2026 Agents/Editors

Agent

Ritu Anand, D4EO Literary Agency

Bio: Ritu Anand has been a passionate storyteller since childhood. Caught and admonished for writing—under her desk—during a math class, she recalls being highly inconvenienced. Inspiration had struck from within and there was little else she could have done to curtail it. Today, Ritu has earned the recognition of being an award-winning author of Kara’s Dreams, a picture book about being resilient in the face of adversity. She gives tremendous credit to the various teachers at Mater Dei Convent, who, in the formative years of her life, laid an impression upon her.

No good story should ever be filed away but be shared, she believes. And that is why she has chosen to champion voices yet unheard. Ritu is excited to represent writers of kidlit, literary fiction, general fiction and historical fiction.

She joined D4EO Literary Agency in Spring 2023. As a writer herself, she is on the same page with other writers and applauds their creativity.

For submissions, email a word file to: ritu@d4eo.com.

Kidlit: Picture Books, Middle Grade and YA novels.

Literary Fiction: Drama, Fairy Tales and Fiction in Verse.

General Fiction: Women’s Fiction, Drama, Humor, Realistic Fiction, Satire, Tragedy.

Historical Fiction: Women’s Historical Fiction, Historical Romantic Fiction and Historical Fantasy.

Diverse and Underrepresented Voices are encouraged to submit.

Looking for:  She is most interested in representing kidlit, cozy mystery thrillers, family crime, historical fiction and women’s fiction.

Not looking for: Please do not submit sci-fi or paranormal to her.

Agent

Bernadette Baker-Baughman, Victoria Sanders & Associates LLC

Bio: Bernadette Baker-Baughman has completed a Master’s Degree in Writing at Portland State University and spent several years in-house (first editorial, then marketing). She began agenting in 2005 and has worked with VSA since 2010. She is drawn to strong storytelling in all genres, with a special interest in thrillers, contemporary novels, magical realism, young adult, and books for kids. She is also open to pop-culture, gift books, and memoir. She loves smart writing, high-concept books, work with great emotional resonance, and humor. She is always looking for authors with a distinctive voice.

Clients: She has represented a number of New York Times bestselling and award-winning writers and illustrators, including Liv Constantine, Carson Morton, Leslye Walton, Faith Erin Hicks, Tony Cliff, Maris Wicks to name a few.

Looking for: Thrillers, Domestic Suspense, Crime Fiction, YA Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Romantic Comedy, Memoir, True Crime.

Not looking for: Science Fiction/Fantasy, Westerns, Cozy Mystery, Straight Romance.

Editor

Susan Barnes, Tor Publishing Group

Bio: After working on various sides of the publishing realm, Susan Barnes made a home at Tor Publishing Group. She has a passion for fast-paced, character-led fiction across all genres. She loves gut-wrenching stories, but don’t send anything that will make her ugly cry in the end, or she will bill you for her therapy. When she’s not reading—which does occasionally happen—she loves taking long walks with her pup, attempting to garden, and watching movies with the biggest coke and bowl of popcorn she can find.

Looking for: Action and mystery thrillers, especially with a speculative edge, upmarket commercial fiction, horror, fantasy, and romance.

Not looking for: Literary, YA, memoir, poetry, or political fiction.

Note on editors: This editor does not accept unagented manuscripts. They are happy to have a conversation about your project, make a connection, and provide brief feedback.

Agent

Caitlin Blasdell, Liza Dawson Associates

Bio: Caitlin Blasdell has been a literary agent with Liza Dawson Associates since 2002, focusing on commercial fiction.  Before becoming an agent, she was a senior editor at HarperCollins Publishers.  A graduate of Williams College, she lives in Westchester with her husband, four sons, and an ever-expanding flower garden.

Looking for: She is looking for quality commercial fiction, which to her means a strong plot, memorable voice, clean prose, and, ideally, a good hook.  Her specialties include science fiction and fantasy, romance and women’s fiction, thrillers, and historical fiction.  She also handles a few select middle grade and YA authors and a very few nonfiction titles.

Her clients include Adam Plantinga (THE ASCENT and HARD TOWN), Nicola Solvinic (THE HUNTER’S DAUGHTER), Constance Fay (CHAOS), Scott Hawkins (THE LIBRARY AT MOUNT CHAR), Jo Nichols (THE MARIGOLD COTTAGES MURDER COLLECTIVE), Charles Stross (the Hugo-Award-winning Laundry series), and Rebecca Zanetti (New York Times-bestselling author of the Laurel Snow thriller series.)

Editor

Joe Brosnan, Grove Atlantic

Bio: Joe Brosnan is a Senior Editor at Grove Atlantic, where he oversees the newly launched Atlantic Crime imprint.

Prior to that, he worked at St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books and managed Criminal Element for nearly a decade.

Looking for: At this time, I am exclusively looking for crime fiction submissions, particularly books from diverse authors who are using the genre to hold up a mirror to contemporary issues. I’m interested in everything from small-town noir to upmarket thrillers, and I’m looking for authors who intend to write a book every year(ish), whether it’s a series or standalone. I want to find authors who are in this for the long haul, and who I can work with for years to come.

Note on editors: This editor does not accept unagented manuscripts. They are happy to have a conversation about your project, make a connection, and provide brief feedback.

Agent

Penelope Burns, Gelfman Schneider Literary Agents

Bio: Penelope Burns began her career in publishing at Gelfman Schneider as an intern in 2012, and after a brief stint as a book-to-film scout, became a full time agent in 2015. She reads eclectically and is particularly drawn to captivating writing with an engaging voice.

Looking For: Mystery, Psychological Thrillers, Fantasy, Speculative Fiction, Science Fiction, Adult/YA Crossover, YA, MG. Favorite reads of the last year include: Pachinko, I Have Some Questions for You, The School for Good Mothers, Crying in H-Mart, Last Night at the Telegraph Club, We Deserve Monuments, The Adventures of Amina Al-Sarafi, and Such Sharp Teeth.  

Not Looking For: Picture Books, Cozy Mysteries, Military Thrillers, Spy Thrillers, Historical Romance.

Select Clients Include: Brooke Archer, Doug Cornett, Kwame Ivery, Em X. Liu, Ashton Noone, Emily Paxman, Alyssa Wees, Leah Vernon.

Agent

Moses Cardona, John Hawkins & Associates, Inc.

Bio: I am a native New Yorker and a graduate of New York University and avid comics collector.

My primary focus is fiction. My clients include international bestselling authors Ann Cleeves, Gregory Maguire, Gail Godwin, Jerry & Eileen Spinelli and Edgar Award-winner Kate Hohl.

Looking for: My special interests include commercial fiction, mystery & suspense, business, science, multi-cultural fiction, and the occasional bonkers narrative.

Not looking for: Military/tech narrative, Mafia/Mob/Russian stories, pet/cozy stories, paranormal – otherwise I have an open mind.

Agent

Jenniea Carter, New Leaf Literary & Media

Bio: Jenniea is a queer Black woman who believes there is always something to learn from a book; for some projects, you have to be a bit more open-minded. She loves to work on projects that address mental health and healing generational trauma through moments of love, joy, and strength.

She has honed her knowledge of book buying, merchandising, and selling in her 10 years of working in bookstores. And after years of teaching ESL, Jenniea found her revitalized passion for books and decided to venture into the publishing world.  Soon after, Jenniea found herself at New Leaf Literary & Media, eager to uplift and amplify marginalized voices. When she is not between the pages of a book, Jenniea can be found binging mystery documentaries and animation.

For more information on Jenniea’s projects and her wishlist, visit her here.

Looking for: She is interested in Cozy Mysteries, Horror, Speculative, Thrillers, Fantasy, and Romance. She represents picture books to adult.

Not looking for: She is not interested in espionage and historical.

Agent

Jon Cobb, Hannigan Getzler Literary (HG Literary)

Bio: Jon Cobb is a Literary Agent at Hannigan Getzler Literary. Prior to joining HG Literary in 2016, he completed a master’s degree in Publishing: Digital and Print Media at NYU. He joined HG Literary to assist partner and agent Josh Getzler on a wide variety of titles in fiction and nonfiction.

