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How to host a murder mystery dinner at home

A practical plan from the invitation to the final accusation, written for hosts who want to play along.

A murder mystery dinner is a normal dinner with a puzzle at the table. The work is mostly in the planning. This is how to plan it so you can enjoy the evening as well.

Two weeks before

• Fix the guest list. Six to eight people is the easy range: everyone gets airtime and nobody waits long for a turn. Larger groups work, but give the quieter guests a reason to speak.
• Pick an occasion. A birthday, a holiday or “because it is November” all work. The occasion shapes the setting and the tone.
• Send the invitation. Tell guests they will play a role, that they need their phone, and that no preparation is required. Ask about food allergies at the same time.

One week before

• Decide on the menu. Choose dishes you can prepare ahead. If you cook during play, you miss the clues.
• Match food to rounds. A starter, a main course and a dessert fit three or four rounds. Serve between rounds, not during them.
• Cast the roles. Look at the role list before you assign anything. Give a talkative guest a role with something to defend, and a shy guest a role with a clear question to ask.

The day before

• Test the links on your own phone.
• Check that every guest has a charged phone or a charger nearby.
• Set the table so everyone can see everyone else. Candles help the mood and hurt the reading, so keep some light on the table.

During the evening

• Open round one when everyone has a drink. Do not start while people are still arriving.
• Let people finish. Move to the next round only after everyone has spoken. Silence at the table is usually people reading, not boredom.
• Do not explain what a clue means. If the table is stuck, ask a question instead. “Who was in the kitchen?” moves a group faster than a hint.
• Keep the accusation short. Each guest names a suspect, a motive and one clue. Then open the solution.

When it goes wrong

• A guest guesses the culprit in round one. Let them keep the guess to themselves until the accusation.
• Two guests dominate. Ask someone else a direct question about their role.
• Someone is uneasy about their role. Change that one line rather than pushing on. In a game written for your group, a single text can be adjusted.

How long it takes

Plan 90 to 150 minutes of play, plus the meal. A three-course dinner with three or four rounds usually fills an evening of three to four hours. Treat these as estimates and plan for a relaxed finish.