US Mystery Literary Agents

Kidlit, picture books, middle grade, young adult, contemporary romance, mystery, thriller, illustrators, author-illustrators

Rosa Frazier is a literary agent at The Seymour Agency. Her official Seymour profile says kidlit is her passion, with emphasis on picture books, middle grade, YA contemporary romance, mystery, and thrillers. She is drawn to underrepresented BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and disabled creatives, and encourages Caribbean and South American stories, folklore, and mythologies with representation of second languages and dialects. Illustrators and author-illustrators are also welcome when she is open to them.

Rosa Frazier is currently closed to queries according to her official Seymour Agency profile and linked QueryManager status. Do not send unsolicited queries while closed.

Mystery, psychological thriller, young adult science fiction, mental health, lifestyle

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first three chapters

Kelsey accepts mysteries, psychological thrillers, YA science fiction, and occasional nonfiction in mental health and lifestyle. She likes stories with twists, unique formats or perspectives, inspirational storylines, humor, strong worldbuilding, dystopian YA science fiction, and stories that are mind-blowing or heart-tugging.

The agency is temporarily closed to new queries. When open, submit to only one agent with a query letter, synopsis, and first three chapters.

Mystery, thriller, suspense, romance, fantasy, western

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first three chapters

Gwyn accepts mystery, thriller, suspense, and all heat levels of romance in historical, contemporary, suspense, comedy, fantasy, and western subgenres. She especially likes unique characters, rarely used occupations, historical romance involving commoner characters, mysteries, fast-paced thrillers, large-scale schemes and scams, dark and gritty stories, and courtroom dramas.

The agency is temporarily closed to new queries. When open, submit to only one agent with a query letter, synopsis, and first three chapters.

Young adult, adult fiction, mystery, psychological thrillers, domestic suspense, romance, fantasy, historical fiction, women's fiction, marginalized voices

Lesley Sabga is Media Rights Manager and Agent at The Seymour Agency. She loves intricate and vivid world-building, character-driven plots with commercial pacing, dark and twisty suspense or thrillers featuring strong female protagonists, mysteries with large casts where the pieces slowly fall into place, big sweeping love stories, voice-driven fiction for millennial women, and marginalized authors.

Lesley Sabga is not open to general queries at this time. The official Seymour submissions page says she is accepting queries by referral only, and the official linked QueryManager page currently says she is not accepting queries.

Speculative fiction, psychological horror, mystery, romance fantasy, literary fiction, picture books, middle grade fiction

Wants: Query letter

Bonnie seeks underrepresented authors across all age groups. She wants speculative psychological horror mysteries, normalized queerness where it isn't the focus of the plot, romance fantasy with HEA required, and issue-driven stories addressing timeless social issues. For picture books, stories must be child-centered giving kids agency. For middle grade, she seeks stories based on kid-focused issues with magic elements.

Send queries only through QueryManager. Anything sent to email or social media will be deleted immediately.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, mystery, suspense, thriller, history, politics, current affairs, business, science

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, bio, sample pages

Sandra looks for writers with something significant to say, who know how to say it in a distinctive and compelling way, and whose books help to make this a better world. She champions quality fiction and nonfiction that makes a difference in the world, and which have a lasting impact.

Only open to queries which are solicited or come via referral. At this time, she is taking on new clients infrequently. Use QueryMe.Online or DijkstraCapron.

Adult fiction, literary fiction, upmarket fiction, book club fiction, women's fiction, historical fiction, mystery, suspense, thrillers, science fiction, fantasy, speculative fiction, middle grade, young adult, children's fiction, children's nonfiction, business books, diverse voices

Lisa Abellera represents adult literary, upmarket/book club, women's fiction, historical fiction, mystery, suspense, thrillers, science fiction, fantasy, and crossover speculative fiction. In children's fiction she represents all fiction genres in middle grade and YA. She responds to well-crafted prose, strong hooks, high personal stakes, complex and sympathetic characters, tangible sense of place, lush world-building, non-Western cultural aspects, emotionally immersive fiction, and underrepresented voices. In limited nonfiction, she is looking for middle grade prescriptive projects and adult prescriptive business books for women or by women.

KC and A links Lisa Abellera's QueryMe or QueryManager form from the official team page. The linked form currently says Lisa Abellera is not accepting unsolicited queries, so there is no open submission route at this time.

