The Query Letter

I am seeking a literary agent.

I am following an industry established procedure for this called the query process. Using a website called Query Tracker to which nearly 2,000 agents from around the world use, I am sending queries out each weekend. I am keeping it manageable for my schedule, querying two agents at a time.

Each query needs to be tailored to the agent in question. They all have submission guidelines which vary slightly. Some only accept queries on specific genres, so a first step in selecting the agent to query is ensuring that book matches their interest. I review each agent’s website to ensure I am including exactly what they ask for in a query. Some ask for a synopsis; some for the first ten, twenty, or fifty pages; others just want a quick overview.

But all ask for a query letter.

There is an industry standard for what a query letter should contain, so I thought I’d share my query letter with you and outline what I am doing with each paragraph therein.

The First Paragraph

Perfect for fans of both Keigo Higashino and Michael Christie, A CRIMINAL ACT OF HEROISM is a 100,000 word mystery that has the nuanced grit of MALICE and the layered historical puzzle of GREENWOOD. A CRIMINAL ACT OF HEROISM progresses at an unhurried pace reminiscent of gentle mysteries such as those in Alexander McCall Smith’s NO. 1 LADIES DETECTIVE AGENCY series.

This establishes the title (A Criminal Act of Heroism), length (100,000 words) and genre (mystery) of my book, while identifying comparable titles to help the agent understand where I think my novel might fit within the literary world.

Here I identify the Japanese author, Keigo Higashino, and his amazing book Malice, since my novel deals with serious life and death subject matters in a clear and straightforward manner. I identify the Canadian author, Michael Christie, and his wonderful book Greenwood, since my novel contains an historical Canadian connection while taking place mostly in the present day. I also reference the Scottish author of The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, Alexander McCall Smith, since my book takes a gentle slice of life approach to the underlying mystery.

Collectively, the three references are meant to show that A Criminal Act of Heroism tells a life and death mystery with an historical component, but tells it within a relaxed atmosphere.

The Second and Third Paragraphs

Soon after the death of her grandmother and while on an emotional trip to a military cemetery with her veteran grandfather, 16-year-old Sam Barnes discovers the tombstone of her exact namesake. Fuelled by concern for her grandfather, her new fixation on mortality and the idolization of her lawyer aunt, Sam becomes obsessed with learning the details of Private Barnes’ death. Her search leads her to Patrick Finley, an elderly veteran who served with her namesake and who appears evasive about his past.

Following the passing of her grandfather, Sam befriends the Finley family and becomes enmeshed in a multi-layered mystery—the unresolved death of Patrick’s grandson—that’s been haunting the Finley family for years. Helping Patrick learn the truth about his grandson, she believes, may be the key to completing the investigation she began with her grandfather.

This is an overview of the story. It focuses on the primary plot (understanding a death that occurred in wartime) while hinting at the subplot (getting to the bottom of a death in peacetime). The purpose is to write the plot in a way that leaves the agent wanting more. So, I hint at the mysteries at the heart of the novel without giving much away.

Some agents ask for a synopsis along with the query letter. The synopsis I have written to share with those agents includes a more detailed plot overview inclusive of the (surprise) ending.

The Fourth Paragraph

Told through three time periods in Sam’s life—high school, law school and her early law career—A CRIMINAL ACT OF HEROISM follows Sam as she uses her position in the legal system to dig into the Finley tragedy, unravel the truth and unlock Patrick’s sixty years of secrecy and silence about Private Barnes’ death.

This paragraph outlines the structure of the novel, especially where the structure may be unique. Much like the plot overview, the purpose is to intrigue the agent and leave them wanting more.

In my novel, the story picks up at three distinct points in my protagonist’s life. By highlighting those three timeframes, I am hinting at the character’s growth as through the novel as she ages and her abilities mature.

Critically, this paragraph ends by showing a clear path to the resolution of the plot.

The Mini-Bio

I am President of the Victoria Writers’ Society and a member of the Federation of British Columbia Writers (FBCW). My short story, “Come Home,” was published in the winter 2024 issue of Island Writer Magazine. I was recently invited to read from my current work in progress, a novel about family myths and the continuing impact they have throughout our lives, to a province-wide FBCW audience. When not writing, I work in the aerospace industry directing public sector investment to major research and development projects aimed at moving Canada and the world toward net-zero emission aviation.

The final paragraph is my brief biography. I focus on my writing credentials, including participation and membership in organizations. I also reference the work I do to provide the agent with a more rounded vision of who I am.

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Well, that’s my query letter. It has not drawn any success yet, but I am still new to this process. The very first query I sent out was just one month ago, New Year’s Eve. While I may pile up notes from agents that “don’t feel they are the right fit for this project,” all I need is one to recognize this query is about more than just this one book. There is a whole pipeline of projects to follow. I remain hopeful this query letter leads to a long and prosperous relationship.