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 151-200 of 1,666 (1666 new)


message 151: by Natalie (new)

Natalie Hultman Murder in the Panic Room! Guess I better get to writing! ;)


message 152: by Amy (new)

Amy Johnson The Body in the Warehouse...

Would definitely read that!


message 153: by sydneeeey b (new)

sydneeeey b im wearing a maroon shirt so I added two colors (red+brown)

The Shadow Stalker on the Midnight Train


message 154: by Pasty Hag (new)

Pasty Hag Death on the Midnight Train sounds pretty dope


message 155: by Miriam (new)

Miriam Passman the widow in the funhouse


message 156: by Malika (new)

Malika The Widow at the Car Dealership...


message 157: by [deleted user] (new)

Evil at the Farmer's Market.

I'm on to you, kale.


message 158: by Shelby (new)

Shelby The stranger in the broom closest


message 159: by Sharon711 (new)

Sharon711 turner the widow at the car dealership


message 160: by Ainslie (new)

Ainslie Stranger at the car wash


message 161: by Lourdes (new)

Lourdes Loera The Devil in the Casino


message 162: by Rebecca (new)

Rebecca The Imposter at the DMV... lol


message 163: by Lluvia ♡ (new)

Lluvia ♡ The liar in the emergency room.


message 164: by Bella (new)

Bella and the  Bookstack The body in the waiting room


message 165: by [deleted user] (new)

The Widow at the car dealership


message 166: by Claire (new)

Claire The Stranger at the Car Wash lol


message 167: by Liri (new)

Liri The Body at the Botanical Garden


message 168: by Laurel (new)

Laurel The Widow in the Parking Garage


message 169: by Jaylani (new)

Jaylani Adam The Liar in the Landfill.


message 170: by Z (new)

Z Murder in the waiting room


message 171: by Suzanne (new)

Suzanne The Body In the Wardrobe


message 172: by Shane (new)

Shane The Devil at The Two-Star Motel.


message 173: by Sara (new)

Sara Hernández The Widow at the Empty Zoo


message 174: by Hazel (new)

Hazel Leu The Stranger At The DMV.

Sounds like a horror book, not a mystery thriller.


message 175: by Jannene (new)

Jannene The Devil on the Midnight Train


message 176: by Chloe (new)

Chloe The liar at the empty zoo.

Very scary.


message 177: by Arvel (new)

Arvel The Stranger at the Two-Star Hotel


message 178: by Julie (new)

Julie The Body in the Panic Room


message 179: by Ben (new)

Ben Howard the widow on the fire escape


message 180: by Eliza (new)

Eliza Rapsodia the shadow on the firescape JAJAJA


message 181: by YaquiB (last edited Apr 01, 2019 06:51PM) (new)

YaquiB The shadow in the Vitamin Train


message 182: by Sam (new)

Sam Purdie Murder in the Cemetery. How appropriate!


message 183: by Carmen (new)

Carmen The Body At The Abandoned Theme Park (sounds like a Scooby Doo episode)


message 184: by Natalie (new)

Natalie Murder on the Midnight Train


message 185: by Andie (new)

Andie N The Shadow in the Swamp...lol not the greatest but I guess it works?


message 186: by Jessica (new)

Jessica The Stranger At The Two-Star Hotel 😀


message 187: by Cat (new)

Cat The Stranger on the Cruise Ship


This Kooky Wildflower Loves a Little Tea and Books The Stranger at the DMV


message 189: by Michelle (new)

Michelle The shadow on the steamboat


message 190: by D (new)

D The Stranger in the Swamp.


message 191: by Sara (new)

Sara The widow in the landfill.
LOL :D


Optimist ♰King's Wench♰ The Liar in the swamp. <---thinking that's not the makings for a "good read"


message 193: by Kayla (new)

Kayla The stranger in the warehouse


message 194: by Tyler (new)

Tyler Gray The Widow at the Empty Zoo


message 195: by Lois - Who Reads (new)

Lois - Who Reads The Body at the Car Wash


message 196: by Ariel (new)

Ariel The Window on a Midnight Train


message 197: by Kathryn (new)

Kathryn I got the Liar in the Parking garage... https://docs.google.com/document/d/1l...


message 198: by Suchismita (new)

Suchismita Panda "The Liar in the Parking Garage"

That sure does not sound ominous. :D


message 199: by Tan (new)

Tan B The Body in the Meat Locker.

Have to say, kind of not surprised.


message 200: by Suchismita (last edited Apr 01, 2019 08:43PM) (new)

Suchismita Panda Kathryn wrote: "I got the Liar in the Parking garage... https://docs.google.com/document/d/1l..."

Ditto! (I got the same)

Really nice excerpt. :)


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