Playing the murderer

This page covers playing the murderer at a murder mystery party: follow these tips to be a great villain!

Note: Unlike some murder mystery party games, in an "interactive" murder mystery, you often know that you're the murderer at the start of the game. Don't panic - follow these tips and you'll be fine.

Is one of these two the murderer?

Don't tell anyone!

Don't tell anyone you're the murderer: First of all, don't admit that you're the murderer to anyone - especially at the start of the game. That will spoil it for you and the other guests.

You're a villain: Also remember that you've committed a murder - you're a villain. You should be unrepentant even when found out - indeed, you should probably cackle with glee instead.

The imperfect murder: Don't expect to have committed the perfect murder. There will be clues that point in your direction. You personally might have chosen a different way to murder your victim, but that's not how your character has done it.

(That's because murder mystery parties are puzzles - and part of the puzzle is solving the murder. It wouldn't be possible to solve a perfect murder, so it wouldn't be much fun for everyone else.)

bLAME SOMEONE ELSE!

Motive-means-opportunity: The way that a murder is normally solved is to determine the motive (why you murdered your victim), means (how you committed the murder) and opportunity (when you did it).

Blame someone else: The best way to deflect suspicion away from yourself is to find someone else to take the blame.

You should be able to find at least one other person with reasons for committing murder, so see if you can get them to take the blame instead of you.

doN'T EXPECT TO GET AWAY WITH IT!

Expect to be found out: Ultimately though, you should expect to be found out. You're the murderer and everyone else is looking for you - you're going to be caught, it's inevitable.

However, if you're good and can deflect enough suspicion away from yourself, nobody will realise that you're the murderer until the solution is read out.

And when your villainy is revealed - revel in it! 

Have fun: Overall, don't forget to have fun.

The murderer you may be, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't have fun in your villainy.