Bad Luck at the Jackdaw Club

High rollers, a stacked deck, and the luckiest man alive having a very bad night.

Grown-ups, PG-13About 65 minutesAny time of year4 to 10 suspects

Allow about 75 minutes with a full table.

The story

Lucky Fairclough has not lost a big game of cards in twelve years, and at midnight he was going to win the Jackdaw Club on one hand of blackjack. At ten to twelve his luck ran out under a brass horseshoe, and everyone at the tables has something to hide.

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

The suspects

With four guests you play four of these. With ten you play them all. Each guest gets a secret, an alibi and a costume idea. One of them gets a lot more than that.

Anouk SarrazinThe lounge singerWear: A long sparkly dress, a feather boa or a scarf, a microphone (a hairbrush will do).
Casimir ZabrinskiThe house magicianWear: A cape or a long coat, a tall hat, a deck of cards.
Cuthbert NooneyThe cashierWear: A green visor, sleeve garters, a pencil behind your ear.
Desmond AshworthAn accountant having a bad nightWear: A cardigan, a tie with a cartoon on it, a calculator.
Magda PetrakisThe pit bossWear: A dark suit, a clipboard, reading glasses on a chain.
Odile VarnierThe blackjack dealerWear: A black waistcoat, a bow tie, a deck of cards that never leaves your hand.
Renata KesslingThe owner of the Jackdaw ClubWear: Pearls, long gloves, a fan.
Solange BrisboisThe roulette croupierWear: A satin waistcoat, a bow tie, a little rake (a wooden spoon will do).
Teodor KlimekThe card counterWear: A fake moustache, thick glasses, a pocket calculator you pretend not to have.
Thaddeus PemburyThe high rollerWear: A white dinner jacket, a fat cigar (a pen will do), a big gold ring.

Witnesses, for parties of 11 to 16

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

Aurelio BanfiThe valetWear: A red jacket, white gloves, a big ring of keys.
Carmela RuggieroThe cocktail waitressWear: An apron, a tray, a pen behind your ear.
Eustace MulgrewThe security guardWear: A dark jacket, a radio or a phone held to your ear, a flask of tea.
Imelda SzaboThe washroom attendantWear: A neat apron, a little basket of mints, a towel over one arm.
Philomena DwyerMachine eight's oldest friendWear: A cardigan, a plastic cup of coins, a big lucky brooch.
Tallulah BrennanA bride on her hen nightWear: A sash, a plastic tiara, a paper veil.
$24.99

for the whole party, not per guest

  • 4 to 10 suspects, plus witnesses and detectives
  • Played on phones. Nothing to print, no app
  • Still works if a guest cancels
  • About an hour. You play too
  • Refund if your party has not started

Or give a mystery party as a gift

See a sample character

Philomena DwyerMachine eight's oldest friend
Say this to introduce yourself

“Philomena Dwyer. Seventy-nine years young. Machine eight. Nobody touches machine eight.”

Costume idea

A cardigan, a plastic cup of coins, a big lucky brooch.

About you

You have played machine eight in the Slot Gallery every night for nine years. From up there you can see the whole lounge stage. For the late set you always go down to the lounge, because the singer does your favourite song.

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

You have never won a jackpot. Not once, in nine years. You tell your grandchildren you are "an investor."

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 half past eight Lucky came up to the Slot Gallery, put one coin in your machine eight and won fifty tokens. He kept them. He patted you on the head and said, "Better luck next decade."

This is one of the six 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?

Four to ten guests play suspects. At a bigger party the next six play witnesses: named characters with a costume and a secret, who saw something and cannot be the guilty one. Anyone beyond sixteen, and anyone who would rather not act, plays a detective: they question the suspects and vote at the end. Up to 40 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.

Are the mysteries written by AI?

Yes. They are written with AI. Software then checks each one: for every possible guest list, every innocent suspect can be cleared and the clues point to one culprit. The ready-made mysteries are also given to AI test readers one round at a time, without the answer, to see whether they can be solved. The About page has the details.

How long does it take?

About an hour with up to eight suspects: three rounds of 12 to 15 minutes, then the vote and the reveal. With a full table of ten suspects and six witnesses, allow about 75 minutes. 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 ready-made 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 $24.99?

One party: a private party code, every character and clue for up to 40 guests, the host controls and the reveal. It is one payment for the whole group, not per person. You can swap to a different ready-made 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.