Mardi Gras, Masks, Murder!

$49.95

(90 customer reviews)

Add intrigue to your next party with this murder mystery game, set at a Mardi Gras party in New Orleans.

Format:
Mystery Party Kit
Setting:
New Orleans Masquerade during Mardi Gras
Time:
90+ Minutes
Ages:
Adult
Players:
9-25 (Standard Game)
26-100+ (Expanded Game)
A posh Mardi Gras Masquerade turns deadly!

Backstory

The guests play a mixed group of characters who have been invited to a Mardi Gras masquerade hosted by Marshall Inglewood, the Governor of Louisiana. The party will be held at the governor’s posh New Orleans mansion. Everyone is expecting an elegant evening with hor d’oeuvres, drinks, and dancing, but as it turns out, something mysterious is afoot!

This mystery is divided into two primary segments. During the first portion of the evening (Act One), the partygoers will have the opportunity to eat, drink and mingle at the governor’s mansion.

Murder!

At the midpoint of the evening, a blackout occurs, and one of the players makes a terrible discovery: someone has been murdered in the middle of the party!

Solving the Mystery

Act Two will begin with the grisly discovery of the victim’s body. In the area around the body, there are clues that point to what must have occurred prior to the death. It will now be up to the guests to figure out what happened.

Customer Images

90 reviews for Mardi Gras, Masks, Murder!

  1. Melissa M.


    Headline : So much fun we want to do another one!!!

    Nickname : Melissa

    Menu Highlights : We did dirty rice, pork sandwich sliders, jambalaya pasta, meatballs, fruit tray, chips and dip

    Theme Highlights : We had our party right after Mardi Gras. So much Mardi Gras stuff still left in the store that we had a really easy time getting all the Mardi Gras stuff together dollar tree sold the cutest masks!!


    This was a blast!!!! We laughed so much and everyone enjoyed themselves!!! 10/10!!!

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    (0) (0)
  2. Molly Mitchell


    Headline : Mardi Gras Murder Mystery!

    Menu Highlights : Crab cakes, fried shrimp, stuffed mushrooms, seafood dip, jelly munchkins, cream puffs

    Theme Highlights : Decorated with mardi Gras garland and lights


    This was our third time hosting a Murder Mystery party from Playing with Murder and we’ve even recommended it to friends, who’ve hosted their own parties. All of the materials are so thorough and easy to follow, anyone can be a great host! Our guests always have a fantastic time and even ask us when we’re having our next one.

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    (1) (0)
  3. Lawson Steinhauff


    Headline : Great Party - Don't Underestimate the Set-Up

    Nickname : TS


    The party was an absolute blast. We held it on the weekend before Mardi Gras so went all out with decorations. We hosted about 18 people and the story was complex enough that only about 1/3 of the group correctly guessed the killer!

    Many of these reviews seem to be missing the evaluation of the very thing you’re paying for. This was a very fun party but there are a few improvements and modernizations that could be made by the curators of these materials that would go a long way towards justifying the price.

    Pros:
    – Good story
    – Enough background material on the characters to allow guests to get into character and remain engaged
    – Clear instructions on how to run the event
    – Nice suggestions for food and drinks to complement the evening

    Cons:
    – This was my first time hosting a murder mystery and I did not realize it was going to take serious hours to set up (I’m not talking about decorating– I’m taking about setting up this game and getting materials out to guests)
    – You’re essentially given a few giant PDFs where all the characters pages are collated. This might be fine if you plan to print everything, but we live in the 21st century where it’s much more practical to email or text documents.
    – I had to manually separate the character pages into their own PDFs so I could send them to my guests electronically (this is not an easy task and would have been much more convenient if I could have downloaded it in this format)
    – Typos — many obvious typos throughout the materials
    – There are several suggested props for the evening. Some of these are rather difficult to find. Had affiliate links been provided, this would have saved time searching for these (win-win for the playingwithmurder.com too)
    – The prop/clue descriptions were extremely limited and didn’t add much to the story whatsoever
    – Keep in mind that you will need to pay printing costs to print certain pieces on high quality paper. You will need to pay for nametag holders, manila folders for clues, and of course, a distribution system for invites (e.g. paperless post or snail mail)

    (2) (0)
    • kblumreich

      Hi TS, thank you so much for your detailed reply! We’ve actually recently completed a huge update to Mardi Gras, Masks, Murder! which addresses several of these issues (specifically fixing typographical errors and adjusting the clues to remove many of the red herrings and make the remaining clues more relevant to the storyline). Feedback like your is absolutely vital to helping us improve our product line, and we really appreciate you taking the time to write such a thorough review.

