How to Host a Murder Mystery Dinner for Free
Pull off a real caper by planning a murder mystery dinner party with a free, classic mystery. Browse books and short stories that are in the public domain, with copyrights that have expired, to find one that appeals to you. Since there is no copyright, you won't have to pay royalties to the author or his estate, or ask permission to use the work for your dinner party. You'll find an expertly plotted crime without committing one yourself. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Mystery (public domain novel or short story)
- Paper and pen, or computer for outlining and writing descriptions
- Invitations
- Food
- Decorations
- Props
Instructions
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Preparing the Mystery
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1
Find a mystery novel or short story that's in the public domain. Works in the public domain are no longer subject to copyright rules and can be used freely by anyone. Search online for "public domain mystery novels" or "public domain mysteries," or ask a reference librarian to help you.
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2
Read your chosen mystery several times to become familiar with its plot and characters.
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3
Make a list of all of the characters in your mystery, outlining details of each character's personality, manner of dress or any other traits that are mentioned in the story.
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4
Write a brief description of your mystery, outlining the main points of the story. For example, "Jane (the victim) is murdered in her dining room. Her maid finds the body and calls the police. They suspect Jane's husband, daughter and best friend. The murderer is actually Jane's brother, who turned up the night before the murder and was attempting to blackmail her."
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5
Prepare a description for each character. Include the details from Step 3 and the actions from Step 4. Do not reveal the murderer's identity to anyone.
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6
Assign a character to each guest.
Preparing for the Dinner Party
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Mail your invitations at least three weeks before your dinner party. Send each guest his character's description and an outline of the plot, minus the murderer's identity. Keep the "murderer" in the dark, as well, so that he can enjoy solving the mystery along with everyone else. Ask your guests to dress in a way that will suggest their characters. Instruct them to mingle during the party, revealing facts about themselves and gathering facts about the other guests.
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Set up a room in your home or venue to accommodate your guests. They should be able to move around and exchange information with each other. Use props or decorations that will add to the atmosphere of the mystery you've chosen.
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9
Allow time before dinner for the characters to get acquainted. Decide when to break during dinner to allow more time for mingling and exchanging information. For example, pause after finishing the main course and before serving dessert. Your guests may choose to stay in character for the whole evening, or only during the times that they're giving or receiving clues.
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Give each character the opportunity to accuse the person she believes to be the murderer. Leave the timing up to each person. Some guests might decide rather quickly and make their accusations early on, and others might prefer to reflect on what they've learned. After all of the guests have been heard, reveal the murderer's identity.
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Tips & Warnings
If you want to limit the amount of time your guests spend mingling and questioning each other, let them know beforehand that you're setting a timer. This is a good idea if you're hosting a sit-down dinner.
If you're comfortable having your party go on as long as the guests are participating, plan to serve your dinner buffet-style and let your guests serve themselves after they've finished gathering clues.
You can serve theme dishes for your dinner as well. Try something fun like "Poison Pen" cocktails, "Agatha Christie Crab Puffs" or "Death By Cheese" fondue to liven up the party.
Some of your guests will love dressing up and others won't. Have a few basic props on hand for each character, such as a hat, pipe, jewelry or other small thing that suggests each personality. If guests show up without a costume, ask them to use one or two of your props.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit arrow image by Hunta from Fotolia.com
