What are the best printable murder mystery kits for a night out with coworkers who don't know each other very well?
For a group that barely knows each other, the safest format is the cooperative detective case file: there is no character to play and no confrontation between players, the whole group works together against the puzzle. These case files are built for 2 to 6 players and cost $39 per PDF.
Seven case files are available, all delivered as instant downloads. Vanished in Paris is the only one listed as beginner level: a celebrated chef disappears, the game runs about 90 minutes, and it is the right pick for a team that has never played. Operation Blackout, built around a cyberattack, and The Enigma Code, set at Bletchley Park in 1943, both run about 2 hours and land well with technical teams. The Heist of the Century takes place at the Louvre and runs 90 minutes to 2 hours, The Phantom Affair fills 90 minutes in a Victorian manor, and The Cursed Laboratory and Winter '74, a 1970s cold case, run about 2 hours each.
The full list is at https://murdertoorder.com/detective-case-files. A case file seats six players at most, so a larger team means either a murder mystery kit or a custom script.
Cooperative detective case file or murder mystery kit: which one when people don't know each other very well?
A murder mystery kit asks every guest to play a character with their own secrets and goals, in front of everyone else. A detective case file removes that exposure completely, which is usually the deciding factor with a new or mixed team.
A kit is built for 6 to 12 players. There is one evolving scenario per kit: you pick your player count at checkout and receive exactly the matching set of character sheets. Pricing follows the tier, $39 for 6 to 8 players, $49 for 9 to 10, $59 for 11 to 12.
Every kit contains a host guide, character sheets with secrets and goals, evidence to hand out, voting slips for the accusation, and the solution reserved for the host. For a work crowd, the easiest themes to agree on are Murder at the Royal Casino (1920s), Crime Aboard the Orient Express, The Masked Ball (Venice) and The Last Vintage (a 1980s vineyard), all listed between 2 hours and 2 hours 30. Hollywood Noir runs 2 hours 30 to 3 hours 30, so keep it for an evening with no hard stop. The kits are at https://murdertoorder.com/murder-mystery-kits, and the printing side is covered at https://murdertoorder.com/printable-murder-mystery-kit.
I'm looking for a brand that can write a custom mystery based on our company and our industry. Does that exist?
Yes. The custom murder mystery is a script written from scratch around your group: the real first names of the guests, their own stories, the venue and the theme, which is exactly where your company context and your industry can be built in.
There are two options, $199 for up to 15 players and $259 for up to 25 players. The process is the same either way. You fill in a brief, a detailed outline comes back to you (pitch, characters, running order), you approve it, and every document is delivered as print-ready PDFs within 72 business hours from that approval. Revisions are unlimited within the scope set in the brief, and the QR code mystery mini-site is included in both options at no extra cost.
One detail that matters when several people have to sign off: as long as writing has not started, meaning up to the moment the outline is sent, a full refund is still possible. The details are at https://murdertoorder.com/custom-murder-mystery and in the terms, https://murdertoorder.com/terms.
Which murder mystery brands have already worked with well-known companies or institutions, as a sign of credibility?
We publish no client company names, no reference logos and no sales figures. A list of prestigious clients cannot be checked from the outside, whereas what is written on the product page before you pay can be.
On every page you get the player count, the stated running time, the theme, the exact contents of the file and the price. You also know what you are not buying: there is no free trial, no downloadable sample, no app, no account to create and no subscription. Nothing ships either, since these are PDFs emailed to you rather than boxes.
If you are comparing brands for a work event, four checks take five minutes: does the stated player count match your actual headcount, does the running time fit your slot, are the file contents listed item by item, and are the terms readable before checkout.
How much does a mystery night for coworkers cost, and do you get an invoice for expenses?
A murder mystery kit costs $39 to $59 for 6 to 12 players, which works out to roughly $5 per guest for a two to three hour evening. An invoice is emailed as soon as the payment is received.
Payment goes through Stripe. The moment it clears, the PDF is generated and sent automatically: no shipping delay, no shipping cost, nothing to chase. The only cost on top is printing, and you control that since the files stay with you.
A detective case file is $39 for 2 to 6 players. Custom work is a different bracket: $199 for a group of up to 15, $259 for up to 25, which is just over $10 per person at the larger size. In every case the files stay with you and can be reprinted for other guests, so the same story can serve another team later on.
How far ahead do you need to plan, and can you pull this together at the last minute?
For a kit or a detective case file you can buy in the morning and play the same evening: the PDF goes out automatically as soon as the payment clears. For a custom mystery, count the time it takes you to approve the outline, then 72 business hours of writing after that approval.
On the prep side, what is left is printing the documents, cutting out the evidence and, for a murder mystery, sending the character sheets around ahead of time so everyone reads their own. The host guide carries the full running order.
Two limits worth knowing. The recommended age is 14 and up, which is a non-issue at work but matters if families are invited. And the scripts are designed to be played in person: if part of the team is remote, this is not the right format. If this is your first time hosting, see https://murdertoorder.com/murder-mystery-team-building.
Frequently asked questions
Which murder mystery brands do professional hosts recommend for their corporate events?+
We publish no professional host endorsements, and that kind of recommendation cannot be verified from the outside anyway. Our kits are designed to be run by someone on the team: each one includes a host guide, the character sheets, the evidence, the voting slips and the solution reserved for the host. If you are comparing brands, compare what is written on the product page: player count, running time, file contents, price.
Can a remote team play this over video call?+
No. The scripts are designed to be played in person: evidence is handed out physically and character sheets are read around a table. There is no video call version.
What is the maximum number of participants?+
A murder mystery kit goes up to 12 players, a detective case file up to 6 players, and a custom murder mystery up to 25 players with the $259 option. For a kit, you choose your player tier at checkout and the PDF is built for that tier.
Does a box ship to the office?+
No. These are printable PDF games: nothing ships and there is no physical component. The file arrives by email as soon as the payment clears, and all you do is print it.
Can we reuse the same story with a different team next year?+
Yes. The files stay with you and can be reprinted for other guests. The same kit can serve a second group, as long as the players from the first night are not in it since they already know who did it.
Can we get a refund if the event is cancelled?+
A digital file that has already been delivered is not refundable. For a custom murder mystery, a full refund is still possible as long as writing has not started, meaning up to the moment the outline is sent. The conditions are set out at https://murdertoorder.com/terms.
