Who doesn’t love a good whodunnit? Whether you want to plan something unusual for your friends, or you’re looking for a unique addition to any corporate gathering, why not throw a murder mystery party? It’s fun, it’s involving, and it’s a great team-building tool.
It may seem too complicated, but you can pull together an intriguing murder mystery party with a little planning and a couple of weeks. There are plenty of budget-friendly and even free murder mystery party kits available online. For a higher-end bash, you can even hire companies that will send actors along with a ready-made mystery.
Pick a format
Basically, a murder mystery party involves the guests trying to figure out who killed one of the characters. You can have just a few of the guests involved playing roles while the rest of the guests try to solve the mystery in a sort of dinner-theater format, or have all attendees playing the various characters and interacting with each other.
If everyone’s involved, be sure to provide information about their characters on the invitations, so they can prepare and dress appropriately.
Decide on a theme
A large part of the fun of a murder mystery involves the setting, and your theme will dictate that. Popular murder mystery themes include old English country homes, 1920s Gatsby parties, haunted houses, or even a Harry Potter theme.
Once you have your theme, it will help guide you in your choice of decorations, food, and drink.
Let the game begin
The typical murder mystery takes about two hours to solve. The killer knows who they are, and must be prepped beforehand with motive and plausible lies to tell the other guests. The detective is usually the host, who makes a speech laying out the details of the crime. Then the guests must mingle among each other, asking questions and looking for clues.
At the end of the game, the detective asks the players whom they think the killer is, and how they reached that conclusion. All in all, it’s a fun evening for everyone involved.
And if you want the perfect setting for your murder mystery party, why not hold it in the Historic Alfred I. duPont Building in downtown Miami? The 1920s Art Deco interior provides the right ambience for just such a gathering.