10 Questions to Ask Before Hosting Your First Murder Mystery Party

Not how many you’d like. Not how many said “probably”. How many have given you a firm yes?

Our kits are created for 8-20 people, but every kit is different. I’d recommend going a couple people over the minimum. So in you’re playing one of our kits, you’d want at least 10 people. This is simply to cover any guest/s that might cancel. You’d need an absolute minimum of 8 people to complete one of games, so if you have 10 guests and 2 cancel, you can still finish the game. The most I’d recommend for a first-timer is 14. You don’t want to be intimidate trying to wrangle a big crowd.

Get rough numbers when before you purchase the kit, and be sure to follow-up to make sure that guests are still coming.

For a better breakdown of how player numbers will affect your game, check out our guest count guide. If you’re finding it hard to get a proper count of how many friends can make – see murder mystery flexi party kits.

A lot is going to depend on the type of kit you purchase. Some are seated games with a full meal, while most are standing games with just snacks..

If you’re having a seated dinner game, then you’ll simply need enough space around your table for everyone to sit comfortable. With normal kits, however, guests move around the room and make smaller groups where they discuss evidence and question each other. In this case, you do need a little extra space. You’ll want enough space for guests to mingle while standing, as well as plenty sitting space for guests that are too tired to stand for 2-3 hours (which is most of us).

If you’re part of a medieval LARPing group, you’d rightfully want to choose a medieval theme for your party, as you’re certain that your friend group would enjoy it and would have easy access to costumes. However, most people that aren’t interested in that might not find it as exciting.

It’s best to chat to your friend group and see what they find interesting. 1920s themed parties and modern day parties are often the most popular because it’s very easy to find costumes that work for these, and you can very often mix-and-match items in your closet to put something together that works just fine. 1920s kits, in particular, are enjoyed by a much broader audience than any other mystery game kit.

For 15 of the top ranked themes , see our best murder mystery party themes guide.

This is almost completely dependent on your friend group. Off the top of my head, I know exactly which of my friends will be enthusiastic about dressing up, and who I’ll need to convince.

The best way ensure that everyone dresses up is to provide them with easy low-cost alternatives. Life is expensive, so I try to make sure that guests don’t have to spend a lot to enjoy the party. I have tons of clothes that work well for these types of parties, so I always make sure to mention that guests can borrow items for the night if they let me know in advance. And for the most stubborn, I also give them tips on what normal clothes would easily be able to be worn that would count as a costume.

For costume ideas that aren’t expensive to put together, check out our murder mystery costume guide.

Yes, a LOT of games have some some sort of flirting dialogue, secret lovers or affairs in the storyline. I’ve never quite understood why this is the norm, but I recommend checking your kit thoroughly before playing and making sure that any relationship dialogue is only between actual couples.

Our murder mystery kits have no romantic relationships or flirty dialogue between any characters. It just makes things safer between players of different ages, strangers and work colleagues. I’ve noticed that more and more kits are starting to avoid flirty dialogue as well, so there should be a lot more options on the market for you to try out.

For groups of 10 to 14, you’ll be absolutely fine alone. Above 14 players, it can be really helpful to have an extra pair of hands. That person will also need to read through the game kit info to know when events will take place. When you pass the 20 guest mark, it’s essential to have a second person helping out. Your co-host doesn’t need to be a dedicated host – they can still play a character. Just get them to help a bit when needed.

What I like to do in my parties is have someone indirectly co-host. For example, if someone is playing the part of a photographer, I’ll hand them my spare phone and ask them to actually take photos. Or set the bartender character up with a jug of premade cocktails and have them pour drinks.

At least 4 weeks from the date you want to throw the party. There’s not a massive amount to organize but you do need to give your guests plenty time to confirm that they’ll be free, and to find costumes to wear. You’ll also need to send them their character sheets so they know what role they’ll be playing, and are happy with it.

At the latest, you could start preparing 3 weeks out, but not less than that.

You can get a really good kit for between $30 and $50. You’re paying for the unique story, interesting characters and realistic evidence. If you have 20 guests, you’re basically paying $1.50 per person to entertain them for 3 hours. It’s absolutely the most important part of the setup. While there are cases that can cost a lot more, I recommend sticking to the $30-$50 range. You’ll find tons of incredible kits.

Decorations will add up to anything from $30 to $100. It depends on how much you want to splurge. I use a lot of free templates, like customizable wine labels, customizable posters, newspapers, etc, so that I only spend about $30 on additional decorations. These are reused for every new party, so it’s a once-ff cost. If you want to stick to a tight budget like I do, read how to run a great murder mystery night on a tight budget.

Food can cost as little or as much as you want. If you want to keep costs down, order a few pizzas for the group and call it a day. You can also make sandwiches at home and add a few other snacks that won’t cost you much.

No, absolutely not. Neither the host, nor any of the guests need to have prior experience. The first-time you host one will always be a bit clumsy and awkward, but it’s still a lot of fun. A good party kit will have very clear instructions to walk you through the entire process. Make sure you choose guests that are willing to put some effort into their character roles, and you’ll have an amazing evening.

Not every organizer needs to be the host. Just because you’re planning the night, doesn’t mean you have to be the host. The host needs to be comfortable talking in front of a large group, directing characters when they need to “die” and always staying in character, to lead the group. If that sounds like you, then you should absolutely be the host. If not, invite a more chatty friend to take on the role and you can handle everything else in the background.