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 1,201-1,250 of 1,666 (1666 new)


message 1201: by Nancy (new)

Nancy Jones The Body Under the Stairs


message 1202: by Aditya (new)

Aditya Sharma Death in the broom closet


message 1203: by Lisa the Tech (new)

Lisa the Tech The liar in the cemetery. Probably a lot of liars buried in a cemetery. Not very mysterious though it could make a decent black humour story.


message 1204: by Robert (new)

Robert The Liar at the Abandoned Theme Park.


message 1205: by Dorothy Smith (new)

Dorothy Smith Death in the cemetery 😆


message 1206: by Anita (new)

Anita The Body in the Warehouse.


message 1207: by Donna (new)

Donna Donaldson The Body in the Meat Locker


message 1208: by Sarah (new)

Sarah Ward *DRUM ROLL* 'The Liar in the Vitamin Aisle' :P


message 1209: by Rialta (new)

Rialta Erie The stranger under the stairs

Yeah, no thanks. 😅


message 1210: by Fateme (new)

Fateme The liar in the Broom Closet :D


message 1211: by Diane (new)

Diane Death at the Two Star Motel 😳


message 1212: by Ana (new)

Ana The Liar on the Midnight train!


message 1213: by Roslyn (new)

Roslyn The Widow in the Meat Locker... 0/10 would not read


message 1214: by Leah (new)

Leah Murder Under the Stairs


message 1215: by Maemoon (new)

Maemoon Sires The stranger on flight 42


(42 is the meaning of life soooo.. *Book Reference*)


message 1216: by Nicole (new)

Nicole Springer The Imposter in the Panic Room


message 1217: by Heather (new)

Heather Stamper Evil in the Swamp


message 1218: by Tina (new)

Tina The Shadow in the Broom Closet


message 1219: by Kathie (new)

Kathie The Liar in the Fun House. (How fun! Please do more of these!)


message 1220: by Geraldine (new)

Geraldine Murder in the Elevator


message 1221: by Duaa (new)

Duaa Evil on midnight train


message 1222: by Marisa (new)

Marisa The Devil in the Wardrobe


message 1223: by Fabiano (new)

Fabiano The Shadow in Room No. 8

(Quite mysterious . . . )


message 1224: by Marisa (new)

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

The DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) is where you get your driver's license and stuff. ^_^


message 1225: by Magdalena (new)

Magdalena The body at the car dealership


message 1226: by Wealie (new)

Wealie The Imposter in the parking garage!


message 1227: by Ellen (new)

Ellen Oliveira The Stranger in the Vitamin Aisle


message 1228: by Karan (new)

Karan Sood The Liar in the fun-house


message 1229: by Amanda (new)

Amanda The Stranger on the Cruise Ship


message 1230: by Melodie (new)

Melodie Brady Evil on the Steamboat


message 1231: by Edwin (last edited Apr 07, 2019 11:59AM) (new)

Edwin The body on the midnight train


message 1232: by Karen (new)

Karen The Liar in the Casino.


message 1233: by Qing (new)

Qing Wang The Liar at the Empty Zoo

Sounds interesting!


message 1234: by Brianne (new)

Brianne The Shadow in the Fun House

I want to read that!!!


message 1235: by ana patricia (new)

ana patricia Fernandes The Window in the meat locker


message 1236: by Ro (new)

Ro The stranger in the Meat Locker.


message 1237: by Nida (last edited Apr 07, 2019 12:23PM) (new)

Nida Kazi The Liar in the all-night diner. Eh


message 1238: by Margayle65 (new)

Margayle65 The devil in the parking garage.........


message 1239: by Marcos (new)

Marcos GM The body in the Landfill
That doesn't sound like a mystery, but who knows.


message 1240: by Lamees (new)

Lamees Ghazi Murder at the Botanical Garden


message 1241: by ramya (new)

ramya The Stranger in the Cemetery.


message 1242: by Sabrina (new)

Sabrina Evil At The Two-Star Hotel.


message 1243: by Renee (new)

Renee The Widow in the Warehouse


message 1244: by Louisette (new)

Louisette Lépine The Liar at the Farmer's market.


message 1245: by Jessica (new)

Jessica The Liar in the Meat Locker


message 1246: by Syd (new)

Syd The Stranger in the Panic Room


message 1247: by Brandi (new)

Brandi Murder in the vitamin aisle


message 1248: by Maria (new)

Maria The Stranger in the Vitamin Aisle. xD


message 1249: by Michayla (new)

Michayla Lovitt The Stranger in the Warehouse


message 1250: by Nadia (new)

Nadia The body at the car wash...i don't know why it looks like a title from Agatha Christie!


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