Murder Mystery Case Files – How They Work and Which to Choose
Murder mystery case files are not the same as murder mystery dinner parties. A dinner party game has a large group of 8-20+ people. You assign character roles, have everyone dress-up as their characters, and either follow a script or improv act out your parts. A case file is a detective game that’s made for 1-4 people. You spread out the evidence on your coffee table and try to solve a mystery. You do not need to prepare at all in order to play.
I’ve been designing case files since 2023. Before I started, I spent a lot of time buying and solving others as a weekend past-time. My biggest problem was that difficulty levels were all over the place. Most games rated as medium or hard were way too easy, and they took way too little time to complete.
How a Murder Mystery Case File Works
Here’s a quick guide on how to get started playing:
Download and print
You buy the case file online and will be emailed a PDF to download. Print the pages at home on standard US letter or A4 paper. Color printing is recommended for most cases as some have color-coded puzzles.
Read the case instructions
The first page has instructions that explain exactly how to play the game. It’ll also tell you what items you need (pens/pencils). This first page also has the link to the hints and answers section. These are kept off-page to prevent you accidentally seeing them.
Work through the objectives
These cases are split into multiple objectives. You’re given your first objective before you see any of the evidence. You can look at all evidence provided in the objective 1 section, but as soon as you see the objective 2 page, you must stop. You cannot proceed any further or look at any of the evidence from that section, until you’ve completed objective 1. Once you complete an objective, you unlock additional story and more evidence. You can now use all your new evidence as well as your old evidence to solve objective 2.
Check your answers online
You can confirm your answers through the online system. Scan the QR code or type in the link from the instructions page to access the online system. You get told if you’re right or wrong without seeing the full answer. If you’re wrong, you can go back and look harder. If you get genuinely stuck, there are optional clues available on the same system to help you out.
Identify the killer
The final objective usually asks you to name the killer. By the time, you get to this point, you’ll have a pretty good idea of who it is. You’ll pick who you think is the killer from a list of names. If you get it wrong, we’ll let you know immediately and you can go back and re-examine the evidence.
What’s Inside a Case File
The evidence is different in every case, but these are the most common types you’ll see:
Types of Murder Mystery Case Files
There are three main formats available. Understanding the differences helps you choose correctly.
| Format | How you get it | Evidence | Best for | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physical / box-set | Shipped to your door | Pre-printed, physical objects in box | Players who don’t want to print it themselves | Shipping costs and wait time, usually ships within one country only, more expensive |
| Subscription | Monthly delivery | New physical case each month | Regular solvers who want ongoing content | Ongoing cost, usually involves a long-running story you need to follow from the start |
| Printable / Digital PDF | Instant download after purchase | You print at home, can print multiple copies for bigger groups | Immediate access, lower cost | Requires a printer |
Printable case files are the most practical format for most people. You pay once, download immediately, and can print as many copies as you need – which matters if you want to play with multiple groups of four people. In this way you can give each group their own set of evidence. The Print Mysteries cases are all in this format.
The Origin of the Case File Format
The detective fiction genre that these types of case files are based on date all the way back to the 19th century. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle introduced Sherlock Holmes in 1887. Agatha Christie published her first novel in 1920 and went on to define the closed-room mystery structure that many case files still use today. This generally consists of a limited suspect pool, a set of evidence, and a logical route to only one correct answer.
The interactive element in which the reader becomes the detective instead of simply following one comes from role-playing games and interactive fiction from the 1970s and 1980s. Modern printable case files generally include both aspects – a great story based off classic detective fiction as well as puzzle game mechanics.
The physical printable format really became popular in the 2010s when print-on-demand technology made it a more reasonable option for small creators to design and distribute high-quality evidence sets without needing a publisher involved. Physical games still have to cover printing and shipping costs which push the prices into the $25-$50 range, while high-quality printable cases can sell for as little $8.50.
How to Choose the Right Case File
Always, always, always choose by difficulty first, and buy a case that uses the modern format (multiple objectives) instead of the older format where you’re given a pile of evidence and only need to pick the killer. Here’s a quick breakdown to hellp you choose a case:
For a more detailed breakdown of each of the cases, check out the best case files to solve at home for a full comparison table with specs on every case.
6 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Case File
These apply regardless of which case you choose.