Looking for: Jon is looking for Mysteries, Thrillers, Horror, Speculative, Grounded Sci-Fi, and Fantasy. He represents across age groups, Middle Grade, YA and Adult. He’s particularly looking for stories written by authors of diverse and underrepresented backgrounds; high-concept, 15-minutes-in-the-future speculative thrillers; and bold, creative, genre-defying mashups—Ocean’s 11 across timelines, Grey’s Anatomy but make it magic, The Bourne Identity during a family reunion. Something with clear genre appeal but with an unheard-of twist.

Not Looking For: True crime; Non-fiction; traditional cozy mysteries; straightforward CIA or military thrillers; Trump allegories.

Agent

Andrianna deLone, Creative Artists Agency (CAA)

Bio: Andrianna deLone represents a wide range of fiction and nonfiction authors, including cookbook authors. She began her career at ICM in 2017 and joined CAA in 2022 following the agency’s acquisition of ICM. Originally from San Diego, she graduated from Vanderbilt University with degrees in English and Political Science. She is also a graduate of the Columbia University’s Publishing Course. She lives in Brooklyn.

Looking for: Upmarket and literary thrillers and psychological suspense with a strong voice.

Not looking for: YA, fantasy, or sci-fi.

Editor

Sean deLone, Simon & Schuster (Atria Books)

Bio: Sean deLone holds a B.A. in economics with high honors from Guilford College and is a graduate of the Columbia Publishing Course. He publishes a wide variety of books including literary fiction, mystery and thrillers, narrative nonfiction, pop culture, and memoir. His authors include the bestselling authors Steve Cavanagh and Jake Tapper, Jill Gutowitz, Nick Fuller Googins, Lincoln Michel, Kashana Cauley, Emily Austin, Paul Bradley Carr, and Mark Edwards among others. He’s also worked on the bestselling novels This Tender Land and The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger and the New York Times bestseller The Mysterious Case of Rudolph Diesel by Douglas Brunt.

Looking for: Elevated mysteries and thrillers, contemporary spy novels, true crime.

Not looking for: Historical, YA, fantasy, military thrillers.

Note on editors: This editor does not accept unagented manuscripts. They are happy to have a conversation about your project, make a connection, and provide brief feedback.

Agent

Danielle Egan-Miller, Browne & Miller Literary Associates

Bio: Danielle is president of Browne & Miller Literary Associates and has sold hundreds of books during her literary agenting career, with an emphasis on popular adult fiction. She represents several bestselling authors and prize- and award-winning writers including William Kent Krueger and Francine Rivers. An intrepid reader with eclectic taste, she is forever interested in a great story well told. She is based in the Chicago area.

Looking for: Upmarket mystery/crime/suspense/thrillers including highly original family or friendship dramas, domestic suspense stories, and tales with surprising bents and diabolical twists. Classic-feeling, beautifully composed novels with both a strong sense of place and a crime/suspense element in the vein of the Edgar Award-winning ORDINARY GRACE by longtime client William Kent Krueger. A crime story set in the rural Southwest. An elegant novel about contemporary spy craft. Two white whales (the hunt continues!): an expertly-crafted, Chicago-set historical thriller in the vein of The Alienist; a golf-themed crime novel. An ideal protagonist might be a golf pro.

Not looking for: She is not looking for children’s books, YA, sci-fi/fantasy, genre horror, or memoirs. Also not interested in previously self- or indie-published works.

Agent

Susanna Einstein, Dunow, Carlson & Lerner Literary Agency

Bio: Susanna Einstein began her publishing career in 1996 at Warner Books (now Grand Central Publishing), then worked as a book scout for Maria B. Campbell Associates before she began agenting in 2005. From 2015-25 she ran her own agency, Einstein Literary Management. She works primarily on upmarket commercial and crime fiction for adults, selectively on YA and MG projects, and idiosyncratically on non-fiction that has included biography, business, cookbooks, history and memoir.

Her crime-fiction clients include Edgar-Award winners Bruce DeSilva, David Ellis, and Daniel Stashower; other fiction and non-fiction clients include Ree Drummond (aka The Pioneer Woman), Shari Dunn, Jennie Fields, Rachael Herron, Virginia Hume, Emmy Laybourne, Sarah Seltzer, and Kitty Zeldis.

Looking for: Susanna is looking for character-driven and well-plotted crime fiction, and would love to expand her roster of female-identifying clients writing mysteries or suspense. She is also interested in good cross-genre fiction (think Kaliane Bradley or Katie Williams), and in impeccably researched and reported true crime.

In terms of her taste, some of her favorite non-client crime fiction of the last few years was written by S.A. Cosby, Tana French, Jane Harper, Mick Herron, Jean Hanff Korelitz, Laura Lippman, Attica Locke, Liz Moore, Richard Osman, Nina Simon, Jessie Sutanto, and Chris Whitaker.

Not looking for: She is not the right agent for military thrillers, books with extensive torture scenes, books that fetishize violence against women, or books by writers who don’t read within their genre.

Agent

James Farner, JABberwocky Literary Agency

Bio: James Farner (he/him) is an Agency Assistant for JABberwocky Literary Agency, directly assisting COO Brady McReynolds. He was born and raised in the Midwest, received his bachelor’s degree in English writing and religious studies from the University of Oklahoma (where he interned with award-winning literary magazine World Literature Today), and moved to New York City to attend The New School for Social Research’s Liberal Studies master’s program. He started at JABberwocky as an intern in 2019 and became full-time in 2021.

James grew up reading epic fantasies and sweeping space operas, but these days the majority of his reading is in the mystery/thriller space. When he’s not reading, his minimal free time goes to keeping up with the best TV series and listening to podcasts in the tech-adjacent, pop-culture sphere.

Looking for: I’m looking for novel-length works of Adult Fiction in the mystery/crime/thriller genres, with a particular interest in murder mysteries and whodunnits. I’ll consider projects with speculative elements, but generally ones you’d still expect to see in the mystery section of a bookstore, not the SFF shelves.

Not looking for: I am not open to Children’s, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Short Stories (including collections), Poetry, Graphic Novels, or Nonfiction.

Agent

Rebeka Finch, Darley Anderson Agency & Associates

Bio: Rebeka Finch had her first start in publishing as an assistant at Darley Anderson Agency and Associates working on the crime and thriller list, and she is now building her own list in the commercial fiction space.

As a reader and an agent, Rebeka is on the hunt for commercial romantic and romantasy fiction, specifically for the BookTok hungry market — whether this is a contemporary rom-com, a spicy romance, a breathtaking romantasy, romantic suspense, or a new adult coming-of age story.

She’d also love to see more genre-bending mashups, think Twisters but make it a romance, or Bridget Jones meets Ocean’s Eleven. Something filled with thrills and adventure, but keeping a spine tingling romance at its core.

Looking for: Romance, fantasy, romantasy, historical, book club, romantic suspense.

Not looking for: Non-fiction, science fiction, poetry, literary fiction, military fiction.

Agent

Tracy Fisher, WME Books (William Morris Endeavor)

Bio: Tracy Fisher is a Senior Partner and Head of the International Rights team within the WME Books department.  Tracy is the literary agent for several internationally bestselling authors including the Tom Clancy estate and franchise, director Quentin Tarantino, and suspense writer Joy Fielding (THE HOUSEKEEPER, CUL-DE-SAC, THE BAD DAUGHTER, ALL THE WRONG PLACES).

With her authors and the resources of WME, she takes a 360-degree approach to representation.

Tracy also represents international publishing rights for bestselling authors Terry Hayes (I AM PILGRIM), the estate of Ira Levin (ROSEMARY’S BABY, STEPFORD WIVES), Jean Korelitz (THE PLOT), Julia Phillips (DISAPPEARING EARTH), Chloe Benjamin (THE IMMORTALISTS), Jean Kwok (THE LEFTOVER WOMAN and SEARCHING FOR SYLVIE LEE) and many others.

Looking for: Thrillers with a smart and fresh twist. High-concept plots matched with well-drawn, complex protagonists.

