30 Mystery and Thriller Literary Agents Now Accepting Submissions

Are you looking for a literary agent to help you sell your mystery or thriller novel to a publisher?

If so, you’ll love this curated list of 30 top literary agents that are currently accepting open submissions for mysteries and thrillers.

The mystery and thriller genres are wildly competitive, so finding the right literary agent for you could make all the difference in the world in getting you a good book deal.

As with everything in business, make sure you do your own research into any potential business partner before you sign a contract with a literary agent.

Also, make sure to do your research before you contact an agent to make sure they’re interested in your specific mystery or thriller subgenre. There are now many different subgenres in the market from hard-boiled thrillers to cozy mysteries and all kinds of genres in between. Some agents specialize in certain subgenres, while others may have a broader interest in mysteries and thrillers as a whole.

1. Carrie Pestritto

Carrie is currently with Laura Dail Literary Agency. She spent six years at Prospect Agency before coming to her current agency.

“I am looking for thrillers, but am looking for more high-concept thrillers aimed at a female audience rather than police procedurals.”

Agency website: www.ldlainc.com/submissions
Personal website/link: literarycarrie.blogspot.com/p/how-to-submit-to-me.html
Manuscript Wish List: www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/carrie-pestritto/#

2. Bernadette Baker-Baughman

Bernadette is a literary agent at Victoria Sanders & Associates. She has a special interest in thrillers. Bernadette prefers to have a long-term partnership with authors whose tastes for thriller novels match hers.

Agency website: www.victoriasanders.com/submissions/
Personal website/link: www.bakersmark.com/submission-guidelines.html

3. Mitch Hoffman

A 20-year veteran of the publishing industry, Mitch joined Aaron Priest Literary Agency in December 2015. He is actively looking for authors writing fiction and nonfiction stories, including thrillers.

Agency website: www.aaronpriest.com/submissions/
Personal website/link: www.aaronpriest.com/member/mitch-hoffman/

4. Lisa Erbach Vance

Also from Aaron Priest Literary Agency, Lisa is interested and actively seeking out some particular types of works, including emotionally engaging thrillers. Visit her personal link to read a detailed listing of genres she’s most interested in.

Agency website: www.aaronpriest.com/submissions/
Personal website/link: www.aaronpriest.com/member/lisa-erbach-vance/

5. Aaron Priest

President of Aaron Priest Literary Agency, his special interests include thriller novels.

Agency website: www.aaronpriest.com/submissions/

6. Laura Dail

Laura is the president of Laura Dail Literary Agency Inc. She is especially interested in high-concept fiction and serious nonfiction. She represents genres that fall under these categories: narrative nonfiction, practical non-fiction, history, current events, food, memoir, general fiction, mysteries and thrillers, and historical fiction.

Agency website: www.ldlainc.com/submissions/

7. Evan Gregory

Evan is a senior agent from The Ethan Ellenberg Literary Agency. He works remotely and only accepts email submissions. He represents several genres under fiction including Mystery and Thriller. Visit his personal link and manuscript wishlist to know more about other genres he represents.

Agency website: www.ethanellenberg.com/submission-guidelines/
Personal website/link: www.aaronline.org/Sys/PublicProfile/2309906
Manuscript Wish List: www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/evan-gregory/

8. Bibi Lewis

Bibi is from The Ethan Ellenberg Literary Agency as an associate agent. Mystery and thriller are two of the genres she is looking for.

She wrote, “I have a particular love for mysteries and puzzles, anything that readers can solve along with the protagonist.”

Agency website: www.ethanellenberg.com/submission-guidelines/
Manuscript Wish List: www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/bibi-lewis/

9. Chris Bucci

Chris Bucci is a literary agent at The McDermid Agency soon to be united with The Cooke Agency.

The agency is now open for submissions after April 1st, 2018.

Agency website: www.mcdermidagency.com/contact/

10. Marisa Corvisiero

She is the Founder and Senior Literary Agent at the Corvisiero Literary Agency. Marisa seeks creative stories with well-developed plots and rich characters with unique voices.

Agency website: https://www.corvisieroagency.com/query-guidelines.html
Personal website/link: www.corvisieroagency.com/marisa-corvisiero.html

11. Cate Hart

Cate is also an agent from Corvisiero Literary Agency. She welcomes all diverse stories and authors and responds to every query.

Agency website: www.corvisieroagency.com/submissions.html
Personal website/link: www.catehart.com/?page_id=27

12. Kimberly Brower

Kimberly is an agent from Brower Literary & Management and also its founder. She is fond of stories that can bring her into a world where she doesn’t want to leave and with characters that have strong character arcs.

Agency website: www.browerliterary.com/submissions/representation/
Manuscript Wish List: www.mswishlist.com/profile/agent/KimberlyBrower

13. Jess Dallow

Also from Brower Literary & Management, she is looking for YA contemporary and adult commercial fiction. She loves original voices and stories that she can’t put down regardless of what time it is.

