How many comp titles should you use in a query letter?

Short answer: Ismita Hussain’s advice: Two is ideal; it lets an agent triangulate where your book sits. You can add a third in your second paragraph, but don’t cram in five or six.

Answered by Ismita Hussain, Senior Literary Agent, Great Dog Literary.

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The agent’s answer

Asked whether you need more than two comps, Ismita says two is a great number, because it lets an agent triangulate where your manuscript sits between two known books. You can use more, but space is at a premium in a query, so filling it with five or six comps means they start to get lost. Her suggested approach is two comps in the first paragraph with the logline, and a third in the second paragraph after describing the story.

In Ismita’s words

I think it’s always great to have two. With two, we’re triangulating where your manuscript sits between them.
Ismita Hussain, 40:44

Source: Query Letters 101.