You do not need to be "Sherlock Holmes" to figure out that a mystery party is a good way to have fun with friends. Mystery parties wind on throughout the night, with new evidence being revealed at predetermined points throughout the party, as the guests try to determine which of their fellow partygoers committed the crime. Playing host to such a party is elementary, my dear, and requires only willing guests, some props and a mystery that must be solved.
Decide upon a setting or theme. Mystery parties lend themselves to any setting, whether it is a futuristic space murder, with aliens and gun-slinging astronauts, a classic British murder in the style of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle or a monstrous vampire mystery.
2
Send out invitations. Note the day, time, theme, costume requirement and, if you will be assigning characters to people, any relevant character information for each guest. Ask for a reply from guests within a reasonable time frame so that you can find substitutes for any characters who cannot attend.
3
Dress the location of the party to suit the theme. If you are having a party set in the past, remove any electronics and other anachronistic items from the party area. Set up a table for the evidence to be laid out for review as the party continues. If you will be providing food or drinks, set up a separate table for them to keep the evidence safe from spills.
4
Get into character before your guests arrive and greet each of them in turn. Distribute any props or name tags from a mystery party kit as needed and, once everyone has arrived, take the time to introduce each character. If you have a neutral character, such as a detective or police officer, have her introduce the characters and the scene of the crime.
5
Reveal clues slowly throughout the night. Refrain from making big announcements to keep some people out of the loop. Since you and the murderer are the only people who know who did it, there are likely to be rumors, whispers and generally false information spreading around by the end of the night.
6
Announce that the party will be ending shortly and call for any theories that people may have about who did it and why. Allow everyone to make his case. Congratulate the winners and thank everyone for taking part in the mystery party.
Tips & Warnings
Life is one fabulous party at a time...make a mystery party your next!
Warning - mystery parties can be an overload of fun and should not be taken lightly. The fun and hilarity may be too much for some people to take!
Many people enjoy mystery books, movies or television shows. People host their own murder mystery parties as home because they provide entertainment...