Mystery, thriller, sf, fantasy, romance, ya, memoir, humor, pop culture, health and wellness, cooking, self-help, pop psych, new age, inspirational, technology, science, writing

Mystery/thriller, SF/fantasy, romance, YA, memoir, humor, pop culture, health & wellness, cooking, self-help, pop psych, New Age, inspirational, technology, science, and writing

Check agent's submission page

Fantasy, horror, mystery, thriller, dark academia, gothic horror, supernatural folklore, caribbean folklore, bipoc voices, lgbtq and, history, spirituality

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first ten pages

Catherine is mainly focused on middle grade and young adult fantasy, horror, and mystery with lush settings, strong worldbuilding, atmospheric prose, isolated or contained settings, BIPOC characters by BIPOC authors, supernatural folklore, dark academia, feminine rage, witches, banshees, sirens, and gripping mysteries. Her Corvisiero profile also lists adult and YA fantasy, mysteries, thrillers, gothic horror, and nonfiction on Haitian and Louisianan Voodoo.

Submit through Catherine Ross's QueryManager route when open. Her current Manuscript Wish List says to send a query letter, one-to-two-page synopsis, and the first ten manuscript pages through her query form, unsolicited email submissions and submissions using AI will not be considered.

Commercial fiction, upmarket fiction, dark romance, romantasy, romance, speculative fiction, mystery, thriller, gothic, horror, historical fiction, rom com, magical realism, current events, true crime, science, history, narrative non-fiction, sports, politics, health, nutrition, pop culture, humor, music, memoir

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, author bio, sample pages

Jill seeks fiction and non-fiction by unrepresented voices, BIPOC and Latinx writers, disabled persons, and LGBTQ+ people. She wants commercial and upmarket fiction emphasizing dark romance, romantasy, speculative fiction, mysteries, thrillers, Gothic, horror, and historical fiction, plus food-centric novels and psychological suspense in the vein of Freida McFadden. For non-fiction, she seeks authors with big, timely, smart messages and deep dives into subcultures, social commentary, and historical projects.

Submit via QueryManager at QueryManager.com or JillMarr. Include query letter, 1-page synopsis, brief bio with publishing history, and first 10-15 pages for fiction. For non-fiction, include query letter and full book proposal.

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

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.

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.

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, narrative nonfiction, mystery, thriller, middle grade, young adult, history, biography, current events, long-form journalism, popular science, children's books

Wants: Closed to unsolicited queries

Gina represents literary and upmarket fiction and narrative nonfiction for adults and children. In fiction she looks for upmarket novels, mysteries and thrillers, middle grade, and young adult. Nonfiction interests include history, biography, current events, long-form journalism, and popular science.

Gina Maccoby is currently closed to submissions. When open, email a query with the word QUERY in the subject line to query@maccobylit.com with no attachments. Check the official agency site for reopening.

Cozy mystery, adventure, romance, time travel

Susan is fond of charismatic characters, twisty plots, and happy endings, and is particularly interested in cozies with a snarky and spirited heroine, crossover adventure fiction with a touch of romance, time travel, and characters who pursue artistic or creative passions.

Check agent's submission page

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, speculative fiction, magical realism, mystery, suspense, memoir, pop culture, science, social commentary

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages

She is looking for upmarket fiction, both literary and commercial, with dynamic characters and elevated language, enjoying elements of speculative fiction, magical realism, mystery, and suspense. In nonfiction, she seeks unusual personal narratives, pop culture and science, and social commentary.

Email query letters to mail@dclagency.com and paste the first ten pages of your manuscript below your letter. Address your email to the specific agent. Submitting to more than one agent at a time is permitted, but indicate which agents you are querying. Emails with attachments will not be opened.

Nonfiction, mystery or suspense or thriller, historical fiction, contemporary or commercial, sapphic romance

Stories that reveal the truths of what it means to be a human in our difficult, often oppressive, world. Always looking for writing from historically underrepresented groups, with special place for LGBTQIA+ folks

Submit through QueryManager

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, thriller, horror, science fiction, fantasy, speculative fiction, historical fiction, picture books, middle grade, young adult, romance, mystery

Wants: Query letter, author bio, sample pages

Laura would love to find fantasy, spec fiction, alternate history, and horror with fresh, original, unexpected reimaginings. She seeks retellings that reinvent underlying traditions, gothic suspense or thrillers, romantasy that is more romantic fantasy than fantasy romance, high concept rom-coms, and sexy historical romance. She also wants thrillers and mysteries with dynamic, unexpected characters and rich psychological insights.

