Let's Play: How To Make An Ominous-Sounding Mystery Title

Posted by Marie on April 2, 2018
Goodreads Mystery & Thriller Week 2018

Mystery & Thriller Week is sponsored by Penguin Random House Audio. Enjoy the suspense on audio.

Mainstream mystery titles have the uncanny ability to turn the ordinary into the ominous. Like a macabre version of Mad Libs, sometimes all a title needs is a combination of a person and a place to achieve maximum foreboding. The Body in the Library, The Couple Next Door, and The Woman in the Window are all prime examples of this. And if you want to turn the terror up a notch, you can never go wrong with adding the word "girl" to let readers know that trouble isn't too far away.

The rules to this game are simple: Match your birth month and birth date to the chart below. Then stand back for that spine-tingling (or snicker-inducing) effect. Who knows? Your title could be the next big name in the mystery genre!



What's your bestselling mystery title? Share it with us in the comments!


Comments Showing 601-650 of 1,633 (1633 new)


message 601: by Cindy (new)

Cindy "The Shadow at the Botanical Garden" -- love it!!!


message 602: by Jan C (new)

Jan C The Woman on Flight 42


message 603: by Colleen (new)

Colleen Turner The Devil in the Casino!


message 604: by Dava (new)

Dava Carper murder room no.8


message 605: by Darren (new)

Darren O. Evil at the Car Dealership. A comedy.


message 606: by Elaine (new)

Elaine The Liar in the Emergency Room sounds like a bad ER or Grey's Anatomy episode.


message 607: by Giulia (new)

Giulia The Stalker in the Emergency Room.. These are hilarious:)


message 608: by Kerry (new)

Kerry Pittmann-galcik The Liar in the All-Night Diner


message 609: by Brian (new)

Brian Scull The Widow in Room No. 8


message 610: by Francine (new)

Francine Evil in the All-Night Diner


message 611: by Tonya (new)

Tonya Mathis The Stalker in the Cemetery. I like it.


message 612: by Rachel..♦ (new)

Rachel..♦ "The Body on the Cruise Ship" meh!

It sounds like a title of cozy mystery written by a futuristic Artificial Intelligence bot.


Stacie (MagicOfBooks) LOL! The Widow at the DMV!


message 614: by Rachel..♦ (new)

Rachel..♦ I am sad to say that while every four years there will be "The Body in the All-Night Diner", there will never ever be:

The Body at the Car Wash
The Body in the Waiting Room
The Liar in the Waiting Room
Death in the Waiting Room
The Woman in the Waiting Room
The Stalker in the Waiting Room


message 615: by Envy (new)

Envy Valentine The Liar at the DMV


message 616: by Barbara (new)

Barbara The Woman In the Elevator


message 617: by Mickey (new)

Mickey Evil at the Car Dealership


message 618: by Kimberly (new)

Kimberly Death in the meat locker


message 619: by Joe (new)

Joe Evil in the Casino


message 620: by Krystal (new)

Krystal Evil on the Fire Escape ...

I'm envisioning a fun "how well do you know your neighbors?" tale :)


message 621: by Kirsten (new)

Kirsten The Widow at the DMV! LOL!!! I can think of many potential victims at our DMV !! (Or, as we call it, the Department of Rude People!)


message 622: by Amy (new)

Amy The Stalker at the the Two-Star Hotel. Lol that doesn’t sound so creepy


message 623: by Joseph Glaser (new)

Joseph Glaser The Widow at the Farmers Market


message 624: by Chap (new)

Chap The Devil in the Landfill


message 625: by Vickie (new)

Vickie The Imposter on the Midnight Train


message 626: by Chazzi (new)

Chazzi The Liar in the Wardrobe

Now there could really be some secrets in there!


message 627: by Dar (new)

Dar The Imposter in the Waiting Room. Sounds like it could be very interesting.


message 628: by Jane (new)

Jane Oakley Evil at the Carwash


message 629: by Amy (new)

Amy The Widow in the Waiting Room


message 630: by Kathryn (new)

Kathryn Blackmun The Devil at the DMV!


message 631: by Megan (new)

Megan The Woman at the Car Wash 😂 Hahaha


message 632: by Diego (new)

Diego The Woman in the Casino


message 633: by Sherri (new)

Sherri The Widow in the Cemetery

Sounds ominous......


message 634: by Sister (new)

Sister Evil in the parking garage


message 635: by Beatriz (new)

Beatriz Murder in the Wardrobe...


message 636: by EMILY (new)

EMILY The Imposter in the waiting room


message 637: by Lorrie (new)

Lorrie The Shadow in the Cemetery


message 638: by Lisa (new)

Lisa Death at the Farmer's Market


message 639: by Breannabuenger (new)

Breannabuenger The liar at the botanical garden..


message 640: by Queen (new)

Queen The Stalker at the DMV


message 641: by Picky Virgo (new)

Picky Virgo The Imposter in the Meat Locker


message 642: by Ashley (new)

Ashley Simmons The Woman at the DMV


message 643: by Jonna (new)

Jonna Jeffers The Liar in the Panic Room


message 644: by Janet (new)

Janet Murder on the Fire Escape. Opening line: Richard lived on the 13th floor...


message 645: by Tammy (new)

Tammy The Woman at the DMV


message 646: by Michelle (new)

Michelle The widow at the car wash


message 647: by Karen (new)

Karen Killebrew Evil in the landfill.
Boring..and smelly!


message 648: by Tfarmer (new)

Tfarmer Evil in the fun house.


message 649: by Fariha (new)

Fariha Khayyam Evil in the waiting room


message 650: by Dorothy (new)

Dorothy The Widow in the Meat Locker lol


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