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 801-850 of 1,666 (1666 new)


message 801: by Miki (new)

Miki The Devil on the Steamboat

One I would actually read...or write...hmmm


message 802: by Benjamin (new)

Benjamin Hollon New Release Radar:

The Stranger in the Panic Room by Benjamin


message 803: by Jenn (new)

Jenn The Liar at the Botanical Garden. Sounds like a Murder She Wrote story.


message 804: by Kirima (new)

Kirima McIntyre The liar at the farmers market


message 805: by Ioana (new)

Ioana Șimon The Devil at the Abandoned Theme Park. Sounds like a cheap horror:))


message 806: by Justyna Anna (new)

Justyna Anna Murder at the Botanical Garden


message 807: by June (new)

June The Shadow at The Two-Star Hotel...


(Ellie) ReadtoRamble The body in the parking garage :)


message 809: by Aulia (new)

Aulia Gina Murder in The Vitamin Aisle


message 810: by Pamela (new)

Pamela Harju Evil at the DMV. What is DMV?


message 811: by Catherine (new)

Catherine Pamela wrote: "Evil at the DMV. What is DMV?"

Department of Motor Vehicles maybe?


message 812: by Suhani (new)

Suhani Varshney EVIL ON THE MIDNIGHT TRAIN thats sassy


message 813: by Amy (new)

Amy The Devil Under the Stairs - I wanna read it now


message 814: by jaadhimalli (new)

jaadhimalli The liar at the abandoned theme park


message 815: by Daphne (new)

Daphne The Devil in the Warehouse


message 816: by Tiffany (new)

Tiffany Robinson The stranger at the empty zoo


message 817: by Mia (new)

Mia The Widow in the Elevator

(100% would read)


message 818: by Beth (new)

Beth Red in the Cemetery


message 819: by Abishek (new)

Abishek The body in the casino


message 820: by Aang (new)

Aang The Explorer The shadow on the cruise ship


message 821: by Sanjana (new)

Sanjana Blue on Flight 42. (Kinda sounds like a country music song!)


message 822: by Ahmed (new)

Ahmed The stalker in the all-night Diner


message 823: by Trisha (new)

Trisha The Shadow in the Emergency Room.. That's creepy!


message 824: by Robin (last edited Apr 06, 2019 09:23AM) (new)

Robin Clamme Death and The Widow in the Meat Locker

(I'm wearing a purple tee and a white shirt over it. Had to go with the meat locker or tell a lie).


Unsolved ☕︎ Mystery The woman at the car dealership.


message 826: by Garfied007 (new)

Garfied007 The body en the Casino


message 827: by Priyanka (new)

Priyanka The body at the abandoned theme park


message 828: by danana (new)

danana Death in the elevator


message 829: by Leonardo (new)

Leonardo Valenti The Devil In The Parking Garage


message 830: by Karessa (new)

Karessa A. The Stranger at the Cemetary
I think I may actually start writing a book for this title if I get some good ideas for places for the book and twists to put in. You guys got any ideas for it if I do start writing?


message 831: by Kyleigh (new)

Kyleigh M the body in the broom closet


message 832: by Sue (new)

Sue Boyd The stalker in the swamps


message 833: by Gus (new)

Gus Khaldi The Stranger in the Swamp


message 834: by Linda (new)

Linda Roberts The Liar at the Empty Zoo


message 835: by Becky (new)

Becky The liar in the waiting room.


message 836: by Linda (new)

Linda Lenard Murder in the Meat Locker


message 837: by Kat (new)

Kat Dullum Death in the all night diner. Sounds like a page turner!


message 838: by Cintia (new)

Cintia The Stalker on Flight 42. Sounds creepy!


message 839: by Joey (new)

Joey Murder in the casino


message 840: by Lori (new)

Lori The Liar in the Cemetery


message 841: by Dedra (new)

Dedra Death in the All Night Diner


message 842: by Cam (new)

Cam P The Body in the Swamp! okay that's outright creepy hahaha


message 843: by Patricia (new)

Patricia The shadow at the farmer's market!


message 844: by Dafne. licona (new)

Dafne. licona The woman at the car crash


message 845: by Mary (new)

Mary Killian The stranger in the cemetery


message 846: by Sameh (new)

Sameh Samir THE DEVIL ON THE CRUISE SHIP


message 847: by Jo (new)

Jo S The widow on the fire escape


message 848: by Jas Reads (new)

Jas Reads The Liar at the Empty Zoo


lol


message 849: by isabell (new)

isabell The Body on the Fire Escape


message 850: by . . . _ _ _ . . . (new)

. . . _ _ _ . . . The Body in the Elevator


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