  4. Natalie


    Headline : Mardi Gras, Masks, Murder, oh my!

    Theme Highlights : We had a decorate your own mask party before the event and everyone had a lot of fun!


    Mardi Gras, Masks, Murder, oh my! Everyone had a lot of fun getting into character. Everyone was so committed to their roles and their outfits. It was hard to pick the best costume winner for the night. We had about 30 players. The game was really fun to watch and run. I would definitely recommend it!

    (0) (0)
  5. Julie Luecke


    Headline : Great Fun

    Nickname : Julie

    Menu Highlights : Popeyes, Shrimp & Grits, King Cake (a birthday cake in disguise), Bananas Foster, Pecan Pralines, etc.

    Theme Highlights : Borrowed grandma's whole stash (3 bins) of Mardi Gras wall decorations, masks, beads (attached nametag to beads), cups, serving utensils, etc.


    This was a super fun mystery that held everyone’s interest. Took us about 3.5 hours to play it all out, but I really like to let the first half drag on so people loosen up and get to know each other in character (also so the murder goes unsuspected). I also made real props rather than using the cardstock ones provided for a little extra intrigue. I encouraged the Governor to show guests the “study” with all the artifacts since they would be so important later. I also always make my own name tags. In terms of sending info to guests, I also just copy and paste the text into an email – no need to print basically anything!

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    (0) (0)
  6. Gabrielle grandmother


    Headline : Did not meet age group of birth day party????

    Nickname : Gabrielle grandmother


    Unfortunately we were unable to use this game, because it was way over the heads of the teens at the birthday party we didn’t discover it until we downloaded the game and it was too late to return it. I put the age of the party guests on the order,but was not notified of the age inappropriateness. We scrambled to buy a simpler program on Amazon, which was a huge success.

    (5) (2)
  7. Jude aka Toni


    Headline : Let the good times roll!! Fun time was had by all

    Nickname : Jude aka Toni

    Menu Highlights : We did muffletta, crab cakes and hurricane punch for appies then jambalaya, gumbo with corn bread and cheese biscuits for dinner. The King Cake I made with the baby inside was a big hit too!!

    Theme Highlights : I did lots of banners, streamers and ballons, in mardi gras fashion with beads and confetti on the tables. Passed out boas and beads as people arrived


    I finally hosted my party in Feb and have a few things to share.
     We all had a fun time even though folks were a little stressed with all the character info. I had 15 people at my party for my birthday! Everyone went all out with costumes and the food was amazing!! Thanks for the menu suggestions.
     I have done MM before but this one was more fun because the murder happens during the party!

    Organizing was pretty easy but it would be nice to be able to easily share the invitation, character description and Act 1 gossip and objective info electronically = via email. There was an awful lot of printing to do. I am pretty environmentally conscious and would have loved to done less paper. Also re printing leave off the  beads on the border for printable documents since it slows down the printing and uses a lot of extra ink. Also place the order of characters in booklet so you can print act 1 all together then act 2 next since not all characters are playing.

    Sending everything digitally would be easier for the host and the guests- then they could read it all and then just print what they think they need.
    I didn’t use the name tags since I found the images kind of lame and also bunged up printing. Just got store bought stick on tags.

