Murder Mystery
A themed dinner party where everyone plays a character — and one of you is the murderer.
Category: party · Players: 6-12 · Duration: 2-3 hours · Difficulty: hard
Rules
- Choose a scenario and assign each guest a character with secrets and objectives.
- Guests roleplay, interrogate, and trade clues across several acts.
- Clues are revealed at set points in the evening.
- At the finale, everyone accuses; the murderer wins by escaping detection.
Set up before the first turn
Bring Murder mystery kit or script, Costumes (optional). Gather 6-12 and place everything where all players can reach it before the first round.
Example first round
For a sample opening, the host reads the first instruction: “Choose a scenario and assign each guest a character with secrets and objectives.” Once that is complete, continue with: “Guests roleplay, interrogate, and trade clues across several acts.” Treat this first pass as practice if anyone is unsure.
Host it well
- Use a practice turn for new players and rotate the starting player so the same person does not lead every round.
- Explain one phase at a time and pause for questions; accuracy matters more than starting quickly.
- Plan for about 2-3 hours, but finish at the end of a good round if the group's attention starts to drop.
You'll need
- Murder mystery kit or script
- Costumes (optional)
Inclusive play
Let any player pass without explaining why. Adjust time limits, reading, movement, or team roles so people can contribute without disclosing an accessibility need.
Reviewed by MindPlay Hub
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