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 951-1,000 of 1,666 (1666 new)


message 951: by Jan (new)

Jan Stone The Body Under The Stairs


message 952: by Kristen (new)

Kristen Lapin The Stalker in Room No. 8


message 953: by Faith (new)

Faith Boruta The Liar in the Meat Locker


message 954: by Victoria (new)

Victoria 'The Stranger in the Parking garage.' That sounds like a stalker novel


message 955: by Holly (new)

Holly Evil In The Elavator...!


message 956: by Duoshellg (new)

Duoshellg The Body In The Meat Locker


message 957: by Nancy (new)

Nancy The devil at the car dealership


message 958: by Russell (new)

Russell The Shadow in the all night diner!!!


Louise / BetweenTheCovers MonsterMaX3 / Lou is Cullenized The Stranger in the Casino


message 960: by Julie (new)

Julie West The Liar at the Farmers Market


message 961: by Susan (new)

Susan Zimmerman The Liar in the Meatlocker


message 962: by Tom (new)

Tom The Liar in Room No. 8


message 963: by Winifred (new)

Winifred The Liar in Room #8


message 964: by Robert Thompson (new)

Robert Thompson The Body at the Car Wash


message 965: by Heather (new)

Heather Mine is 'The Stranger In the Swamp'

BUT my sons is so much better...

'The Devil In the Vitamin Aisle'


message 966: by James (new)

James Adams The Widow in the Elevator


message 967: by Darrella (new)

Darrella The body on the steamboat.


message 968: by Janinn (new)

Janinn Mayermita The Devil on the Steamboat


message 969: by Ricardo (new)

Ricardo Pereira The imposter in the cemitary xD


message 970: by Marija (new)

Marija The Devil at the DMV


message 971: by Denisa (new)

Denisa The Widow in the Meat Locker


message 972: by Sharon (new)

Sharon Death on Flight42


message 973: by Amber (new)

Amber Morse Evil in the meat locker.


message 974: by Aleyna (new)

Aleyna The liar at the car wash

Sounds interesting, right ? XD


message 975: by Meg (new)

Meg The Liar in the Wardrobe. 😐


message 976: by Sheena (new)

Sheena The Body in the Warehouse


message 977: by Adrienne (new)

Adrienne The body at the botanical garden


message 978: by Mariya (new)

Mariya The stranger in a warehouse


message 979: by Liubov (new)

Liubov The Liar in the Parking Garage. ))


message 980: by Dee (new)

Dee Murder in the panic room


message 981: by Trina (new)

Trina Wright The body at the empty zoo


message 982: by Shwetha (new)

Shwetha H.S. The Body at the Farmer's Market.


message 983: by [deleted user] (new)

The liar under the stairs


message 984: by Katrín (new)

Katrín The Stranger in the Broom Closet


message 985: by Vilean (new)

Vilean Lak The woman in the elevator


message 986: by Aratrik (new)

Aratrik The stalker under the stairs


message 987: by Clancy (new)

Clancy The Woman at the Farmers Market, could it get less thriller like...hahaha


message 988: by Kaycee (new)

Kaycee The liar in the landfill


message 989: by Bintang (new)

Bintang The stranger in the farmer’s market


message 990: by May (new)

May Death in the Parking Garage


message 991: by Pradeepa (new)

Pradeepa The liar at the DMV


message 992: by Judy (new)

Judy The Liar on the Fire Escape


message 993: by Michael (new)

Michael Brown Evil in the Emergency Room


message 994: by CalifCat (new)

CalifCat Death on the Fire Escape!


message 995: by Kefi (new)

Kefi The Liar in the Parking Garage


message 996: by Darcy (new)

Darcy Unwin The Devil in the Emergency Room.


message 997: by Janet (new)

Janet Anderson The Devil in the Landfill


message 998: by Aurumora (new)

Aurumora The Devil in the Broom Closet - An intraperspective observation of hell in a broom cupboard.


message 999: by Britain (new)

Britain Campbell The Devil in the Panic Room


message 1000: by Lesley (new)

Lesley Mitchum Murder at Botanical Gardens


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