FAQ
Most of our murder mysteries are interactive mingle-style games. Unlike traditional mystery parties, where players take turns reading clues in a specific, timed order or follow scripted lines, mingle mysteries are far more dynamic and engaging and a TON MORE FUN for the guests and the host!
In a mingle mystery, guests, who are now also suspects and detectives, move around the room, interacting and sharing information naturally. It’s up to the suspects/investigators to ask probing questions, uncover hidden clues, and piece together the mystery themselves.
Every game is unique and highly subjective to the group playing. The fun isn’t just in solving the case—it’s in the investigation itself. Whether your group takes a lighthearted, comedic approach or dives into intense sleuthing, the experience is shaped by the personalities and interactions of your guests.
This format is perfect for a game night with close friends or family, but it’s also an incredible icebreaker for groups where not everyone knows each other yet. Your guests will love the immersive, fast-paced, and unpredictable fun of a mingle murder mystery!
No experience needed
No actors or memorization needed
No timelines!
The host can play
The murderer doesn’t know they are the murderer
Simple and easy instant-download mystery game kits
For those who enjoy a more structured experience, our Table style format offers the perfect blend of dining and mystery-solving.
A table-style murder mystery is designed to be played while enjoying a meal, making it the perfect option for dinner parties or events where guests are seated. Unlike mingle-style mysteries, this format focuses on a more structured gameplay, with each player having clues to reveal, secrets to protect, and questions to ask during each course of the meal.
Guests take on the roles of suspects and investigators, but instead of moving around the room, the action happens at the table and on breaks.
This format is perfect for those who want to host a dinner party murder mystery game, providing an intimate setting for one-on-one investigations. It challenges guests to be cunning, as they must carefully craft questions without revealing their theories to others.
Here’s the flow:
Guests/Participants arrive
Cocktails/Mingling/Suspect “Introductions”
Appetizers & Announcement of Murder/Theft, Initial Investigations and Share Information
First Break
Main Course/Further Investigations/Questioning
Last Break/One-On-One Investigations
Dessert/Coffee/Tea, Accusations & The Big Reveal
Just like our mingle games, every table-style mystery is shaped by the personalities of your group, with room for humor, intrigue, and plenty of surprises. It’s an entertaining and interactive way to combine great food, great company, and a thrilling whodunit!
When You Are Ready To Begin
Begin your mystery experience with the Announcement of Murder. If you are serving alcohol at your party, begin the mystery earlier in the evening. In our experience, the longer people drink the less coherent the Suspect information becomes!
How The Sleuths Ask Questions
The Announcement of Murder provides some information that will get the investigators going. These are also provided for quick and easy reference on the Suspect Notes pages. Based on what they learn from asking these initial questions, they will naturally come up with questions of their own.
If a sleuth asks something that is not explained in the Suspect information, the Suspects should reply with the answer, “I have no answer for that.” This phrase is designed to keep the questions moving along and convey to the person asking the question that they need to change their line of questioning without the interrogator or the Suspect having to break character to explain that there is nothing in their information to answer the question posed. This is explained to the Suspects in their Suspect Notes page for quick and easy reference.
The Investigations
The investigations portion of the mystery follows, and there are a few ways you can run the investigations. Some hosts will eavesdrop on the questioning to determine when a lull occurs, at which case they will ask players to make their accusations. Others will walk around asking guests if they are ready to cast their accusation or if they need more time. While both of these methods work well, I personally prefer the third method: putting a time limit on the investigations. I find that it creates a really fun sense of urgency on the questioning, and prevents the investigations from hitting a lull as people get all the information they receive. Any of these three methods work, and since our mystery format is designed to work around your party, you can choose the method that you like best.
If you choose to set a time limit though, how long you set is up to you. Here is the way I determine how long to let the investigation last:
Determine how long you want the mystery to last in total (for example, 2 hours)
Allow 15 minutes for the Announcement of Murder, and for the Suspects to introduce themselves
Allow 15 minutes for accusations to be cast at the end and for the “Big Reveal”
In this example, your investigations would last 90 minutes.
