52 cozy mystery publishers accepting unsolicited manuscripts in June 2025
Is there anything better than a good mystery novel? Only a cozy one! All of the publishers listed here are currently accepting manuscripts without a literary agent, and I’ve done my best to weed out any suspicious or vanity publishers.
Don’t forget to check out my developmental editing services or pre-querying package if you want to make sure your novel is in top shape before you send it to a publisher for consideration. I offer a variety of services to suit all budgets, from writers looking for the standard developmental editing experience to those seeking high-level feedback with a quick turnaround time.
Good luck with your manuscript submissions.
Bella Books
Bella Books believes stories about women-loving-women are essential to our lives.
Genre: Fiction that reflects and celebrates the diversity of the lesbian, sapphic, queer, bisexual, and gender non-conforming community. They commonly publish romance, action, adventure, mystery, suspense, intrigue, historical, fantasy, speculative, erotica and general fiction. They also accept poetry and nonfiction.
Word count: At least 60,000 words.Pan Macmillan Australia
Pan Macmillan Australia is committed to investing in Australian authors and publishes a variety of bestselling books.
Genre: Middle grade, young adult, commercial and literary fiction. For nonfiction, they're interested in narrative nonfiction, contemporary issues, memoir, history, true crime, lifestyle, health, and mind, body & spirit.
Word count: Not stated.Honno
Honno is an independent co-operative press committed to bringing the world the best in Welsh women's writing.
Genre: Fiction and nonfiction written by women of Wales. For nonfiction, they consider food writing, women's history, Welsh history, Welsh interest and nature writing. For fiction, they consider crime, thriller, romance, historical, humour, literary, horror, fantasy and science fiction.
Word count: Not stated.Launch Point Press
Launch Point Press is dedicated to publishing high-quality fiction books that center on the experiences of lesbian characters.
Genre: Fiction manuscripts where the main characters are lesbians, especially crime, suspense, mystery, intrigue, thriller, historical, literary, romance, sagas, speculative, paranormal and horror.
Word count: 55,000 to 100,000 words.Renaissance Press
Renaissance is a Canadian publisher who is dedicated to publishing novels from diverse Canadian voices.
Genre: Genre fiction, literary fiction, narrative nonfiction and memoirs.
Word count: 40,000 to 100,000 words.Affirm Press
Affirm Press is an independent Melbourne-based publisher dedicated to publishing Australian stories and ideas. Please note they only accept submissions from Australian authors or authors based in Australia.
Genre: Literary and genre fiction as well as nonfiction that is engaging and entertaining.
Word count: Novel-length work.Bancroft Press
Bancroft Press is a publisher without a niche! They publish titles they're passionate about.
Genre: Literary fiction and genre fiction, including contemporary, financial thriller, historical, Jewish, LGBTQ+, legal thriller, medical, mystery, political, romance, rural, satire, science fiction, suspense and general thriller. For nonfiction, they accept biography, crime, essays, finance, history, humor, investing, memoir, movie reviews, parenting, politics, psychology, religion, self-help, spiritual and sports.
Word count: Not stated.Ringwood Publishing
Ringwood Publishing is an independent Scottish publisher based in Glasgow. Please note that they only accept authors who are Scottish or are a resident of Scotland.
Genre: Literary fiction, genre fiction and nonfiction from Scottish authors or residents.
Word count: 50,000 words and above.Carina Press
Carina Press is Harlequin’s digital-first adult fiction imprint.
Genre: Romance, especially in the subgenres of contemporary, erotic, paranormal, science fiction/fantasy, suspense, historical, and mystery.
Word count: 50,000 to 125,000 words.Amble Press
Amble Press publishes fiction from writers who identify as a person of color or those writing across the broader queer spectrum.
Genre: Genre fiction, including general, crime, mystery, thriller, historical, action/adventure, speculative, young adult, new adult and romance. For nonfiction, they accept narrative, memoir and biography.
Word count: 45,000 to 100,000 words.Beacon Publishing Group
Beacon Publishing Group is a traditional publishing house based in New York which releases great literary works.
Genre: Fiction and nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.Blueberry Lane Books
Blueberry Lane Books publishes novels and anthologies.
Genre: Novels that tend toward science fiction and fantasy, women's fiction, and off-beat mysteries. They also accept new adult. For nonfiction, they accept business and reference books.
Word count: Not stated.Kensington Publishing Corp.
