seek commercial horror with strong hooks for film adaptation, while many specialise in horror romance, young adult horror, or science fiction horror hybrids. Gothic horror, folk horror, and psychological horror often blur lines with literary fiction, making agent selection crucial for writers working in these quieter subgenres. Meanwhile, agents seeking commercial horror typically want clear stakes, memorable monsters, and strong pacing that translates well to wider audiences. Before submitting, examine each agent's recent deals and client lists to understand whether they lean toward atmospheric literary horror, high-concept commercial projects, or specific subgenres like haunted house stories, body horror, or occult thrillers, as submission materials should match their market positioning.

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Represents

Thriller, suspense, horror, fantasy, romantasy, magical realism, speculative fiction, romance, mystery, women's fiction, historical fiction, young adult, middle grade, picture books

Wants: Query letter

Looking for

Vicky is interested in adult thriller and suspense with psychological, paranormal, supernatural or gothic elements, horror, dark fantasy, romantasy, magical realism, mystery, women's fiction, historical fiction, young adult horror and fantasy, middle grade, and picture books from author-illustrators.

How to submit

Vicky's CMA profile links to QueryManager but states that she is currently closed to queries. CMA asks writers to query only one CMA agent at a time.

Last checked 15 May 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

Fantasy, science fiction, horror, women's fiction, romance, mystery or suspense, young adult

Wants: Query letter, book proposal for nonfiction

Looking for

Works with a unique premise and unforgettable characters, underrepresented viewpoints, twisty layered stories, and strong worldbuilding.

How to submit

Use The Knight Agency submissions page and the relevant QueryManager link, do not query multiple TKA agents simultaneously.

Last checked 8 Jun 2026Via QueryManager
Represents

Science fiction, fantasy, horror, upmarket fiction, historical fiction

Looking for

Jordan is primarily pursuing genre and upmarket fiction for adults with a focus on Science Fiction and Fantasy and horror. She loves intergenerational stories that grapple with the complexities of families and culture through time and anything with an unreliable narrator or a speculative bent. She's always on the hunt for books that feature female wit and rage, bodies of water as foreboding, and eruptive moments of catharsis. She also considers historical fiction or retellings with a fresh approach and compelling perspective.

Represents

Adult fantasy, adult science fiction, adult horror, adult romance, young adult science fiction, young adult fantasy, young adult romance, young adult contemporary

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages, author website

Looking for

Matthew Valdez is a literary agent at Megibow Literary Agency. He represents adult and YA storytellers, especially voices from marginalized backgrounds and the LGBTQ+ community. He is looking for adult fantasy, high-concept science fiction, horror, romance, and YA science fiction, fantasy, romance, and contemporary.

How to submit

Email matthewquery@megibowliterary.com. Megibow asks for a query letter, the first ten pages of the manuscript, and an author website if available. Matthew is only open to queries from the 15th through the end of each month. He does not currently accept nonfiction, middle grade, picture books, chapter books, poetry, short-story collections, screenplays, or religious or inspirational material.

Last checked 1 Jun 2026Via Email
Represents

Fiction, nonfiction, young adult, upmarket fiction, book club fiction, mystery, suspense, historical fiction, literary horror, grounded science fiction, grounded fantasy, narrative nonfiction, cultural criticism, history, pop culture, aapi voices, underrepresented voices, lgbtq and

Wants: Query letter, sample pages, proposal

Looking for

Amy represents fiction, nonfiction, and YA. She is seeking upmarket and book club fiction, mystery or suspense elements, propulsive plots with beautiful writing, historical fiction, literary horror, grounded SFF by women of color, coming-of-age stories, global retellings, expert-driven narrative nonfiction, cultural criticism, history, pop culture, YA with murder and intrigue, immigrant stories, queer stories, girls working for justice, and light-hearted contemporary YA.

How to submit

Use the QueryManager route linked from Amy Bishop-Wycisk's Trellis profile and review her current wishlist before querying.

Last checked 26 May 2026Via QueryManager

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