The more Suspects you have, the longer you and your guests will need to investigate. For 6-8 Suspect versions, an hour of investigation time is fine. For 10-14 Suspects, 90 minutes should suffice and for 16 or 18 Suspect versions, 90 minutes to 2 hours will be enough. These are just guidelines though – you can make it work for your unique party.
Beware The Tight-Lipper
There always seems to be one Suspect at the party who wants to appear to be the guilty party and will try to bait people to interrogate them harder by not giving any of their share information away. After serious psychoanalysis, we have determined this person craves attention, be it positive or negative. But since we’re not throwing a mystery party to deal with people’s personal issues, let’s just say this person is not cool. Don’t fret though, because all Suspects are advised in their Suspect guide that they have to share their “Reveal” information. If you have a tight-lipped Suspect who still insists on being evasive to the point of party-wrecking, gently remind them that the Reveal information needs to be shared or they’ll ruin everyone’s good time.
Announcement Of Murder
The Accusations
Your mystery includes accusation forms. Print off and/or copy that page as many times as needed to ensure everyone attending your mystery party has a form on which to cast their accusation at the end of the mystery. Before the “Big Reveal”, hand out the accusation forms and ensure every participant has one. If you are awarding prizes or trophies for best sleuth etc., you will want to give your players enough notice to finish their questioning and fill out their ballot form. From there you can have each person tell the group who they accused and why, or gather the accusation forms and put them in the ballot box. After The Big Reveal you can peak through the accusations and award prizes/titles etc. as necessary.
Award prizes for “Best Sleuth”, “Best Suspect” and more!
For large groups, have participants place their accusation forms in a ballot box for prize draws/door prizes
If you have a smaller group and/or the time to do it, it’s always fun to have everyone tell the group en masse the name of the person they have accused, and the reasons why. The purpose of writing down the accusation before casting it is so that no one can change their mind after hearing the others’ accusations and reasons behind their accusation.
The Big Reveal
The end of the mystery is marked by The Big Reveal. Once everyone has cast their accusations against the killer, it’s time to reveal the guilty party! If you are having guests cast their accusations in a ballot box, you will want to announce the deadline for casting accusations before The Big Reveal in order to give everyone time to get their vote in the box. The Big Reveal is included in a separate file so you can print it on its own without the worry of stumbling across it as you read the rest of your Host Materials. This way, you can solve the mystery too! You can use the audio file titled “The Big Reveal” or read the transcript called “The Big Reveal”, included in your Host Materials.
The host sets the time frame, but most games can be played in 1.5-3 hours, but you can control the time by adjusting the investigation time. If you have a large party, you will want to plan for more investigating time, but we have some games that are meant for smaller groups, which will reduce the amount of time to play. KEEP IN MIND:
The more Suspects you have, the more time you and your guests will need to investigate. For 6-8 Suspect versions, an hour of investigation time is fine. For 10- 14 Suspects, 90 minutes should suffice and for 16 or 18 Suspect versions, 90 minutes to 2 hours will be enough. These are just guidelines though, you can make it work for your unique party.
YES! All of our mystery games are designed with the host in mind, to protect you from possible spoilers, with emailable suspect guides and separate, well-marked files for the Big Reveal. As a host, you put so much into the parties that you should be able to participate, solve the mystery and have as much fun as your guests… IF you want to. So, if you as the host would like to take on a suspect roll and investigate to find the killer, our materials are designed for you.
Some hosts do prefer to simply play the host while their guests solve the mystery, and that’s okay as well – as the host, the choice is yours to be a suspect or not!
YES! You have a few options to make the game fit your party needs
Suspect Add-On's : For when you need additional suspects for a larger party. We offer 12, 24 or 36 additional suspects for each game, but you can have hundreds if you have a very large event. For more than 36 additional players, just message us.
Alternative Ending: Ever host an AMAZING murder mystery game night and everyone wants to play another one?! I have! So we offer alternative endings for the game you already have! You will use the same suspect sheets, but the announcement and reveal will be unique, creating another version of the game! Custom Game: Finally, we offer a 100% custom option, where you can pick and choose what you would like your game to be, from it's theme, to the names of your suspects, to who the murderer is. You let us know your requirements and we can meet it and quickly! Our custom games, typically take 3-5 days to prepare, depending on how many suspects you will need.