Agent

Liza Fleissig, Liza Royce Associates

Bio: Liza Fleissig, with her partner Ginger Harris-Dontzin, opened Liza Royce Associates (LRA) in early 2011. A cross-platform company providing development, representation, and strategic career management for clients in all media, their goal is to represent clients in all stages of their careers, from the most established to those developing their craft, as well as debuts. Both former partners in NYC based litigation law firms, Liza and Ginger bring a combined 40 years of negotiating experience to the field. This background, along with connections rooted in publishing, movies and television, allowed them to focus and build on a referral-based clientele.

Clients: Robert Bailey II, Isabella Maldonado, Sara DiVello, Elise Hart Kipness, Amy Impellizzeri, Retired FBI Agent Jerri Williams, Jon Lindstrom, Estate of Marc Olden, among others.

Looking for: psychological thrillers, domestic suspense, mystery/suspense, crime fiction, medical thrillers (would love the next Quincy/Scarpetta generation) – basically a fresh way in to tried-and-true concepts – female narratives with complicated histories/family/friendships always welcome.

Currently not looking for: sci/fi/fantasy, crazy presidents, Russia/China, covid/pandemic stories, traditional CIA/terrorist, mob/cartel, military thrillers (unless author is/was military).

Agent

Carolyn Forde, Transatlantic Agency

Bio: Carolyn is a Partner and Senior Agent at Transatlantic Agency, in addition to overseeing the International Rights division at the agency. She represents bestselling and award-winning authors and is always on the lookout for more compelling stories and talented writers.

Looking for: Currently she is seeking upmarket commercial fiction by female identifying authors, really funny and romantic romcoms from diverse voices, agenda setting non-fiction — either investigative journalism or literary memoir that offers a window into an unusual or rarely seen part of society. Her authors include USA TODAY bestselling Karma Brown (RECIPE FOR A PERFECT WIFE), critically acclaimed romcom author Jean Meltzer (THE MATZAH BALL), bestselling thriller author Hannah Mary McKinnon (NEVER COMING HOME), bestselling memoirist Clayton Thomas-Muller (LIFE IN THE CITY OF DIRTY WATER) and bestselling investigative journalist Sarah Berman (DON’T CALL IT A CULT).

Not looking for: She is not looking for YA, fantasy, military/CIA thrillers or children’s books.

Agent

David Forrer, InkWell Management

Bio: David Forrer began his career in publishing in 1997 after receiving a Masters in Creative Writing (fiction) from Boston University. He has been an agent with InkWell Management since it was created in 2004. He enjoys smart, propulsive fiction with a great hook and unforgettable characters, including crime, suspense and thrillers that range from commercial to literary. He’s had the privilege of working with many talented authors including Tom Baragwanath (PAPER CAGE), Ella Berman (BEFORE WE WERE INNOCENT), Tammy Greenwood (THE STILL POINT), Priya Guns (YOUR DRIVER IS WAITING), Hannah Richell (THE SEARCH PARTY) and Hayley Scrivenor (DIRT CREEK).

Agent

Gail Fortune, The Talbot Fortune Agency

Bio: Gail Fortune is a partner in the Talbot Fortune Literary Agency. Prior to becoming
an agent she was an editor with The Putnam Berkley Group where she rose from
Editorial Assistant to Executive Editor. Her authors have won RITA’s and Agatha’s
and have been Edgar, Anthony, and Shamus finalists. She has edited and agented
New York Times and USA TODAY bestsellers. She is a graduate of Northwestern
University’s Medill School of Journalism. As an agent she represents mostly fiction
with select nonfiction clients and is happy to announce her client Jodi Thomas has
her novel Ransom Canyon currently on Netflix as a 10-episode first season.

Looking for: Commercial fiction with strong writing, good pacing and memorable characters. I
read widely and enjoy many genres and more recently genre mashups. I enjoy
unusual settings and more familiar ones as well. Specifically interested in
traditional mysteries, locked room mysteries, crime novels like Jane Harper and
Tana French, women’s suspense like Ruth Ware and Alice Feeney, classic
espionage with a twist, book club fiction, women’s fiction, cozy fiction,
speculative fiction like Cahokia Jazz or The Morningside.

Not looking for: True Crime, Horror, Military thrillers.

Agent

Ariele Fredman, UTA (United Talent Agency)

Bio: Ariele Fredman comes to UTA from Atria Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, where she was most recently Deputy Director of Publicity and Marketing, working across genres to launch bestselling campaigns for blockbuster authors such as Colleen Hoover, Lisa Jewell, Janet Evanovich,Jennifer Weiner, Fredrik Backman, Rebecca Serle, and Zakiya Dalila Harris. Over her 15+ years in publishing, she has launched over 50 New York Times bestsellers, including eight number-one books.

Her mission at UTA is to help build the commercial fiction program, drawing on her unique understanding of the publishing landscape and what drives readers to both buy and then talk about their favorite books.

Looking for: Ariele is looking for character-driven commercial and upmarket fiction that will make her cry; mystery/thriller/suspense with an incredible, unique, or weird hook and a last-page jaw dropper; romance with a relatable main character and witty dialogue; and novels about women’s inner lives that straddle the line between commercial and literary. She loves a strong sense of place. Her favorite novels are those you want to savor but end up reading in a day, and tension amongst characters — in any genre — is a win. She would love to find more romantic suspense as well as authors in the vein of one of her favorites, Lisa Jewell. She’d also like to hear from a diverse range of voices and backgrounds.

Not looking for: She is not in the market for extremely cozy or PI-led novels at the moment.

Agent

Lori Galvin, Aevitas Creative Management

Bio: Lori Galvin worked as a book editor before moving to the literary agent side in 2015. She works with a diverse group of writers of both fiction and nonfiction. Some of her clients’ projects have been optioned by A24, Netflix, and CBS Studios. She has signed and sold books by writers she has met through PitchFest, including Wanda M. Morris and Cheryl A. Head.

Looking For: Literary thriller, suspense, and crime and if it crosses genre, that’s fine too, but must be grounded. I’m especially interested in compassionate novels of crimes and misdemeanors that provide the reader with insight into the human condition in the vein of Liz Moore, Tim Johnston, Jessica Knoll (esp Bright Young Women), Tracey Sierra, and Will Dean, but also voicey, twisty, suspense with edge like Samantha Downing, Mark Edwards, Adrian McKinty, and Amina Akhtar.

Supernatural thrillers or thrillers with some horror such as novels by Marcus Kliewer, Paul Tremblay, Alex North, and Alma Katsu or think horror for readers who don’t typically read horror. I’m especially looking for folk horror, horror related to historical events and female centered horror. I loved the recent film The Companion because it was so twisty, sharply written, and unexpected for the genre.

Not looking for: Military thrillers; organized crime novels a la ‘mob’ novels, or technothrillers/biotech thrillers that are so centered on the technology aspect, they might date quickly.

Editor

Tara Gavin, Crooked Lane Books

Bio: Tara Gavin has always loved books. She began her career very early — reading every book she could get her hands on. Her favorites were the classics, Women’s Fiction, and mysteries. She has spent years at Harlequin Books, where she pursued her love of Women’s Fiction, working with New York Times bestsellers Diana Palmer and Heather Graham, as well as many others. Moving onto Kensington Books, Tara still worked with bestselling women’s fiction authors, but also was able to pursue her love of mysteries, suspense and diverse author voices.

She also works with British and Australian publishers to bring bestselling writers such as Felix Francis and Laura Shepperson to readers in the United States market.

She is excited to be working with Alcove Press and Crooked Lane Books, where the best of all worlds come together—upmarket, commercial Women’s Fiction, suspense and mysteries.

Looking for: She loves complex plots that entertain and have deep, emotional characterization. Her wish list when she acquires for Crooked Lane Books includes books in the tradition of: Ruth Ware, Lisa Gardner, Karen Rose and of course, Agatha Christie. She loves cozy mysteries that contain humor, a community of interacting characters and animals or crafts. She loves series. Examples of her favorite types of stories can be found in the books by Gerri Lewis, Lucy Connelly, and soon-to-be-published J.B. Abbott.

