Plan a Virtual Murder Mystery Party this Halloween

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Halloween may be a little different this year, but it can still be fun and scary. If you want to host a fun, original Halloween celebration, consider making it a virtual murder mystery party (note: this theme is ideal for teens and adults, unless you want to tone down the "story" for kids to make it less scary). A mystery party of any kind requires more advance planning, but it’s well worth it and it’s something your guests will talk about for years to come!

Here are some tips to get you started:

  • Storyline: For this party, you’ll have to create a story first. Think about if you want to base the story on a scary TV show or horror film, a specific time period like the Roaring Twenties, or a favorite book. Then come up with a character list and solution to a murder mystery. Think of any great whodunit book or movie to give you inspiration. 

  • Guest List: Given the complexity involved to organize a murder mystery party, it is advised to keep the guest list on the smaller side. The ideal size for this type of event is 6-10 gusts who will each play a role in the mystery as “suspects.” Any more than that and the story may get too hard to follow. 

  • Invitations: Send out free Halloween invitations with details such as the day and time of the party along with a link to the video chat platform you plan to use. You can also send a personal message to each guest with their invitation to give them a detailed description of the character they will play. All of the guests will be suspects of the murder of John or Jane Doe (a fictional character) and everyone will use clues to try and solve the crime. If you want to customize your invite, create your own unique Halloween design with our invitation maker layouts where you can upload your own photo or design.
  • Costumes, Décor, & Drinks: In your invitation, also mention that guests should plan to dress up in character and encourage them to decorate their room to reflect the story theme and the character they’re playing. To really get into the spirit, share a recipe in your invitation for a spooky-themed cocktail that goes along with your storyline so everyone can partake!
 
  • Game: As the host, make sure to set aside some time for any technical difficulties at the start of the party. Once everyone’s ready, review the game instructions together. The mystery should be divided into rounds. During each round, guests will receive different clues that will unfold the mystery. Each guest can receive his or her clue through text message or a private chat feature on the video platform. Each clue will contain one clue to reveal and one to conceal. The clue to reveal is the one people are allowed to tell the other guests. The clue to conceal should not be shared with others. Guests can use phone calls, text messages, or a private online chat to exchange information and work together to come up with a solution.
 
  • Solution: After a couple of rounds, it will be time to ask everyone who they think committed the murder! Have a Top Secret envelope prepared with the solution to the murder mystery and after everyone has made their guesses, open the envelope to reveal the murderer!
 
Spend the rest of the party talking about why people chose who they did and enjoy the costumes, cocktails, and good company! 

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