Your mystery materials come with individual suspect guides for each suspect. Most murder announcements have instructions for the Suspects that help them understand how to play. The Introduction will also give any additional Investigators instructions on how to play, so all the host typically needs to do is read the murder announcement, but detailed instructions are included with the download.
Preparation time can vary widely depending on your event size and hosting style. For smaller gatherings, preparation might take just an hour, while larger events (over 75 people) could take many hours, days, weeks, or even longer to organize.
We recommend setting aside at least a few hours to familiarize yourself with the materials and coordinate with your guests. However, some hosts prefer days of preparation, while others might download their game kit an hour before the party and dive right in—it’s entirely up to you!
Our game kits are instantly downloadable, making it easy to get started whenever you’re ready.
Suspect Guides can be emailed directly to your guests, saving you time and effort printing materials.
Whether you prefer a quick and simple setup or a more detailed and elaborate approach, our kits are designed to fit your schedule and make hosting as stress-free as possible.
Nope. Our materials are not designed to be changed, and we do not advise our clients opting to change our materials for quality reasons. While some mystery companies provide files that can be changed, our mysteries are designed to make things easier for the host, and are offered as a complete package subject to copyright. We do offer custom games, so if you are looking for a game that is unique to you, please reach out to use.
Your murder mystery game will be delivered as an encrypted PDF file. After completing your payment, you’ll receive an instant download link on your payment receipt.
Here’s how to access it:
Open and Save: Click the download link, then save the file to your computer in a location where you can easily find it later—we recommend saving it to your desktop.
Access and Print: Once downloaded, you can open the file and print the entire package or only the pages you need for your game.
Important Notes:
The download link is only valid for 30 days, so be sure to download and save the file to your computer right away to keep it forever.
If you don’t see the file in your inbox, be sure to check your spam/junk folder just in case.
By following these steps, you'll have everything you need to host your unforgettable murder mystery event!
There are only three rules that you must, MUST abide by or the mystery will not work. Other than these three things, you can pretty much do anything you want.
Don’t make up information about the other Suspects. For example, unless your Reveal information says “You saw Joe Jones kill the victim”, don’t say it!
Don’t lie about your Secret information. So, if your Secret information says “You were running down the dark hallway at the time of the murder”, and someone comes to you and says, “So-and-So saw you running down the dark hallway at the time of the murder”, you can’t say “No, I wasn’t”, “I don’t know” or “Maybe, maybe not…”. Don’t lie.
You must share your “Reveal” information. There’s always one person who thinks they’re going to be cool by playing the “tight-lipped” Suspect. No matter how many people ask them questions about things they saw, they won’t share their Reveal information. These people spoil their hosts’ parties, so please don't.
Reveal information is designed to be used so that you can place the blame on someone else and deter suspicion from yourself. It also contains information vital to solving the mystery. So, please don’t be this person and spoil everyone’s good time. Share your Reveal information, don’t lie when asked about your Secret information.
Now, having said all that, you CAN be vague. An example of this is “Where were you at the time of the murder?” “I was in the hallway.” You don’t have to tell them you were actually in the hallway with the victim. Wait for them to ask you “Were you alone?” Let the sleuths work for it!
Sometimes there are participants who will wander around asking everyone if they are the murderer. If this person is at your party, it will probably be in a loud, accusatory voice, and they will shout, “WHY DID YOU DO IT? WHY DID YOU KILL HIM/HER?” We love these people – they make everyone laugh. So, if this person shows up at the party, don’t worry, you’re not going to be in an awkward position. The killer doesn’t know they’re the killer, so you can be entirely honest with the material you have without worry about letting something slip that you shouldn’t. Here’s why we choose not to let the killer know they are the killer…
Game Nights Galore doesn’t just put together a mystery package and assumes it will work at a party. We actually host these mysteries ourselves, in small private parties and large, public events. Based on our real live experiences, we have chosen to keep the killer a mystery, even from the killer, for a few reasons.
