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 1,601-1,650 of 1,666 (1666 new)


message 1601: by Vera (new)

Vera Cencibaugh-Jackson The Shadow on the Fire Escape


message 1602: by Amber (new)

Amber Martingale Can we table this game until next year?


message 1603: by Marie Katrine (new)

Marie Katrine Evil in the Casino


message 1604: by Sheena (new)

Sheena Kendra wrote: "This morning for work it was The stranger at the Botanical Garden then this afternoon the Imposter at the Botanical Garden now tonight the Liar at the Botanical Garden wow a multiple book series in..."
Follow ups from me
The Body in the Warehouse
The Liar in the Warehouse
Death in the Warehouse


message 1605: by Chrystal (new)

Chrystal The stranger at the two-star hotel.


message 1606: by Bad Cookie (new)

Bad Cookie The Body at the Abandoned Theme Park


message 1607: by Cosette (new)

Cosette Schifris The body in the emergency room!
Somehow, this sounds almost common...
Hm. Maybe it came back to life or something


message 1608: by Katherine (new)

Katherine The body on flight 42


message 1609: by Thiên (new)

Thiên Bình The Stranger in the Cemetery 😈😈😈


message 1610: by Tyler (new)

Tyler bad


message 1611: by Rohini (new)

Rohini The Shadow at the Farmer's Market!


message 1612: by Rohini (last edited Apr 23, 2019 01:52AM) (new)

Rohini Sunderam The Stranger at the Farmer's Market
Five Lives: One Day in Bahrain


message 1613: by Jade Melody (new)

Jade Melody The Liar in the All Night Diner


message 1614: by Kasey (new)

Kasey Catania The stranger in the waiting room


message 1615: by Mmk (new)

Mmk The liar on the fire escape


message 1616: by Dorottya (new)

Dorottya The Stalker at the Car Wash :D


message 1617: by Nanita (new)

Nanita The Murder in the Vitamin Aisle


message 1618: by Sara (new)

Sara Is Today its 'The body in the fun house.' Creepy.


message 1619: by Sheri Konopko (new)

Sheri Konopko The Shadow at the Farmers Market


message 1620: by Corey (new)

Corey The Devil in the Parking Garage


message 1621: by Kendra (new)

Kendra Wow, we're still playing this game I thought it would be done by now and something better would have been put up in its place. Can someone write the book already so the rest of us can be done?


message 1622: by Jeannine (new)

Jeannine Berroteran Death in the All-Night Diner


message 1623: by Kate (new)

Kate Another one of mine is "The Liar in the DMV".


message 1624: by Dixie (new)

Dixie Barnes The Stalker on the Fire Escape


message 1625: by Kat (new)

Kat The Liar in the All-Night Diner


message 1626: by Amira (new)

Amira The widow in the emergency room


message 1627: by Melina (new)

Melina The Stranger on the Cruise Ship


message 1628: by [deleted user] (new)

The Body In The Emergency Room.


message 1629: by Felipe Oliveira (new)

Felipe Oliveira Alves (Felix Mefisto) the liar in the Warehouse


message 1630: by Anne (new)

Anne The body in the broom closet.


message 1631: by Kasey (new)

Kasey Catania The shadow in the waiting room


message 1632: by Margeri (new)

Margeri The body in the meat locker... sounds dull :D


message 1633: by Margeri (new)

Margeri Danielle wrote: "The Devil on the Fire Escape"

I'd read that! :P


Unsolved ☕︎ Mystery Murder at the car dealership


message 1635: by Kate (new)

Kate The stranger at the DMV.


message 1636: by Lucifer706 (new)

Lucifer706 the liar in the swamp


message 1637: by Rachelle (new)

Rachelle Evil at the Farmer's Market


message 1638: by Kelly (new)

Kelly Knapp the shadow at the car wash


message 1639: by Luísa (new)

Luísa The body at the Farmer's Market. I would read it


message 1640: by Ann-marie (new)

Ann-marie Shadow on The Midnight Train


message 1641: by Alison (new)

Alison Brown Death in the broom closet!


message 1642: by Becca (new)

Becca Jenkins Murder on the Midnight Train. AKA The Orient Express....


message 1643: by Patti (new)

Patti The Liar in the Elevator


message 1644: by Cyonee (new)

Cyonee Death in the Waiting Room


message 1645: by Aseel (new)

Aseel The stranger in the elevator


message 1646: by Audra (new)

Audra The Imposter in the Wardrobe


message 1647: by Ben (new)

Ben Howard The Widow on the Fire Escape 😂


message 1648: by Ava (new)

Ava Death in the panic room


message 1649: by Camisa (new)

Camisa The Liar at the DMV


message 1650: by Cherry (new)

Cherry The Imposter in the Cemetery - LOL


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