    The artifacts were quite unnecessary except for the winged helmet you called a crown. That was confusing as there was another crown artifact. Took me a minute to figure that out from the clue card. Also you could put the artifacts as “supplies”- I did a scavenger hunt with the actual objects to make it more fun….and was scrambling last minute to to find suitable replacements. Also not many characters knew about the artifacts so I would cut back on how many clues since most were not relevant.
    Thanks again

    (1) (0)
  8. Amita Snyder


    Headline : Never the Same Party Twice

    Nickname : Amita Snyder

    Menu Highlights : First party: Chicken & Sausage Gumbo, Gluten-Free Cornbread, Red Beans & Rice, Muffaletta, Fruit Salad, Louisiana Crunch Cake, Rum Slush, Watermelon Punch (non-alcoholic) Second party: Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya, French Baguette, Muffaletta, Fruit Salad, King Cake, Rum Slush, Watermelon Punch (non-alcoholic)

    Theme Highlights : Found a Youtube video with an hour+ of jazz music to play on the TV during the party; Had green, purple, gold balloons just on the floor, metallic gold tablecloth on dining room table, purple string lights, metallic door fringe to separate the room where the murder happens from the rest of the party area (so people wouldn't find clues too early).


    We hosted two parties – one with some coworkers and one with some friends from book club. It was so interesting how different the party could be with different groups of people. It depends so much on who plays what part and how seriously some people take their role. We had a “mandatory” character cancel last minute for our second party, but we just rolled with it, and it turns out they weren’t essential at all. The party went great! For both parties, the murderer was correctly guessed, although the conversations to get there were totally different and very entertaining. So much fun — both times!

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  9. bzynursing


    Headline : First time success

    Nickname : bzynursing


    First time ever doing a murder mystery party and the kit had everything needed to guide me through the process. We had a blast! Now I have set the bar high so we have to do it again! Definitely recommend this party kit!

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  10. Robyn-ann


    Headline : Very busy event with lots of chatter.

    Nickname : Robyn-ann


    We had the Mardi Gras Murder Mystery party. We had approximately 30 people and lots of children. The extended version of the event went very well.

    (1) (1)
  11. Pink Bag Lady


    Headline : Best Mardi Gras Murder Mystery Ever!!

    Nickname : Pink Bag Lady

    Menu Highlights : I decided to go all out with my menu. I served Jambalaya with chicken, cajun sausage, shrimp, & crab meat; Red Beans & rice, honey butter cornbread, veggie tray, fruit tray, brownies, banana pudding cheesecake, wine, punch, and juice.

    Theme Highlights : I used candles and lighting to set the mood. I also used balloons, and a Mardi Gras photoshoot backdrop, lanyards were used for the name tags, costumes, and definitely the Mardi Gras music to set the tone.


    My very first time hosting a Mardi Gras, Masks, & Murder mystery dinner. I was super nervous at first but everything turned out fabulous. All my guests had a great time. This mystery might be a little tough for introverts because it requires a lot of interaction. I think one of the highlights of the event is the scavenger hunt.

    (2) (1)
  12. Megan


    Headline : Mardi Gras Party during Fat Tuesday.

    Nickname : Megan

    Menu Highlights : Gumbo, shrimp, cocktails, red beans and rice, king cake.

    Theme Highlights : Made homemade props and candles for the blackout portion in act 2.


    We wanted to have our first dinner party at our new house and thought what better way than a murder mystery party. I thought that it would be difficult and way too many moving parts. However, I he guide that comes along with the murder mystery kit broke everything down and even had a schedule to plan the entire event from sending out rsvp to the organization of the murder mystery game night. We had 12 people play and what I love is that it gave me a roll in the game that allowed me to play and host at the same time. We had food and drinks that was suggested and a wonderful time with friends. We will be doing this about every quarter. I highly recommend this product for both its price and quality.

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  13. QueenBee


    Headline : Could be better

    Nickname : QueenBee


    Family vacation murder mystery night at the beach. We’ve done this in the past. Our family enjoys dressing for their characters and doing their best acting. We all found that there could have been more information given to help the mingling in Act I. We had a great time and will likely do others at future gatherings.

    (1) (0)
  14. Kari


    Headline : Don’t think about it - just do it!!!

    Nickname : Kari

    Menu Highlights : We made shrimp etouffe, corn bread muffins, red beans and rice and a Mardi Gras cake for dessert!