First, not knowing allows all Suspects to be completely honest with the information they receive. Second, it allows all players to piece together the mystery equally. With one Suspect not investigating, the identity of the culprit quickly becomes clear and the mystery ends up ruined. Not only that, when the participants know each other well, it can quickly become obvious who the killer is based on the way they act. Therefore, in our experience, your mystery is more successful when the killer isn’t aware they are the killer.
Not to mention that the Suspect who is the killer can cast an Accusation before The Big Reveal, even if that Accusation is against themselves!
Whether you have attended or hosted a mystery from another company, you will have to forget what you know about mystery parties. Our interactive murder mystery games are a bit different than many out of the box games.
The format of your mystery party is a “Mingle” mystery. What this means is that instead of sitting around, reading in turns from a piece of paper, everyone is up and mingling around, questioning each other to piece together the clues and solve the mystery.
This exciting, up-off-your-booty format makes for a very fun and exciting game night with tons of laughs and amazing moments to remember and talk about for a long time. With no lines to memorize and no scripts to read, your guests will be thrilled to participate in the game.
Our mysteries are a pure and true “Investigation” experience. Someone has been killed, and the Suspects have been identified. They need to be questioned, just like a Sleuth would question witnesses and suspects to solve the murder case.
You can purchase additional suspects directly from our shop! We offer ready-made options for our most popular games. If your game isn’t listed, simply order the custom additional suspect add-on and specify your game. Your PDF files will be delivered within 24–48 hours.
Visit our shop: https://www.gamenightsgalore.com/shop Scroll to the additional suspects section, select your game, and choose between options for 12 or 24 suspects based on your needs.
We can customize a game for you! We have 4 different add-on's that you can choose from to create a unique game for your game night. Add-On's
Additional Suspects: Most of our games are set up for 12 players but if you find you have more guests who want to play a role and you need more suspects, you can purchase them in sets of 12. With this option, you can let us know if you need specific genders for your additional suspects, so if you have a party of more females than males, you can ask for 12 additional suspects, all female. Alternative Ending: Nothing is worse than playing a murder mystery game and LOVING it, but now you can't use it again because maybe you are playing with the same guests and now they know who the killer is or you as the host have played and know who did the crime. With an alternative ending, you can play again using the same suspect sheets, but a new murder reveal creates a new storyline.
Language Translation: We offer any of our games to be translated into almost any language (including the really hard ones!). We have had our games translated into French, Chinese and German and have had some very happy patrons playing all over the world! (Our OG Barbie game has been played in more than 18 countries!) Fully Custom Game: Lastly, but not least, we have our fully custom game option, leaving you to let us know what you want your game to be. You can customize everything from the name, the theme, the suspects names, their backgrounds, who the victim is, who the murderer is, gender roles and well...just about anything and we will help you fill in any of the blanks, creating a unique game for your event. We do a lot of custom games for engagement parties and birthdays and making each suspect with unique characteristics to match the guest playing the role is so much fun for the game and for us and guest always have a blast! With these custom options, which are VERY affordable, you can create a night of murdery magic!
Additional suspects are typically sent to your email on file within 24-48 hours of your order.
Important Notes:
Our files are PDF-protected, which can sometimes cause emails to be filtered into your spam/junk folder. If you don’t see the email in your inbox, be sure to check there as well.
If you still haven’t received your additional suspects after 48 hours, feel free to reach out to us, and we’ll be happy to assist!
Absolutely! We offer several customization options to tailor a mystery game to your specific needs.
Custom Games: Select a custom game option to modify any part of an existing game or have one created specifically for your event. https://www.gamenightsgalore.com/product-page/custom-murder-mystery-game
Additional Suspects: Need to accommodate more players? We offer an add-on pack with up to 12 additional suspects to expand your game. https://www.gamenightsgalore.com/product-page/add-on-suspects
Alternative Endings: If you’d like a different conclusion to your mystery, we can provide an alternative ending option. https://www.gamenightsgalore.com/product-page/alternative-ending
Language Translation: Need your game in another language? We can translate it for you. While we use AI for translation, it has worked beautifully for our clients so far. https://www.gamenightsgalore.com/product-page/language-translation
No matter the adjustments, we’re here to make sure your murder mystery is exactly what you need for an unforgettable experience!
