Murder at the Holly Jolly Holiday Party

The office holiday party. A boss with a big announcement. A fruitcake nobody has ever eaten.

Grown-ups, PG-13About 80 minutesHoliday season20 to 50 guests

Allow about 90 minutes with a full table.

The story

The CEO of Snowglobe Inc. was going to announce the bonuses at eight. At 7:50 he was found face-down in the eggnog. A big, silly office-party murder mystery for 20 to 50 guests in five departments, with Secret Santa, karaoke, ugly sweaters and a fruitcake older than the copier.

Funny and a little wicked, no gore. Fine for teens. Nothing graphic, plenty of bad behavior.

The suspects

At a big party all ten are played. Each guest gets a secret, an alibi and a costume idea. One of them gets a lot more than that.

Biff BannermanTop salesman, eleven years runningWear: A Santa hat with a bell, a loud tie, a big smile.
Brooke DanforthVP of MarketingWear: A green ugly sweater with jingle bells, sunglasses on your head, your phone always in your hand.
Doris PlumtreeOffice manager, keeper of the fridgeWear: A cardigan with a brooch, a name tag, a roll of masking tape and a marker.
Gail HugginsDirector of People and FunWear: A green ugly sweater covered in jingle bells, a lanyard full of keys, a clipboard.
Marjorie PinchleyThe controllerWear: A cardigan over an ugly sweater, reading glasses on a chain, a calculator.
Ned PixleyThe IT department, all of itWear: A sweater with blinking lights, a lanyard, a tangle of cables over one shoulder.
Skyler VanceSocial media internWear: A beanie, big earrings, a ring light or a flashlight held up to your face.
Stanley BloomJunior accountantWear: A tie that is too short, a pocket calculator, a paper plate of cheese cubes.
Tammy RourkeQueen of the cold callWear: A headset, a blazer over an ugly sweater, a phone in each hand.
Wes ThornburyThe help deskWear: A polo shirt, a headset, a sticky note on your forehead.

Witnesses, for parties of 11 to 40

A witness saw something and cannot be the guilty one. Each gets a costume idea and a secret, and votes at the end.

Bao TranSecurity cameras (all three)Wear: A black T-shirt, a lanyard, a flashlight.
Bev OkaforBenefits coordinatorWear: A cardigan, a big ring of keys, hand sanitizer on a string.
Brenda StubbsSales assistantWear: A Santa hat, a pen behind each ear, a stack of paper.
Chip MorrowSales (mostly golf)Wear: A golf visor, a polo shirt over a sweater, a putter or an umbrella.
Clyde BixbyThe auditor nobody invitedWear: A plain gray suit, a calculator, a red pen.
Dale HoskinsHead of ShippingWear: A work vest, a roll of tape on your wrist, a pencil behind your ear.
Dexter VogelNetwork guyWear: A cardigan, a headset, a Wi-Fi password written on your hand.
Felix DunleavyInside Snowy the SnowmanWear: A white hoodie, a scarf, an orange paper carrot taped to your nose.
Gladys WimberlyThe switchboardWear: A headset, a cardigan, a cup of tea.
Gordo LattimerThe party videographerWear: A cap on backwards, a vest with lots of pockets, a phone held sideways.
Hank OstrowskiThe copier repairmanWear: A work shirt, a screwdriver, a paper party hat.
Herb DinklerPayroll clerkWear: A sweater vest, a pocket protector, a pencil.
Imelda RookThe office first-aiderWear: A red cross on your sleeve (tape will do), a fanny pack, a whistle.
Jazmyn CorlissGraphic designerWear: Paint on your sleeves, a beret, an ugly sweater you decorated yourself.
Kendra VailEvents, and the ice sculptureWear: A headset, a sparkly scarf, a clipboard.
Lacey DuquetteReply-all championWear: A sparkly top, a Santa hat, your phone in a glittery case.
Lionel PeeblesSafety officerWear: A hard hat, a bright vest, a clipboard.
Lorraine FiggExpense reportsWear: A cardigan, a green visor, a fistful of receipts.
Lyle GrummondCompliance trainerWear: A tie, a laptop under your arm, a sticker that says I DID MY TRAINING.
Margo LimDatabase adminWear: A hoodie, headphones around your neck, a mug of tea.
Mitzi FairbanksChair of the Fun CommitteeWear: A Santa hat, a whistle, a clipboard.
Monty PickensRegional sales, drove six hoursWear: A puffy vest, a cowboy hat, a box of chocolates you are not sharing.
Patsy GormanReceivables, and the pizza fundWear: A holiday sweater, a fanny pack, a jar with PIZZA FUND written on it.
Priya NairMarket researchWear: A cardigan, a clipboard of surveys, a pen behind your ear.
Rosalind PrattRecruiterWear: A blazer, a name tag, a very big smile.
Ruthie GalloTonight's karaoke DJWear: Headphones, a Santa hat, a hairbrush to use as a microphone.
Tucker AlbrightCopywriterWear: A beanie, black glasses, a scarf worn indoors.
Vernon SpragueTax season survivorWear: A green visor, rubber bands on your sleeves, a pencil.
Wanda KettlemanAccounts payable since 1979Wear: A cardigan, big glasses, a coffee mug.
Zeke HollowayIT internWear: A hoodie, a backpack, a lanyard that says INTERN.