    Theme Highlights : Mardi Gras decorations everywhere including a photo backdrop, NOLA street signs, table cloths, table runners, banners, masks, beads decorations from the ceiling, hurricane glasses and, of course, hurricanes!!!


    This was birthday celebration Mardi Gras style! We had decorations all of the patio and the inside the house. We had 12 people, all dressed up and living their part. This was SO much fun! I highly recommend it – I can’t wait to do it again.

    (2) (1)
  15. Becky


    Headline : Lots of fun, great party.

    Nickname : Becky

    Menu Highlights : Muffuletta, Jambalaya, Hurricanes, Rice and Red Beans, Potato Cassarole

    Theme Highlights : Masks and backdrops


    Mardi gras Mask and murder. Birthday party. It was amazing – everyone had fun and wants to make it an annual event.

    (0) (1)
  16. Jan


    Headline : Will not be hosting this theme,

    Nickname : Jan


    I purchased and downloaded the game yesterday. Lots of papers, but I was very dissapointed in the overall information. Seems like some information was left out, today I am looking for a different game.

    (0) (0)
  17. Pattil


    Headline : Sorority monthly social Big hit with everyone

    Nickname : Pattil


    The clues didn’t really seem to help much. The characters were great and the lack of script really let a lot of personality come out.

    (0) (1)
  18. Charlotte from Denmark


    Headline : My best party ever!

    Nickname : Charlotte from Denmark

    Menu Highlights : I tried to make everything so easy as possible for myself and my helpers in the kitchen - at first appetizers and drinks to give my guests the posibility to mingle. I had cooked jambalaya i advance, which was served with bread and salads and the dessert was homemade pecan bars with ice cream, fruit and chocolate sauce - very easy, very tasty. ????

    Theme Highlights : I had decorated the dining roon with Mardi Gras-colors (purple, green and gold) and had placed ‘mysterious and religiuys’ artefacts all over my apartment, but especially in Marshall Inglewoods office, among these Hrafn’s Crown and a plastic shield and a golden lamp. Besides I found a video on YouTube with 12 hours of fireplace, which was also a great scene setter together with the mp3-music file provided with the guide book.


    I wanted my 50th birthday to be special and something to remember – not just to me, but to all of my guests. The preparations for this Mardi Gras-party took a while, especially because I had to translate all the character sheets into Danish, but it was really worth it … but the party was a blast, and it was really funny to see the caracters come to life

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  19. 10sman


    Headline : Murder and Mayhem the Mardi Gras Way

    Nickname : 10sman


    Wife’s 50th Bday Party. Event went well even though I didn’t think I prepared it well enough. My first time trying this type of event but everyone said they had a good time. I did themed music but not food or drinks. Everyone dressed their part in costume. I got character sheets out to each participant ahead of time. It was fun

    (0) (2)
  20. Janell M


    Headline : Let the Good Times Roll!!!

    Nickname : Janell M

    Menu Highlights : We had Gumbo, Jambalaya and King Caked overnighted from Randazzo’s in NOLAn And a pitcher of Hurricanes!!

    Theme Highlights : The house was decorated with Mardi Gras themed decorations!


    There were 12 of us and it was the best night!! The game gives so much info on each character on the character sheets as well as on the gossip sheets. Everyone played the parts perfectly and the fact that they didn’t have a script to go by made it more interesting and fun!!

    (1) (0)
  21. Livid


    Headline : Most confusing!!

    Nickname : Livid


    A disaster. Your instructions were horrible, much was left for me to figure out. Your artifacts were disgraceful , I made tangible ones instead of a piece of paper. The artifacts just confuse my guests added nothing to the mystery, They were surely not clues. There were typo errors in your instruction, called Tony the catering restaurant owner, Ben. Ridiculous. You gave me nothing for the cost, I had to print copies upon copies , which was a huge added expense .
    I had a murder mystery party from another company and it went very well. I got good instruction and props, etc. You should be ashamed of actually charging for the nothing I received.

    (0) (0)
  22. Amelia G


    Headline : Great costumes and fun characters!

    Nickname : Amelia G

    Menu Highlights : We had Apple Cider Sangria, Jambalaya, and homemade beignets.

