10 Steps For The Best Murder Mystery Party On Halloween

October 30, 2017 October 30, 2017

Party planning has never been an easy thing. If October 31st has you wondering how to throw the best Halloween party while staying within budget and you might enjoy our handy tips on how to host a killer murder mystery party you and your friends will never forget.

GREAT INVITATIONS MAKE THE DIFFERENCE

A great Halloween murder mystery party starts with killer invitations! A DIY Halloween party flyer is a good option for getting everyone in the mood for the occasion. You can design it yourself (if you're feeling creative!) or search for a pre-made flyer and tailor it to suit your event. Print a whole bunch in advance and don’t forget to put down the dress-code details before mailing your Halloween party invites.

SPOOKY DECOR

Remember to decorate the house before your guests arrive. Good old-fashioned carved pumpkins, spooky lights and the classic fake spider web in a corner or two will certainly help you to get the right mood for your awesome Halloween murder mystery party. If you're planning a specific party theme, think about setting up themed decorations to get your guests in the right mood.

TEAM BUILDING

If you and your colleagues are good with spending time together, why not throw a little Halloween party at the office before the fun at home? You might enjoy decorating the workplace together, having a pumpkin carving contest or playing a game of classic Halloween bingo with the odd photo frame or pencil holders as prizes.

PLAN OUT THE GAME

Themed party games are usually long and elaborate - you might want to think the whole thing through beforehand. Almost every Halloween murder mystery party game requires some sort of instructions for the guests to follow, character scripts, cards and many other printable party paraphernalia. It’s better to map out a comprehensive game plan and to do it thoroughly, rather than plan too much and do too little of what you prepared for.

READY-MADE SCRIPT

If you would rather work with ready-made instructions, there is a variety of scripts and rules available online. The only thing you'll need to do to set up the murder mystery game is to learn the script and rules to be able to conduct the actual gameplay. Afterwards, you can enjoy watching the guests play-commit the crimes or try to hide from justice if you happen to be the killer.

WHEN IN DOUBT - IMPROVISE

If you enjoy the freedom and prefer improvising to following scripts, you might like the idea of a more flexible Halloween murder mystery party game. Participants can decide how involved they want to be with the characters: ask them to come up with the characters’ backstories and deliver them to the other guests.

THOROUGH PREP MAKES THE GAME GREAT

First, think of the scene where the game - or murder - takes place. Let your house become a real crime scene for that Halloween murder mystery party night. Is it an old hotel? A fancy restaurant? A moving train? A rich casino with you as the boss, throwing a party for your fellow businessmen-friends? Go the extra mile decorating your house accordingly and setting a dress code for the guests.

COME UP WITH AN INTRIGUING BACKSTORY

When you've set the space up, think the murder through. Who was killed on your Halloween murder mystery party and why? Create a victims’ and the murderer's backstories. Maybe it was a famous singer, a hostess of the hotel, or the owner of an old and spooky 19th-century mansion - be ready to tell your guests little bits of the plot (just enough to get them interested!).

WHO PLAYS WHO

Develop the characters that your guests are going to play in the game. Who is guilty and who is innocent? Who might know something and who is now scared for their own life? Make a card for every character and put in all the information the player will need. What do they know? Who are they scared of or who do they suspect? Mix and hand out the cards - let fate decide everyone’s party role. Let them study their characters for a bit and develop their personalities as the game goes on.

A CHILLING CONCLUSION

Develop the solution for the crime investigation, create evidence and clues that will help your players find the truth. The killers’ task will be to prove their innocence, and others’ goal will be to tell you exactly who killed the victim, how they did it and why. Consider getting a prize to give to the winner of your Halloween murder mystery party game. Use your creativity and make up your own unique story for the most intriguing Halloween murder mystery party ever.