Steps for Planning A Murder Mystery dinner party
Murder mysteries make for an exciting party theme, and organising it as a dinner gathering is a fantastic way to engage everyone. It’s a delightful way to enjoy time with friends, whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply having a fun night together.
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Decide on your theme and setting
This is the first step. You may already have a theme in mind, but popular options include:
- 1920s Prohibition Era
- A Haunted Manor
- Hollywood Glamour
- A Pirate Ship
- A Sci-Fi Space Station
Decorate your venue to match the theme with appropriate props, lighting, and music. For example, candles and antique-looking decor for a Victorian theme or neon lights and futuristic props for a sci-fi theme.
You may want to have a look at available ‘ready made’ storylines, and resources that are available. The themes may also depend on how many guests you want to invite.
Scroll down to my FREE murder mystery dinner party storyline, this one is set in the 1920’s and is for 8 people, or more.
The 'Murder' kit
You can purchase a murder mystery game kit online or create your own. A kit usually includes:
- Storyline: A mystery that revolves around a murder.
- Characters: Assign each guest a character with a unique backstory, motive, and personality.
- Clues: Notes, props, or puzzles to uncover secrets.
- Solution: A final reveal of the murderer.
Etsy has a big selection of digital download ready made Murder Mystery parties, in all sorts of themes and for differeing numbers of guest. Take a look here for some insiration.
If you go down to your local Waterstones you will see that they have a few ready made Murder Mysterys with some resources in the boxes. Also available online from here.
Amazon also have a good selection of Murder Mystery party resources. This one caught my eye, The Champagne Murder from the Murder Mystery Party Store.
Invitations for the guests
With your theme selected and a rough estimate of the number of guests you’d like to invite, it’s time to send out the invitations. At this stage, it’s also a good idea to assign each guest a character role. To summarise:
- Send out themed invitations detailing the event.
- Include character descriptions, costume ideas, and a short backstory.
- Encourage guests to come dressed in character.
I like Zazzle for invitations, because you can personalise them and change them about before you buy them. Take a look yourself.
A digital invite is also a good idea, here’s one that you can get from Etsy.
Murder Mystery Evening Schedule
Here is a guide to how you could schedule the evening:
1. Welcome & Introductions (15-20 mins):
- Greet guests, introduce characters, and explain the rules of the game.
2. Appetizers & Mingling (30 mins):
- Allow guests to settle into their roles while enjoying light appetizers.
3. Act 1 – The Murder Occurs (45 mins):
- A key event triggers the mystery (e.g., lights go out and someone “dies”).
- Hand out the first set of clues and let guests begin questioning.
4. Dinner & Act 2 (1 hour):
- Serve dinner while guests discuss their theories and investigate further.
- Gradually release more clues to advance the story.
5. Dessert & Accusations (30 mins):
- Over dessert, allow guests to share their accusations and theories.
6. The Reveal (15 mins):
- Read the solution or have the murderer confess dramatically.
- Award prizes for the best detective, best costume, and most in-character guest.
Menu Ideas for your party
Your menu should compliment the theme that you have picked, for example:
- 1920s: Cocktails, finger foods, jazz-inspired dishes.
- Pirate: Rum cocktails, tropical fruit platters, seafood dishes.
- Haunted Manor: Dark cocktails, eerie desserts, hearty meals like roast.
Party Extras
- Costume Contest: Award a prize for the best costume.
- Photo Booth: Set up a themed backdrop with props for photos.
- Party Favours: Give small themed keepsakes, like magnifying glasses or notebooks.
Your guest will most likely be dressed up, so you will want to take some photos, get yourself some props to add to the photo, like these you can download from Etsy.
It’s not just kids that like to go home with a prize! How about some murder themed party favours, like these bracelets from Amazon.
Free Murder Mystery Storyline for your event
Here is the background story of the Murder, with the characters and timeline. Download the free PDF here for the clues, the solution and dialogue.
Death at the Velvet Rose
This story is set in a 1920s Prohibition Speakeasy.
Step back into the Roaring Twenties, where flappers, gangsters, and jazz fill the air. The Velvet Rose, the hottest speakeasy in town, is hosting an exclusive evening—but before the night is over, someone’s murder will shake the room.
The backstory
It’s 1926, and prohibition is in full swing. Guests arrive at The Velvet Rose, a glamorous but secretive speakeasy run by the enigmatic nightclub owner, Rose “Velvet” Montgomery. Tonight is a special event celebrating the club’s anniversary. Jazz is playing, champagne is flowing (well, bootlegged whiskey), and everyone has secrets to hide. But when a gunshot rings out, Rose is found dead in her office.
Who could have done it? The gangster she owes money to? Her former lover? A jealous rival entertainer? Or someone else with a hidden motive?
Main Characters (Roles for Guests)
Assign the roles before the party, perhaps include the guest role and description with the invites, this gives the guests a chance to dress the part and get into character.
- Johnny “Ace” O’Malley – A slick gangster with a shady reputation.
- Gloria Glam – A dazzling jazz singer and former lover of Rose.
- Professor Percival Plum – A chemistry professor suspected of brewing bootleg liquor for the club.
- Milly Belle – A flapper and rising star, envious of Gloria’s fame.
- Detective Sam Slater – A detective with secrets to hide, attending undercover.
- Constance Crown – A wealthy patron who finances the speakeasy but detests Rose’s growing power.
- Eddie “Quick Hands” Malone – The club’s bartender with a mysterious past.
- Felicity “Flick” Farrow – A nosy journalist desperate for a scoop on Rose’s secrets.
(Optional: Create more roles for additional guests.)
Amazon is a great place to find costumes and props for your party. I found this couple outfit from I LOVE FANCY DRESS LTD.
The Event Timeline
Welcome & Mingling (30 mins)
Guests arrive in 1920s attire and mingle in character. Provide a short backstory and personality traits for each guest. Serve classic 1920s cocktails like martinis, whiskey sours, or mocktails.Act 1 – The Murder Occurs (15 mins)
- Rose “Velvet” Montgomery is found dead in her office. (Host/actor plays Rose or simply announces the murder.)
- Guests receive their first clues and begin discussing their suspicions.
- Dinner & Clues (45 mins)
- Guests are seated for dinner while investigating. Hand out additional clues during courses, such as:
- A torn note.
- A key found in the bar.
- A witness claiming to have seen someone sneaking into Rose’s office.
- Act 2 – Accusations (30 mins)
- After dinner, guests present their theories and accuse someone of the murder.
- The Reveal (15 mins)
- The host reveals the murderer. (Scripted outcome or adapt to the evening’s events.)
- Award prizes: “Best Detective,” “Best Costume,” and “Best in Character.”
Decor for your 1920's Speakeasy
You can get the ‘Speakeasyvibe’ by using dim lighting, some jazz music in the background, vintage style decor and props like old bottles of liquor, cigars, vintage style jazz posters, maybe some vintage newspapers with headlines about prohibition.
Speakeasys in the day would have had a bouncer, you could have a ‘fake’ bouncer at the door for when the guest open. You could give them a password to enter.
1920's style menu ideas
- Starters: Deviled eggs, shrimp cocktail, stuffed mushrooms.
- Main Course: Beef bourguignon or pasta primavera.
- Dessert: Chocolate mousse or mini cheesecakes.
- Drinks: Old Fashioneds, Manhattans, gin fizz, or mocktail versions.
