"Financial thriller" genre

I am not an agent or publisher but I am "other," so I'll take a crack at this.

I wouldn't sub this as a financial thriller. I'd say straight thriller, if that's what it is, and focus more on your main character than the fact that it has to do with finance. Let that show through in your query letter, of course, but I wouldn't bill it as such.

Query a compelling, can't-put-down book with a strong character and good plot. That's what agents are looking for.

I, like heyjude, am an 'other'.

I agree. Write the best darned novel you can. Make sure it has great writing, compelling characters and a page-turning plot. If you can do that, you are more likely to find an agent, financial thriller or not.

Agents, editors and publishers tend to say no to books which are dull and to say yes to books which are exciting and absorbing, no matter what genre they're in. So much depends on the book.

I'm late coming to this party, and I have nothing more than an inexperienced opinion! But... I can't let that stop me from expressing it, right?

I think the others above are correct in their opinions, but I also think that timing can make all the difference - although timing is difficult to bank on, because so many events can occur to pull the rug out. In other words, now (or last year really) could be a prime time for a "financial thriller" because of current global awareness and interest in things financial. The "occupy Wall St" crowd has added to that in a big way, too.

I agree that the focus needs to be on the writing and as Elizabeth suggests, an exciting, absorbing, and well written book can be about anything. The financial aspect is very secondary - in my opinion. A thriller is a thriller.

First of all, at the writing level or agent level, no matter what anybody says, there is no such thing as a "financial thriller".

There are thrillers set in the world or finance or whatever (banking? stock market?).

"Legal thriller" and "Medical thrillers" are marketing terms at the publishing level which, because of their popularity, became sub-genres.

The problem with sub-genres is if they're not enough examples of them, they sound silly unless written on a book jacket.

Fashion thriller
Bio-medical research thriller
Culinary thriller

The thing you want to do with a thriller, is to write it with the broadest commercial appeal as possible and then let your agent narrow it down a bit when it's subbed, and let the marketing group come up with a catchy phrase when its published. If they want to call it a financial thriller, cool.

If you write a compelling book, with great prose, characters, a dynamite plot and and interesting backdrop, whether it's in the world of finance or horseracing or knitting or deep-sea diving, it will attract an agent, a publisher and a marketing group who have a pocketful of catch phrases.