No problem! There are plenty of creative ways to adjust for fewer players while still keeping the game engaging and fun. However, for mingle-style games, we recommend not removing more than three suspects to maintain the lively, interactive atmosphere these games are designed to create.
Removing too many roles can limit mingling opportunities and overall engagement.
To keep the missing characters involved and add a fun twist to your game, here are a few creative ideas:
Puzzle Challenge: Cut up the unused suspect sheets into puzzle pieces and hide them around the venue. Guests can search for the pieces and work together to reassemble them. If you hide sheets for multiple suspects, it becomes a fun, collaborative challenge for your guests to sort out the missing characters.
Raffle the Roles: Turn the unused suspect sheets into a mini game. Raffle them off by asking guests to complete a dare, answer a trivia question, or even bribe the host with something funny or creative. This adds a layer of excitement to the party!
Mini-Game Prizes: Use the unused suspect sheets as prizes for winning mini-games. Activities like ‘minute-to-win-it’ challenges or other quick, high-energy games are a great way to keep the momentum going while incorporating the extra sheets.
Stationary Clue Stations: Place the unused suspect sheets at designated spots around the venue, such as tables or bulletin boards. Guests can stop by, read through the sheets, and gather valuable clues as part of their investigation.
Our game packets include a special section with these tips and more to help you adjust for fewer players seamlessly. These suggestions ensure your game remains immersive, engaging, and full of surprises, no matter your guest count!
By following these steps, you can send one page from a protected PDF file via email
Open the PDF File:
Use a PDF reader like Adobe Acrobat or any other PDF viewer to open the protected PDF file.
Go to Print:
Click on “File” in the top menu.
Select “Print” or press Ctrl + P.
Select Print Options:
In the Print dialog box, select “Microsoft Print to PDF” or any other PDF printer option from the list of printers.
Choose the Page to Print:
Under “Pages to Print,” select “Current page” or enter the specific page number you want to extract in the “Pages” field.
Print and Save as PDF:
Click “Print.” A dialog box will appear asking you to save the printed output.
Choose a location on your computer to save the new PDF file.
Give it a name and click “Save.”
Compose an Email:
Open your email client (Gmail, Outlook, etc.).
Click on “Compose” or “New Email.”
Attach the PDF File:
Click on the attachment icon (usually a paperclip).
Browse to the location where you saved the extracted page PDF file.
Select the file and attach it to your email.
Send the Email:
Enter the recipient’s email address.
Add a subject and a message if needed.
Click “Send” to send the email with the attached PDF page.
Most of our games are designed for 12 players, with 9 serving as the primary roles. This setup allows flexibility for smaller gatherings or unexpected no-shows while keeping the story fully playable. For larger groups, we also sell add-on packs that provide an additional 12 suspects for each game, giving hosts the option to expand their mystery to include up to 24 suspects. This makes our games adaptable for everything from intimate dinner parties to larger events and celebrations.
Our murder mystery games are designed in a mingle format, which means there are no scripts to memorize, no rigid timelines, and the host can fully participate as a character. Each guest receives a role with unique information, secrets, and objectives. Throughout the event, players mingle, ask each other questions, and share or conceal clues to piece together the mystery. Everyone plays both detective and suspect at the same time, and since anyone could be the culprit, even you, the game unfolds through interaction, suspicion, and discovery.
Our games are designed to adapt. The 9 core characters carry the main storyline, so even if you have fewer players, the game can still run smoothly. Each game will have a page that shows you which suspects you can remove without affecting the game. We also have some tips on how to keep the clues in the game, even if you have fewer players.
No scripts are required. Our games are designed for natural interaction, so players receive background information and character details but can improvise freely. Mingling is a huge reason these games work for any party setting. Often times you will have people who have never played a murder mystery game and it can feel overwhelming. Mingling allows every guest to play at their pace/comfort level.
That’s entirely up to you! Of course, we recommend at least a few days, but some hosts prefer weeks to prepare, while others will order their mystery game kit an hour before their party. It’s entirely up to you and how you want to host your party. Since our materials are instantly downloaded and the Suspect Guides can be emailed to your guests instead of having to print off each guide, you can use as much, or as little, prep-time as makes you, as the host, feel comfortable.