Editor

Elana Gibson, CamCat Books

Bio: Elana Gibson is the Associate Editor and Acquisitions Manager at CamCat Books, a boutique publisher of award-winning genre fiction owned by Baker & Taylor. She joined the CamCat team in 2021 and specializes in developmentally editing fantasy, science fiction, and young adult novels.

Looking for: Young adult, especially young adult mysteries and thrillers, fantasy, science fiction, mysteries, thrillers, suspense, historical fiction, and new adult.

Not looking for: Nonfiction, military thrillers.

Note on editors: This editor accepts unagented manuscripts and may directly request your manuscript.

Editor

Rachel Gilmer, Sourcebooks LLC

Bio: Rachel Gilmer joined Sourcebooks first as an intern and then as a member of the Production team before finding her home in Editorial. She acquires adult fiction for Sourcebooks Casablanca and Poisoned Pen Press, giving her a chance to balance her love of romance and dark fiction.

Looking for:

In Mystery, she’s looking for: upmarket mystery, including paranormal; soft-boiled mystery; locked-room.

In Thriller: psychological; domestic suspense; environmental thriller; upmarket spy thriller; horror thriller; romantic suspense; romantic thriller.

In Horror: ecological/climate horror and survival horror, especially against the elements; horror romance; Gothic and/or folk horror; psychological horror.

She’s especially interested in novels that integrate unique storytelling techniques; cross-genre projects; new takes on classic tropes; fanfiction re-imaginings.

Not looking for: traditional cozy mysteries, memoirs, nonfiction.

Agent

Amy Giuffrida, Belcastro Agency

Bio: Amy Giuffrida is a Senior Literary Agent at Belcastro Agency and member of the Association of American Literary Agents (AALA). Prior to joining Belcastro, she had a variety of internships—including Entangled and P.S. Literary Agency—and became a literary agent in 2020 at The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency. In 2022, Amy moved to Belcastro Agency, where she represents talented kid lit, adult, and non-fiction writers.

Looking for: In adult, Amy is looking for commercial and upmarket fiction, women’s fiction, romance (rom-coms, paranormal, romantasy, contemporary), speculative fiction, horror, thrillers, and suspense. In young adult, she is focused on horror, thrillers, fantasy, and science fiction. While primarily interested in fiction, she will consider select narrative non-fiction. She is especially interested in works by BIPOC authors in both fiction and non-fiction.

Not looking for: Amy is not looking for military, mafia/mob, pandemic/virus, zombie, or religious stories, nor anything that celebrates violence towards women or children. She does not represent novellas or erotica.

Agent

Doug Grad, Doug Grad Literary Agency, Inc.

Bio: Doug’s path on the road to publishing may have been set early. His first job in the industry came in 1978, walking up and down Fifth Avenue in Manhattan wearing a sandwich board advertising a new novel during the 1978 New York City newspaper strike. The next year, he took creative writing at Stuyvesant High School with Frank McCourt, nearly two decades before McCourt won the Pulitzer Prize for Angela’s Ashes. Doug opened the Doug Grad Literary Agency, Inc. in 2008. As a third generation New Yorker and 25-year resident of Brooklyn, Doug moved to Salem, Massachusetts in 2021. No, he has not been turned into a toad by a witch (yet).

After starting at Simon & Schuster as an assistant to the assistant of Michael Korda, 2025 begins Doug’s 39th year as a publishing professional. An editor with imprints at Simon & Schuster, Random House, Penguin and HarperCollins for 22 years, Doug acquired and edited fiction and nonfiction bestsellers. On the nonfiction side, Doug has worked with astronauts, generals, war heroes, gangsters, cops, politicians, sports stars, journalists, musicians, historians, and humorists. It’s never boring, and it keeps him out of the saloons!

As an agent, Doug has represented such clients as New York Times bestselling author of historical fiction Jeff Shaara; New York Times bestseller Kerri Rawson (daughter of serial killer Dennis Rader, known as BTK); New York Times bestselling WWII historian Larry Alexander; Grammy-winning jazz guitarist John Pizzarelli; Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Hugh Shelton, and true crime and mob writer Michael Benson, among others. In the mystery/thriller genre, Doug represents two-time Agatha Award and four-time Lefty Award winner Ellen Byron (and her alter-ego Maria DiRico); Jerome Preisler, author of the NET FORCE series created by Tom Clancy and Steve Pieczenik; New York Times bestseller David L. Robbins; psychological suspense writer Debbie Babitt; thriller writer Matthew Betley; and espionage novelist A.J. Chambers.

Looking For: On the fiction side, Doug’s looking for mysteries (cozy, contemporary or historical), all stripes of thrillers, and contemporary fiction with interesting voices. On the nonfiction side, Doug’s looking for military, narrative nonfiction, celebrity memoir, history, music, popular science, business and sports.

Not looking for: Children’s picture books, middle grade, YA, science fiction, fantasy

Agent

Andrea Hurst, Andrea Hurst & Associates, Literary Management

Bio: Andrea Hurst is the Founder and President of Andrea Hurst & Associates.

As a literary agent and developmental editor, Andrea brings over 25 years of experience in the publishing industry. She has worked with major publishers, both domestic and international. Overall, her focus is to help authors polish their book, obtain publication, and build their author brand.

Some of her clients include bestsellers such as Dr. Bernie Siegel, Boo Walker, Marc Edelheit, Hannah Jayne, Penny Warner, Ashley Farley, Chef John Ash, and Suzanne Kelman. Her clients and their books have appeared on the Oprah Show, Ellen DeGeneres Show, Good Morning America, National Geographic Network, Amazon Charts, and in The New York Times.

Andrea began her career in the entertainment business working in product development and marketing with Columbia Records, but eventually found her passion in book publishing. She teaches classes at writing conferences and MFA programs, offering valuable insight as an agent, editor, and author of ten books, both in fiction and nonfiction. Her most recent novel, House of Dreams, released in April 2024.

Looking for: I am currently seeking well-crafted, commercially viable fiction titles. My preferred genres are women’s fiction, upmarket and book club fiction, domestic suspense/thrillers, family drama, psychological suspense, crime fiction, historical fiction, rom com, and romance. I am always open to working with underrepresented voices and stories.

Crime novels that play games with the psyche.

Police Procedurals.

Rom-coms with a diverse set of characters and an idealistic setting (like novels by Abby Jimenez).

In terms of literary fiction, I am drawn to works like Beartown by Fredrik Backman, which contains strong character development, powerful themes, and overcoming both internal and external conflicts.

Historical fiction set in the Georgian era (Austen’s time), Gilded Age, or early 1900s like Downton Abbey and WWII.

Contemporary romance with strong tropes and series potential.

Fast-paced, twisty domestic suspense (like novels by Freda McFadden or Harlan Coben).

Atmospheric, high-conflict, high-stakes thrillers similar to The Guestlist by Lucy Foley.

Dramatic thrillers with family dynamics similar to The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave.

Psychological suspense with a surprise ending like The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz.

Anything along the same vein as the series The Morning Show or Defending Jacob on Apple TV+.

As always, I’m enthralled by stories that challenge me, where the mystery is seemingly impossible to figure out, and the reader never knows the truth until the very end. However, believability is of upmost importance.

Not looking for: Please keep in mind, I am not a right fit for titles that deal with espionage, the military, explicit gore or carnage, high-fantasy or sci-fi, erotica, poetry, young adult, or middle grade.

Agent

Tia Ikemoto, Creative Artists Agency (CAA)

Bio: Tia Ikemoto is a literary agent at Creative Artists Agency, based in New York. Originally from the Bay Area, Tia graduated from the University of California, San Diego with a degree in Communication and a minor in Business. After interning at Writers House’s San Diego and New York offices, she joined ICM Partners in 2019 where she assisted the Co-Head of the Publishing Department. She joined CAA in 2022 following the agency’s acquisition of ICM, and was promoted to Literary Agent in 2024.

Tia is building a diverse list of genre and book club fiction across the commercial to literary spectrum that will appeal to a wide readership. She’s drawn towards books with big hooks, vivid settings, memorable plots, and thoughtful explorations of social themes.

Looking for: I’m on the hunt for a true page-turner—whether commercial or literary, speculative or straightforward. I’m interested in thrillers of all bents (psychological, dark, literary, etc.) as well as domestic suspense, elevated mysteries, romantic suspense, and YA thrillers.

