If you need a handy list of suspense book publishers, the following selection has been put together for your perusal.
1. Tule Publishing
Tule Publishing was founded by Jane Porter in San Clemente, California. They are a full-service publishing company specializing in suspense, mystery, romance, and crime stories, particularly those with a female protagonist. Some of their notable suspense titles are Goode Over Evil by Leslie Marshman and Slay Bells Ring by Nancy Robards Thompson.
Tule accepts unsolicited manuscripts a year in advance of expected publication. You can find full submission guidelines here. Contact them if you have any other questions or need more information about their practices.
2. Polis Books
Founded in 2013 in Hoboken, New Jersey, Polis Books is an independent full-service publisher of print and ebooks in the mystery, suspense, procedural, fantasy, horror, supernatural, and romance categories. They are known for such suspense titles as Hold Me Down by Clea Simon and Hiding Place by Megan Holloway.
Polis Books are always open to considering new manuscripts in any of the genres they currently publish, including their new Agora imprint, which focuses on crime dramas. You can read more about what they publish and how to submit here. If you have any other questions, contact them using the information found here.
3. Kensington Books
Kensington Books in New York City has been a premiere independent publishing company since Matthew Zacharius founded it in 1974. Now run by his sons Steven and Adam, Kensington Books operates a range of imprints publishing both in print and digitally and in almost any genre imaginable. Submit Lake by Charlie Donlea and The Secrets We Share by Edwin Hill are two of their many suspense novels published recently.
If you have a suspense manuscript, you can submit to one of Kensington Books’ editors for consideration. You can find a list and guidelines on how to submit here. If you have other questions about Kensington Books and their publishing practices, contact them here.
4. Speaking Volumes
Located in Rio Ranchero, New Mexico, Speaking Volumes opened in 2008 and has since published many award-winning and best-selling authors. They publish books both physically and digitally in such genres as science fiction, fantasy, suspense, westerns, mystery, and adventure. Some of their best suspense novels are High Stakes by Justine Davis and The Soothsayer and the Changeling by Dennis Danvers.
Speaking Volumes accepts manuscripts throughout the year in every genre they publish, so if you have a suspense manuscript, check out this page to see how to submit it for publication. You can contact them if you have any other questions or need more information about the publication process and distribution.
5. The Permanent Press
The Permanent Press in Sag Harbor, New York, has been publishing popular and provocative books since Martin and Judith Shepherd founded it in 1978. Publishing print books in the mystery, thriller, suspense, and adventure genres, The Permanent Press has become known for the range and merit of its catalog. Two of their more recent suspense novels include Westfarrow Island by Paul A. Barra and Written Out by Howard Mittelmark.
If you have a suspense manuscript you think The Permanent Press might be interested in, submit the first 25 pages following the guidelines found here. For any other questions, you can contact the relevant staff member using the information found on their contact page.
6. Two Dollar Radio
In 2005, Eric Obenauf and Eliza Wood-Obenauf founded Two Dollar Radio publishing and bookstore in Columbus, Ohio, as an avenue for publishing works with social and cultural merit. They publish film and books in almost every genre, from biography and coming-of-age through suspense and westerns. The Underneath by Melanie Finn and I Will Die in a Foreign Land by Kalani Pickhart are two of their newest suspense titles.
Two Dollar Radio are always accepting submissions through their submissions page here. If you have any questions or want to know more about their bookstore in Columbus, contact them using their online form found here.
7. Level Best Books
The Dames of Detection (Shawn Reilly Simmons, Verena Rose, and Harriette Sackler) founded Level Best Books in 2003 in Olney, Maryland, primarily to publish crime fiction based in New England. It has since expanded its imprints to include other genres, such as historical mysteries, suspense, literary romance, science fiction, and fantasy. Two of their most recent suspense titles are The Twist and Shout Murder by Teresa Trent and Villainy in Vienna by Kelly Oliver.
New Arc Books is the suspense and thriller imprint of Level Best Books. They are accepting submissions of novels between 70,000 and 100,000 words. You can find further submissions guidelines, including how to submit, here. Contact them online if you have any other questions or need more information.
8. Camel Press
Based in Kenmore, Washington, Camel Press is the genre imprint of Epicenter Press, specializing in mysteries, suspense novels, romance, and historical fictions. As an approved publisher of the Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, and Romance Writers of America, Camel Press is known for its high-quality genre fiction. Double Frame by Kevin Doyle and An Act of Murder by Mary Angela are just two of their many suspense novels.
You can submit your suspense manuscript to Camel Press by following the guidelines found at this page. If you want to find out more about Camel Press or need more information, you can contact them using the information found here.
9. Brash Books
Begun in 2014 by crime writers Lee Goldberg and Joel Goldman, Brash Books focuses on reprinting out-of-print mystery and suspense novels from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. They also publish new suspense and mystery titles, such as Apparent Wind by Dallas Murthy and The Owl by Bob Forward.
If you have a new, innovative, ‘brash’ crime or suspense novel, then check out how to submit it for consideration here. You can also contact them to find out more about their catalog or the genres they publish.
10. Silver Leaf Books
Based in Holliston, Massachusetts, Silver Leaf Books has been publishing new and upcoming authors of genre fiction since 2003. They publish both print and electronic works in suspense, mystery, science fiction, action, and adventure genres specifically geared towards readers aged 10 and above. A few of their notable suspense titles are Dusk by Jared Angel and Silence the Living by Brian Bandell.
Silver Leaf Books is always accepting manuscripts of unpublished work and aim to help new authors to reach the widest audience possible. If you think your suspense manuscript would fit in with Silver Leaf Books’ catalog, you can find their submission guidelines here. You can also contact them directly here.