Kensington Publishing Corp. is an independent publisher based in New York City, releasing over 300 titles per year in a range of popular genres.
Genre: Literary and genre fiction (romance, mystery, suspense, thriller, upmarket, historical, speculative, mystery and romantasy) and nonfiction (biography, memoir, history, true crime, pop culture, film, TV, music, military history, narrative law enforcement and pop science). Each editor has their preferences across various genres of fiction and nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.Bywater Books
Bywater Books primarily publishes lesbian and feminist fiction.
Genre: Lesbian and feminist fiction and nonfiction. This includes general fiction, historical, action, adventure, speculative, young adult, new adult and romance. For nonfiction, they're looking for narrative nonfiction, memoirs and biography.
Word count: At least 60,000 words.Red Adept Publishing
Red Adept Publishing is a small fiction publisher with multiple USA Today Bestsellers. Please note they only accept submissions from US authors.
Genre: Genre fiction, including cozy mystery, fantasy, historical, romance, science fiction, mystery, thriller, suspense and women's fiction.
Word count: 50,000 words and above.City Owl Press
City Owl Press is an indie publisher specializing in speculative fiction and romance. Please note that Writer Beware wrote an article on City Owl Press recently so make sure you do your research before submitting.
Genre: Genre fiction in the subgenres of romance (dark, fantasy, historical, monster, paranormal, comedy, science fiction, suspense, small town, time travel) and speculative (fairy tale retellings, cozy, dark, urban). They also accept horror, psychological, thriller, mystery and new adult.
Word count: 50,000 words and above.Storm Publishing
Storm Publishing believes in the power of storytelling to transport readers to other worlds.
Genre: Genre fiction, including crime, thriller, mystery, psychological thrillers, historical, multicultural fiction, romance, women's fiction, science fiction, fantasy and upmarket.
Word count: Not stated.Black Rose Writing
Black Rose Writing is a Texas-based publisher who strongly believes in developing a personal relationship with their authors. Please note that Writer Beware wrote an article about Black Rose Writing. Please do your research before submitting.
Genre: Fiction, including action, fantasy, historical, horror, humor, inspirational, LGBT, literary, mystery, suspense, paranormal, romance, science fiction, thriller, women's fiction. They accept children's books, middle grade and young adult books as well. For nonfiction, they accept biography, memoir, business, history, humor, inspirational, spiritual, military, self-help, sports and true crime.
Word count: Not stated.Casablanca (Tell-tale Publishing)
Casablanca is Tell-tale Publishing's mystery imprint.
Genre: Mystery.
Word count: 55,000 to 75,000 words.Bookouture
Bookouture is a division of Hachette UK that publishes digital commercial fiction.
Genre: Commercial fiction, especially crime, thriller, suspense, police procedural, women's fiction, contemporary romance, bookclub, cozy mystery, historical, multicultural, science fiction and fantasy.
Word count: Not stated.Blind Eye Books
Blind Eye Books publishes science fiction, fantasy, mystery, and romance novels featuring LGBTQ protagonists.
Genre: Science fiction, fantasy, mystery, and romance with LGBTQ protagonists.
Word count: 70,000 to 150,000 words.Crooked Lane Books
Crooked Lane Books was founded in 2014 and publishes high quality crime fiction.
Genre: Crime fiction, especially mystery, thriller, suspense, police procedural, cozy, horror and true crime.
Word count: 60,000 to 100,000 words.HarperNorth
HarperNorth is a Manchester-based imprint of HarperCollins Publishers and their aim is to connect northern writers to readers.
Genre: Genre fiction, especially upmarket, crime, thriller, historical and romance. For nonfiction, they consider memoir, politics, history, sport, music, nature, popular science, smart thinking and popular economics.
Word count: Over 80,000 words.Akan Books
Akan Books is an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers led by June Sarpong, accepting submissions from underrepresented groups in the UK (especially ethnic minority backgrounds, those who identify as working class and those with a disability).
Genre: Genre fiction, including crime, thriller, psychological suspense, romance, historical, contemporary/book club and family drama. For nonfiction, the accept self-help, smart thinking, memoir and parenting.
Word count: Not stated.Sunbury Press
Sunbury Press is a rapidly growing publisher with six imprints.
Genre: Literary and genre fiction, including history, mystery, detective, police procedural, crime, thriller, horror and young adult. For nonfiction, they accept history, current events, science, reference, art history, local/regional history, humour, spiritual, metaphysical, self help, professional and memoirs.
