How to Host a Murder Mystery Dinner Party Game

If you answered "But I prefer Wittgenstein !", switch off your computer and go and do something else!

GOVERNMENT WARNING
Fun is addictive and playing these sorts of games instead of discussing 'house prices' at dinner party may turn you into a more fun loving kind of person.

THERE! You've been warned!

Any one already addicted to dressing up, speaking in silly accents and doing funny things is advise to click here!

Tell us what got you interested in murdery mystery games.

• Each game has a theme. So choose a theme that appeals to you. Perhaps you've always wanted to play an English Colonel, a Duke or Duchess? Or perhaps you see your self as a Mad Hatter (as per Alice in Wonderland) or a beer swilling or a pot smoking criminal!. No matter, find a game that sounds fun and appeals to your sense of humour.
• Find a game with good clear instructions.
• You can now download games on the Internet (cheaper immediately available anywhere, typically with full money back guarantees) or you can go into a shop and buy them (more expensive, may have to travel to the shop, but you don't need to print anything).
• Lastly, if you are organising a corporate event - you might want to hire someone else to run the murder mystery for your guests - click here to see the Open Directory's listings of murder mystery performers. You never know there might be one living next door to you - right now!

A Murder Mystery Dinner Party Game has 3 steps:

1. Invite your guests
2. Prepare the evening
3. Hosting the evening

Does it have to include a murder?
No! Not all murder mystery games have a murder - but all have a mystery! Usually it will involve a disappearance or a theft.

Typically, the murder/ theft/ disappearance will have already occurred - and then all the suspects (each played by one of your guests) is invited to

If you've seen the films of Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot - you'll know how it all ends - all the suspects in a single room - as the maestro of detection pin points the murderer(s), thief/ thieves or other unsavoury characters!

By the way - you don't have to play the game in the evening. Any 3 hour stretch will do (ie tea party etc). It's just that most people prefer evenings.

Invite your guests / Send out the invitations

• Choose your guest carefully. Try to match the character to the person (you'll find your extrovert friends will love the opportunity to boast and be important!)
Encourage your guests to dress up. Parties where every one dresses up tend to run much better and are a lot more fun than parties where every one wears jeans! Don't know why - just is!
Make sure that all your guest confirm in advance - it's a really shame if some one drops out last minute - so make sure your guests know well in advance.

Preparing the game

A quality game will include good instructions advising you on how to prepare well for the game. Essentially, the more you can do in advance - the better you'll enjoy the evening.

Click here to view the instruction of the Internet enabled 'Who Stole the Jam Tarts' murder mystery game.

Hosting the evening

Make sure you have place names - it helps every remember who they (and the other characters) are!

Then choose your menu.

• Make sure the food is prepared in advance - so that you have time to enjoy your evening. Your guest will need a little direction every now and then - and you want to be sufficiently free from domestic duties so that you are available to offer it!
• Most games will work equally well with a buffet or formal three-course meal. A quality game will have a strong theme - ie English Country House - or Scottish Clan and this will direct your choice of menu.
• Below is the suggested menu items from the Internet Downloadable 'Who Stole the Jam Tarts?' murder mystery game. The story is based around the King and Queen of Hearts (from Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland) so the menu is typically English:

  Ideas for a buffet style meal:
  Vole vents, jam tarts, open sandwiches, mini scotch eggs, dips, pate, bread sticks mini decorated cakes, cheese and pineapple on a stick, sausage on a stick, salads, vegetable sticks etc decorated with hearts or other card shapes.

  Ideas for a sit down meal:
  

  Starters
  Garlic bread, soup decorated with heart shape croutons, prawn cocktails.

  Main Course
  Casserole (you can often buy the sauce ready made - just add meat), beef stroganoff, bourginion etc, coc-au-vin, winter hot pot etc with rice or potato, Lasagne (meat or vegetarian), pasta bake, vegetable bake or curry.

  Deserts
  Cheese cake, jellied fruit puddings, moose, mini jam tarts.

  Drinks
  Strawberry cocktail, fruit punch, coffee, wine and beer.

Here are some example games and suggestions

• Who Stole the Tarts - Mystery Game - based on the characters from Alice in Wonderland - you get to dress up as the Duchess, Mad Hatter, White Rabbit, Cheshire Cat and so on to solve the mystery of the missing Jam Tarts (or diamonds!).
• Brewing Trouble - based on a beer festival that leaves a nasty taste! A murder has been committed - who murdered the micro brewing entrepreneur?
• Who Dunnit Mysteries for 50 plus people - ideal if you are organising a large event.
• An excellent source of ideas and links about murder mystery games can be found atOpen Directory's list of Murder Mystery Games. This list also includes companies who will come and 'perform' the murder mystery for you!

Need a good book, video or more advice? JoJaffa has picked out the best for you. For each book/ video just click on the amazon link find out the price and get more information.

If you can suggest any good books about murdery mystery games, let us know.

Recommended Reading

Books : Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll Lewis Carroll's timeless tale with rich mysterious meaning. in association with... Books : The ABC Murders by Agatha Christie One of the famous crime writers top novels. in association with... Books : Hercule Poirot Complete Short Stories by Agatha Christie All the great stories about Christies super sluth! in association with...

If you are in love with mystery - you can find great reviews and links to book at Mystery Net. You can even join in a online mystery!

Post a message to the murder_mystery_dinner_party discussion board.

You might just

• have a general question about murdery mystery games?
• want to make a comment
• want to share tips and advice with fellow JoJaffa-ers?

Maybe someone has already asked that burning question you're longing to find the answer to ...

Start an Write a Book.

Start an Internet Business.

Start a Home Based Business.

Try buy to let property development.

write a book for fun and profit.

or just do something for the adrenalin rush