Not looking for: Cozy mysteries, military/spy/police thrillers or procedurals, legal thrillers, middle grade or younger.

Agent

Barbara Jones, Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency

Bio: Barbara Jones was an editor for more than thirty years, first in magazines (Grand Street, Harper’s Magazine, Vogue, Real Simple, More Magazine) and later in books (as editorial director at Hyperion Books and as a longtime executive editor at Henry Holt). As a magazine editor, she worked with such writers as Jennifer Egan, Louise Erdrich, Elizabeth Gilbert, Christopher Hitchens, Lorrie Moore, Ann Patchett, Francine Prose and many others. As a book editor, she edited and published numerous bestselling as well as prize-winning titles, working with authors such as Paul Auster, Dan Chaon, Susan Choi, Deborah Copaken, Kelly Corrigan, Sebastian Faulks, Lauren Groff, Janice Hadlow, Rachel Khong, Lillian Li, and Julie Lythcott-Haims, among many others.

She’s now a literary agent with the Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency, with a client list that includes Mohammed Naseehu Ali, Kate Axelrod, Charles Bock, Rafael Frumkin, Danielle Lazarin, Anastasia Taylor-Lind, “The Swans of Harlem” and others.

Looking for: Upmarket and literary fiction . . . thrillers, mysteries, fantasy, dystopian novels, romantic comedies, realistic fiction.

Not looking for: YA, straight-up fantasy, or sci fi, or romance or romantasy; memoirs (I’m full up on memoirs at the moment).

Agent

Jade Kavanagh, Darley Anderson Agency & Associates

Bio: Jade Kavanagh joined Darley Anderson & Associates in April 2020 from Caroline Sheldon Literary Agency. Jade represents a list of crime, thriller, and horror authors and works on brand authors across the agency. Jade has her BA and MA in English Literature.

Looking for: Overall, Jade looks for books to entertain. Jade’s primary genres include thriller, suspense, psychological suspense, horror, book club, romantic suspense and horror. I am specifically looking for a Nora Roberts-esque author writing in the romantic suspense space, writing larger than life generational stories with suspense and real heart. I’d love a crime story with a true crime element to it – a big hook in and a slow burning mystery with an atmospheric setting (something like True Detective and Mare of Easttown). In the book club space, I’d love to find something with a voice I am wowed by; something like Queenie or Such a Fun Age. Across the spectrum of horror and speculative fiction, I’m looking for haunting stories filled with slow build darkness and characters at its heart.  For thriller and psychological suspense, I am craving voices like Gillian Flynn or Riley Sager, telling exciting and dark, pacey thrillers.

Not looking for: Jade is firmly looking for adult commercial fiction. She is not looking for fantasy, rom com, historical or new adult.

Editor

Toni Kirkpatrick, Diversion Books

Bio: Toni Kirkpatrick is a Senior Editor at Diversion Books. Previously at Crooked Lane Books and St. Martin’s Press, she has published award-winning and critically acclaimed fiction. She loves novels that bring history to life, feminist retellings, humor, political engagement, and powerful storylines that explore the human experience. She serves as Chair of Latinx in Publishing and is committed to publishing underrepresented writers.

Looking for: Thrillers, suspense, sci-fi/fantasy, romantasy, and horror. Cross-genre welcome!

Not looking for: Young adult, children’s, cozy mysteries, traditional mysteries, nonfiction.

Note on editors: This editor does not accept unagented manuscripts. They are happy to have a conversation about your project, make a connection, and provide brief feedback.

Agent

Elizabeth Kracht, Kimberley Cameron & Associates Literary Agency

Bio: Elizabeth Kracht is a literary agent with Kimberley Cameron & Associates and the author of The Author’s Checklist: An Agent’s Guide to Developing and Editing Your Manuscript. She also works as a freelance developmental editor coaching authors.

Elizabeth represents both literary and commercial fiction as well as nonfiction, and she brings to the agency experience as a former acquisitions editor, freelance publicist, and writer. Elizabeth’s websites can be viewed at: www.elizabethkracht.com and www.kimberleycameron.com.

Looking for: In fiction, she represents thrillers, mysteries, literary, commercial, women’s, and historical. In nonfiction, she is interested in finding true crime, investigative journalism, narrative/creative nonfiction, prescriptive, voice- or adventure-driven memoir, high concept, science, spirituality, sexuality, self-help, and pet stories.

Not looking for: Elizabeth is not looking for screenplays, previously published works, high finance, or business books.

Agent

Cole Lanahan, The Seymour Agency

Bio: Cole Lanahan brings a diverse skill set to the publishing industry as a literary agent. She holds a degree in Organizational Leadership from Colorado State and has led a multimillion-dollar mental health nonprofit, advocated in the U.S. Congress for enhanced mental health initiatives, forged strategic corporate partnerships, and executed large-scale marketing campaigns.

Looking for: Cole is drawn to high-concept stories with fresh plots, killer voice, and page-turning pacing. She’s especially passionate about championing BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ authors who are telling the stories they genuinely want to write—not those shaped by perceived expectations.

Not looking for: Picture books, Middle Grade, Romcoms, Sports Romance, Procedural Thrillers, Cozy Mysteries, High Fantasy, Science Fiction.

Agent

Jake Lovell, Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency

Bio: Jake joined SDLA in 2023. He earned his MA in Literature and Writing Studies from CSU San Marcos in 2021. He is also a veteran, having joined the Army in 2008. During his time he was promoted to Sergeant and served on two deployments overseas. Born and raised in Southern California, Jake proudly comes from a mixed cultural background and is second generation Chicano on his mother’s side.

Looking for: He is actively seeking adult fiction and non-fiction. In general, he’s especially drawn to character-driven stories written in distinct and diverse voices with an emphasis on:

Gothic, horror, thrillers, westerns, military, and books with speculative fiction elements (supernatural, paranormal, UFOs, etc…; think Jordan Peele or 10 Cloverfield Lane).

Indigenous stories and Latin(x) stories are both extremely underrepresented, and I am dying to read and represent new authors from these backgrounds, both fiction and non-fiction.

I love murder mysteries like Sharp Objects and Girl on the Train, not mystery as the main genre/market however, but something that aligns more along the vein of suspense. I’m also a sucker for a good whydunit.

On the non-fiction front, Jake is especially interested in True Crime, history, and military, ex.: Columbine, American Sniper, and The Fact of a Body.

Not looking for: romance, fantasy, Sci Fi, YA, or children’s books, spy/espionage.

Agent

Sandy Lu, Book Wyrm Literary Agency

Bio: Sandy Lu founded Book Wyrm Literary Agency after working as a literary agent for more than a decade at other boutique agencies, including Peter Rubie Literary Agency, Anderson Literary Management, and the L. Perkins Agency. Her client list includes Amazon, Barnes  & Noble, Publishers Weekly, and USA TODAY bestsellers, Stoker Award, Hammett Prize, and Anthony Award nominees, Goodreads Choice Awards finalists, and New York Times Best of the Year recipient.

Sandy is seeking stories that will draw her in with a unique voice, make her miss her bedtime with a thrilling plot, and characters that will stay with her long after she turns the last page. Bonus points if you can make her laugh out loud or unable to hold back tears. She especially loves historical fiction, atmospheric world building, and anything dark, twisted, or with a supernatural bent. She favors unreliable narrators and serpentine plots that will keep her guessing till the end. And her white whale is a great spy novel set in early 20th century Shanghai.

Looking for: mystery, thriller, suspense, horror, science fiction, fantasy, historical  fiction, upmarket women’s fiction, YA, family saga, rom-coms, historical true crime, biography, and narrative nonfiction on history, science, psychology, and food.

Not looking for: picture books, graphic novels, screenplays, memoir, contemporary true crime, parenting, sports, political/religious/military thrillers, westerns, erotica, or poetry.

Agent

Caitlin Mahony, WME Books (William Morris Endeavor)

Bio: Caitlin Mahony has been at WME since 2016. She represents commercial fiction of all varieties and is especially drawn to romance, SFF, horror, and anything with a strong genre backbone.