Click on the QueryManager link in the agent's bio, follow the prompts, and complete all required fields including a short query letter with a description of your work, previous publishing credentials, a short author bio, contact information, and for novels: first 10 pages of text.

Adult fantasy, young adult fantasy, science fiction, horror, speculative fiction, upmarket fiction, literary fiction, mystery, thriller, crime fiction, young adult contemporary

Wants: Query letter, first twenty pages, synopsis, comparable books

Ernie Chiara specializes in adult and young adult fantasy, science fiction, and horror, speculative upmarket and literary fiction, BIPOC mystery, thriller, and crime fiction, and young adult contemporary. He wants character-driven stories with layered worldbuilding, original settings, immersive plotting, propulsive pacing, genre blends, distinct voice, and complex characters.

Ernie Chiara is currently closed to unsolicited queries and is considering queries by personal referral or event request only. When open, he accepts submissions exclusively through QueryManager, email and social-media queries are deleted unread.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, women's fiction, thrillers, mystery, historical fiction, young adult, nonfiction, health, science, environment, true crime, memoir, spirituality

Elizabeth Kracht represents literary and commercial fiction, women's fiction, thrillers, mysteries, historical fiction, crossover YA, and nonfiction. She appreciates writing with depth, an introspective voice, thematic layers, multicultural themes and characters, and strong settings. Her nonfiction interests include high concept, health, science, environment, prescriptive nonfiction, investigative nonfiction, true crime, voice- or adventure-driven memoir, sexuality, spirituality, and animal or pet stories.

Elizabeth Kracht is currently only open to queries and pitches through conferences, online events, workshops, and referrals. Kimberley Cameron and Associates uses QueryManager for submissions and asks writers to tailor submissions to each agent's interests, but her public QueryManager page currently says she is not accepting unsolicited queries.

Commercial fiction, women's fiction, romance, mystery, thriller, non-fiction

Wants: Query letter

Lauren is particularly interested in adult and Young Adult commercial fiction, especially women's fiction, romance, mysteries, and thrillers, as well as select non-fiction titles.

Query via QueryTracker platform at the link provided on her profile page.

Romance, contemporary romance, historical romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, speculative romance, horror romance, monster romance, dark romance, dystopian romance, new adult romance, romantasy, speculative fiction, women's fiction, historical fiction, mystery, suspense, thriller, young adult, upper middle grade, non-fiction

Wants: Query letter, first chapter, synopsis

She is looking for high-concept, commercial-leaning stories with propulsive and accessible narratives. She particularly wants dark romance, horror/monster romance, genre-mashups, fresh takes on historical romance and dystopian, mystery/thriller and suspense stories with female protagonists, and cozy crime stories with humor and charm.

Submit queries only through QueryManager. Include a query letter, first chapter, and synopsis for fiction. Include genre and word count in the cover letter. Query only one agent at a time.

Mystery, thriller, commercial fiction, cozy mystery

Wants: Query letter, first three chapters

James is interested in novel-length adult mystery and thriller only, leaning commercial rather than literary. He likes murder mysteries, whodunnits, locked-room and closed-circle mysteries, cozy mysteries, mysteries with speculative elements that still belong on mystery shelves, and thrillers with memorable premises and strong suspense.

James is currently closed to queries. When open, submit through QueryManager with the first three chapters. QueryManager is the only place to query him, email queries are deleted unread.

Fiction, speculative fiction, fantasy, science fiction, poc fiction, intersectional fiction, young adult, middle grade, women's fiction, suspense, thriller, romance, lgbtq and fiction, children's fiction, mystery, horror, literary fiction, memoir

Autumn Frisse is listed by Prentis Literary under Acquisition and is described as the agency gatekeeper who gives submissions a thorough look-through and can pass suitable work on for consideration. The agency focuses on high-quality fiction, speculative and other, with rare memoir, and centers traditionally marginalized groups. The official genres page lists fantasy/science fiction, POC and intersectional fiction, young adult and middle reader, women's fiction, suspense/thriller, romance, LGBTQ+ fiction, children's fiction, mystery, horror, literary fiction, and limited memoir.

