Rachael Kelly

I am an Editor at Dutton acquiring commercial and upmarket fiction across genres—books that combine rapid pacing with artistic prose, nuanced character development, and complex themes—with a soft spot for all things romantic, suspenseful, mysterious, and psychological. I’m mainly looking for a compelling hook, sharp social commentary (class, culture, and identity), and stories that are equally driven by both voice and plot, regardless of genre. Generally speaking, I prefer contemporary to historical. I am especially drawn to authors who have smart, original voices, fresh insights and perspectives, and a strong connection to their subject matter.

On the (very select) nonfiction side, I gravitate toward narrative nonfiction and memoir, especially works that reflect on art, culture, and the effects of history. I am especially on the lookout for nonfiction that explores “off-the-beaten-path” territory or experiences, women’s issues, and books that speak to our current cultural climate.

Wishlist Specifics:

Fiction:

*Escapist, high concept fiction (commercial or book club) where voice is weighed as heavily as plot—looking for a big, exciting premise executed with book club elements, i.e. complex relationships, deeper themes, atmospheric writing, etc.
*Romance (where the stakes keeping the leads apart are external), romcoms (with high-energy banter, a la Nobody Wants This), romantasy (court intrigue! messy politics! accessible-yet-expansive world building!), dystopian
*Thrillers/psychological suspense/elevated mystery with a strong sense of intrigue
*Grounded speculative/horror

• Complex characters
• Well-crafted family relationships or close friendships involving secrets that propel the plot forward, and eventually result in some sort of reckoning
• Contained settings: school campus, small town, secret society, isolated home/estate, etc.
• International settings
• Anything involving a love story/romance that deals with larger themes
• Atmospheric/immersive writing
• Books that grapple with identity and the complexities of contemporary life
• Concrete conclusions (I generally don’t love ambiguous endings!)

Nonfiction (though rare for me to consider):

• Narrative nonfiction and memoir
• Thoughtful, well-researched, story-driven nonfiction that sheds light on larger cultural issues
• True Crime that details not just the crime itself but its larger societal impact (and hopefully has a literary edge)
• Books that grapple with identity and the complexities of contemporary life

Submission Guidelines

Unfortunately, I am not able to consider unsolicited manuscript submissions/queries at PRH. Agents, please email your pitch to me directly. I look forward to hearing from you!