Totally Killer Murder Mystery Party Ideas and Invitations
Want to gather your friends for a fun evening of sleuthing, but aren’t sure where to start? Don’t let a lack of inspiration deal a death blow to your murder mystery party before it’s begun. Say goodbye to your blank brainstorming doc and say hello to all the best murder mystery ideas you need to get your soiree off the ground.
These ideas work well for a birthday party, an office holiday party, a New Year’s party, a Halloween party, or just because. Get ready to impress your party guests with a night of themed role playing and laughter!
How to Host a Murder Mystery Party
There are lots of different murder mystery party ideas depending on your desired venue and vibe. Try one of these ideas for a fun-filled and intriguing murder mystery game.
1. Buy a Murder Mystery Kit
Mystery party kits are perfect for beginners and whodunnit fanatics alike. A good kit contains everything you need for a flawless night of mystery — evidence, audio files, character cards to explain everyone’s background, a script for the host, a timeline for the night, and any other necessary game materials.
2. Go to a Murder Mystery Themed Escape Room
Escape rooms are a lot of fun for a group, and even better for the host. You’ll have a venue, a game already set up, and an interactive set. All you have to do is book the room. Everyone gets a heart-pounding conclusion, and you get time to relax.
3. Book a Virtual Murder Mystery Party
A virtual party is perfect for long-distance groups or remote teamwork events. Virtual event companies do murder mystery parties for you — they host the Zoom room, create the vibe with a background and music, explain the game, and set you up to gather clues and interrogate one another.
You can also find virtual murder mystery party kits so that you can DIY it.
4. Use a Murder Mystery Board Game
Grab a murder mystery board game and host a game night. Two Rooms and a Boom is a heart-pounding team game with 70 characters to choose from, so the game is different every time.
You could also try Mysterium, which is described by one reviewer as “Clue on steroids” and features beautiful art on the cards. Deception: Murder in Hong Kong works for 4-12 players and has stellar reviews.
5. DIY Your Own Murder Mystery Party Game
If you’ve been around the murder mystery block and feel confident you can do it yourself, put together your own game. Develop characters, write a storyline, and pick a murderer no one will see coming. Invite friends over to test out your game!
6. Have a Dinner Party Murder Mystery
You can combine any of these ideas with a meal to create a dinner party murder mystery night. Then, you can eat before the game as you explain the rules or after the game as a reward. Or you can eat during the game if that works with the gameplay.
Seat your guests strategically so they can speak with the right people to gather clues and solve the mystery.
9 Theme Ideas for a Murder Mystery Party
The best murder mystery party ideas have a central storyline that informs the script, characters, party decor, and more. These themed party ideas give everyone a chance to lean into the night with costumes, accents, and characters.
1. Wild West
When you think Wild West, you think shootouts, vigilantes, roving gangs, and robberies, all perfect fodder for a murder mystery dinner game. Costumes will be clear — cowboy hats, chaps, vests, voluminous dresses, and ruffles. Let the Southern accents fly!
2. Masquerade
Masks are the perfect accessory for a secretive party game that’s all about hidden motives and duplicitousness. Guests can bring a bejeweled mask, or you can indicate on the invitation that you’ll provide one.
A masquerade party can easily incorporate other themes, like the Regency era, black tie, a night at the opera, or Halloween.
3. Great Gatsby
Jump back to the roaring ‘20s with a Gatsby themed murder mystery. Guests can wear flapper dresses, sequin feathered headbands, pinstripes, and fedoras. Let the champagne and martinis flow!
4. Luau
Give your guests a taste of island life with a luau gone wrong — find the murderer amidst the leis and the delicious BBQ! This is a yummy theme for a murder mystery dinner party. Guests can wear their beachy best at this sunshine-ified party.
5. Wizarding World
When the characters of your murder mystery game have magic on their side, the gameplay becomes even more fun. Encourage robes, hats, and shimmering fabrics for costumes and provide wands as party favors.
6. Halloween
Have a spook-tacular evening with a Halloween-themed party. Set up the space as a haunted house and have characters like a werewolf, zombie, Frankenstein, witch, skeleton, and a black cat.
For an extra creepy vibe, set up a black light and fog machine during the game, and play haunting music in the background.
7. Christmas
Host a Christmas murder mystery to find out who murdered Santa Claus. Costumes will be easy with greens, reds, and Christmas sweaters. Decor is a snap if you’ve already decorated your house for Christmas, and food can be all things gingerbread, peppermint, and cozy.
8. Circus
The host of the night is a ringmaster, and the guests will be the circus performers! Have guests play characters like lion tamers, acrobats, elephant trainers, musicians, trapeze artists, and food vendors. Serve plenty of popcorn and decorate your venue in red and white stripes!
9. Wedding
Who murdered the groom?! Set up a mock wedding and have characters like the officiant, the bride, the in-laws, the caterers, the florist, the bridal party, and the photographer.
The guests will have so much fun trying to solve this one. You can even use a real wedding invitation for the party (updated with fun murder-y text) to set the stage.
Murder Mystery Invitations
Once you’ve found a murder mystery party idea you love, the next item on your party planning checklist is the invites. Luckily, that’s our whole thing here at Greenvelope. Pick one of these digital invitations and customize it with your own text and color scheme to match your chosen murder mystery party idea!
You can easily track your RSVPs, communicate with guests on our platform, and send auto-reminders as the party date approaches.
Murder Mystery Invitation
Design: Jen Montgomery
This eerie invitation looks like a trendy mystery novel with the neon yellow font and the simple typeface. The black sparkly envelope liner adds to the intrigue. It works for a number of themes so you can make the night your own!
Secret Agent Invitation
Design: Signature Greenvelope
Make sure to have your martinis shaken, not stirred if you use this James Bond themed invitation. The text uses language of a mission at a set date and location to create a secret agent mystery theme. We love the detail of “dress to kill,” too!
Mystery Escape Room Invitation
Design: Becky Nimoy Stationery
Plan a fun team-building day or birthday party outing with this escape room murder mystery invitation. We’re obsessed with the magnifying glass detail surrounded by file folders, keys, pocket watches, pipes, and boarding passes.
All Aboard Invitation
Design: Signature Greenvelope
Anchors away — there’s been a murder at sea! Customize this nautical invitation with your party details to make it a seafaring themed murder mystery. The ship on the invitation will read as imposing and spooky when paired with text about being trapped on the ship with a killer!
Case Closed
Now that you have inspiration for your theme, your event format, and your invitations, it’s time to get this party off the ground! Lean into whichever murder mystery party idea you love the most and have fun preparing your guest list, menu, decorations, and costume accordingly.
If you need help with hosting, we’re dying to assist — we have tons of party planning guides on our Stationers blog.
