Edie Astley

I joined Harper in 2022 and am actively building my list, which includes both fiction and nonfiction.

FICTION: I’m most drawn to literary and upmarket fiction with a compelling hook that centers complicated relationships and has a strong voice and propulsive plot. I’m interested in deeply romantic epic love stories, rom coms with a bite, and smart thrillers/ mysteries that feel fresh or are told from a new angle. I’m particularly a fan of crime fiction with a literary bent and I don’t shy away from dark and subversive stories that reveal or explore uncomfortable truths about our culture. I welcome speculative, magical, dark academia, fantasy, or dystopian elements as long as they are rooted in reality, and I love anything gothic or witchy. I have a special proclivity for books that play with myth, folklore, or fairy tales as well as stories about obsession, in all its forms. I’m a big fan of Ottessa Moshfegh, Leigh Bardugo, Kiley Reid, and Stieg Larsson.

NONFICTION: In terms of nonfiction, I’m primarily looking for voice-driven memoir, cultural criticism, of-the-moment essay collections, and true crime that feels attuned to today’s cultural conversations. My main areas of interest are pop culture, religion/ spirituality, sex and dating, the internet, fashion, beauty, and art. I love a story that takes me down an unexpected rabbit hole or teaches me about a niche community of people. As in fiction, I love anything a little strange, dark, or twisted—secret societies, cults, serial killers, Greek life, death and the business of death. I’m a big fan of Dolly Alderton, Michelle Zauner, Amanda Montell, Jia Tolentino, Rachel Aviv, and Caitlin Doughty.

Submission Guidelines

Submissions should be emailed to edie.astley@harpercollins.com

HarperCollins only accepts agented submissions.