Caitlin’s clients include New York Times bestsellers Chloe Walsh, Sarah A. Parker, and Scarlett St. Clair, fantasy authors SenLinYu and Liza Anderson, romantasy superstar Callie Hart, contemporary romance authors Peyton Corinne and Ivy Fairbanks, among others. Caitlin is passionate about working with authors who originate from non-traditional spaces and bringing new opportunities their way.

Looking for: Caitlin is looking for books that offer a total escape and full immersion, in either this world or an imagined one. She loves a hard-won, epic love story (historical and contemporary), a transporting fantasy or sci-fi novel that helps parse earthly questions, a delightful beach read, or a pulse-pounding thriller; and is always looking to get swept up in something that you can’t put down.

Agent

Victoria Marini, High Line Literary Collective

Bio: Victoria Marini has been an agent for over a decade. Before co-founding High Line in 2023, she was an agent with Gelfman Schneider, ICM Partners, and the Irene Goodman Agency. Originally from rural Pennsylvania, she’s been in New York for over two decades, though she’s usually found in the same few-block radius.

Looking for: She has represented numerous award winning and bestselling authors across audiences and is interested in a broad range of genres for both Upmarket & Commercial Adult and Young Adult fiction.

Her list is made up of everything from elevated page-turners to commercial suspense, pacey book club and women’s fiction, supernatural horrors, whimsical speculative romantasy, epic fantasies, adventures, romance, grounded magical fantasy, rom-coms, speculative thrillers, etc. What unites her eclectic list is authentic characters, hooky concepts with strong plotting, and unique voices or visions!

She is a sucker for quirk, mystery, small town hysteria, atmosphere, secrets, things that go bump in the night, a bit of charm, a twist of magic, and anything that makes her laugh!

Not looking for: She’s not the best fit for techy sci-fi, law enforcement procedurals, regency romances, or quiet character studies.

Agent

Amy Moore-Benson, CookeMcDermid Literary Management

Bio: Amy began her career in publishing at 17, when she worked for the magazine Passion in Paris. After graduating from McGill University, she spent 13 years at Harlequin Enterprises, where she launched and acquired commercial fiction for MIRA Books, before she turned her attention to representing a stellar roster of authors, both in Canada and the US. She lives in Toronto with her family.

Looking for: Amy’s list is primarily focused on commercial fiction and narrative non-fiction: domestic thrillers, high-concept suspense, romance, voice-driven women’s fiction, memoir, ripped-from-the-headlines narratives, personal investigations. At the heart of all the books she sells are singular voices and high-impact storytelling, stories that challenge the reader, offer new experiences and above all else, entertain and engage.

Some of her clients include: Jamie Mason, Rick Mofina, Christine Carbo, Alisha Rai, Victoria Helen Stone, Elaine Lui, Johanna Schneller, Brandi Leifso, Josh Stallings, Andre Fenton, Corey Liu.

Agent

Paula Munier, Talcott Notch Literary

Agent

Kiana Nguyen, Donald Maass Literary Agency

Bio: Kiana (Kiki) Nguyen started in publishing in 2015 with an internship with Wunderkind PR, an independent book publishing PR company, working on campaigns with authors such as Ernest Cline. There, she discovered a practical industry for her codependent love of fiction. In 2016, Kiki went on to intern with DMLA where she soon joined the team full-time as an assistant literary agent.

Kiki is now building her client list within young adult and adult fiction with a focus on queer and BIPOC authors.

Looking for: Dark, gritty, fun romps in Romance, Horror, and Domestic Suspense especially; both Young Adult and Adult. I want to have a good time with bitchy, irredeemable characters who do what they want when they want and have to suffer the consequences. If they have never cared about doing the right, responsible, legal thing they’re already halfway to my heart. I want extroverts with personality and chaotic social lives, please I’m bored and dying. Bonus points if it’s characters in their 20s-30s that feel like they’re living in the 2020s.

With Domestic Suspense, Psychological Thrillers, and Thrillers of that nature: Suburban houses occupied by unhappily married straight couples aren’t the only options for settings and character scenarios! Cities exist! So do apartment buildings and single people with myriad friends/friend groups outside of nosy housewives and the PTA! And really, I would love to read about women whose lives don’t revolve around men in any way.

I want to have fun! I am always a sucker for dark, meaty twists and turns (hello, Lisa Jewell!) but I’d love to see different narrative tones a la the 1999 classic Jawbreaker and Scream (which is a Horror, I know but still applicable and also what I rep!). Doom, gloom, and dread are fantastic ways to doll out a mystery or suspense but not the only way and I am dying to see more narrative variety in the genre.

Horror that doesn’t take itself too seriously and feels like the narrators are just as unreliable as the potential kill count. I’m bored by single family homes and ancient estates, so let’s change the location and demographic of the characters, please.

Romance with heat and bite—the rom-coms are getting corny and lacking the “com” to begin with.

SFF that pivots away from the rigamarole of royal politics, machinations, knighthood/guards, etc. etc. I want to have some hectic times with the serfdom, please, I beg.

Agent

Hayley Nusbaum, Gersh

Bio: Hayley Nusbaum coordinates the Publishing and Media Rights Departments for the Gersh Agency. Hayley finds material across genres for all Gersh’s book and media rights agents, for both publishing and film representation. She has a full-service approach with her clients, negotiating both film and publishing deals. She also supports top clients across the agency with IP pursuits.

Looking for: Literary fiction, suspense, thriller, upmarket fiction, commercial fiction, speculative, horror, sweeping romance, narrative non-fiction.

Not looking for: Young adult, middle grade, spy books.

Agent

Sarah Passick, Park, Fine & Brower Literary Management

Bio: Sarah Passick represents high-profile talent across genres in fiction, narrative nonfiction, memoir, personal development, business, and cooking. She prides herself on securing 6- and 7-figure book deals and tailoring her approach to the unique needs of each client. Known for not taking no for an answer, Sarah is passionate about her work and ensuring her authors succeed. Her clients are New York Times bestsellers, Grammy winners, pop culture icons, award-winning chefs, world-renowned health experts, top athletes, and more. Some of Sarah’s authors include benny blanco, Big Sean, Logic, Jake Cohen, Jillian Turecki, Kelly Bishop, Dr. William Li, Dr. Uma Naidoo, Dr. Sara Szal, and more. Mia Vitale and Melissa Rodman work closely with Sarah to create an unstoppable team.

Sarah graduated Cum Laude from Tulane University and holds a certificate in publishing from New York University. She lives in New York City.

Looking for: Mystery, cozy mystery, thriller, Nancy Drew for adults.

Not looking for: Fantasy.

Agent

Katie Reed, Andrea Hurst & Associates, Literary Management

Bio: Katie has been in publishing for over a decade, starting in college as a literary intern with Andrea Hurst & Associates, Literary Management and continuing on as a freelance developmental editor. In 2022, she donned the literary agent hat and began actively building her client list, working with bestselling and debut authors as a senior agent with AHA. Katie is committed to cultivating longevity in her agent-author relationships and represents remarkable books, and the authors who write them, with passion and persistence.

Across genres, her tastes tend to lean upmarket—that sweet spot between commercial and literary, where poignant prose, thought-provoking themes, complex yet relatable characters, and propulsive, page turning plot intersect. Katie is drawn to emotionally powerful, introspective narratives, especially from a fresh perspective.

Looking for: Under the adult suspense/thriller umbrella, Katie is looking for female-driven psychological thriller and domestic suspense with a unique hook that can sit on the shelf next to authors like Lisa Jewell, Ruth Ware, and Stacy Willingham. She welcomes speculative, edge-of-your-seat thrillers like Dark Matter by Blake Crouch (as long as the sci-fi elements don’t bury the story) and eerie, unsettling supernatural/paranormal thrillers (or anything set in our world but with a mystery to solve in the form of hunting down and defeating an otherworldly creature or threat). High on her wish list is a literary thriller akin to God of the Woods by Liz Moore or All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker (one of her all-time favorite books).

