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 901-950 of 1,666 (1666 new)


message 901: by Lexi 💜 (new)

Lexi 💜 Death on Flight 42.


message 902: by Amina (new)

Amina The stranger in the panic room 😂


message 903: by Cathy (new)

Cathy the liar in the waiting room...


message 904: by Adalis (new)

Adalis The body in the emergency room.

Not scary in the slightest.


message 905: by Ice (new)

Ice M. Murder at the Car Dealership

Sounds like a modern Poirot novel. Haha.


message 906: by Kari (new)

Kari The woman in room no 8


message 907: by Aleksandra (new)

Aleksandra The devil under the stairs :)) I'm not going in the basement soon...


message 908: by Sarah (new)

Sarah The body in the cemetery. Isn't that where bodies are supposed to be?


message 909: by Erika (new)

Erika Evil in the Warehouse

/laughs maniacally


message 910: by Yusra ❥ (new)

Yusra ❥ the widow in the warehouse

kewl ww


message 911: by Ñäyåb (new)

Ñäyåb Khâñ The liar at the botanical garden


message 912: by Eisya (new)

Eisya The Widow at the Abandoned Theme Park


message 913: by Catherine (new)

Catherine The body in the cemetery.


message 914: by Georgia (new)

Georgia The Widow on the Steamboat


message 915: by Tamara (new)

Tamara The Body under the Stairs


message 916: by Sai (new)

Sai Teja The liar on the steam boat


message 917: by Katharina (new)

Katharina Vittenlind "The widow at the carwash" sounds like an entirely different genre ...


message 918: by Carolyn (new)

Carolyn The Liar in Room No. 8


message 919: by Cassy (new)

Cassy Thompson The Widow in the Meat Locker.


message 920: by Zoheir (new)

Zoheir M The Devil at the Car Dealership!


message 921: by Paola (new)

Paola Girina 142 the stranger in a panic room


message 922: by ✵Damjana✵ (new)

✵Damjana✵ Murder in the Broom Closet :)


message 923: by Sharlene (new)

Sharlene Murder in the Parking Garage


message 924: by Shany (new)

Shany The Stranger on the Cruise Ship


message 925: by El Mehdi (new)

El Mehdi the body at the two star hotel


message 926: by K (new)

K Schemer Death in the Meat Locker


message 927: by Bookish Hound (new)

Bookish Hound The stranger in room number 8


message 928: by Megan (new)

Megan Wert The Shadow in the Elevator


message 929: by Romina (new)

Romina Evil at the Car Wash


message 930: by Cecilia (new)

Cecilia Murder at the Farmer's Market...


message 931: by J (new)

J The Woman in the Parking Garage... Spooky!


message 932: by Jenny Baker (new)

Jenny Baker Death at the Botanical Garden. That sounds like a cozy mystery.


message 933: by dee~ (new)

dee~ The Stranger in the Wardrobe!


message 934: by Cala (new)

Cala The widow in the cemetery...very mysterious, i wonder what shes doing there!


message 935: by Kay (new)

Kay The Devil at the Car Wash ..... OOH lol. more like a horror than a thriller.


message 936: by Greta (new)

Greta The stranger at the car dealership

Nice :)


message 937: by Laertes (new)

Laertes The Devil In The Meat Locker.


message 938: by chan (new)

chan The Stranger in Room No. 8


message 939: by Dalia (new)

Dalia The widow at the DMV


message 940: by Melindam (new)

Melindam The Liar in the Swamp :D


message 941: by أسـمَـاء (new)

أسـمَـاء The Liar under the Stairs


message 942: by «C.» (new)

«C.» The Widow in the Fun House.


message 943: by Mora (new)

Mora The body on the steamboat.

(I see there’s a lot of gray shirts. Good)


message 944: by Christiana (new)

Christiana The Body on the Cruise Ship (Huh.... it reminds me of the movie Ghost Ship)


message 945: by Lesley (new)

Lesley Murder at the Abandoned Theme Park


message 946: by Clevverly (new)

Clevverly Quiet The Body at the Botanical Garden


message 947: by Prex (new)

Prex Ybasco The Stranger in the Broom Closet


message 948: by Joseph (new)

Joseph Shade The Stranger in the Elevator


message 949: by [deleted user] (new)

The Stalker on a Midnight Train :D


message 950: by Anna (new)

Anna The Liar at the Empty Zoo


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