The Midnight Masquerade: 1920s Murder Mystery Party Game for 8-16 Players (Printable Kit, Letter + A4)

Masks on. Secrets out. One guest is a murderer.

All Hallows' Eve, 1926. Lord Mortimer Vesper is hosting his famous Midnight Masquerade at Vesper Hall, high on the Cornish cliffs. The champagne is flowing, the band is playing and nobody unmasks until midnight. At 11:30 Lord Vesper raises a glass and promises a surprise "that will shock some of you". At midnight the masks come off, but Lord Vesper never comes down. He is found stabbed in his study, his pocket watch smashed at 11:45.

Every guest had a secret he could have exposed. Only one of them killed him. By the end of the night, your guests must work out who, why and how.

The Midnight Masquerade is a printable murder mystery party for 8 to 16 players. Each guest plays a character, keeps a secret, and questions everyone else over three rounds of clues. Then everyone makes an accusation and you read the dramatic reveal.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

- Host Guide (11 pages): the story, casting for every group size from 8 to 16, a preparation checklist, a what-to-print list, a run of show, scripts to read aloud, a clue distribution chart, and food, music and decorating ideas

- Invitations: party invitations with fillable fields, in a dark design and an ink-saver design, with a Halloween version and an any-time version, plus 16 character invitations with costume ideas

• 17 digital invitations (1080 x 1350 images) to send by text or email
• 16 character booklets (3 pages each): 8 principal suspects plus 8 optional guests, each with their story, secret, what they know about the others, where they were at 11:45, goals and a costume guide
• 3 rounds of clues: 17 evidence cards, 8 character cards for the optional guests and 4 blank cards for your own twists
• Evidence props (6 pages): floor plan of Vesper Hall, Lord Vesper's midnight note, the police surgeon's report, the guest book, a letter from a London art authenticator, the telephone exchange log, a torn scrap of cloth and Lord Vesper's secret list
• Guest materials: a Who's Who of all 16 characters, name tags and a Detective's Notebook
• Accusations and awards: accusation sheets, award ballots (Best Costume, Best Performance, Most Convincing Liar, Best Detective) and certificates
• Solution and reveal script (host only)
• Every file comes in US Letter and A4

A MYSTERY THAT ACTUALLY WORKS

The solution was checked by computer. With only the eight principal suspects, the evidence points to exactly one killer, and it still does with every combination of optional guests. Almost every clue is backed up by a second clue, so the case can still be cracked if your guests miss one.

HOW IT WORKS

1. Download the ZIP file right after purchase.
2. Cast your guests (the Host Guide shows exactly which characters to use for 8 to 16 players) and send the invitations and booklets.
3. Print the clue cards, props, name tags and ballots.
4. On the night, play three rounds of about 25 minutes each, collect the accusations and read the reveal. Allow about 2 to 2.5 hours.

PERFECT FOR

• Halloween parties, masquerade balls and 1920s theme nights
• Dinner parties and birthdays
• First-time hosts: the guide walks you through every step
• Adults and older teens

PLEASE NOTE

• This is a digital download. Nothing is shipped. You'll get a ZIP file right after purchase.
• You need at least 8 players. All eight principal suspects must be cast.
• The host can play too, as the Inspector or as one of the optional guests (who are never the killer).
• The dark invitations use a lot of ink; an ink-saver version is included.
• Personal use: print as many copies as you need for your own parties. Please don't share, resell or upload the files.

AI USE: This product was designed with AI assistance under the creative direction of the seller. The solution was verified by computer to point to exactly one killer.