    Theme Highlights : I purchased lots of Mardi Gras decorations to hang around the rooms. I also used a 50 pack of tea lights to simulate the museum with props bought from Amazon- as opposed to only using paper clues.


    This is my second year hosting a murder mystery written by Playing with Murder, and it was just as big a success at last year! This year I did “Mardi Gras Masquerade” and everyone loved the theme. I was able to get the physical scavenger hunt clues on Amazon and make my own museum with them for the party. I love how detailed these mysteries are, and they are well worth the money! I also enjoy the flexibility of using “investigators” if you have extra characters that want to participate. I plan to do this every October. I love hosting and planning the party and my friends love coming to it!

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  23. Alex


    Headline : Another successful murder mystery!!

    Nickname : Alex

    Menu Highlights : Muffulettas, shrimp and grits, jambalaya, and Sazeracs!

    Theme Highlights : Beads!! Masks! Skulls, voodoo dolls, and potions! I even turned the bathroom into a swamp.

    Video : https://youtu.be/0J9qcDEkvNA


    So inspired by this theme! New Orleans is known for great music, great food, and great fun, so I was really looking forward to this one!!

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    (1) (1)
  24. Bill Benson


    Headline : First Time Success!

    Nickname : Bill Benson


    We did the Mardi Gras Murder with our church young adult group and they had a great time. It was simplistic, but we know see how we can expand it for next time. We learned a lot about the process while working everything, but even with our inexperience, it went very well. We are looking for the next murder mystery event to be even better! thanks!

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    (2) (1)
  25. Bayder


    Headline : Magic fun evening

    Nickname : Bayder

    Menu Highlights : All famous New Orleans food - the gumbo and southern fried chicken were excellent!!!

    Theme Highlights : Lots of beads, masks and lighting


    We did this for my mums 80th birthday as she only wanted a small family dinner for her birthday and it was fabulous. She and everyone had so much fun and it will be highly memorable for years to come. Would have helped to have a few more characters – we only had 11 – but it worked fine. Best dinner ever!!!

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    (0) (3)
  26. KAK


    Headline : Great fun for everyone

    Nickname : KAK


    It was great fun. The only thing we didn’t really like was the people who weren’t main characters felt like their roles were pointless and they felt lost during the game BUT they were good sports and played along anyways. Due to Covid we had to do it outside and so we just did desserts but it will still great fun.

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    (1) (3)
  27. DebRas


    Headline : Who knew we had so many actors in the family.

    Nickname : DebRas

    Menu Highlights : Shrimp, Crawfish, hushpuppies, corn, potatoes all buffet style. Open bar. And of course King Cake for dessert.

    Theme Highlights : I have lots of mardi gras decorations anyway but put out tons of beads also. Everyone got beads with their name tag. Used the music and invitations provided in the "kit".


    Had 15 guests age 24 to 78 and we had a great time. The party went better than I thought and everyone participated more than I thought they would. It really was funny and creative. It was my birthday party and I wanted to do something different – this hit the spot.

    (3) (2)
  28. Sarah


    Headline : Fabulous time was had by all

    Nickname : Sarah

    Menu Highlights : Cajun Chicken Alfredo and Hurricanes

    Theme Highlights : Had mardi gras beads on the tables along with extra masks in case anyone forgot one. had a photo area with fun props as well


    I held Mardi Gras, Masks, Murder for a birthday party and had a blast! Everyone came ready to party and had fun dressing up and being the different characters.

    Image #1 from Sarah
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  29. chel13


    Headline : Mardi Gras Masks Murder Party

    Nickname : chel13

    Menu Highlights : Shrimp broil, chicken and sausage gumbo and lots of appetizers and deserts

    Theme Highlights : We decorated the house with Mardi Gras decorations


    For my birthday which was the day after Mardi Gras, we held the Mardi Gras Masks Murder party with some of my closest friends and family. We had so much fun and it was such a hit! It was great to see all my friends come dressed up and in character for this event. I definitely recommend this and me and my friends are going to through another party like this again!

