How to host a murder mystery party at home
Pick a story, send everyone their character and let the TV run the night. No printing, no script to read in advance, and you get to play too.
Plan my murder partyFrom invitation to the big reveal
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1Hand out the roles
Pick a story and fill in the names. Choose who plays whom, or deal the roles at random. Everyone gets a personal link; nobody can peek at another file.
Or deal the roles at random -
2Let the story unfold
Choose step by step and a new message lands on every phone each day until the party. In a hurry? Express gives everyone all the info at once.
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3Play the night
Put the TV on. It runs the rounds, shows the evidence and holds the vote. You play along, without spoilers.
Everything you need is already in the room
- A phone per playerEach guest opens a personal link. No app to install, no account needed.
- A TV or laptopIt shows the story, the evidence and the vote to the whole table.
- Six to fourteen friendsEach story says how many players it takes. Extra guests get a role that fits right in.
- An evening of 2.5 to 3 hoursDinner and drinks are up to you, costumes are encouraged.
A murder mystery night, from invitation to reveal
- Days before
Everyone meets their character
Players read who they are, what they want and what they hide. A new message arrives every day, or everything at once with Express.
- Arrival
The TV opens the case
Guests arrive in character. The TV sets the scene and introduces the victim.
- The rounds
Talk, accuse, dig up secrets
Each round brings new evidence on the TV and private messages on the phones. Secrets come out and everyone feels the case move.
- The vote
Who did it, and why?
Everyone votes on their phone and names a motive. Nobody sees another vote until the end.
- The reveal
The truth, step by step
The TV shows what really happened, why the others did not do it and who scored the most points.
You host, and you still get to play
You never see the secrets of other players or the solution. Your screen only has buttons to keep the night moving: start the next round, put the next clue on the TV, open the vote. The story does the rest.
Good questions
What do we need?
One phone per player and a TV or laptop everyone can see. No printer and no app to install.
Does the host know who did it?
No. The host steers the rounds but only sees the solution at the reveal, so you can play along.
How long does a game take?
About 2.5 to 3 hours, in three rounds that fit nicely between the courses of a dinner.
What if we have more guests than the story takes?
Every story has extra roles written in from the start, with their own secrets and goals. They join without anyone noticing which roles are extra. Above the maximum, split into two games.
Your friends. One murder. Nobody goes home until the truth is out.
Pick a story, hand out the roles and let the first message do its work.
Plan my murder party