How to Host Your Own Murder Mystery Party
By Fay Abrahamsson
When summer turns into fall and the nights become long, crisp, and cool, what better time to plan the latest and stylish party in your own home—a murder mystery party.
Unlike a cocktail or dinner party, hosting a murder mystery party will guarantee that your guests will experience an unforgettable and unique affair they will be talking about for months.
Throwing a party of this style requires some advance planning and organizing, but will be well worth it when you and your guests partake in a deliciously chilling evening of murder and mayhem where everyone is a suspect. Here are a few simple guidelines to get started.
Plan it Yourself or Purchase a Kit?
The actual details of the murder, the cast of characters, clues, and the solution to the murder can be created by the host or purchased in a kit.
Creating your own mystery party will take a few hours and your imagination, but it will be well worth it to create your own custom-designed murder. Think of how fun it will be to tailor your zany cast of deceitful characters to fit your friends’ personalities. Know anyone who would make the perfect Hollywood starlet? How about the ageless playboy? Big daddy billionaire? The list is endless.
Patti Iassogna of Guilford planned a Mardi Gras-themed murder mystery party for 28 guests. She designed the entire evening including the murders, props, and prizes, so all of her guests would be involved. At the start, everyone picked from a hat the name of another guest and received an index card that indicated how they were to murder that person, what props to use, and the timetable of the murder.
“Everyone was to commit a murder, and everyone was to be murdered,” said Iassogna.
Not only did you have to lure your intended victim to their own death, you had to be on the constant lookout to prevent your own demise.
“It was hilarious,” she said. “Everyone got into it and had fun.”
Complete kits on the subject are available online and cost from $15 to $30. The kits make it easy for the host by providing everything necessary, including instructions, rules of the game, invitations, scripts, clues, place cards, costume suggestions, prop suggestions, menu ideas, a compact disc to follow, and more.
For example, the Murder Mystery Party by BePuzzled Co. called “A Taste of Wine and Murder” is set at a fictional California winery and includes such devious characters as Marilyn Merlot, Bud Wizer, and Ralph Rottingrape. Choosing which friends will fit each character is half the fun of working with the kits. Keep in mind that the kits are usually designed for eight to 10 guests and not for a large group.
Choose Your Guests Wisely
Inviting guests who will gladly partake of the evening’s unique theme is one of the most important first steps to planning the party. Those who love to play games, dress up, and ham it up should be first on your list.
It’s In the Mail
Whether planning your own party from scratch or using a kit, the invitations to a murder mystery party will set the stage to the upcoming event, providing your guests with their character and the overall theme. Invitations from the kits include envelopes and are ready to be addressed. All invitations should contain a synopsis of the game, the theme and setting, the character’s name, background and personality, and costume and prop suggestions.
Nibbles and Libations
The food and drink served at a murder mystery party provides another opportunity to expand on your theme. For Iassogna’s Mardi Gras party, she served New Orleans-inspired hors d’oeuvres and a selection of beverages including Hurricanes. The kit for “A Taste of Wine and Murder” provides three menu choices: an elegant, five-course sit-down dinner, an easier short-cut dinner, or a snack menu. The kit contains recipes for all dishes and a shopping list.
Ending the Evening
If you have followed a murder mystery kit, the identity of the murderer will be revealed at the end of the evening by one or more of your guests. The first person to identify this character should be awarded a small prize. In a custom-designed murder party, the sky is the limit as to “who-done-it.” Prizes for best costume and best “death” would be a perfect ending to the perfect party.
The best advice for hosting a successful murder mystery party at your home is to plan it well in advance, invite the right guests, set the mood using props, lighting, and music, serve theme-oriented food and beverages, relax, and, most important, have fun!