The teams

Everyone at the party joins one of five teams, detectives too. Each round, every team gets its own team file: extra notes that only its members see. At the reveal, the team that named the culprit most often is crowned the sharpest team.

  • AccountingThey count the beans. They also count how many cookies you took.
  • MarketingNine words for "sparkly," and a photo of every one of them.
  • HRHere to help. Also here to write that down.
  • ITHave you tried turning the party off and on again?
  • SalesLoud, happy, on their fourth eggnog, and closing a deal right now.
$69.99

for the whole party, not per guest

  • 20 to 50 guests, in five teams
  • Played on phones. Nothing to print, no app
  • Still works if a guest cancels
  • About 90 minutes. You play too
  • Refund if your party has not started

Or give a mystery party as a gift

See a sample character

Felix DunleavyInside Snowy the Snowman
Say this to introduce yourself

“Hi! I'm Snowy! Well, I'm Felix, inside Snowy. Please don't tell the children. There are no children here. Still.”

Costume idea

A white hoodie, a scarf, an orange paper carrot taped to your nose.

About you

You wear the company mascot suit at every event. You can't see much through the eyeholes, and you can't hear much over your own breathing, but you hug everyone.

Your secret. Keep it quiet unless someone asks you straight out.

Nobody at work knows what your face looks like. You use this to leave parties early. Tonight you have left twice and come back once.

Your part

You are a witness. You did not do it, and nobody can accuse you. Each round you get something you saw or heard. Share it when it matters, and tell the truth when someone asks you. You vote at the end like everyone else.

Round 1

You know this

At 6:15 Mort hugged you, snowman suit and all, and whispered, "Snowy, you're the only one here who has never asked me for a raise." You are paid in hot chocolate. You might ask now.

This is one of the 30 witnesses, exactly as that guest sees it on their phone. Suspects get the same, plus an alibi and questions to ask in every round. One of them gets a cover story instead. Rounds two and three stay sealed until the party.

How a party works

  1. Pick a mystery

    Choose a ready-made one or have one written for your guests. One price covers the whole party.

  2. Share the link

    Guests scan a code or tap a link. No app and no account. Deal the characters early so people can plan costumes.

  3. Play it on your phones

    Three rounds of short clues, a lot of questions, one big accusation. The app runs the game, so you get to play too.

Questions

How many people can play?

20 to 50 guests. Ten play the suspects, up to 30 more play smaller roles as witnesses, and everyone else plays a detective. Every guest, detectives too, joins one of five teams. Up to 60 phones can join one party.

Can I buy one for someone else to host?

Yes. After you pay, choose "Buying this for someone else?" and send them the host link. Whoever opens it first becomes the host. You can still join their party as a guest.

What if someone cancels, or turns up late?

The story still works. Every mystery is written so the important clues never depend on a guest who might not come. If a guest with a key character leaves, another player takes that character over with one tap. Late arrivals join as detectives.

Do guests need to download anything?

No. They open a link or scan a QR code and type their first name. It runs in the phone's web browser.

Do I have to print anything?

No. Characters, clues and voting are all on the phones. If you have a TV, you can put the evidence on it for the whole room.

Does the host know who did it?

No. The app deals the characters and keeps the answer hidden until the reveal, so the host plays like everyone else. The host might even be the culprit.

How long does it take?

About 90 minutes with a full cast: three rounds, then the vote and the reveal. The host moves things along, so you can stretch it over dinner or keep it quick.

Is there a free one I can try?

Yes. The Case of the Missing Marrow is free for 4 to 6 players and takes about 34 minutes. No payment and no account: start it from the Free mystery page and share the link. It is shorter and simpler than the full mysteries, which play with up to 16 characters.

Do I get to choose the mystery?

Yes. Every mystery has its own page and its own buy button, and you get the one you pick. Nothing is random. If you change your mind before your party starts, the host screen lets you swap to another big-party mystery at no cost.

Is it suitable for kids?

The family mysteries have no murder, nothing scary and short, simple clues. They work well from about age 7, with a grown-up nearby to help younger readers. The grown-up mysteries are PG-13: a comic murder, no gore.

What do I get for $69.99?

One party: a private party code, every character, clue and team file for up to 60 phones, the host controls and the reveal. It is one payment for the whole group, not per person. You can swap to a different big-party mystery free of charge any time before your first game starts.

I lost my host link. What now?

Use Find my party with your party code, which is on your receipt, and the email address you paid with.

Can I get a refund?

Yes, if your party has not started yet. Write to us within 14 days of buying and we will refund you.