For YA, she would absolutely love to find something adventurous with an Outer Banks vibes, or anything with a completely new and different story concept. In terms of content, she likes the darker, edgier, grittier stuff, but nothing unnecessarily graphic or overly disturbing (give her a story that builds suspense and intrigue to shocking plot twists, not gruesome scenes just for shock value).

Other genres she represents include romance, women’s fiction, and fantasy. She is always looking for stories that amplify underrepresented voices and perspectives.

Not looking for: hard sci-fi (light is ok), military/legal/spy thriller, cozies, historical fiction (other genres with historical elements ok), crime fiction, non-fiction, or middle grade.

Follow Katie on Instagram @katiereed_literary.

Agent

Michelle Richter, Fuse Literary

Bio: Michelle Richter is a Senior Agent at Fuse Literary, which she joined from St. Martin’s Press. Crime fiction is her true love, from police procedurals to domestic suspense to thriller. And let’s not forget heists and con artists. She’s rarely found a British or Scandinavian crime show she couldn’t get wrapped up in. Recent favorite authors include Eli Cranor, Ruth Ware, S.A. Cosby, P.J. Vernon, Halley Sutton, and David Heska Wanbli Weiden.

Looking for: She is currently looking for suspense, thriller, amateur sleuth, traditional mystery, police procedural, commercial women’s fiction, and book club reads. She loves a strong voice, character-driven fiction, dual timelines, family secrets, sister/friend stories, lots of twists, and unreliable narrators. LGBTQ, BIPOC, and disabled voices are very welcome.

Not looking for: She is not looking for WWII or pre-20th century historical fiction; private investigators; political, military or espionage thrillers; science fiction/fantasy; poetry; YA or middle-grade fiction; memoir. Stories with human or drug trafficking, sexual assault or abuse, religious themes or characters aren’t a good fit for Michelle’s list.

Clients: E.A. Aymar, L.A. Chandlar, Kyra Davis, Kellye Garrett, Tara Laskowski, Alan Orloff, J. Todd Scott, Carl Vonderau, Erica Wright.

Agent

Will Roberts, The Gernert Company

Bio: Will Roberts is the Associate Director of Foreign Rights and a literary agent at The Gernert Company. He joined the team in 2008 after working at Vintage Books, and, before that, at a newspaper in Jackson, WY, covering the courts and police department. A graduate of Middlebury College, he lives in Brooklyn with his wife and children.

Looking for: He is looking for suspense novels, both literary and commercial, that are original and unpredictable, as well as nonfiction projects focused on current affairs, politics and history.

Agent

Ellen Scordato, Stonestong

Bio: Ellen Scordato is a partner in Stonesong with more than 30 years’ experience in trade book publishing. After a few years at Charles Scribner’s Sons and Random House, where she learned from some of the best in the business, she joined Stonesong as a partner in 2002, where she initially specialized in production and packaged titles. After 20 years she returned to her first, best love, genre fiction, and currently represents Jennifer Williamson, S. K. Golden, Victor Sulhammont, Elena Hartwell [Taylor], and Alex Myers, among others. A Wellesley College graduate with a B.A. in Classics and Art History, she lives in Manhattan with a husband and a couple of literary cats.

Looking for: Ellen is looking for fast-paced contemporary and historical mysteries and thrillers with charismatic protagonists and fresh settings with the potential for series. She’s not looking for cozy mysteries, horror, or comedy. She’ll read submissions set in the literary world, but if it’s in a tried-and-true setting (writing conference, bookstore, etc.), she’d like to see something innovative or an unexpected twist.

Agent

Alec Shane, Writers House

Bio: Alec majored in English at Brown University, a degree he put to immediate use by moving to Los Angeles after graduation to become a professional stunt man. Realizing that he prefers books to breakaway glass, he moved to New York City in 2008 to pursue a career in publishing. Alec quickly found a home at Writers House Literary Agency, where he quickly began building his own list. He is still aggressively looking for new talent across a wide variety of genres.

Looking For: Horror, thriller, mystery, noir, grounded sci-fi, YA and middle grade “boy” fiction, and beautifully written historical fiction. In nonfiction: biography, narrative nonfiction history, military, pop science, and all things sports.

Not Looking For: Romance (paranormal or otherwise), politics (fiction or nonfiction), women’s fiction, picture books, high fantasy, and science fiction featuring aliens/intergalactic warfare. He’s also read enough about Russia, in any capacity, for a while.

Clients: Nat Cassidy, Casey Barrett, Adam Cesare, Hank Early, Jumata Emill, Laurie R. King, Mystery Writers of America (MWA), Jack Murphy, Christopher Price, among others.

Agent

Alexander Slater, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates

Bio: Alex has only ever worked for authors. A UConn graduate with a concentration in creative writing, he has experience in every area of literary agenting, from interning and assisting, to selling foreign rights and cultivating his own client list. After two years at the Maria Carvainis Agency, and twelve years at Trident Media Group, he’s thrilled to be bringing his passion for publishing and his expertise in its business to SJGA. As always, Alex seeks to launch careers. His clients today include multiple award-winning and New York Times bestselling authors.

Looking for:  Horror and domestic suspense.

Not looking for: Fantasy.

Editor

Luisa Cruz Smith, Penzler Publishers

Bio: Luisa Cruz Smith is the editor-in-chief of Penzler Publishers, which includes The Mysterious Press and Scarlet Suspense. Luisa spent her early career as the buying director for Book Passage, one of the largest independent bookstores in the country, and as a freelance editor for authors focused on crime fiction. After first editing for Otto Penzler on special projects, Luisa became the founding editor-in-chief for Penzler Publisher’s new suspense fiction imprint, Scarlet Suspense. In 2022 she was promoted to editor-in-chief of Penzler Publishers, which includes Mysterious Press, a literary crime fiction imprint Penzler founded in 1975, and has published some of the greatest names in the genre.

Looking for: Luisa is interested in a wide range of crime fiction — from the traditional who-dunnit, to international thrillers, to psychological suspense — but mostly she is hoping to find great characters and a gripping storyline.

Not looking for: She is not interested in short stories or books centered around Sci-Fi or Fantasy elements.

Note on editors: This editor does not accept unagented manuscripts. They are happy to have a conversation about your project, make a connection, and provide brief feedback.

Agent

Alice Speilburg, Speilburg Literary Agency

Bio: Alice Speilburg is the founding agent of Speilburg Literary Agency and has worked in publishing for more than a decade. She represents commercial fiction and narrative nonfiction. Alice is a member of the Association of American Literary Agents, as well as several writing organizations. She started her career in editorial at a publishing house before moving to a small Brooklyn agency and then launching Speilburg Literary. She has worked with bestselling and award-winning authors, branded content, and literary and professional societies.

Editor

Kelly Stone, St. Martin’s Publishing Group

Bio: Kelly Stone is an associate editor at St. Martin’s Publishing Group who is actively acquiring commercial genre fiction. She joined St. Martin’s in 2021 after graduating from Cornell University with a degree in Communication. Her list consists of action-packed thrillers, rom-com/mystery mash-ups, elevated cozy mysteries, and humor-filled romance novels for adults, young adults, and in the crossover space. She is drawn to books that feel like you are watching a movie or a TV show as you read each page and is particularly interested in the coming of age experience as people navigate early adulthood, especially when told through a unique, genre lens.

Looking for: Mystery, thriller, suspense, romance, speculative fiction, grounded fantasy/sci-fi, book club fiction, women’s fiction, YA.

Not looking for: Police procedurals, military fiction, horror, historical fiction, epic fantasy, children’s books for ages below YA.

Note on editors: This editor does not accept unagented manuscripts. They are happy to have a conversation about your project, make a connection, and provide brief feedback.

Agent

Hannah Strouth, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates

Bio: Before joining Sanford J. Greenburger Associates in 2024, Hannah Strouth spent over four years at another commercial agency. Born and raised in Tennessee, she graduated from the College of William & Mary in Virginia with degrees in English and marketing and attended the Columbia Publishing Course.

Looking for: Literary, upmarket, and book club fiction.

Not looking for: Sci-fi, fantasy, children’s/YA.