Agency website: www.browerliterary.com/submissions/representation/

14. Meg Ruley

Meg has been with the Jane Rotrosen Agency for over 30 years and represents commercial fiction with a strong interest in suspense, mysteries, romance and general fiction.

Agency website: www.janerotrosen.com/submission-guidelines.html

15. Annelise Robey

Annelise is also from the Jane Rotrosen Agency. Her client list includes bestsellers in women’s fiction, suspense, mystery, literary fiction, and the occasional nonfiction project.

Agency website: www.janerotrosen.com/submission-guidelines.html

16. Christina Hogrebe

Another agent from the Jane Rotrosen Agency, Christina is driven by the desire to help her clients achieve their goals. She is currently accepting queries from published and unpublished writers with works in commercial fiction, including Mystery.

Agency website: www.janerotrosen.com/submission-guidelines.html

17. Rebecca Scherer

Also an agent from the Jane Rotrosen Agency, she has worked within each department and gained a deep understanding of the business before becoming an agent. Rebecca represents commercial fiction across several genres.

Agency website: www.janerotrosen.com/submission-guidelines.html

18. Jessica Faust

Jessica is from BookEnds Literary Agency, a literary agent slash the owner slash the president. She is seeking submissions in women’s fiction, mystery, thrillers, and suspense. Read more on what she is looking for on their website.

Agency website: www.bookendsliterary.com/submissions/
Personal website/link: www.querymanager.com/query/1006
Manuscript Wish List: www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/jessica-faust/

19. Jessica Alvarez

A senior literary agent from BookEnds Literary Agency, Jessica is looking for books that celebrate diversity in all its forms as well as for a wide range of nonfiction. Some of her interests in fiction include mysteries, thrillers, and suspense.

Agency website: www.bookendsliterary.com/submissions/
Personal website/link: www.querymanager.com/query/1007
Manuscript Wish List: www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/jessica-alvarez/

20. Tracy Marchini

Tracy, another literary agent looking for mysteries and thrillers, joined BookEnds Literary Agency in June, 2016. She’s also looking for diversity to include to her list.

Agency website: www.bookendsliterary.com/submissions/
Personal website/link: www.querymanager.com/query/1009
Manuscript Wish List: www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/tracy-marchini/

21. Natascha Morris

Natascha is once again another agent from BookEnds Literary Agency. She yearns for books that will leave her with a book hangover.

Agency website: www.bookendsliterary.com/submissions/
Personal website/link: www.querymanager.com/query/1067

22. Beth Campbell

Beth is also from BookEnds Literary Agency and is actively looking for mysteries. Like her other colleagues she is also fond of diversity in character and other elements of a great novel.

Agency website: www.bookendsliterary.com/submissions/
Personal website/link: www.querymanager.com/query/1011

23. Rachel Brooks

Having joined BookEnds Literary Agency on June 2017, Rachel represents adult romance, young adult, women’s fiction and cozy mysteries. She wants a fun theme with an idyllic setting.

Agency website: www.bookendsliterary.com/submissions/
Personal website/link: www.querymanager.com/query/RachelBrooks

24. Amanda Jain

She is also from BookEnds Literary Agency and likes historical fiction in all genres. Amanda is currently looking for adult mystery, romance, women’s fiction, and upmarket projects, and always enjoy historical fiction in all genres.

Agency website: www.bookendsliterary.com/submissions/
Personal website/link: www.querymanager.com/query/AmandaJain
Manuscript Wish List: www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/amanda-jain/

25. Paul Lucas

An agent from Janklow & Nesbit Associates, Paul is actively looking for upmarket commercial fiction, specifically historical, thrillers, science fiction, and fantasy.

Agency website: www.janklowandnesbit.com/submissions

26. Luke Janklow

Luke is a literary agent, president, and the managing director from Janklow & Nesbit Associates. He’s looking for a great thriller or spy story.

Agency website: www.janklowandnesbit.com/submissions

27. Kirby Kim

Kirby is again another agent from Janklow & Nesbit Associates. He represents both literary and commercial authors.

Agency website: www.janklowandnesbit.com/submissions

28. John Talbot

John is from The Talbot Fortune Agency. John has over twenty-five years of book publishing experience as an editor and literary agent.

Agency website: www.talbotfortuneagency.com/submission-guidelines/

29. Michael Curry

Michael is an agent from Donald Maass Literary Agency. He is interested in novels with a compelling concept and a distinct voice.

Agency website: www.maassagency.com/submissions/

How to Submit a Mystery or Thriller Novel

When’re looking for a literary agent for your novel, make sure that you are well matched with each other. Find an agent that shares similar tastes and opinions with you, and make absolutely sure that your manuscript fits the genre expectations the agent is looking for.

For example, don’t submit a mystery novel to an agent who says they’re only looking for romance novels. That said, if you submit to an agent listed on this page, you should have a pretty good chance that they’ll be interested in reading your work.

Spend time to visit each of these agents’ agency and personal websites to discover what they look for from a novel, such as a story structure, character, tone, theme, setting, plot, and more. One of them might be the one you are most suitable with in terms of ethics and preference.

