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 701-750 of 1,666 (1666 new)


message 701: by Greyson (new)

Greyson Rome Hilary (A Wytch's Book Review) wrote: "The Shadow at the DMV (what the heck is the DMV?)"

The DMV stands for Driver Improvement Clinic.


message 702: by Greyson (new)

Greyson Rome The Shadow at the Car Wash


message 703: by Erick (new)

Erick Alonso Salinas Death in the Swamp


message 704: by Shamsa (new)

Shamsa The Liar on the Midnight Train


message 705: by Cathy (new)

Cathy The Liar on a Cruise Ship


message 706: by Sierra (new)

Sierra The Stranger in the Wardrobe


message 707: by Paula (new)

Paula Elena The shadow under the stairs


message 708: by Lisa (new)

Lisa The Murder in Room No 8


message 709: by Angie (new)

Angie Lassig Evil in the Meat Locker


message 710: by Julianne (new)

Julianne The Body at the Farmer's Market


message 711: by PhilipThePoet (new)

PhilipThePoet The Liar Under the Stairs (so basically Harry Potter)


message 712: by Alice (new)

Alice The Liar in the Parking Garage


message 713: by Caitlyn (new)

Caitlyn The Liar on Flight 42


message 714: by Peter (new)

Peter Metcalfe The Stranger on the Steamboat


message 715: by Lora (new)

Lora Murder on the Fire Escape


message 716: by [deleted user] (new)

The Stranger on the Steamboat


message 717: by M. (new)

M. R. R. Shelswell The Widow in the Meat Locker


message 718: by Daphne (new)

Daphne R Murder at the Empty Zoo


message 719: by Carolyn (new)

Carolyn whitney Murder in the parking garage


message 720: by Stacey (new)

Stacey Death at the Farmer's Market.


RJ - Slayer of Trolls The Stranger in the Meat Locker

As opposed to all those other people I know in the meat locker?


message 722: by Danny (new)

Danny The Body in the Wardrobe


message 723: by Rocio (new)

Rocio Voncina "Murder at the Botanical Garden",
It's logical, I hate flowers! lol!


message 724: by Kristin (new)

Kristin Death in the Emergency Room


message 725: by Emily (new)

Emily The Stranger in the Casino.


message 726: by Lara Jewdryna (new)

Lara Jewdryna The Body at the Two-Star Hotel


message 727: by Anna (new)

Anna tbh "The Body in the Meat Locker" is less ominous and more... pretty straightforward


message 728: by Trisha (new)

Trisha Maharani the liar at the empty zoo


message 729: by Maria (new)

Maria The Body at the Empty Zoo
...Well, that certainly raises a question in the reader's mind!


message 730: by Nektaria (new)

Nektaria The Body at the Botanical Garden


message 731: by Netti (new)

Netti The Devil in the All-Night-Diner
(Botulinus?)


message 732: by Liam (new)

Liam The Widow at the Car Dealership


message 733: by Tomethee Chalamet (new)

Tomethee Chalamet The widow at the abandoned theme park


message 734: by Gelic (new)

Gelic The widow in the panic room


message 735: by Luisa (new)

Luisa Rodrigues The Shadow in the Warehouse


message 736: by Moravelle Corinne (new)

Moravelle Corinne The Widow in the Broom Closet. Well, quite intriguing.


message 737: by Shannon (new)

Shannon The Liar in the Swamp


message 738: by Adeann (new)

Adeann The Devil in the Wardrobe


message 739: by Aryan (new)

Aryan The Imposter at the Botanical Garden


message 740: by Rachele (new)

Rachele De Santis Murder in the All-Night Diner!


message 741: by アリーチエ (new)

アリーチエ Murder on the Midnight Train :)
It sounds interesting!!


message 742: by Danielle (new)

Danielle The Stalker in the broom closet


message 743: by Life (new)

Life Bear The liar in the parking garage


message 744: by Life (new)

Life Bear Life wrote: "The liar in the parking garage"

no, not really....


message 745: by Lara (new)

Lara Zamparini The liar at the Farmer's Market ^___^


message 746: by Life (new)

Life Bear Lara wrote: "The liar at the Farmer's Market ^___^"

Sounds mischievous


message 747: by Sherleg (new)

Sherleg The body in room no. 8


message 748: by Moraima (new)

Moraima The body in the landfill...


message 749: by Marci (new)

Marci Murder in the Wardrobe


message 750: by Eugenia (new)

Eugenia Leguízamo The Widow at the Botanical Garden =)


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