The best mystery book copy editing services

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Will 5 star rating

Chicago, United States

Trusted big-5 copy editor and proofreader for romance, mystery, fantasy, sci-fi, suspense, and all the sub-genres therein.

Genres: Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romantic Comedy, Romance, Espionage, Thriller & Suspense, Chick Lit, Women's Fiction, Space Opera, Science Fiction, Romantic Suspense, Urban Fantasy, and Fantasy.

Work experience:

  • Berkley Publishing (Penguin Random House)
  • Harlequin Romance (HarperCollins)
  • Orbit Books / Redhook (Hachette)

David 5 star rating

Long Beach, CA, United States

Give me your dangling participles, your absent oxford commas, your run-on sentences yearning to be written correctly.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Action & Adventure, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, Classics, Plays & Screenplays, Mystery & Crime, Fantasy, and Science Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Penguin Group, USA; Random House, LLC
  • Pegasus Books and Publishing House
  • Words That Stay, LLC

Bryn 5 star rating

Chicago, IL, USA

Former publishing executive and author; exceptional book editor. I give detailed, encouraging edits to help you reach your author goals!

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance, Fiction, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, and Romantic Comedy.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Hallmark Publishing at the Hallmark Channel

Duncan 5 star rating

Raleigh, NC, USA

Developmental editor, NYT bestsellers by Grand Central, Algonquin, Hachette, contributing editor at Harper's, novelist (HarperCollins, 2027)

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Inspirational, Historical Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Contemporary Fiction, Literary Fiction, Historical Romance, and Romance.

Work experience:

  • Algonquin Books
  • CraftBook Editorial
  • Harper's Magazine

Anna 5 star rating

Winchester, VA, USA

LGBTQIA-friendly copyeditor, proofreader, and word gardener. With 13 years’ experience, I’ll help your words find their best light!

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Romance, Romantic Fantasy, LGBTQ Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Crime, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Elite Editing

Susan 5 star rating

Raleigh, NC, USA

Writer/Editor, wrote 25+ published nonfiction books for publishers, edited 40+ nonfiction & fiction books for publishers & clients.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Psychology, Humanities & Social Sciences, Health & Wellbeing, and Women's Fiction.

Work experience:

  • GRAND Magazine
  • California Woman Magazine
  • Self-employed

Editor for indie and querying authors with 13+ years of in-house experience as both acquisitions and project editor. Fiction and nonfiction.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, LGBTQ Fiction, Women's Fiction, Romance, Contemporary Fiction, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Biographies & Memoirs, and Non-Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Skyhorse Publishing
  • Northeast Editing, Inc.
  • Self-employed

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Jen 5 star rating

Kansas City, MO, USA

Thorough and encouraging editor of fantasy, romance, and mystery. 10+ years editing for indie authors. 3+ years at Hallmark Publishing.

Genres: Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Fiction, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Contemporary Romance, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Romantic Comedy, Romantic Fantasy, Young Adult Fantasy, and Young Adult.

Work experience:

  • Hallmark Publishing
  • Self-employed

Janet 5 star rating

Canton, GA, USA

Obsessed with making your story shine, I don't just fix manuscripts ... I unleash them. Your words, amplified. Ready when you are!

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Thriller & Suspense, Fiction, Romantic Suspense, Romance, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Espionage, and Historical Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • The Word Doctor
  • Independent Publisher

Annie 5 star rating

San Diego, CA, USA

I’m a literary agent w/ over 17 years of experience in the publishing industry. I work on a range of adult and YA fiction and nonfiction.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Literary Fiction, Business & Management, Non-Fiction, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, and Mystery & Crime.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Margret McBride Literary Agency
  • Zoetrope: All-Story

James 5 star rating

Saint Petersburg, Florida, USA

Copy editor with experience at multiple publishing agencies. Specializing in national security, foreign affairs, history and travel.

Genres: Political Science & Current Affairs, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, History, Middle Eastern & Islamic Studies, Travel, Action & Adventure, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery & Crime, and Geography.

Work experience:

  • Cognella Academic Publishing, 2013
  • Georgetown University
  • George Mason University, George Washington University
  • Rutledge, Taylor and Francis Publishing
  • Lynne Rienner Publishing
  • Oxford Publishing
  • Jones and Bartlett Publishing
  • Reedsy

Jenn 5 star rating

Olathe, KS, USA

Honest and caring editor. Passionate about helping authors succeed, with ten years in the professional literary world.

Genres: Coming of Age, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Contemporary Romance, Romance, Historical Romance, Thriller & Suspense, Women's Fiction, and Poetry.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • TouchPoint Press

Stephanie 5 star rating

Honolulu, HI, USA

Experienced editor specializing in copyediting and proofreading genre fiction. I've never met a sentence I couldn't diagram!

Genres: Action & Adventure, Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Science Fiction, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • N/A

Michele 5 star rating

New York, United States

Copy editor for Penguin Random House for 18 years, experience with bestselling authors of women's fiction, romance, mystery/thrillers.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Women's Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Contemporary Fiction, Thriller & Suspense, Romance, Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, and Fantasy.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Rozi 5 star rating

New York, NY, USA

Too many words? Not enough? A subplot that wandered off like a Roomba? I refine structure & polish prose—esp. fantasy/romantasy. | PRH alum

Genres: Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Romance, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy, Romantic Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, and Urban Fantasy.

Work experience:

  • Time Inc.
  • Penguin Random House
  • The Developmental
  • EFA

Lindsey 5 star rating

New York, United States

Experienced editor from a Big Five publisher specializing in mystery, suspense, and thrillers.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, Action & Adventure, Women's Fiction, Mystery & Crime, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • Grand Central Publishing
  • Crooked Lane Books

Wendy 5 star rating

Lowell, MA, USA

Skilled developmental and copy editor specializing in middle grade and YA, especially the dark stories. *No AI.* Let's roll up our sleeves!

Genres: Middle Grade, Children's, Fiction, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, and Young Adult.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

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