Murder Mystery Birthday Party: A Different Kind of Celebration

• Everyone takes part – guests who don't know each other get talking quickly.
• The evening has a clear structure, so you don't need to plan a programme.
• It produces funny moments and photos that people remember.
• It works at any age, from an 18th to an 80th birthday.

Give the person celebrating a role at the centre of the story – the host or the heir, for example. Whether they turn out to be the culprit depends on the game; usually nobody finds out until the reveal.

Planning it as a surprise for someone else? Agree the roles secretly with the other guests and hand the birthday guest their booklet on the night.

A murder mystery also makes a thoughtful present: buy the game, design an invitation and tuck it into a birthday card with a promise to host the evening together. Because the games are PDFs, this works even the day before the birthday.

1. Settle the number of guests and choose a game to match
2. Send the invitations two to three weeks ahead
3. Hand out the roles and announce the dress code
4. Plan the menu – the birthday cake becomes the dessert of the reveal
5. On the day: print, decorate, light the candles