Word count: Not stated.Penmore Press
Penmore Press is an Arizona-based independent publisher.
Genre: Adult genre fiction, including contemporary, historical, nautical, military, mystery, thriller, horror and supernatural, and nonfiction.
Word count: 75,000 to 150,000 words.AK Press
AK Press believes that the voices of the disenfranchised must be heard. They are interested in works that reflect the rich traditions with anarchism. They seek to explore themes that do not reinforce dependency on oppressive forces.
Genre: Nonfiction which explores the theory, history, art, culture, economics, labor of anarchism as well as historical and contemporary movements that share their common spirit.
Word count: Not stated.Penguin Random House New Zealand
Penguin Random House New Zealand celebrates writers, stories and ideas that entertain and inspire.
Genre: Adult fiction and nonfiction. Children's submissions are closed until 2025.
Word count: Around 80,000 words (guideline).Bold Strokes Books
As an LGBTQ+ publisher, Bold Strokes Books strives to ensure their authors represent the cultures, backgrounds, and viewpoints of our world.
Genre: Genre fiction, including romance, young adult, crime, suspense, speculative, mystery, thriller, contemporary, historical, saga, erotica and general. They also accept nonfiction.
Word count: 15,000 to 120,000 words.Torrey House Press
Torrey House Press publishes books focusing on environmental advocacy.
Genre: Literary fiction and genre fiction, including mystery, thriller, horror, climate fiction, Indigenous futurism, afrofuturism, magical realism, fantasy, historical, romance and nontraditional western. They also accept investigative nonfiction, creative nonfiction and narrative nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.CamCat Books
CamCat Publishing opened in 2019 and takes pride in facilitating and engaging communication between their readers and writers. They will not publish erotica or books with strong religious or political slants.
Genre: Genre fiction, including mystery, thriller, suspense, science fiction, fantasy, romance, historical, paranormal, horror, adventure, western and young adult.
Word count: 60,000 to 100,000 words.ECW Press
ECW Press has published close to 1,000 books, including nonfiction, poetry and fiction. Please note that they accept poetry and fiction from Canadians only but accept nonfiction submissions from around the world.
Genre: Fiction, including literary, mystery, crime, science fiction, young adult, middle grade and humour. They also accept poetry and nonfiction, including sports, pop culture, memoir, biography, science, nature, true crime, travel, business, personal finance, poker, literary criticism and reference.
Word count: Not stated.Canelo
Canelo was founded in 2015 to bring the best commercial storytelling to a wide audience.
Genre: Genre fiction including saga, action, adventure, romance, commercial women's fiction, crime, and psychological thrillers.
Word count: Over 80,000 words.Joffe Books
Joffe Books is one of the UK’s leading independent publishers of commercial fiction, especially crime and mystery.
Genre: Genre fiction, including crime fiction, mysteries, psychological thrillers, cosy crime, police procedurals, chillers, suspense, domestic noir, women’s fiction, fantasy, historical fiction and romance novels, including WWII romances and sagas.
Word count: Over 60,000 words.Wakefield Press
Wakefield Press is a leading independent publishing company based in Adelaide.
Genre: Genre fiction, especially crime, literary fiction and nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.Camel Press
Camel Press is the genre imprint of Epicentre Press, specializing in popular and genre fiction.
Genre: Genre fiction, including historical, cozy mystery, mystery, suspense and romance.
Word count: 50,000 to 100,000 words.Literary Wanderlust
Literary Wanderlust strives to help new and experienced authors achieve their dreams of publishing.
Genre: Genre fiction, including romance, women's fiction, historical and western fiction, paranormal, urban fantasy, crime, mystery, thriller, LGBTQ, science fiction and fantasy.
Word count: 60,000 to 100,000 words.Black Dawn
Black Dawn is the speculative imprint of AK Press. AK Press believes that the voices of the disenfranchised must be heard and that speculative fiction is the perfect tool for exploring paths to bring forth a just and free world. They seek to explore themes that do not reinforce dependency on oppressive forces.
Genre: Fantasy, science fiction, steampunk, horror, and mystery.
Word count: 25,000 to 55,000 words.Sparkling Books
Sparkling Books is an independent publishing house and a member of the Independent Publishers Guild. Please note they require manuscripts to be independently edited prior to submission. They don't specify how they check this, but it's worth noting!