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    (4) (2)
  30. Mardi Gras Masks Murder


    Headline : Murder Mystery Party Crawfish Boil

    Nickname : Mardi Gras Masks Murder

    Menu Highlights : Crawfish Boil with shrimp, sausage, potatoes, corn, and lots of good sauces!

    Theme Highlights : Bought fun Mardi Gras paper lanterns, masks in case people didn’t have good costumes and Mardi Gras beads. Didn’t send paper invitations but people were fine with the email invites! Definitely make sure you print people’s roles out for them though! They liked having the reference at the party itself.


    What great fun! Everyone absolutely loved the event. We did a crawfish boil Murder Mystery. Lucky enough to have friends who totally committed to their roles and being in costume was such a hit! Dinner gave everyone time to socialize and get to know their parts a little better, definitely critical for adding to the overall ambiance. I even put the “Governor” on the spot to give a surprise toast!

    (2) (1)

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There are 25 primary suspects in this game,however only 9 are required to play the game. The host or hostess will play the role of Tony Cour, the Head Caterer. Read the "How To Play" section for more information on how to play an expanded game with more than 25 guests.


* = Optional character


Male Roles


  • The Governor - Marshall Inglewood -
    Governor of Louisiana who is hosting a Mardi Gras party. He’s well known in New
    Orleans for his constant fundraising and elegant parties.

  • *The Sheriff - Jacques “Jack” Le
    Boeuf
    - Sheriff Jack is a fixture in New Orleans, as he investigates most
    crimes in the city. He’s known for his down home approach.

  • The Deputy - Jeremy “J” Porter
    - Deputy J is a notorious playboy, but is very loyal to the Sheriff’s Office
    and his city.

  • *The New Man - Raymond Downings -
    Raymond recently inherited a large estate on the outskirts of the city and just
    moved back to town.

  • The Club Owner - Derek Nordhart
    - Derek owns “Fantasy” a very popular club that is known for its exclusive
    parties and open dance floor.

  • *The Good Guy - Harvey Daniels -
    Harvey manages the day-to-day affairs for Leon’s construction firm and is known
    for his “good ol’boy” attitude.

  • *The Architect - Leon D’Loupe - Mr.
    D’Loupe runs the largest construction firm in town and is largely responsible
    for most of the restoration to the city as it recovered from Hurricane Katrina.

  • *The Preacher - Joseph Grant -
    Reverend Joseph is the preacher at the Sacred Heart, a rapidly growing mega
    church.

  • *The Bodyguard- “Jack” - Heather’s
    bodyguard, he doesn’t say much.

  • The Head Chef - Noel Bellenuit
    - Chef Noelle is a dramatic, flamboyant and difficult man, but his food is so
    good even the most conservative members of high society don’t complain.

  • *The Chef - Rene Le Boeuf - Rene
    served in the war and returned home recently where he got a job as a chef.

Female Roles


  • The Voodoo Queen - Dominique
    LaBranche -
    Well known in New Orleans for her many “reading” parlors and
    Hoodoo supply stores. Her readings are said to be very accurate.

  • *The Queen Bee - Blanche Le Boeuf -
    The reigning social queen of New Orleans elite society. She is a member of the
    prestigious Le Boeuf family and is well known for her iron fist inside a lacy
    glove.

  • *The Lawyer - Gabrielle Le Boeuf -
    Miss Gabrielle is known to be sharp as a tack and a terror in the courtroom. She’s
    utterly ruthless behind her sweet Southern manners.

  • The Hippie - Celine “Luna” Schumacher
    – Deputy Porter’s date, Luna is a big believer in “green initiatives,” but
    appears to legitimately like Deputy J.

  • The Bouncer - Sarah Corrington
    - Bouncer at “Fantasy,” many underestimate her in her high heels, but she’s
    broken plenty of bones.

  • *The Socialite - Eloise Daniels -
    Harvey’s mom is a well known socialite who always has a bit of gossip to share.

  • *The New Girl - Heather Le Bois -
    A true practitioner of dark Voodoo, known for her lavish parties and the army of zombi she keeps as servants and bodyguards.
  • *The Preacher’s Wife -
    Lettie Mae La Terre
    - Reverend Joseph’s wife, and a member of his
    church.  There are hints of some sort of scandal in her past.

