Rough Edges Press is looking for tough-minded mystery, suspense, and crime fiction in a variety of genres: international and U.S.-based thrillers including legal, political, and medical thrillers; espionage; police procedurals; private investigators; hardboiled crime novels; and action/adventure. Because we pride ourselves on marketing the overall author instead of just one book, we’re very interested in ideas for new series or multiple titles, but we will also consider stand-alone novels. Authors with rights to multiple backlist titles are also highly encouraged to contact us. A book is always new to anyone who hasn’t read it. Don’t worry about digital manuscripts on out-of-print titles. As long as we can find a paper copy of the book or books we can publish.

Preferred length is 60,000 to 80,000 words, but if you have an idea that justifies going longer than that, we’re open to it. Novels should be gritty and realistic—we’re not publishing cozy mysteries here. (Not that there’s anything wrong with cozies, but we are called Rough Edges Press.) But no extreme violence and gore for its own sake. Sex and language should not be overdone or exploitive, either. Boiled down to its essence, we want exciting, fast-moving stories with compelling characters and interesting plots. We want stories that make the reader eager to turn the page and find out what happens next.

If you believe you have a manuscript that fits our current needs, please fill out the following information, attach your manuscript, and submit. We’ll be very happy to take a look at it. All fields are required in order for the form to be accepted and considered. We try to respond to all submissions in a timely manner, no matter whether it’s to say yes, no, or maybe, but if you haven’t heard back from us in 120 days, that means your manuscript isn’t a good fit for us and we won’t be able to publish it. Thank you for considering Rough Edges Press as the best home for your novels.