Most people, when they receive an invitation to a murder mystery game will be playing a character, thereby helping to advance the plot. But if youve never attended a murder mystery game party before, the idea of playing a part can seem daunting. Will I have to act? What if I mess up will I ruin the game? Here are some ideas of what to expect when attending a murder mystery game party.

1)      Get into character

If you are playing a character, you should receive information about your character before the murder mystery game party. A great way to get into character is to dress the part. Sometimes, the murder mystery game character description will give you prop ideas, but how much effort you put into your props and costume is up to you. In Murder on the Mound, for example, most of the characters are ball players. Therefore, you can attend dressed in a baseball uniform and carry a baseball glove. In Nightmare in the Newsroom however, costumes are not necessary, as the characters are attending a celebration party.

2)      Ask your host how the game is formatted

Murder mystery games are available in different formats. Some are fully interactive, meaning it is your responsibility to interrogate the other characters while mingling. Other games give hints for questions you should ask while interrogating. There are also murder mystery games that are turn-based (usually played at a dinner party) in which each player gets a chance to present their information to the group when its their turn. There are further murder mystery games which have a group of characters, usually 6-8 people, who are suspects (also known as a cast), from which the guests can accuse of being the killer. Knowing the format of the game you will play will give you an idea of what to expect.

3)      Follow the instructions

This seems like an easy tip, but it is the most frequently overlooked part of a murder mystery game. Most murder mystery games are based around clues, which are arranged in a specific order. These clues are either going to be secret (Shot In The Dark Mystery Games calls them Hide clues) or a clue with information you must tell everyone (we call them Share clues). Ensure before you reveal any information you check whether or not it is a Share or a Hide clue. Also, some clues may have instructions, such as the Shot In The Dark Mysteries' Super Secrets clues, which may instruct you to share your information with one or two other players. If you follow the instructions, you can be sure not to reveal anything that should be kept secret.

4)      Keep track of the information you receive

Shot In The Dark Mysteries recommends that hosts provide paper on which their guests can keep track of clues. Ask your host if they will be providing paper and pens. If not, take along a little notepad and write down the information you discover throughout the game. This will make it easier to cast your accusation based on the information youve gathered.

5)      Have fun!

Playing a murder mystery game is nothing if not fun; even those who have never played a game before and are nervous going in rave about what a great evening theyve had. Its important to remember that the object is to have fun, and that everything will be revealed to you in due process. So relax and enjoy yourself!

Mystery Maiden writes and facilitates murder mystery, general mystery, forensics and custom mystery games for Shot In The Dark Mysteries. For more party host tips, quizzes and more, visit Shot In The Dark Mysteries. The Mystery Maiden can also be reached via email at mysterymaiden@shotinthedarkmysteries.com.