Agent

Charlotte Sunderland, Park, Fine & Brower Literary Management

Bio: Charlotte Sunderland is an Associate Literary Agent at Park, Fine & Brower Literary Management. After a decade in Los Angeles, she comes to books from a film background, having worked at Creative Artists Agency, wiip studios, and as the Creative Executive to actor and producer Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Charlotte is looking for upmarket and cinematic fiction with compelling characters, tight plots, and page-turning prose that can expand into film and television. A native New Yorker, Charlotte graduated from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts with a B.A. in Cinema and Media Studies.

Looking for: She is particularly interested in self-sabotaging heroines and morally ambiguous characters, dysfunctional families, unreliable narrators, ordinary people thrust into extraordinary situations, and humorous takes on conventionally dark subjects.

Agent

John Talbot, The Talbot Fortune Agency

Bio: John Talbot is a literary agent and former book editor with over 25 years of Big Five publishing experience. His clients include Indiebound, New York Times, USA TODAY, and Wall Street Journal bestsellers, as well as winners of several national literary awards. Categories of interest include crime, espionage, book club and literary fiction, horror, mysteries, thrillers, Rom-Coms, Southern fiction, and women’s fiction.

Looking for: When reading submissions he looks for authenticity, a strong and engaging voice, good pacing, and, most of all, a singular protagonist who grabs his attention from page one.

Not looking for: He is not interested in YA, fantasy, or hard sci fi.

Agent

Nikki Terpilowski, Holloway Literary Management

Bio: Nikki established Holloway Literary Management in 2011.

Some of her publishing achievements include representing RITA-nominated titles, RT Book Reviews’ Top Picks, and starred Publishers Weekly reviews. Notably, her Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Globe & Mail, and iBooks UK best-selling author Kimberly Belle was a Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee for Best Mystery/Thriller in 2017 and a nominee for 2023 ITW Thriller Awards for best audiobook.

She has also worked with several bestselling authors, including Amazon US & UK bestselling author Katie Oliver and USA TODAY bestselling author Catherine Bruns. Other notable clients include: Daytime Emmy nominee BlackSouthernBelle.com’s Michiel Perry, Food Television personality Saba Wahid and screenwriter Greg DePaul (Bride Wars, Saving Silverman).

Lastly, Nikki is a tv and film producer specializing in book IP with several projects in development, including the Haunted Harmony Mysteries with Hallmark.

Looking for: Nikki is looking for fresh takes on domestic suspense, military/espionage thrillers by BTDT authors, traditional and cozy mystery (standalone and series), technothrillers

Not looking for: horror, erotica, crimes against children, serial killers.

Editor

Krishan Trotman, Legacy Lit (Hachette Book Group)

Bio: Krishan Trotman is the Vice-President, Publisher of Legacy Lit. She joined Hachette Books in 2016. In 2020 she launched Legacy Lit, an imprint dedicated to books that give voice to issues, authors, and communities that have been marginalized, underserved, and overlooked. This includes BIPOC authors, all women, and any group that they believe deserves a spotlight. The imprint is committed to promoting equality, equity, and inclusion for all people. The books are bold, mission-driven commercial works. In celebration of the imprint’s fifth year anniversary, they are launching a fiction line.

Krishan has been featured in The New York Times, Forbes, Essence Magazine, New York Magazine, Publisher’s Weekly, and more. She is known as “The Beyoncé of Books.”

Looking for: Thrillers, Domestic Suspense, Crime Fiction, Women’s Fiction, True Crime, Horror, Mystery. Keen interest in BIPOC authors and underrepresented voices.

Note: Krishan will ONLY be at PitchFest from 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM.

Note on editors/publishers: This editor/publisher accepts unagented manuscripts and may directly request your manuscript.

Editor

Alexa Wejko, Soho Press

Bio: Alexa Wejko joined Soho Press in the summer of 2018. Formerly an adjunct professor at Queens College, Alexa works on a wide range of fiction. Her list includes The Deepest Lake by Andromeda Romano-Lax, Ash Dark as Night by Gary Phillips, and select young adult titles including What’s Coming to Me by Francesca Padilla and the NYT-bestseller Everless by Sarah Holland. She received her MFA from Queens College in Creative Writing and Literary Translation.

Looking for: I look for atmospheric, place-based crime fiction in the tradition of Soho Crime. I am always interested in series-starters that push boundaries in terms of approach, voice, or perspective (The Perveen Mistry series, Exposure by Ramona Emerson). I look for series with a vision, a first book that leaves the reader wanting and able to imagine dozens of future installments. I am interested in procedurals that are exhaustive and immersive (the Erin McCabe series) told from non-police or left-of-center perspectives. In terms of place, I am currently especially interested in manuscripts (including translations) that fall under the umbrella of Ukrainian, South Asian, and/or Indigenous crime fiction.

In no particular order, I am also interested in: atmospheric standalone novels that leave the reader feeling emotionally walloped; charismatic criminal narrators, ideally those that are anti- establishment, female, queer, trans, or otherwise challenge the idea of the typical white male anti-hero; meta bookish/literary mysteries. I’ll always dip into a new take on an old classic, whether series or standalone. I am open to the right speculative twist, if it sufficiently grapples with the realities of our world. Right now, I am not interested in straight forward cozies, but I would love to consider cozy-adjacent titles as long as there’s an edge—daring books with voice for days, told with wit, warmth, and humor (Dial A for Aunties).

Representative titles:

Kira Thurman, History Lessons

Gary Phillips, Ash Dark as Night

Marcie Rendon, Cash Blackbear series

Note on editors: This editor does not accept unagented manuscripts. They are happy to have a conversation about your project, make a connection, and provide brief feedback.

Editor

Tom Wickersham, Crooked Lane Books

Bio: Tom Wickersham joined Crooked Lane Books in 2024. Tom began his career a decade ago as a bookseller, eventually managing The Mysterious Bookshop, before most recently serving as the editor-in-chief of Crime Ink, The Mysterious Press’s true crime imprint.

For Crooked Lane, Tom is interested in a wide variety of crime fiction from traditional mysteries, to thrillers, espionage, and hardboiled/noir. He is drawn to stories with strong voices, and offbeat settings and sensibilities for readers of Jordan Harper, Elizabeth Hand, Peter Swanson, S.A. Cosby, or Stephen Hunter.

Looking for: Open to all mystery/crime/thriller (and horror) including military thrillers. Prefer harder edged and grounded, but happy to consider cozy/traditional mysteries, especially locked room/impossible crimes ingenious solutions. Particularly drawn to a confident voice, credibility, and deliberate prose.

Not looking for: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, AI, YA.

Agent

Terrie Wolf, AKA Literary Management

Bio: After nearly two decades of interaction with authors, musicians, and dignitaries in the arenas of publishing, international media, large-scale events, and agricultural endeavors, Terrie founded AKA (Also Known As) Literary Management (AKALM) in 2009. A full member of the Association of American Literary Agents (AALA), she received the Agent of the Year Award in 2021 from American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and was named a “Top 20 of 2020 Agent” by Writer’s Digest. A fourth-generation Coloradoan, Terrie maintains a global outlook since she spent nearly half her life in foreign locales, including several places in the U.K., Mallorca, Netherlands, and Spain. Further, she has sold rights in over forty countries and thirty languages.

Looking for: Specifically for ThrillerFest, Terrie is interested in stories that intrigue, enthrall, and impact readers. Her ideal fiction revolves around memorable characters, universal themes, and discussion-worthy concepts. She’s in search of anything and everything related to crime, regional, and book club reads that include elements of the mysterious, suspenseful, and thrilling. On the children’s side, Terrie looks for fun capers and mysteries, adventure, and kid-friendly works that encourage curious minds.

Agent

Barbara Zitwer, Barbara J. Zitwer Agency

Bio: Barbara J. Zitwer has her own firm. She discovered Nobel Prize winner Han Kang and introduced other Korean literature to the West. She is currently looking to build her list of American authors.

Among Korean authors, she introduced Man Asian prize winner & New York Times bestseller Kyung-sook Shin and other global bestsellers, including: The Good Son by You Jeong Jeong, The Hole by Hye young Pyun (being filmed now, starring Theo James), The Plotters by Un su Kim, and Walking Practice by Dolki Min (being produced as a film by Dakota Johnson’s company).