How to Play a Murder Mystery Game: How Each Format Works

In short

To play a murder mystery game, you read the evidence in the box, test theories against it and name the culprit, then check your answer: on the publisher's website for cold case files, in a sealed envelope or answer booklet for table games, or in a final reveal read aloud at a murder mystery party.

Murder mystery game — A game in which players examine invented evidence, such as statements, documents, photos and puzzles, to identify who committed a made-up crime, how and why, then compare their solution with the official one.

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The short version

Every murder mystery game asks the same three questions: who did it, how, and why. What changes from one game to the next is where the evidence comes from and how you find out whether you were right. In some games the evidence is a stack of documents you spread on the kitchen table. In others it is a book of numbered paragraphs you read as you “visit” places. At a murder mystery party, the evidence is what your friends say while they play their characters.

Once you know which of the three families a game belongs to, you know how to play it, how long it will take and how many people you need. This guide walks through each family, then covers what comes in the box, timing, cost and how the solution is checked.

The three families of murder mystery games

1. Cold case files

A cold case file is a box or a thick folder made to look like a police file on an unsolved case. Inside you find witness statements, interview transcripts, maps, phone records, newspaper clippings, photographs and letters. There is no board, no dice and no turns. You read, you cross-check and you build a case.

Unsolved Case Files and Cryptic Killers are the best-known names in this format. Unsolved Case Files breaks each case into three objectives. You start with the first one, find the documents that prove it, and enter them in the publisher’s online answer key. A correct answer tells you which bonus envelope to open next, and the third envelope wraps up the story. Cryptic Killers works the same way in spirit: you read all the evidence, some of which sits online, and submit your answer on the publisher’s website.

Cold case files suit people who like reading closely. They work solo, but most groups find two to four players ideal, so that one person can hold the timeline while another reads statements aloud. For a ranked selection, see our comparison of the best cold case games.

2. Boxed investigation games and episodes

This family covers mystery games built as products to play at a table, often with puzzles, ciphers and a story that unfolds in steps. Some come as single boxes you finish in one evening. Others arrive as episodes, one box at a time, as with the Hunt A Killer subscription, which started shipping monthly boxes in October 2016 and treats each box as an episode of a continuing story.

The classic of the genre is Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective. You read the opening of a case, then choose where to go in Victorian London using a directory and a map. Each location is a numbered paragraph in the case book. When you think you know the answer, you answer the questions at the back and compare your result with Holmes, who always solves it with fewer visits. The game won the 1985 Spiel des Jahres in its German edition.

Older family games such as Clue (Cluedo outside North America) sit at the light end of this family: the answer is three cards hidden in an envelope, and you deduce them by elimination as other players show you cards. If you want the modern equivalents for adults, our list of the best murder mystery board games compares them on player count, time and difficulty.

3. Murder mystery party games

A murder mystery party is a game you host, not a box you solve. Each guest receives a character, a costume suggestion and secret information. Over the evening, rounds of conversation reveal clues, guests question each other, and at the end everyone names a culprit before the solution is read aloud.

The format has a long history in the US. Decipher published How to Host a Murder, a boxed party series, starting with The Watersdown Affair in 1985. Today, kits range from printable sets to boxed games with character booklets, name tags and audio. Because each guest plays a suspect, these games need a minimum cast, usually six to eight people, and someone has to host. Our guide on how to host a murder mystery party covers that side in detail.

If you are unsure which one you want, we compare them directly in murder mystery game vs murder mystery party.

How a game plays out, step by step

Formats differ, but a typical session of a cold case file or a boxed investigation game follows the same arc.

Read the brief. The box or the first envelope tells you what happened and what you must prove. In Unsolved Case Files, the first objective is printed on a sticker inside the front cover.
Sort the evidence. Spread everything out and group it by type: statements, records, maps, photos, letters. Many groups make piles by suspect.
Build a timeline. Put every timed event in order. Contradictions between statements usually appear here first.
Test a theory. Pick a suspect and check whether they had the opportunity, a reason and the means described by the evidence. Drop theories the documents rule out.
Check your answer. Submit it the way the game asks, then open the next envelope or move to the next objective.
Read the wrap-up. Good games end with a document that explains the full solution, so you can see which clue you missed.

Party games replace steps two to four with conversation: you gather information by questioning the other guests in character, and the host releases new clues between rounds.

For a detailed method that keeps the ending a surprise, read how to solve a murder mystery.

What comes in the box

The contents tell you a lot about the experience before you open the shrink wrap.

