Christmas Party Games for Adults: A Murder Mystery Night In
A murder mystery fills a whole evening, and it turns dinner into the game.
Why it works for adults
Everyone plays. There’s no audience and nobody sits out a round, because every guest is a suspect with something to hide.
It runs on conversation. The fun is in the questions people ask each other, the alibis that don’t quite fit and the secrets that come out over the main course.
It gives a dinner party a shape. Three rounds line up with three courses, so the evening has a beginning, a middle and a reveal.
What makes a good night
Costumes help guests settle into their characters. Ask everyone to dress the part using what’s already in their wardrobe.
Candlelight and quiet music do more than decorations. Keep the table dim and the glasses full.
Let the cards lead. Guests who’ve never played before only need to read their card and say it in their own words.
Murder at Hollyfield Hall
Snowed in at a country manor on Christmas Eve, a family and their oldest friends gather for dinner, and one of them is a murderer. The game is for 6 to 8 players, takes about three hours with dinner, and prints at home.