Quick answer: A murder mystery party kit is a printable party game for groups that turns your guests into the suspects of a fictional crime. Everyone gets a character booklet, the evening runs in rounds with new evidence each time, and at the end the table votes on who did it. Our kits are instant PDF downloads for 4 to 20 players (one spy game seats up to 25), take about two hours and need nothing but a printer, scissors and a few envelopes.
A made-up scene to set the mood: Nine people in borrowed hats sit around a dining table. Someone unfolds a slip of paper, reads one letter out loud, and nine faces try hard to show nothing. One of them just found out they are the killer. The rest have two hours to work out which one.
Key takeaways
- A party kit is a complete evening in a PDF: host guide, character booklets, evidence, game sheets and a solution.
- Guests play characters, not themselves, and nobody has to learn lines.
- A game runs in rounds and ends with a vote and a reveal.
- In our four newest kits the killer is drawn by lot, so the host plays along and the kit can be played again.
- It is a fun party game for groups of friends, couples' dinners, families and work teams, for ages 12 and up.
What is a murder mystery party kit?
A murder mystery party kit is everything a host needs to stage a whodunit at home, delivered as files you print yourself. There is a story with a victim, a cast of suspects and a trail of evidence that points to one of them. Your guests are the cast, and each one receives a booklet that says who they are and what they would rather keep quiet.
It is closer to a board game than to a play. People read a few short pages, then talk, question each other and compare notes.
How is a murder mystery party kit played?
A kit is played in rounds, and every round follows the same rhythm: something is read aloud, a piece of evidence is opened, and everyone answers a question. In between, the table is free to interrogate.
- Before the party. The host sends the invitations, tells each guest which character they are and prints the files.
- The opening. Guests introduce their characters and the host reads the story of the crime.
- The rounds. Usually three. Each one brings a new piece of evidence and a new question for everybody at the table.
- The final. The last documents are opened, the table studies them together and everyone writes down a name.
- The reveal. Secrets come out one by one, the killer confesses and the prizes are handed out.
What do our party kits have in common?
All of our party kits are printable PDFs that you buy once and download straight away. Each one comes in US Letter and A4, in a full color design and in a printer-friendly design that is easy on ink. The stories are light in tone, and the secrets that come out at the end are funny.
Every kit includes a host guide written to be read out loud, a booklet for every character, evidence to open during the game, sheets for notes and voting, and a solution to open afterwards. The reading level suits ages 12 and up.
Which party kits do we have?
We have two families of party kits: four classic kits in which the host runs the evening, and four new kits in which the host is a suspect like everybody else.
| Kit | Setting | Players | Host | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murder at the North Pole | Santa's workshop on Christmas Eve | 4 to 20 | Plays too | from $23.99 |
| Murder at the Masquerade Ball | A palace on the last night of carnival | 4 to 20 | Plays too | from $23.99 |
| Murder on the Pirate Ship | A galleon at anchor on a foggy night | 4 to 20 | Plays too | from $23.99 |
| Murder on Disco Night | A roller disco on its closing night in 1985 | 4 to 20 | Plays too | from $23.99 |
| Murder on a Las Vegas Night | A dinner show on the Strip in 1963 | 4 to 20 | Runs the game | $34.99 |
| Murder at the Silver Owl Saloon | A frontier saloon | 4 to 20 | Runs the game | $24.99 |
| Murder at the Alpine Lodge | A snowed-in mountain lodge | 4 to 20 | Runs the game | $24.99 |
| Operation Nightfall | A spy game at an embassy reception | 6 to 25 plus a host | Runs the game | $11.99 |
The four new kits: a different killer every time
In the new kits nobody is written as the killer in advance. At the start of the evening every guest drops a folded card into a bowl, one card is drawn, and its owner becomes the culprit without anyone else knowing. The host learns nothing ahead of time, so the host takes a character and plays, and the same kit can be played again.
These kits are sold by group size. You choose the edition for 4 to 8, 4 to 14 or 4 to 20 players, priced at $23.99, $29.99 and $34.99. The case is settled only in the final, when five records are opened and read side by side.
The four classic kits: the host directs the evening
In the classic kits the host knows the solution and runs the game without being a suspect. That suits anyone who enjoys directing the evening. The three murder stories include every group size from 4 to 20 in one purchase. Operation Nightfall is a hidden role spy game for larger groups, where loyal agents look for the double agents among them.
When do people play murder mystery party kits?
People play them on evenings when a group is already together and wants something to do besides eat. A game lasts between an hour and a half and two and a half hours, so it fills the stretch between dinner and midnight. Common occasions are:
- dinner parties and game nights with friends at home,
- birthdays for teenagers and adults,
- Christmas and New Year gatherings, when the whole family is in one house,
- Halloween and carnival, when people dress up anyway,
- office parties, team building days and company dinners,
- cabin weekends and holidays with friends.
Who are party kits for?
Party kits are for groups of four or more who like talking, guessing and a bit of acting. A character gives everyone something to say, so the game works just as well when half the table has only just met.
- Friends. A party game for friends that fills a whole evening and gives everybody a part, not just the loudest person in the room.
- Couples. A game night for couples works from two pairs upwards; partners rarely end up on the same side, which is half the fun.
- Families. Teenagers, parents and grandparents can share one table, since the stories stay light.
- Companies and teams. As a team building game or an office party game it mixes departments and gets quiet colleagues talking, and the large editions seat up to twenty.
Shy guests are fine: the questions each round give everyone a turn.
Frequently asked questions
How many people do you need for a murder mystery party kit?
You need at least four players for our murder mystery kits and at least six for the spy game. The upper limit is 20 for the murder stories and 25 for Operation Nightfall.
How long does a murder mystery party take?
A murder mystery party takes about one hour and forty minutes for up to eight players and about two hours and twenty minutes for a full table of twenty. Add an hour if you serve dinner between rounds.
Can the host play in a murder mystery party?
Yes, in our four new kits the host plays, because the killer is drawn by lot on the night. In the four classic kits the host runs the game and does not play a suspect.
Is a murder mystery a good party game for a large group?
Yes, a murder mystery is one of the few party games that gets better with a large group, because every extra guest is one more suspect. Our murder stories seat up to 20 and the spy game up to 25.
Can you play the same kit twice?
You can replay the four new kits, since a new killer is drawn each time. The classic kits have one fixed solution, so they are best played once per group.