Cold case files: paper evidence above all. Expect dozens of documents, sometimes an online component such as an email inbox or a social media page to search, and sealed envelopes you are not allowed to open yet.
Boxed investigation games: a mix of documents and puzzle objects such as cipher wheels, keys, folded letters or maps, plus a rulebook and, for the classic case-book games, a directory and a newspaper.
Party kits: an invitation template, a host guide with the script for each round, one booklet per character, name tags and the solution. Some kits add audio files, menus and decoration ideas.

Whatever the format, check the box for three things before buying: the player range, the recommended age, and whether you need a phone or laptop during play. Many recent games put part of the evidence or the answer key online.

How long does a game take?

Playing time depends on the format more than on the title.

Short boxed games: around an hour. When Hunt A Killer brought its first boxed game to US retail in 2020, the publisher announced 45 to 60 minutes of play for one to five players aged 14 and up.
Full cold case files: two to four hours is common, often split over two evenings. Cryptic Killers estimates 2 to 3.5 hours per case.
Case-book games: one to two hours per case, and a box usually holds several cases.
Party games: a whole evening, often three hours including food and the final reveal.

If you play with a mixed group, pick a game rated one difficulty notch below what your strongest player wants. A long case that stalls on one document loses the table quickly.

How much does a murder mystery game cost?

Prices change often, so we do not list them, but a few patterns hold. A single cold case file or boxed one-evening game usually costs about the same as a standard family board game. Subscriptions spread the cost over several months, which adds up for a long season. Party kits vary most, from printable files to large boxed sets for big groups. Replay value is low for all three families: once you know the culprit, the case is over. Many players pass finished boxes on to friends, so check that a game has no single-use components if you want to do the same.

How you check your solution

This is where formats differ most, and it shapes the experience.

Online answer keys. Unsolved Case Files asks you to enter the documents that prove your answer, not just a name, so you cannot guess your way through. Its hint button only appears after a wrong answer, which keeps the help out of sight until you need it. Cryptic Killers runs a hints and answers page that goes from subtle hints to the full answer, so you can always finish the case.
Sealed envelopes and answer booklets. Many boxed games print the solution in a sealed envelope or a separate booklet. Keep it away from the play area so nobody opens it by accident.
Score against the detective. Case-book games such as Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective let you compare how many leads you followed with how many Holmes needed.
The final reveal. At a party, the host reads the solution aloud after each guest names a culprit, and some kits ask the culprit to confess in character.

Choosing your first game

Start from the people you will play with. Two players who like reading closely will enjoy a cold case file. A group of four that wants puzzles and a story should look at boxed investigation games. Eight friends who want to dress up and laugh should host a party. If you are buying a mystery box from a series, our guide on how to choose a murder mystery box explains how to compare length, difficulty and online requirements before you order. The Murder Mystery Games hub gathers every guide and comparison on the subject.

Key facts

Unsolved Case Files splits each case into three objectives; the online answer key checks the documents you submit and unlocks bonus envelopes A, B and C, and its hint button appears only after a wrong answer.Unsolved Case Files, How to Play, 2026
Cryptic Killers estimates 2 to 3.5 hours per case file, rates its cases from 3/5 to 5/5 in difficulty, and has players submit their answer on its website.Cryptic Killers, official site FAQ and How to Play, 2026
Hunt A Killer shipped its first monthly subscription boxes in October 2016, each box being one episode of an ongoing story, and had more than 45,000 subscribers by late 2018.Baltimore Magazine, 2018
Hunt A Killer's first boxed game for US retail was announced for one to five players aged 14 and up, with about 45 to 60 minutes of play.ICv2, 2020
Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective, a deduction game for 1 to 6 players played with a case book, a London directory, a map and a newspaper, won the 1985 Spiel des Jahres and sold over 500,000 copies.Wikipedia, Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective (gamebook), 2026

FAQ

How do you play a murder mystery game at home?

Open the box, read the instructions and the first objective, then go through every document, photo and puzzle. Write down suspects, times and places, build a theory, and check it the way the game asks: on the publisher's website, with a sealed envelope or answer booklet, or through a final reveal.

How many people do you need for a murder mystery game?

Cold case files and boxed investigation games work with one player and are usually best with two to four around a table. Murder mystery party kits need a set cast, often six to eight guests or more, because every guest plays a suspect.

How long does a murder mystery game take?

Short boxed games take about an hour; Hunt A Killer announced 45 to 60 minutes for its first retail box. Full cold case files often take two to four hours, and Cryptic Killers estimates 2 to 3.5 hours per case. A murder mystery party usually fills an evening.

Can you play a murder mystery game alone?

Yes. Cold case files and most boxed investigation games can be solved solo, since the evidence does not depend on other players. Party games cannot: they rely on guests playing characters and questioning each other.