We also wrote a detailed guide for authors on how to find a literary agent if you need more help.

Now Accepting Mystery and Thriller Submissions

TCK Publishing has an open call for submissions for mystery and thriller novels for authors with or without a literary agent. You can check out our submissions guidelines and read our publishing FAQ.

Literary agents can review our literary agent FAQ.

If you liked this post, here are some other articles you might love:

Tom Corson-Knowles

Tom Corson-Knowles is the founder of TCK Publishing, and the bestselling author of 27 books including Secrets of the Six-Figure author. He is also the host of the Publishing Profits Podcast show where we interview successful authors and publishing industry experts to share their tips for creating a successful writing career.

15 Comments

Robert D Miller on August 7, 2023 at 2:29 am

I self-published a fiction mystery novel, Storm Rising. Though a work of fiction it draws its story line based upon events that have occurred in the United States in recent years. I’m looking for a literary agent to move my book to greater readership and, as several people who have read it say, it needs to find its way to the silver screen as a full-length film.
Sofia on April 24, 2023 at 6:12 pm

I’m London based and just wondering stumbled on this website (tckpublishing.) So far, I’m finding it helpful. I was about to send my completed manuscript to Marisa Corvisiero, but hesitated by one of the comments above? by Cameron Vaughn. Is this agency still operating?
Rick Pucci on September 3, 2022 at 2:36 pm

Thanks for updating this list with new agents. Appreciate that. Only takes one, right
Matt white on August 30, 2022 at 8:15 pm

Hi I self-published on Amazon horror / thriller and I’m wondering if any of these literary agents will help published and already published book yes it’s not a traditional public trust me I wish I could get a traditional publisher but I’m looking to see if someone would take it to a traditional publisher cuz it’s book one of 27 and that’s just for that character
Robert Pike on April 26, 2022 at 7:49 pm

can agents sell self published books that are already at Amazon?
Cameron Vaughn on October 18, 2021 at 8:42 pm

You might want to update this list. Brooks Sherman has left the publishing industry under a cloud of shame, and likewise Marisa Corvisiero (whose “agency” always had the aura of sham to me) who fired her entire staff after she got “cancelled” for an offensive tweet.
- Kaelyn Barron on October 25, 2021 at 5:03 pm
  
  Hi Cameron, thanks for the heads up. I removed Sherman but left the other because her site still seems up to date and they are accepting submissions, but I will continue to research.
ANTHONY A CLIFTON on August 8, 2021 at 8:57 pm

Finding the right literary or even TV/movie agent is like shooting in the dark, whatever these various agencies say. My experience is that, if the first ten pages of your book does not turn them on, you go the slush pile in a twinkle.

While this website is helpful in principle, the various agents and agencies need to be much more specific about what they do and don’t like, in order for writers like me to invest the time and effort to share my work.
- Kaelyn Barron on August 17, 2021 at 10:01 pm
  
  Hi Anthony, it’s true that finding the right agent can be a difficult and time-consuming endeavor. We just try to provide as much info as we can to help writers explore their options :)
Solomon on July 5, 2021 at 6:33 am

Thanks for this post. problem is i am an advocate of hardboiled traditional thrillers as we used to have in the days of Dan Brown, Jeffery Archer, Steven King etc. Now, what we have are mainly cozy thrillers with a straight plot, nothing complex. i have written three historical thrillers which i believe will stand up to any of those golden books of the past but who will represent them is my current headache. Are those thrillers like the Godfather, Kane and Abel, The DaVinci Code, medical and legal thrillers out of fashion?
- Kaelyn Barron on July 9, 2021 at 11:02 pm
  
  Hi Solomon, thanks for your comment. I don’t think they’re out of fashion! Personally I love the classics you mentioned, and we recently published two legal thrillers here, and they’re doing pretty well. I think you should try some of the agents on the list
Thia Lynne on November 3, 2020 at 9:11 pm

I don’t see any agents listed here who are looking for specifically Christian thriller/adventure novels. They are primarily thriller with a little humor and romance thrown in. If this is something you are looking for, I would appreciate your letting me know so I can submit a proposal.
Thank you
- Kaelyn Barron on November 6, 2020 at 11:07 pm
  
  Hi Thia, thanks for your comment! :) You could try contacting some of these agents to ask if they’d be interested in thrillers with a Christian angle. We will be reopening our fiction submissions soon, and when we do you’re welcome to submit your manuscript!
  - Dolores Christian on April 1, 2021 at 4:20 pm
    
    Hi Kaelyn,
    
    I’m a self-publish author of “Terror Unfolding-Runaway” A thriller/romance novel, with a Christian perspective, and I’m looking for an agent. My story is about runaways and the danger they might encounter on their way to freedom. If interested please email me at [email protected]. Thank you for your time.
    - Kaelyn Barron on July 9, 2021 at 11:03 pm
      
      Hi Dolores, you might still try contacting these agents and see if they’d be interested in a thriller with a Christian perspective. I’m sure some are!