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 1,051-1,100 of 1,666 (1666 new)


message 1051: by Janet (new)

Janet Knutsen Death at the Car Dealership


message 1052: by Spyros (new)

Spyros Ferentinos The stranger under the stairs!!!


message 1053: by Tine (new)

Tine The Body in the Swamp. Hahaha.


message 1054: by Annie (new)

Annie The Widow in the Cemetery


message 1055: by Frances (new)

Frances Mihulec The Liar in the Elevator


message 1056: by Dodau (new)

Dodau Murder at the car dealership


message 1057: by Roberta (new)

Roberta Death in the Swamp


message 1058: by Lavi (new)

Lavi The Stranger on the Cruise Ship


message 1059: by Shashank (new)

Shashank Rawat The widow in the warehouse


message 1060: by Emma (new)

Emma The body at the DMV


message 1061: by Jeffrey (new)

Jeffrey These titles sound really intriguing.


message 1062: by Annicka (new)

Annicka B The widow at the abandoned theme park.


message 1063: by Modena Semere (new)

Modena Semere The body on the cruise ship


message 1064: by Cirrus (new)

Cirrus The Widow under the Stairs


message 1065: by Pirjo (new)

Pirjo Nyberg Death at the Abandoned Theme Park


message 1066: by Demetria (new)

Demetria The Body on the Midnight Train


message 1067: by Maria Eduarda (new)

Maria Eduarda Andrade The widow on flight 42


message 1068: by Hannah (new)

Hannah The Stranger in the Panic Room


message 1069: by Nancy (new)

Nancy Nash Keefer Murder in the Swamp

Perfect, considering I live in Florida!


message 1070: by Allie (new)

Allie The Liar at the Car Wash...

I wonder what happened at the car wash.


message 1071: by Jenna (new)

Jenna Conley The Stranger in the All-Night Diner


message 1072: by Peggy (new)

Peggy Zeigler The liar in the Fun House


message 1073: by Beth (new)

Beth The Widow in the Meat Locker...mine is not a subtle murder mystery, it seems.


message 1074: by Eduardo (new)

Eduardo Lagos The Devil in the Panic Room


message 1075: by Sarah (new)

Sarah The Liar on the Midnight Train


message 1076: by Monica (new)

Monica The Devil in the Casino


message 1077: by Peggy (new)

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

I'm not sure if anyone explained yet, but that is Dept. Of Motor Vehicles


message 1078: by Sam Josh (new)

Sam Josh Evil on the Midnight Train


message 1079: by Fiona (new)

Fiona The Stranger in the Fun House.


message 1080: by Jen (new)

Jen Tharp The Liar In The Fun House


message 1081: by Stef (new)

Stef White The liar in the vitamin Aisle 😂😂 that is brilliant!


message 1082: by Marissa’S (new)

Marissa’S Books The liar at the Botanical Garden


message 1083: by Silver (new)

Silver The body on Flight 42
Wow, wonder how that happened


message 1084: by Tiffany (new)

Tiffany The body in the parking garage


message 1085: by Vikas (new)

Vikas The Liar in the Vitamin Aisle


message 1086: by Maria (new)

Maria The Devil on Flight 42


message 1087: by Gabi (new)

Gabi Murder at the Empty Zoo


message 1088: by Cocoswan (new)

Cocoswan The Imposter in the Emergency Room


message 1089: by Tucker (new)

Tucker Almengor The Body in the Swamp


message 1090: by Tucker (new)

Tucker Almengor Mick wrote: "Evil at the DMV."

😂😂😂😂😂😂


message 1091: by Libby (new)

Libby Scheer The devil at the car dealership


message 1092: by Christian (new)

Christian Connor The Imposter on the Fire Escape


message 1093: by John (new)

John Parkes. I like to read Books About Adult-Babies Having Their Nappy Changed & Dressed As Little Girls In All Frillies Even Though They're Really Male,Kept In Lockable Cots,Taken Out Shopping With Their Reins On,So They Can't Possibly Escape & Running-Off & What They Get Up To When They're Not Being kept An Eye-On.


message 1094: by Patrycja (new)

Patrycja The Shadow in the Panic Room! WTF! :D


message 1095: by Antoinette (new)

Antoinette The Stranger at the Two-Star Hotel


message 1096: by Tilde (new)

Tilde The stranger in the vitamin aisle


message 1097: by Colin (new)

Colin Parfitt The Liar in the Broom Closet.
Intriguing.


message 1098: by Teresa (new)

Teresa The Body in Room No. 8


message 1099: by Duan (new)

Duan Lombard Murder in the parking garage


message 1100: by Klara (new)

Klara Wilde Death in the fun house!


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