Genre: Genre fiction, including crime, mystery, suspense, thriller, detective, romance, women's fiction, new adult, urban fiction and drama. For nonfiction, they accept finance, business and current politics.
Word count: Not stated.Hera
Hera was launched in 2018 with the mission to be "unashamedly commercial, always inclusive".
Genre: Genre fiction, including crime, thriller, romance, saga, and general.
Word count: Over 80,000 words.WildBlue Press
Wildblue Press was founded by two college friends who recognized that the publishing world was changing. They strive to create a unique and engaging process for authors.
Genre: Fiction in the genres of fantasy, mystery, romance, science fiction and thriller. For nonfiction, they accept biography, memoir, history and true crime.
Word count: Not stated.Allen & Unwin
Allen & Unwin are an Australian-owned and operated publisher. They were named 2023 Publisher of the Year and have won the title twelve times since 2000! They accept submissions every Friday during their The Friday Pitch sessions.
Genre: Adult literary and genre fiction, nonfiction and illustrated books. Fiction. They are not currently interested in adult high fantasy and science fiction but do accept other fantasy manuscripts.
Word count: Full length works.Brash Books
Brash Books were founded by Lee Goldberg and Joel Goldman, both Edgar-Award nominated authors, with the aim of publishing innovative whodunits, espionage adventures and novels of suspense from both new voices and well-established authors.
Genre: Crime, including thrillers, whodunits, cozy mysteries, psychological suspense, espionage, and police procedural.
Word count: Not stated.Kessler Books
Kessler Books is an imprint of Beacon Publishing Group. They publish a vast array of fiction and nonfiction.
Genre: Fiction and nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.Coffeetown Press
Coffetown Press is based in Kenmore, Washington has been publishing fiction and selective nonfiction and memoirs since 2005.
Genre: Fiction and nonfiction, especially historical and literary fiction.
Word count: 50,000 to 100,000 words.Farrago
Farrago's mission is to help readers find fiction that makes them smile. They are the sister imprint of Duckworth Books.
Genre: Accessible, entertaining and humorous fiction, including humorous mystery and crime, romantic comedy, satirical comedy, speculative fiction and social comedy.
Word count: Not stated.Text Publishing
Text Publishing is an independent Melbourne-based publisher of fiction and nonfiction. They accept submissions from citizens or residents of Australia and New Zealand.
Genre: Genre fiction, including crime, thriller, erotica, fantasy, paranormal, historical, romance, LGBTQIA+, young adult, and middle grade. For nonfiction, they accept biography, memoir, essays, film, history, humour, philosophy, politics, religion, science, environment, relationships, society, culture, sport, travel and war.
Word count: 10,000-120,000 words.House of Riviera
House of Riviera is a new independent commercial fiction publishing house based in Monaco with a presence in the UK. They
Genre: Romance, crime, thriller, cozy mystery, women's fiction, historical fiction, detective series, science fiction and fantasy.
Word count: Not stated.Tule Mystery
Tule Mystery is the mystery imprint of Tule Publishing.
Genre: Mystery, cozy mystery and thriller.
Word count: 50,000 to 90,000 words.TCU Press
TCU Press publishes the history, culture and literature of Texas and the American West. They are the university press of Texas Christian University.
Genre: Children's books, genre fiction, literary fiction and nonfiction. They publish a wide variety of genres from history, nature, art, biography, photography, humor, young adult, cooking, religion, science, education, law and more. I suggest you look at their website to see the full list as I can't possibly list them all here!
Word count: Not stated.Wicked Ink Publishing
Wicked Ink Publishing is an independent publishing house that is dedicated to championing diversity and creators of extraordinary tales.
Genre: Genre fiction, including romance, crime, fantasy, folklore, horror, mystery, thriller, science fiction, supernatural, thriller, time travel and young adult.
Word count: 50,000 to 100,000 words.Vulpine Press
Vulpine Press established in 2017 with the aim of publishing commercial, innovative and stylish fiction.
Genre: Commercial fiction. This includes genres such as horror, biography, children's books, young adult, crime, thriller, culture, drama, adventure, literary, humor, romance, science fiction and fantasy.
Word count: Not stated.
Best of luck with your manuscript submissions! If you want to ensure your manuscript is in the best position to be accepted, check out my developmental editing services, pre-querying package or my free writing advice. Otherwise, take a look at my genre-specific list of publishers for romance, fantasy and science fiction.