Featured Murder Mystery Party: Experiences of a First-Time Host
Running a murder mystery side hustle, we never know what fun emails we will get in our inbox each day. Such was the case when brand new Foulplayer, Chandler, reached out asking if we had any extra characters for Murder at Menlo Park. As the conversation continued, we came to find out that Chandler had some pretty amazing ideas for his first murder mystery game! After hearing his creative plans, we asked if he would be willing to submit his party to the blog, and luckily for us and our readers, he said yes! From a custom Wordle to handmade evidence, he went all in! Read on for Chandler’s story on how he hosted a murder mystery party for the first time after finding us on TikTok, with a ton of creative touches!
Why did you decide to host a murder mystery party? Was it your first time? Why did you decide to use Foulplay Games?
In all honesty, this was an ADHD love project. I was scrolling on Tiktok one day and saw Foulplay Games. I watched a few Tiktoks, learned it was a woman created, owned, and operated company and wanted to support that kind of buisness! It's always been a thought in the back of my mind to host this kind of party–a regular dinner party just seems too drab ya' know?
How did the game go overall?
The game went GREAT– we even caught the killer! Everyone had a great time and asked when the next one will be. We decided to host two parties a year and cannot wait for the next one!
On a side note, if you are on the fence about hosting a Murder Mystery Party, do it! And do it with Foulplay. Their breakdown of the game for the host is phenomenal. It’s very easy to read and follow. I have a lot of anxiety around planning and prep–it can be super overwhelming for me. Foulplay’s format and delivery makes it SO easy to plan that I felt I could handle it the entire time! As a member of the LGBTQ community, I also greatly appreciate their inclusive language. Maddy was also very warm when we emailed and answered all of my questions. I know my next Murder Mystery party will be with Foulplay!
We strive to make all of our murder mystery games easy to host, fun to solve, and inclusive for everyone, so feedback like this ensures us that we are on the right track! We were also very impressed with Chandler’s group with sleuthing and set up. We have heard Murder at Menlo Park is one of our more challenging games to solve, but this was a group of pros!
Were there any extra touches you added or fun memories or stories to share?
Yes several!
I created custom files for everything (evidence, character secrets, etc.). I also made my own themed name badges, which you can see in my photos. I wanted to make everything cohesive and made a simple name badge with the same design on the front of each of the folders. My goal was to make the party feel as immersive as possible for guests. I did all the pre-game host announcements on an individual level as guests arrived to the party while I was outside in character and costume! This helped everyone get into character and I was available to answer any questions about game play/storyline/characters. A lot of people loved entering the party "in-character" and it made for a very smooth start of the game. I also spoke with the Sheriff before the party and let him know exactly what to do after the death occurs. This made the transition seamless and created quite a funny moment with the Sheriff taking the body into the bathroom!
We had a potluck for our party food. During RSVP, I gave guests the opportunity to decide if they wanted to bring a dish to pass and asked them what type (entree, side, snack, etc.) When I emailed them their character assignment, I asked for the dish they were bringing. I created a menu and sent it out alongside an email with an invitation from Dr. Ari Jacobson.
For the safe, I had a friend who couldn’t make it to the party set up a custom app and I used that link to generate a QR code for the safe. The QR was placed on the file containing the safe information and gave guests a fun way to complete the puzzle. It made for a pretty intense moment when everyone was trying to get into the safe and had only one guess!
This isn’t a touch I added, but my guests did and it was great! We had more people than parts, so I emailed Maddy and she gave me an investigator role. All of the people that were Investigator Brown collectively acted like one being. It was funny and kinda creepy at the same time.
We were blown away by Chandler’s custom additions and the detail that went into this party ! This murder mystery game includes a safe that is unlocked with a secret clue but we were never able to figure out how to set it up. This is just one clever way our community has figured out how to solve this issue so the host can guess, too!
Any suggestions, recommendations, or tips for folks wanting to host their own murder mystery game?
Keep an idea journal on you at all times. If you ever get an idea, you'll want to note it. I found the best ideas I had for the party–like the lantern decorations–were spontaneous and came to me when I wasn't actively working on the party.
Give yourself enough time to decorate, and create decorations if you want to do that. I’m very grateful I took about a month to fully make all of the materials. I feel I dedicated a little bit more time getting a few “finishing touches” in, but am so glad I took the time I did because I loved how the decorations turned out!
Just have fun! There were moments when I was stressing out, and I had to remind myself to take a breath and a step back. You’re planning a party! Have fun and remember it doesn't need to, and likely won’t, be perfect.
Have a non-player you can talk to. It’s exciting to plan the party, but it’s best to keep all your details a secret for a great *gasp* moment when your guests arrive at the party.
A good reminder from Chandler, it is a party! Folks will enjoy themselves because you are bringing them together to do something fun, and since they are not seeing the sausage get made, it will all feel magical to them! Thank you, Chandler, for sharing your wonderful murder mystery party with our Foulplay community!
