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 251-300 of 1,666 (1666 new)


message 251: by Mia (new)

Mia (A Happy Little Bookworm) Death at the Abandoned Theme Park.


message 252: by Macy (new)

Macy Mckay The devil in the emergency room!

Love the title but hate the idea that mystery and thriller titles might be formula driven


message 253: by Jeanette (new)

Jeanette The Woman in the Broom Closet

This did make me laugh because there was a period where I vetted out all books with Secret and Sister in the titles. Oh, there is a formula.


message 254: by Ingrid (new)

Ingrid The body in the landfill


message 255: by Samantha (new)

Samantha The Shadow at the Farmer's Market. Hahaha


message 256: by Amy (new)

Amy The Stranger in the Broom Closet


message 257: by Zsanett (new)

Zsanett Martinovszky The Stanger in the Broom Closet
That could be a Harry Potter spin-off's title too :D
Harry Potter and The Stanger in the Broom Closet


message 258: by Amy (new)

Amy Grant The Shadow Liar on the Midnight Train.
Blue and red shirt :) I kind of like that title. Feel free to use it future mystery writers. :0


message 259: by Sarah (new)

Sarah The Body in the Emergency Room


message 260: by Ana (new)

Ana Pascal Death in Room No.8


message 261: by Carlos (new)

Carlos Castilla The Liar at the Botanical Garden lol


message 262: by Labi (new)

Labi Death at the Farmer's Market


message 263: by Jess (new)

Jess The Body in the Panic Room


message 264: by Sarah (new)

Sarah Murder at the DMV.


message 265: by Maram (new)

Maram Hachemi The stranger on flight 42


message 266: by Jennifer (new)

Jennifer Ball The Devil at the Carwash...


message 267: by Sally (new)

Sally Murder in the Vitamin Aisle


message 268: by Ghada (new)

Ghada Hussein The stranger in the Elevator


message 269: by Eirini (new)

Eirini P The body on the Midnight Train. I could write that book


message 270: by Maria (new)

Maria The Body in the Landfill


message 271: by Fxxr (new)

Fxxr And Books The body at the two star-hotel


message 272: by Lillian K. Rose (new)

Lillian K. Rose The Widow at the Abandoned Theme Park. This sounds interesting! I wonder why a widow is in an abandoned theme park to begin with?


message 273: by Sev (new)

Sev Evil At The Farmer's Market.


message 274: by Mateja (new)

Mateja The Widow on the Cruise Ship :-D


message 275: by Nicole (new)

Nicole The Liar in the Waiting Room

- sounds rather boring, if you ask me


message 276: by Nicole (new)

Nicole Mick wrote: "Evil at the DMV."

Is this non-fiction?


message 277: by Lindsey (new)

Lindsey Wang The Widow in the Landfill


message 278: by Feline17ff (new)

Feline17ff Death at the abandoned theme park - sounds like an old Nancy Drew mystery


message 279: by Holly (new)

Holly The stranger in the botanical garden


message 280: by Elle (new)

Elle the stranger on flight 42! not that good


message 281: by Armelle (new)

Armelle Death in the Meat locker


message 282: by Tekayah (new)

Tekayah Death in the Casino


message 283: by Rebecca (new)

Rebecca Murder on Flight 42


message 284: by Elizabeth (last edited Apr 02, 2019 07:56AM) (new)

Elizabeth Murder at the farmer's market.

TBH it sounds like something I would enjoy:)


message 285: by Derek (new)

Derek Keeling Need something different to read? Maybe something with twists and turns that will keep you guessing? Take a trip to a ruthless place where life struggles to survive and eyes stalk your every move. Take a trip to Nomad's Island. You won't regret it.


message 286: by Camisa (new)

Camisa The Stranger at the DMV


message 287: by Kailee (new)

Kailee Mooo Death in the Parking Garage
I'm feeling major 1918-1920 vibes


message 288: by Christine (new)

Christine L. Murder at the Theme Park. I would read the hell out of this book.


message 289: by Lola (last edited Apr 02, 2019 09:02AM) (new)

Lola The stranger in the warehouse
XD


message 290: by Sabrina (new)

Sabrina Murder at the Abandoned Theme Park


message 291: by Tina (last edited Apr 02, 2019 08:59AM) (new)

Tina My shirt has three colors, so I guess the book is called:

"The Stranger, the widow and the murder on the steamboat."

I like.


message 292: by Allie (new)

Allie The Stranger in the Meat Locker...lol


message 293: by Amanda (new)

Amanda Johnson The widow on the steamboat


message 294: by Maureen (new)

Maureen The Stalker on the Steamboat


message 295: by Amanda (new)

Amanda Johnson Kailee wrote: "Death in the Parking Garage
I'm feeling major 1918-1920 vibes"



message 296: by Melimayo (new)

Melimayo The Devil at the Two-Star Hotel


message 297: by Elle (new)

Elle The body in the parking garage


message 298: by Alyssa (new)

Alyssa Murder in the Swamp. (oooooo)


message 299: by Curlyhair (new)

Curlyhair The body in the elevator.


message 300: by Mercedes (new)

Mercedes The Widow on the Midnight Train (I love it!)


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