Let's Play: Create an Ominous-Sounding Mystery Title

Posted by Marie on April 1, 2019
Goodreads Mystery & Thriller Week 2019

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 shirt color 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 mystery title? Share it with us in the comments!

Check out the complete coverage of Mystery & Thriller Week:
Top 100 Mysteries & Thrillers on Goodreads
24 New Voices to Discover in Mystery & Thriller
Spring's Most Anticipated Mysteries & Thrillers


Comments Showing 501-550 of 1,666 (1666 new)


message 501: by Mafalda (new)

Mafalda M. The widow at the Car Wash


message 502: by Chyina (new)

Chyina Powell The Shadow Under The Stairs


(Poor Harry...)


message 503: by Gabrielle (new)

Gabrielle Gusz The widow on the cruise ship


message 504: by Linda (new)

Linda Manolikakis The stranger in the waiting room


message 505: by Minouschka (new)

Minouschka The Widow at the Botanical Garden! hahahahahaha


message 506: by Rocks (new)

Rocks The Stranger in the All Night Diner...
hope the burger is good!


message 507: by Vicky (new)

Vicky The Liar on Flight 43.


message 508: by Marjolein (new)

Marjolein Slats Murder in the wardrobe


message 509: by Elisa Joy (new)

Elisa Joy Carrillo The Devil at the Two-Star Hotel


message 510: by Elizabeth (new)

Elizabeth Hamby Evil at the car wash


message 511: by Ellie (new)

Ellie The Liar at the Two-Star Hotel.


message 512: by María (new)

María Pérez The Stranger in the Fun House... Weee!


Eugenio Caicedo Hernández The window on flight 42


message 514: by Kathleen (new)

Kathleen Subbert The Body in the Meat Locker

(This could be a very gruesome read!)


message 515: by Pat (new)

Pat Dupuy The Body in the Swamp


message 516: by Keigh (new)

Keigh Anthony The Widow on the Fire Escape


message 517: by Jack (new)

Jack Bolous Murder in the Casino!


message 518: by Abi (new)

Abi | Scribbles and Stories The Liar in the Funhouse. Not sure I'd read it, but could be interesting!


message 519: by Jaimie (new)

Jaimie The Shadow Under the Stairs


message 520: by Natalie (new)

Natalie Champion The body on the steamboat 😂


message 521: by Jo Ann Drolshagen (new)

Jo Ann Drolshagen Death in the warehouse.


message 522: by Jenn (new)

Jenn Post The Imposter in the vitamin isle 😆


message 523: by Lyla (new)

Lyla Death in the All-Night Diner


message 524: by Daniela (new)

Daniela The Liar on The Steamboat...


message 525: by Cherry (new)

Cherry The Widow in the Cemetery


message 526: by Cherry (new)

Cherry Prissy~ wrote: "Murder in the Broom Closet

(could be scary or funny as hell)"


So true


message 527: by A. Potter ⚯͛ (new)

A. Potter ⚯͛ The body on the midnight train.


message 528: by Janet (new)

Janet Murdoch The Imposter in room number 8 - I like it!!!


message 529: by Elyse (new)

Elyse The Shadow on Flight 42


message 530: by Tamara (new)

Tamara The stranger in the Meat Locker.


message 531: by Exen (new)

Exen Gs The stranger on the midnight train.


message 532: by Liz (new)

Liz Petersen Evil at the Botanical Garden


message 533: by Beej (new)

Beej The Widow in the Meat Locker


message 534: by James (new)

James Higbie The stalker in the funhouse.


message 535: by Sandy (new)

Sandy The Shadow in the Bloom Closet


message 536: by Meg (new)

Meg Hendry The Liar in the Meat Locker


message 537: by Luz (new)

Luz Evil at the DMV. Could be quite possible too.


message 538: by Carleen (new)

Carleen The Liar in the Warehouse


message 539: by Samantha (new)

Samantha The Devil in the Meat Locker


message 540: by Penny (new)

Penny The Body in the Swamp.


message 541: by Alaska (new)

Alaska The Stranger in the Waiting Room


message 542: by Susan (new)

Susan The Liar on the Cruise Ship!


message 543: by Mireille (new)

Mireille The Liar in the Panic Room


message 544: by Jenn (new)

Jenn Gartner The Body on the Midnight Train


message 545: by Elizabeth (new)

Elizabeth The Body at the Empty Zoo


message 546: by Teresa (new)

Teresa Mestizo The Stalker in the Meat Locker


message 547: by Teresa (new)

Teresa Mestizo NikzPaginate wrote: "Murder in Room No. 8.
ooohh haha"


This one's good!


message 548: by Liette (new)

Liette Evil on the Fire Escape... weird 😱


message 549: by Anira (new)

Anira I got the Liar in the Wardrobe.


message 550: by Kitty (new)

Kitty Death at the Farmers Market.


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