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 1,401-1,450 of 1,666 (1666 new)


message 1401: by Anita (new)

Anita Chowdhury The Shadow in the Parking Garage


message 1402: by Madeline (new)

Madeline Z The Stranger on Flight 42. Doesn’t sound half bad!


message 1403: by Sami (new)

Sami The stalker in the emergency room


message 1404: by Shylyne (new)

Shylyne Evil in the Elevator


message 1405: by Darbie (new)

Darbie The Devil at the Abandoned Theme Park.


message 1406: by Rohini (new)

Rohini Didar The Stranger in the meat locker!!! anyone else??


message 1407: by Judy (new)

Judy The Body at the Botanical Garden


message 1408: by Brenda (new)

Brenda The Stranger and The Widow at the Farmer's Market


message 1409: by Rahmania (new)

Rahmania The stranger in the landfill


Christine - Beach Reading is the Best Reading The Body on the Cruise Ship... I'd read it! 😉


message 1411: by Sondrea (new)

Sondrea The Devil on the Midnight Train


message 1412: by Sondrea (new)

Sondrea Meg wrote: "The devil at the two-star hotel."

You'd think he could get better accommodations. ;)


message 1413: by MoonlightStar9822 (new)

MoonlightStar9822 Murder on the Midnight Train


message 1414: by anna ♛ (new)

anna ♛ The Widow in the Vitamin Aisle


message 1415: by Katie (new)

Katie Evil in the Panic Room

(sounds either really campy or really intense)


message 1416: by Rahma (new)

Rahma The Imposter on Flight 42.


_littleweasellibrary_ The devil in the cemetery


message 1418: by Klau_reads (new)

Klau_reads The Liar On Flight 42


message 1419: by Yesashwini (new)

Yesashwini The liar in the emergency room


message 1420: by Sondrea (new)

Sondrea Mark wrote: "The Body at the all-night diner.
"Not good for restaurant reviews""


LOL


message 1421: by Ruchi (new)

Ruchi The Woman at the Framer's Market. Sounds good!


message 1422: by Sondrea (last edited Apr 07, 2019 08:26PM) (new)

Sondrea Smee wrote: "The Liar at the Car Dealership.

Lol."


That would be a real mystery. How would you know which one? ;)


message 1423: by Brandi (new)

Brandi The Widow in the All Night Diner


message 1424: by Melissa (new)

Melissa Terry Death in the parking garage


message 1425: by Austin (new)

Austin Murder at Dunwich Manor


message 1426: by Austin (new)

Austin Actually: The Stranger in The Casino


message 1427: by Shannon (new)

Shannon Byrne The Stranger in the Wardrobe


message 1428: by Isabella (new)

Isabella The widow in the vitamine aisle


message 1429: by Sajag (new)

Sajag The widow in the broom closet


message 1430: by Bungadewi (last edited Apr 07, 2019 09:11PM) (new)

Bungadewi Since I'm wearing bicolored shirt, it would be: The Deathly Woman in the Panic Room. I feel the Saw vibe!


message 1431: by Jay (new)

Jay Murder in the landfill.


message 1432: by Sandra (new)

Sandra Guerguy Murder in the Swamp


message 1433: by Whitney (new)

Whitney The Woman at the Abandoned Theme Park


message 1434: by Chrisley Piper (new)

Chrisley Piper The Stranger in the elevator!


message 1435: by greyssssf (new)

greyssssf The Liar, The Shadow & The Woman at the Two-Star Hotel. hahahaha Would be great if there's a book with this title.


message 1436: by Yash (new)

Yash The Liar in the Vitamin Aisle


message 1437: by Vinayak (new)

Vinayak Naicker The widow in the wardrobe


message 1438: by Anne (w/ an E) (new)

Anne (w/ an E) The Stranger On the Fire Escape! -sounds pretty creepy to me!


message 1439: by Raksha (new)

Raksha The Devil on flight 42.


message 1440: by Jammin Jenny (new)

Jammin Jenny Evil in the Funhouse


message 1441: by Rebecca (new)

Rebecca The Liar on the Cruise Ship.


message 1442: by Jennifer (new)

Jennifer The Stranger and the Widow on The Fire Escape ----sounds more like a racy romance, than a mystery!!!


message 1443: by Traci (new)

Traci The Devil in the Emergency Room?!?!?!?!


Sylvs (NOVELty Reads) The body in the meat locker........ O_O........... I'm not quaking


message 1445: by Kingston (new)

Kingston Sotelo The widow in the garage


message 1446: by Lauren (new)

Lauren The Liar in the Landfill

I think I just became a cozy mystery. I'm ok with that


message 1447: by Preeti (new)

Preeti The Shadow on the Cruise Ship


message 1448: by Virginia (new)

Virginia The Body at the Two-Star Hotel .. 🧐


message 1449: by Angelica (new)

Angelica The body in the landfill


message 1450: by OVAL (new)

OVAL The Stranger in the Parking Garage.


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