Prentis Literary's official submissions page says submissions are closed and that submissions will be discarded. Do not submit unsolicited material while closed.

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, commercial fiction, mystery, domestic suspense, historical fiction, book club fiction, narrative nonfiction

Amy Cloughley seeks authors with unique, clear voices and smart, tightly written prose. She leans toward grounded literary, upmarket, and commercial novels with a distinct sense of place, page-turning mystery, domestic suspense with sharp wit and unexpected twists, well-researched historical fiction, book club fiction with a fresh perspective, small-town contemporary characters, unexpected story arcs, suitable pacing, compelling protagonists, and narrative nonfiction immersed in a culture, lifestyle, discipline, or industry.

Amy Cloughley is currently closed to unsolicited submissions. Her official Kimberley Cameron team page links to a QueryManager form, and the form currently states that she is not accepting queries at this time.

Fantasy, historical fiction, thriller, mystery, pop science, narrative non-fiction, history

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, bio, sample pages

Claire seeks fantasy (especially non-western inspired worlds), historical fiction, thriller, and mystery with romantic or political subplots and immersive settings. She wants characters who chose to be heroes and stories with symbolic resonance. In nonfiction, she seeks pop-science books that use data to tell clear stories, narrative nonfiction between journalism and ethnography, and new histories touching present issues.

Send query letter with synopsis, bio, and opening 3-4 pages embedded in email body. Do not send attachments without request.

Middle grade, young adult, adult fiction, fantasy, thriller, romantic comedy, mystery, queer fiction, marginalized voices

Wants: Query letter, sample pages, synopsis

Lee is interested in MG, YA, and adult projects across genres, especially fantasy, thrillers, romcoms, strong commercial hooks, high-concept premises, twists, ensemble casts, mysteries, diverse books, marginalized voices, and queer stories.

Lee O'Brien is currently closed to queries according to the query guidelines linked from the Looking Glass profile.

Narrative nonfiction, literary commercial fiction, mystery, thriller, legal thriller, psychological thriller, domestic thriller, biography, history, science, sports, travel

Wants: Closed to unsolicited queries

Anne-Lise Spitzer is president of Spitzer Agency. Current public materials describe interest in narrative nonfiction from writers with diverse voices, literary commercial fiction, mysteries, legal, psychological, and domestic thrillers, plus biography, history, science, sports, and travel.

The Spitzer Agency site says it is not accepting new clients for representation at this time.

Narrative nonfiction, biography, memoir, commercial fiction, romance, women's fiction, historical fiction, mystery, thriller, cozy mystery, middle grade, young adult

Carrie Pestritto represents projects across a range of genres and is drawn to immersive writing, engaging voices, meticulous world-building, and compelling premises. LDLA lists her interests as adult narrative nonfiction, biography/memoir, commercial fiction with a literary twist, fresh chick-lit, romance, upmarket women's fiction, near-historical fiction from about the Gilded Age on, mystery/thrillers for a female audience, cozies, and high-concept commercial MG and YA in contemporary, historical, mystery/thriller, horror, or fantasy genres, especially featuring POC or marginalized characters, high stakes, and exciting plot lines.

Carrie Pestritto is currently closed to queries. LDLA accepts queries via QueryManager only and says writers should submit to one agent at a time with one complete project. Carrie's official linked QueryManager page says she is not accepting queries at this time and suggests checking colleagues' bios while she is closed.

Mystery or thriller, historical, ya contemporary, new adult, narrative nonfiction, memoir

Genre fiction, such as Mystery/Thriller, Historical, YA contemporary, and New Adult, as well as Narrative Nonfiction and Memoir, with a particular interest in underrepresented voices, untold multicultural stories, and any high concept or genre-bending works

Currently closed for submissions

Fiction, nonfiction, literary fiction, commercial fiction, book club fiction, thrillers, mystery, speculative fiction, historical fiction, narrative nonfiction, big idea nonfiction, wellness, history, sports, collaborative writers

Mark Tavani is VP of Business Strategy and Literary Agent at the David Black Literary Agency. He represents both fiction and nonfiction. His fiction list includes a wide range of literary and commercial fiction, book club novels, thrillers, mysteries, speculative fiction, and historical fiction, especially fiction that entertains and enriches readers. In nonfiction, he represents work that illuminates or inspires and works with experts and journalists, especially in narrative nonfiction, big ideas, wellness, history, and sports. He also represents collaborative writers who partner with authors in those spaces.