  • *The Showgirl - Amelie Belle - Amelie is a rising star on the stages of New Orleans and is famed for her long legs and graceful demeanor.

  • *Waitress - Lily Porter - A waitress, she’s sometimes a little vague, but very hard working.

  • *Waitress - Jo Ann Duluth - A waitress and member of the Sacred Heart.

  • Waitress - Jaquelyn D’Argent - A waitress, she is a new staff member.

  • *The Bartender - Crystal La Terre - Crystal’s cocktails are legendary in New Orleans and so is her quick mouth and bad temper.

Male or Female Role


  • Host/Head Caterer - Tony Cour - Tony runs one of the most successful restaurant/catering businesses in New Orleans. (Played by the Host/Hostess)

Extra Players


  • *Investigator (male or female): Additional players have the option of playing the role of "Investigators". In this role the players are not suspects and do not have character backgrounds but can question the suspects and try to solve the mystery along with the other players.

This party kit is a downloadable PDF file that you print at home. It includes the following features:

  • An introduction that explains the basic principles of running a mystery-party and provides specific tips on props, menu items, sound effects, and special tips to help make your party exciting, memorable and easy to run
  • Step-by-step instructions on how to prepare for your party
  • A detailed party guidebook that will walk you through the event in a simple, easy-to-understand format
  • Instructions on how to run the party for a large group
  • Nametags and character sheets for each player – the character sheets include tips on costuming and role-playing, as well special goals and gossip unique to each character
  • Fully customizable invitations, complete with RSVP cards and guest lists
  • Voting sheets
  • Awards for your guests
  • And much more!

With your purchase of Murder in Manhattan you will also receive the following:

  • Step-by-step printing instructions
  • Two mp3 audio effects for use with your party
  • Instructions on how to use these audio clips to best effect

Follow these steps to host this mystery:

  1. Each guest will each assume the role of a particular character

    Mystery Parties involve a combination of improvisational acting, storytelling, and creative problem solving. Each guest will play the part of that character throughout the course of the game. Each character has specific personality traits, goals, secrets, and information, all of which are included in the character sheet; a big part of the fun is getting into character and taking on a new, exciting role.

  2. A mysterious Event will occur

    At some point during the party, an Event will occur that will force the players to come together in order to solve a problem or unravel a mystery. Traditionally, the Event in question will be the murder of one of the characters (as played by a guest), but the parties crafted by Playing With Murder often use this basic framework to accommodate different types of Events, thereby ensuring that your guests will be surprised and entertained (even if they are veteran murder mystery party players).

  3. Solve the mystery!

    Your guests will need to use the information that their characters know (as well as additional clues that are provided during the game) to solve the mystery or overcome the problem posed by the Event. Typically this culminates in the guests voting on the identity of the murderer, but again, different parties will have different specific goals. All of our parties also come complete with additional subgames (treasure hunts, unique character goals and special puzzles) that are guaranteed to keep the action intense and your guests motivated and focused.

Expanded Game For Large Groups

If you have extra players, there are two ways that you can accommodate everyone:

  • Investigator Role – Additional players have the option of playing the role of “Investigators”. In this role the players are not suspects and do not have character backgrounds but can question the suspects and try to solve the mystery along with the other players. Expanded Games include a PDF guide that explains how to use the Investigator role, as well as printable character sheets and name tags for anyone that is playing an Investigator.
  • Multiple Groups – It is also possible to break your guests up into groups and play multiple instances of the game at the same time. The game will more or less happen the same way; the host makes announcements and each group moves their game forward simultaneously based on the host’s instructions. It’s good to have one assistant in each group to answer questions and facilitate gameplay within the group. This method provides a more intimate experience for your guests, who get better acquainted with a smaller group and participate in a more digestible story.

    Please contact us if you’d like more information about how to run your party using the Multiple Groups method.

Both the standard and expanded games are included with the purchase of any game kit.

Read more about Expanded Games here

First time hosting a murder mystery party?

Visit our How to Host a Mystery Party page to get step-by-step instructions on how to prepare for your murder mystery party.

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