The best mystery book copy editing services

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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

Patrick 5 star rating

New York, NY, United States

Hands-on, thoughtful editor specializing in memoir, self-help, thriller, mystery, suspense, and YA fiction. Formerly of Simon and Schuster.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, LGBTQ Fiction, Entertainment, Sex & Relationships, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Thriller & Suspense, Cozy Mysteries, and Mystery & Crime.

Work experience:

  • Self-Employed
  • Simon & Schuster / Simon Pulse
  • Simon & Schuster / Simon Spotlight Entertainment (SSE) and Gallery Books
  • International Creative Management (ICM)
  • Matt DeCoursey Enterprises / Realist Books

Kathy 5 star rating

San Diego, United States

Freelance copyeditor and proofreader offering 25 years of experience in scientific and educational publishing

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, Art, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Medicine, Nursing, & Dentistry, Math & Science, Nature, Action & Adventure, Classics, Women's Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Fantasy, Education & Reference, Science Fiction, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • Academic Press (Elsevier Science/Harcourt)
  • Academic Press
  • Brian F. Smith and Associates (Archaeologist)
  • Converse Consultants West
  • Cajon Valley, Mountain Empire, and Palm Middle Schools
  • Self-employed

Rachel 5 star rating

New York, NY, United States

Editor experienced in creative development, visual storytelling, and licensed publishing. I solve problems.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Action & Adventure, Anthologies, Comics Non-Fiction, Non-Fiction, Entertainment, Middle Grade, Children's, Mystery & Crime, Comics & Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • DC Entertainment
  • Self-employed
  • Little Bee Books
  • Emergents Universe

Rachel 5 star rating

New York, NY, USA

Copy editor and proofreader with seven years of experience in book publishing. I specialize in romance and mystery.

Genres: Paranormal Romance, Romance, Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Mystery & Crime.

Work experience:

  • Penguin Random House

Susan 5 star rating

Raleigh, NC, USA

Experienced copyeditor and proofreader specializing in contemporary, literary, historical, and women's fiction, crime/mystery, nonfiction.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Women's Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Non-Fiction, and Inspirational.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Jonathan 5 star rating

Portland, ME, USA

I've spent 20 years editing debuts and bestsellers for traditional and self-published authors, as well as thoughtful agent queries.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Literary Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Thriller & Suspense, Dystopian, Science Fiction, Action & Adventure, Cozy Mysteries, and Mystery & Crime.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Palooka Magazine and Palooka Press

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Rachel 5 star rating

Albuquerque, NM, USA

Editor, proofreader, and writing coach specializing in speculative fiction, including horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and more.

Genres: Action & Adventure, Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy, Gaming & LitRPG, Young Adult Fantasy, Young Adult, Post-Apocalyptic, Science Fiction, Space Opera, and Urban Fantasy.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Orbit/Redhook
  • Sourcebooks
  • Haymarket Books
  • Dona Ana Community College

Daily crime reporter turned editor of 15+ years, enriching film scripts to fiction bestsellers. Thrillers. Contemporary. Sci-Fi. No AI.

Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Plays & Screenplays, Contemporary Romance, Romance, Science Fiction, Entertainment, Non-Fiction, Legal Thriller, Thriller & Suspense, and Psychological Thriller.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Script magazine
  • Alliance of Women Film Journalists
  • APBNews.com, Syracuse Newspapers, The Fort Pierce Tribune, The Tampa Tribune

Ian 5 star rating

Wilmington, NC, USA

I’m drawn to cinematic action/adventure thrillers. If your pitch sounds like an Indiana Jones movie, then I’d love to hear from you!

Genres: Action & Adventure, Fiction, Thriller & Suspense, Historical Mysteries, and Mystery & Crime.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Chris Kuzneski (best-selling author)
  • Craig Mazin (Emmy-winning writer/producer)

Sean 5 star rating

Hanson, KY, USA

Proofreader/editor for 14+ years, reader for 40+, and as a lifelong fan, horror is my go-to genre.

Genres: Mystery & Crime, Fiction, Science Fiction, Short Story, Entertainment, Non-Fiction, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, Literary Fiction, and Anthologies.

Work experience:

  • JournalStone/Trepidatio
  • Bizarro Pulp Press
  • Raw Dog Screaming Press

Jennifer 5 star rating

Harrisburg, PA, USA

First and foremost, I am a bibliophile. My professional and personal goals are the same: To live my life surrounded by good books.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Literary Fiction, Women's Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Crime, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, and Self-Help & Self-Improvement.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Sunbury Press

Sasha 5 star rating

Chicago, IL, USA

Copy editor and proofreader focused on genre fiction (sci-fi/fantasy, romance/erotica, mysteries/thrillers).

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

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Penguin Random House
  • Oxford University Press
  • Bloomsbury USA
  • Barnes & Noble Booksellers
  • University of Minnesota Press
  • Milkweed Editions
  • American Medical Association

Jamie 5 star rating

Northampton, MA, USA

Experienced copy editor and proofreader who has enhanced hundreds of novels, academic works, textbooks, viewbooks, art books, and more.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Contemporary Fiction, Historical Fiction, Thriller & Suspense, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, and Fantasy.

Work experience:

  • Prometric
  • WEBS—America's Yarn Store
  • The Bement School
  • CAIA Association
  • Smith College Office of College Relations
  • Berkley
  • Westchester Publishing Services
  • Westmoreland Museum of American Art
  • Bedford/St. Martin’s
  • Green Pen Quality Assurance
  • Chameleon Books
  • Channing Bete Company
  • Maine Authors Publishing

Sara 5 star rating

Atlanta, GA, USA

30+ yrs copyediting fiction, nonfiction, romantasy, mystery, crime, and thrillers for nat'l publishers. Eager to help you polish your prose!

Genres: Women's Fiction, Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Crime, Romance, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • Apollo Publishers
  • Counterpoint Press / Seal Press / Softskull / Avalon
  • Random House
  • Hearst Corporation
  • Condé Nast
  • Sourcebooks Landmark / Poisoned Pen Press

Rebecca 5 star rating

New York, NY, USA

Editor specializing in science and business nonfiction and genre fiction. Experience in-house at HarperCollins and Kensington and agencies.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Business & Management, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Women's Fiction, Medicine, Nursing, & Dentistry, and Math & Science.

Work experience:

  • Kensington Books
  • Folio Literary Management
  • HarperCollins
  • Self-employed

Zoe 5 star rating

New York, NY, USA

Former literary agent whose keen eye for writer talent is now applied to meticulous edits for a range of genres.

Genres: Thriller & Suspense, Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Sports & Outdoors, Non-Fiction, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Biographies & Memoirs, and Children's.

Work experience:

  • Sanford J. Greenburger Associates
  • ICM Partners
  • Carolina Academic Press
  • ICM Partners / CAA

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