Mark Tavani is not accepting unsolicited queries at this time according to his official David Black profile. The general David Black submissions page lists the agents currently accepting new queries, and Mark Tavani is not listed there.

Commercial fiction, literary fiction, mystery, thriller, crime fiction, young adult, narrative nonfiction, science writing, business books, history

Wants: Query letter, sample pages

Sandra represents adult commercial and literary fiction, mystery, thriller and crime fiction, YA, narrative nonfiction, accessible science writing, business books, and history.

Sandra Bond is closed to all queries, her client list is full.

Young adult, adult fiction, romance, women's fiction, literary fiction, mystery, suspense, thriller, speculative fiction, science nonfiction, travel writing, cookbooks

Wants: Query letter, sample pages

Nicole represents YA and adult fiction across romance, women's fiction, literary fiction, mystery, suspense, thriller, and speculative fiction, and is eager to champion diverse voices. In nonfiction she is focused on science-based works, especially biology, forensics, and medicine, plus travel narratives and cookbooks.

Nicole Payne is currently closed to submissions. The Confluence submissions page says to check for updates on when her QueryTracker will reopen.

Literary fiction, speculative fiction, mystery, crime fiction, thriller, history, narrative nonfiction, technology, science, psychology, design

Roz Foster is Senior Agent at Frances Goldin Literary Agency. She is drawn to contemporary literary fiction, especially literary speculative fiction, elevated mystery, crime, and thriller, dark stories with philosophical gravity, spare perceptive prose, and work with emotional and intellectual depth. In nonfiction she is interested in history, narrative nonfiction, technology, science, psychology, and design.

Roz Foster is currently closed to queries according to both her official profile and the official Frances Goldin submissions page.

Horror, thriller, mystery, suspense, paranormal, urban fantasy, western, speculative fiction, romance, non-fiction

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, sample pages

Paige seeks commercial horror, thriller, mystery/suspense, paranormal, urban fantasy, western, speculative fiction, select romance, and informative nonfiction. She is especially interested in hearing from Canadian authors but is not exclusively limited to them.

All submissions should be sent through Query Tracker. Include query letter, synopsis, and first ten pages. Query should contain agent personalization, metadata with title or word count or genre or comps, pitch, and author bio.

Graphic novels, comics, science fiction, adventure, contemporary fiction, mystery, thriller, diverse voices, lgbtq and, gender identity

Wants: Closed to unsolicited queries

Peter represents only graphic novel authors and illustrators. He is interested in classic science fiction, adventure, contemporary stories of life, mysteries, thrillers, stories steeped in diverse cultures and families, and stories that delve into LGBTQ+ and gender identity.

Stimola Literary Studio's submissions page says Peter Ryan is not accepting any new submissions or clients at the moment.

General fiction, horror, mystery, thriller, historical fiction, science fiction, fantasy, cookbooks

Wants: Query letter, sample pages

Becky represents adult and teen fiction across general fiction, horror, mystery/thriller, historical fiction, science fiction, and fantasy, and has a special place for cookbooks.

Becky LeJeune is open only to queries by referral and submission invitations, including conference invitations. Queries sent by email or contact form will not be considered.

Adult fiction, upmarket fiction, literary fiction, commercial fiction, romance, psychological thriller, cozy mystery, memoir, young adult, middle grade, humor

Saba Sulaiman is Senior Agent at Talcott Notch. She is currently closed, but when open she looks for adult upmarket literary and commercial fiction, romance except paranormal, character-driven psychological thrillers, cozy mysteries, and memoir; young adult in all subgenres except paranormal, fantasy, and science fiction, especially contemporary realistic YA with heart, humor, and personality; middle grade that is smart, accessible, funny, sweet, or written with flair; and humor nonfiction. She looks for strong voices, unconventional narratives, complex relationships, fresh perspectives, multicultural perspectives, and themes of immigration, displacement, and cultural adjustment.

Saba Sulaiman is currently closed to queries according to her official Talcott Notch profile.