Top five murder mystery party kits for newbies

By Steve Hatherley

It can be difficult to choose a murder mystery kit if you're new to hosting murder mystery parties. So this is my top five kits suitable for newbie hosts.

All of these kits are for a relatively small number of guests. That's because it's easier to host a smaller game than a large one. Top tip for newbies: start small!

Best newbie-friendly murder mystery kit if you want to play a character and host

Reunion with Death is a high-school murder mystery kit for 6 to 9 players - and the host can play as well!

It's ideal if you haven't hosted an interactive murder mystery party before, because it is simpler than other games. (And being simpler, it's more suitable for a new host.)

And you don't have to play a character if you don't want to - you can just host Reunion with Death.

Click here to learn more about Reunion with Death.

quickest to play murder mystery party kit

The Show Must Go On is an English amataeur dramatics themed murder mystery kit for 9-13 guests, plus a host.

Unlike most kits, which take 3-4 hours to fully play, The Show Must Go On has been written so that you can host it in an hour!

This means its simpler than a lot of other games - and therefore ideal for new hosts!

Click here to learn more about The Show Must Go On.

Most agatha christie murder mystery kit

A Will to Murder is a 1930s murder mystery party kit with a very English setting. It is for 6-9 guests (plus a host), and has a very English-Agatha Christie feel about it.

It's one of Freeform Games' most popular games - and ideal for new hosts.

Click here to learn more about A Will to Murder.

Best murder mystery kit where the victim dies during the game

The Final Curtain is a freeform 1920s murder mystery party game for 7 to 20 guests - plus the host (who plays Jay Fitzharing, not a full character).

The Final Curtain is another theatrical murder mystery, but in this one the victim is murdered during the game. (Don't worry, that player return as another character.) 

Click here to learn more about The Final Curtain.

Cheapest murder mystery kit for newbies

Want to dip your toe into the wonderful world of murder mystery parties but don't want to spend too much? You're in luck as Freeform Games have a free version of their popular Way out West murder mystery game.

The free version of Way out West is exactly the same as if you buy the full version, but it is only for 10 players (rather than up to 24, which is how many people the full version caters for).

Click here to learn more about the free version of Way out West.

I’m Steve Hatherley, an experienced designer of interactive murder mystery games, creating and hosting them since the 1990s. I co-founded Freeform Games and Great Murder Mystery Games to bring this distinctive, character-driven style of game to a wider audience. My work—including Death on the Gambia, Hollywood Lies, and
—has been enjoyed by thousands of players worldwide. I’ve also written a book sharing my approach to creating immersive, freeform mystery experiences.