Industry database Agent Hunter has accused the literary agent community of appearing "elitist, exclusive and hostile to outsiders", and has released a Transparency Index (TI) rating every agent and every agency.
But Sam Edenborough, president of the Association of Authors Agents, has hit back at comments made by the group, formed by crime writer Harry Bingham, saying that Agent Hunter is offering "shrill criticisms".
Agent Hunter, part of the editorial consultancy The Writer's Workshop, said its research is the "first authoritative guide to the world of literary agents".