How to Organize Your Murder Mystery Party
Imagine this: you’ve been wanting to play a murder mystery party game with your friends, and the time has finally come! You’ve chosen your game, assembled your team of suspects, and picked out the perfect outfit for the evening. But as things get closer, you are worried: “How can I possibly turn your Foulplay Games’ digital game files into a game that is engaging, runs smoothly, and becomes a memorable night my friends talk about for weeks?”
Good news! You don’t need elaborate props, acting experience, or weeks of preparation to have an unforgettable night hosting a murder mystery party! Just a little organization before the game lets you spend the party playing instead of having no clue what the next steps are!
Below are some tips and tricks to take your Foulplay game from the download page and turn it into the perfect game night!
What comes with a Foulplay murder mystery game?
Foulplay makes everything as easy as possible. After purchasing, you will receive digital downloads of everything you need, including a personalized host guide customized to each game and party size.
Every game includes:
A Host Guide
Character Profiles, Character List, and Name Tags
Goals & Objectives
Play Money, Item Cards, and Foulplay Cards
Evidence Packet, Solution, and Whodunnit Forms
Guest Voted Awards
A themed Pinterest board and Spotify playlist
Instructions for hosting your game online
What should I do first?
Before printing anything, take a few minutes to read through the game Host Guide. Every mystery follows a slightly different timeline, and your guide explains exactly when clues are introduced, when the murder occurs, and when evidence should be distributed.
Next, you will assign your characters.
Tip: Creating a form with Google, Discord, or another digital form can streamline how you can match friends to a suspect to play. Send the character list to your guests and ask each player to give you their top three characters they’re interested in playing. This is also the perfect place to do a quick consent check with players and confirm any triggers, featured topics or themes that make them uneasy, or to see if they are uncomfortable playing the victim or murderer.
Once everyone has a role, send each player their Character Profile at least three days in advance of your game so they can start getting into character before game night!
How should I print my game materials?
One of the biggest questions first-time hosts ask before in-person games is whether everything needs to be printed in color on a specific type of paper.
The answer? Not at all!
Most materials print perfectly on standard printer paper, and black-and-white copies work just as well if you're looking to save ink. Foulplay Games formats all of our games to standard 8.5” x 11” paper, and all of our graphics are designed to be printed in black and white so you don’t have to worry about discoloration if you cannot print in color!
For the nicest presentation:
Print Character Profiles and Goals on standard printer paper.
Use cardstock for Name Tags, Item Cards, and Play Money if you want something a little sturdier. Tip: Use double-sided fashion tape to secure name tags with no holes and no mess!
Some pieces of the game can be printed double-sided to reduce paper.
Keep a printed copy of a Host Guide or have it open on a laptop or tablet during the game.
Most importantly, avoid printing your Evidence Packet until you've separated it from the rest of the materials--you don't want anyone accidentally spoiling the mystery!
How do I organize character packets and clues?
The easiest way to stay organized is to think like a game master:
Create one packet for each player containing:
Character Profile
Name Tag
Character List (with the name of which person is playing each character, if you can!)
Paperclip or place each packet into its own folder so you can hand everything out in seconds.
Then, create another packet for each player containing:
Goals & Objectives
Play money
Additional Item Cards (if any)
Now organize the remaining materials into separate envelopes or folders to bring out later:
The Evidence Documents
The Evidence Presentation
Foulplay Cards
Awards
Whodunnit Forms
Keeping everything separated ahead of time means you can focus on running the story instead of digging through stacks of paper looking for the next clue.
Suggested preparation timeline:
At least one week before
Invite your players.
Assign characters.
Read through the Host Guide.
Send Character Profiles.
Two to three days before
Print all game materials.
Assemble individual player packets.
Place the evidence documents in an envelope. Set aside the Solution or print it later if you don’t want to know whodunnit!
Prepare Whodunnit cards and awards for after the game
The day before
Double-check each packet.
Gather pens, paper clips, and any decorations.
Queue your Spotify playlist.
One hour before guests arrive
Set up your host station.
Lay out character packets, with your secondary packets on standby.
Keep your Host Guide nearby.
Get ready for an amazing night!
How should I set up on game day?
If you're hosting in person, creating a host station is the easiest way to keep the evening running smoothly. Think of it as mission control for your mystery! This allows you to have everything on hand and prepared for when it will be used:
Lay out or paperclip name tags on top of extra copies of player sheets.
Make sure you have a copy of your host guide and run of show handy.
Prep Goals & Objectives packets to be ready for handout once the murder happens.
For the end of the party, have the whodunnit forms and extra pens ready!
Want some decoration inspo? Check out these creative living room transformations!
If you're hosting online, much of this preparation can happen digitally.
Create scheduled emails or Discord messages for important story moments, and consider setting up private channels for individual characters and rooms to host private conversations. Preparing everything in advance lets you focus on storytelling instead of scrambling to upload files during the game!
Hosting on Twitch? Check out our in-depth Twitch hosting guide!
Common first-time host mistakes:
Don't worry, almost every new host has the same concerns! Here are the most common mistakes we see and how to avoid them!
Waiting until the last minute to print:
Give yourself at least a day or two before the party. Printers have a funny habit of running out of ink at the worst possible time.
Mixing up player packets:
Label each packet as soon as it's assembled so nothing gets switched around.
Accidentally revealing evidence:
Keep evidence and the solution in a separate folder or envelope until the Host Guide tells you it's time.
Forgetting extra supplies:
Have spare pens, paper clips, and blank paper nearby. You will almost always use them!
Trying to memorize the game:
You don't need to! That's exactly why every game comes with a personalized Host Guide.
The biggest and most important thing to remember!
At the end of the day, your guests won't remember whether your name tags were printed on cardstock or whether every clue was handed out at the exact right moment. They'll remember the dramatic accusations, unexpected plot twists, and laughing until their sides hurt as everyone tried to solve the mystery, successfully or not!
Lean into the surprises, encourage your guests to embrace their characters, and remember that some of the funniest moments happen when things don't go exactly as planned!
Whether you're planning a cozy game night with close friends or an unforgettable themed party, a little preparation goes a long way.
Ready to host your first murder mystery? Shop all our murder mystery party themes.
Still need some inspiration? Read about how some of our featured first-time hosts made their first party a success!
