The best cozy mysteries book developmental editing services

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Ann Leslie 5 star rating

New York City, NY, United States

Over 25 years' editorial experience at a Big 5 publisher and a literary agency, specializing in commercial fiction and narrative nonfiction.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Women's Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Romance, Historical Romance, Contemporary Fiction, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Romantic Comedy, Psychological Thriller, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • Harlequin Books
  • Dystel, Goderich & Bourret

I edit fiction and nonfiction. Anne Perry, Caroline Leavitt, Robb Forman Dew are among my clients. I do not edit sci-fi or fantasy novels.

Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Thriller & Suspense, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Historical Mysteries, and Anthologies.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Sandra 5 star rating

Port Hadlock, WA, United States

Developmental editor helping professionals transform real-world expertise into compelling, best-selling, market-ready books and series.

Genres: Dystopian, Science Fiction, Fiction, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Historical Mysteries, Espionage, Thriller & Suspense, Military Science Fiction, Medical Thriller, Biographies & Memoirs, and Non-Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Writers' International Forum
  • BAE Information Systems Technology
  • Manufactured Homes Magazine
  • Crooked Lane Books

Holly 5 star rating

East Rutherford, NJ, USA

NYT-bestselling, award-winning editor with over 17 years of industry experience, specializing in mysteries, thrillers, suspense, WF, romance

Genres: Women's Fiction, Fiction, Thriller & Suspense, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Contemporary Romance, Romance, Historical Romance, Romantic Comedy, Romantic Suspense, and Historical Mysteries.

Work experience:

  • St. Martin's Press
  • Self-employed
  • BookEnds, LLC
  • Crooked Lane Books/Alcove Press

Heather 5 star rating

Loveland, OH, USA

I am an editor specializing in romance of all subgenres, including Contemporary, Fantasy, and Urban Fantasy. Worked at Tor/Forge, Macmillan.

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

Work experience:

  • Samhain Publishing
  • Tor Books
  • Ellora's Cave Publishing
  • Self-employed

David 5 star rating

Los Angeles, CA, USA

Developmental & Copy Editor for Literary, Horror, SF, and Cross-Genre Fiction | 100+ 5★ Reviews

Genres: Short Story, Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Young Adult, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Espionage, Thriller & Suspense, Horror, Literary Fiction, Space Opera, and Science Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Freelance
  • Hearst Business Media
  • Sleeping Giant

Kristen 5 star rating

San Francisco, CA, USA

PhD-trained editor helping experienced fiction writers elevate their craft with kind, insightful feedback and strategic guidance

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

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Chronicle Books
  • Columbia University

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Erin 5 star rating

Framingham, MA, USA

20+ years of experience guiding picture book, middle grade, and YA authors. I'm a professor, author, and your creative cheerleader.

Genres: Middle Grade, Children's, Fiction, Picture Books, Contemporary Fiction, Humor & Comedy, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Psychological Thriller, Thriller & Suspense, Young Adult, and Coming of Age.

Work experience:

  • Montserrat College of Art
  • The Highlights Foundation
  • The Wrtiers' Loft

Maria 5 star rating

Kansas City, MO, United States

Insightful, inspiring Developmental Editor of 25+ years specializing in Historical fiction, Self-Help, Spec fiction. Tailored-to-you edits.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Non-Fiction, Dystopian, Science Fiction, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Post-Apocalyptic, Philosophy, Humanities & Social Sciences, and Psychology.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Megan 5 star rating

New York, NY, United States

Former Kensington editor with 17 years' experience, specializing in romance, mystery, fantasy, sci-fi, & YA. Let's make your project shine!

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

Work experience:

  • Kensington Publishing
  • Harlequin
  • Kaplan
  • 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

Kristen 5 star rating

New York, NY, USA

Developmental Editor with 20+ years of experience. I know exactly what it takes to get your manuscript ready for the world.

Genres: Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Romance, Romantic Suspense, Legal Thriller, Thriller & Suspense, Medical Thriller, and Psychological Thriller.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • New American Library, Penguin Random House
  • Mysterious Press, Warner Books

Leslie 5 star rating

Sequim, WA, USA

I specialize in fast, high-quality editing and coaching for professional and high-output authors and publishers in commercial fiction.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Gaming & LitRPG, and Fantasy.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • The Bellingham Review
  • Washington State Kappan
  • The Buccaneer, Peninsula College

Developmental editing, copyediting, and proofreading of fiction and memoir. Authors of all experience levels welcome!

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Magical Realism, Literary Fiction, Dystopian, Science Fiction, Dark Romance, Romance, New Adult, Young Adult, Cozy Mysteries, and Mystery & Crime.

Work experience:

  • Elite Editing, New York City
  • Self-employed

Rob 5 star rating

New York, NY, USA

Bestselling mystery/thriller author with a love for working with other writers and a keen eye for storytelling mechanics.

Genres: Technothriller, Thriller & Suspense, Fiction, Espionage, Psychological Thriller, Horror, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, and Historical Mysteries.

Work experience:

  • MysteriousPress.com
  • Self
  • Seton Hill University

Shire 5 star rating

Berkeley, CA, USA

A fiction/non-fiction editor with wide-ranging interests, I specialize in refining the elements of good writing: voice, style, and grammar.

Genres: Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Thriller & Suspense, Dystopian, Science Fiction, Cozy Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Contemporary Romance, and Romance.

Work experience:

  • Inkshares
  • Lost Roads Press
  • Farrar, Straus and Giroux
  • New Directions

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

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Hire the best cozy mystery developmental editors

Finished putting pen to paper for the first manuscript of your cozy mystery book? You might want to consider sleuthing out a developmental editor next. A cozy mystery developmental editor can see your work in the same way a detective fresh on the case might see a problem better than a DC who’s worked on it for years — free of bias.

These literary investigators step back and analyze the big picture to identify problems in your structure, characterization, and pacing. This can even lead to intensive rewrites, so you’ll want to be sure your cozy mystery developmental editor has professional experience and knowledge of cozy mystery books to back up their proposals. At Reedsy, we assure that quality. All of our professionals are vetted thoroughly, we only accept the strongest portfolios. So, why wait? Sign up for free to connect today.

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