Ideas & tips for Halloween
Why Halloween and a murder mystery go so well together
- You're dressing up anyway – a murder mystery gives the costumes a role and a reason to wear them all night.
- The candlelight, fog and quiet music of Halloween already set the mood, and it suits any mystery genre.
- Instead of just handing out candy, you share one goal: solve the case before midnight.
- The game arrives as a PDF, so it's ready even if the invitations go out just a few days ahead.
Spooky or tongue-in-cheek? Finding the right tone for your group
Not every group wants a truly dark case for Halloween. Check the genre and age rating before you choose: a comedy mystery takes the edge off the night and suits guests who'd rather laugh than shiver, while a historical or atmospheric case rated as tricky brings real chills to the table.
For guests who prefer violence only hinted at, check the content notes on each game's page – they list exactly what that case includes.
How the evening runs
- Two to three weeks before: choose a game and send invitations with each guest's role and a costume hint.
- A week before: hand out the roles so everyone can plan a costume detail.
- On the day: print the booklets, carve the pumpkins, set out the evidence.
- During dinner: one round of play per course – the host sets the pace.
- At the witching hour: everyone names their suspect, then comes the solution.
Costumes and dressing up
Most people dress up for Halloween anyway – use that, and let each guest add one detail to their character instead of buying a full costume: a striking piece of jewellery, an old-fashioned hat or a bloodstain on the collar is often enough.
Decorations and atmosphere
- Carved pumpkins with tea lights instead of the overhead light – once it's dark outside, that's usually all you need.
- Place cards with the characters' names, plus a few cobwebs or dry branches as a centrepiece.
- A sealed envelope marked "the solution", left in plain sight on the table until the final round.
- A fog machine or dim, warm lighting sets the mood without making it too dark to read.
Frequently asked questions
It depends on your group. If you want real chills, go for an atmospheric or historical case rated as tricky; if you'd rather laugh, a comedy mystery is the better fit. Genre and difficulty are listed on every game's page.
Most of our games are written for four to ten players. For a night with just the two of you, look for the game with the lowest player count and invite a few friends or neighbours to fill out the table.
That depends on the game – most are written for four to ten people. The number of players is shown on every game.
Yes. After checkout you get the PDF files straight away as a download and by email. All you need to do is print them.