Read everything
Unlike many other companies, we like to add additional bits of info to all our cases. Sometimes it’s a funny newspaper article, other times it’s a fun Easter egg, or even a hidden objective. Read through everything, don’t just skim trying to pick out the answer as quickly as possible. You’ll miss out on a lot of the fun.
Spread the evidence out
These games are not designed to played on your computer screen. It’s just way too much information. Spread out all the evidence you are given access to on your coffee table, to makes it easier to cross-reference information.
Take notes as you go
Take quick notes of suspects alibis, and any locations, date or times seem important. They could very well turn up in a later objective. I like to use a highlighter on my first read-through, and mark everything that seems important. Sooner or later it is.
Debate your theories out loud (when in a group)
You’ll have a more fun experience if you say your theories out loud. Even if it’s not the right answer to that specific objective, it could very well be the missing piece to a later puzzle. Don’t worry about how outlandish your idea might seem, we’ve added some pretty outlandish puzzles and hidden Easter eggs – you might be spotting something that no other player has ever discovered.
Use the hints – they’re there for a reason
Don’t be afraid to use the hint system. It’ll never outright tell you the answer, but usually just the general direction to look. As you use more hints, they’ll become more and more specific. The point is to have fun – it really doesn’t matter how many hints you use to get there. Getting stuck for 30 minutes on one step and finally asking for help is a much better experience than quitting the case entirely.
The Print Mysteries Case File Collection
All of the case files below are available as PDF downloads. They’re designed for 1-4 players.
| Case File | Setting | Difficulty | Objectives | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deceptive Demise | Hollywood Film Set | Free / Beginner | 2 | Free |
| A Fatal Ruse | Suburban Crime | Medium | 4 | $8.50 |
| Harmony Seascape | Cruise Ship | Medium | 3 | $12.00 |
| Hell at the Restaurant | Restaurant | Medium-Hard | 3 | $12.00 |
| Hiking Trails of Betrayal | Wilderness / Hiking | Hard | 6 | $14.00 |
| Catalog of Suspicion | Library | Very Hard | 6 | $14.00 |
| Murder at Evercroft Manor | Victorian Estate | Medium-Hard | 7 | $16.00 |
| Murder at Tulip King Hotel | 1930s Istanbul Hotel | Medium-Hard | 6 | $16.00 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a murder mystery case file?
A murder mystery case file is a printable detective game for one to four players. You’ll use a set of evidence – witness statements, photographs, maps, coded notes, etc. – to solve a bunch of objectives that will help you identify a killer. There is no acting, and no costumes required as it’s not a murder mystery dinner game. Cases are sold as PDF downloads and printed at home.
How is a murder mystery case file different from a dinner party game?
A murder mystery dinner party game is designed for large groups (typically 8-20 people) who dress as characters, play roles, and solve a mystery through improvised or scripted acting. A case file is a detective game for 1-4 players with no acting, no costumes, and no prior setup required. Case files are great for solo play, date nights, and small friend groups. Dinner party games are better for events.
How long does a murder mystery case file take?
Most case files take between two and four hours, depending on the difficulty level and group size. Medium cases with three or four objectives typically take two to three hours. Harder cases with six or seven objectives can take three to four hours. Playing in a group sometimes speeds things up as you discuss theories, but this isn’t always the case.
Do you need to print a case file to play it?
Yes. Printing is strongly recommended for all full-length cases. Having physical pages you can spread across a table, write on, and rearrange makes solving the case much easier. A short test case like Deceptive Demise can be completed on a screen, but none of the others.
What difficulty should a first-time player choose?
Start with medium difficulty. The free Deceptive Demise mini-case is a also a good first step to see if you actually like murder mystery case files. But if you already like these types of cases, skip the mini one, and go straight for A Fatal Ruse (medium difficulty, 4 objectives). It’s designed to be the best entry point. Avoid hard or very hard cases until you’ve completed at least a few medium cases – the jump in difficulty is huge.
Can you play a murder mystery case file alone?
Yes. I actually prefer playing case files alone.
What happens if you get an objective answer wrong?
The online answer system simply tells you that the answer is wrong and that you should try again. We won’t outright show you the correct answer right away, so you’ll have multiple chances to figure it out yourself.
