Cudham Riding Club – Murder Mystery Game
$44.99
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Welcome to Cudham Riding Club, a prestigious and oh-so-English equestrian society where everyone enjoys a bit of gossip, a spot of horse-trading, and — apparently — cold-blooded murder. The Club’s chairwoman has died after falling from her horse. Shock turns to fear and outrage as police suggest her death may have been no accident.
Setting: The setting is an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Riding Club. Its members will decide how to proceed following the death of its Chairwoman and who to replace her with. Scandal, deception, and a healthy dose of horseplay — will you solve the crime or end up taking the fall?
Plot: Lady Cudham, the club’s Chairwoman, has died in what looks like a tragic riding accident. But the police suspect foul play, and it’s up to the club members to uncover the truth. With secrets, scandals, and shady dealings at every turn, figuring out the killer won’t be easy — especially when everyone has something to hide.
Characters: Everyone plays a character and every character is connected with the club in some way. You’ll get the chance to elect a new Chairwoman, buy and sell horses, and place bets on the Isle of Man Handicap, a thrilling race featuring the club’s own horses. Meanwhile, the murderer will be working hard to cover their tracks — and maybe even pin the blame on someone else!
Time Period: Although this plot is theoretically set in the modern day, you can choose to switch it to a previous era if you prefer: Edwardian, 1920s, 1930s, etc. One or two anachronisms may still be there but can easily be explained a way as you run it.
How the Game Works
Everyone has a character in the plot. One of them will be the murderer. The others all have information about themselves and other characters that may or may not be relevant to the murder itself. Talking to people, finding out what they know – this is the key to unlocking the mystery.
As well as trying to identify the murderer, every character has other objectives to pursue. These lead them into making deals, sharing information, and getting involved in plenty of fun and games along the way.
Character Roles & Participation
Which characters are in your game will vary, depending on your final numbers. Among them will be different members of this very English riding club: an Honourable Lady, a Solicitor, a Headmaster, a Doctor, a Stable Hand and a Pub Landlady. All have different information and personalities and different reasons for being members of the club.
A Character Selection Guide comes with the game. This guides you on who to keep and who to drop.
Club Committee Members:
Lee Green: Honest and reliable, Lee is the club treasurer and a partner in a small firm of local accountants, Green & Goodheart.
The Hon. Agatha Collingsdale: Agatha is a frightful snob and has had her initials embroidered onto her saddle in gold. Her sister, Rachel, is much nicer than she is.
Miss Delia Thompson: Estate agent Delia was recently elected onto the committee, just three months after joining the club. Outspoken and pushy, she already expects to become the new chairwoman!
Mrs. Belinda Shipley: The wife of local P.C. Brian Shipley, Belinda is the club secretary and will be in charge of today’s election.
Butterworth Platt: Butterworth looks after the club’s bar and also runs a pub down the road called “The Colt”.
Oakley Smith: Oakley is the flamboyant social secretary of the club. Although not keen on horses, Oakley is wonderful at organising social events.
Non-members invited to the meeting:
Garfield Goldwater: Also known as “G.G.”, Garfield works for the horse traders, Shatterstalls, and arranges most of the buying and selling of livestock within the club.
D.C.I. Dawdley: The inspector is here to investigate the strange circumstances behind the death of Lady Amanda and no doubt intends to question most of the club members.
Ordinary Club Members:
Robin Jones: Robin was Lady Amanda’s solicitor and is the executor of her will. Suave, eloquent and meticulous, Robin rarely loses an argument to anyone.
Jonathan Cudham: Jonathan is the only child of the late Lady Amanda. Highly excitable, he joined the club only yesterday to look after his mother’s horses Kingsley, Spotty and Triumph.
Gerald Madagan: Gerald is the headmaster of Hawkhurst School for Girls and rules it with a rod of iron.
Rachel Collingsdale: Agatha’s sister, Rachel is quiet and sweet-natured. Ill with kidney disease, she tires easily but enjoys sitting in the club bar, sipping mineral water.
Jo Carpenter: Jo is Rachel’s dearest friend. She lives with her father and stepmother and enjoys being horrid to both of them.
Georgina Broadbent: Georgina has a wide and colourful collection of friends. No-one has quite worked out what she does for a living, but there is little she can’t afford.
Ninian Chambers: Ninian works part time in the stables, cleaning up after the horses, and also works behind the bar.
Dr. Head: The local G.P., Dr. Head was out riding with Lady Amanda when she died. The good doctor believes that medicine is as much about guesswork as it is about science.
P.C. Shipley: Belinda’s husband Brian is the local policeman. He considers “on-the-spot” fines an excellent idea.
Hegarty Roebuck: Hegarty owns a betting shop in Cudham and will be taking £100 bets on which horse will win today’s Isle of Man Handicap.
Pat Black: Psychiatrist Pat only recently joined the club. Both of Pat’s horses were imported from South America.
Dibbling Bradshaw: Dibbling is a trainee nurse and works in Dr. Head’s surgery at the moment.
Fingers Flannagan: Tipster Fingers knows everything there is to know about horses. If you are thinking of buying or betting on a horse today, seek Fingers’ advice.
Doyle Marbles: Doyle is a renowned crime novelist and likes to help the police investigate local crimes, even when no help is needed.
Mrs. Charlotte Carpenter: Charlotte is Jo Carpenter’s stepmother and married Arthur a year ago. She insists on being a member of the club because Arthur’s first wife Delilah was. She is not much older than her stepdaughter.
Delilah Carpenter: Delilah is Jo’s mother. She divorced Arthur two years ago and openly detests his new wife.
Arthur Carpenter: Jo’s father, Charlotte’s husband and Delilah’s ex-husband, Arthur would give anything for a bit of peace and quiet.
Laura Broadbent: Georgina’s sister, Laura is the editor of the Cudham Courier. Her powerful personality ensures the club always gets lots of publicity. She also makes sure her paper has all the local gossip…
Budgie Lyons: Budgie lives for horses and is employed full time by the club as a stable hand. Budgie gets help on Tuesdays and Saturdays from Ninian Chambers.
Mrs. Rose Grantham: The local Conservative M.P., Rose has been criticised in the past for arguing that some drugs should be legalised on a controlled basis.
Anthony Grantham: Rose’s son is a social worker and shares none of his mother’s political views. His “significant other” (i.e. live-in lover) is Prudence Trotter.
Prudence Trotter: Prudence stood against Anthony’s mother Rose in the last general election as a candidate for the Be Nicer To People party. She was heavily defeated.
Glee Saunders: Glee owns a small craft shop in the village called “Glee’s Gewgaws” and has lately been seen driving a smart new car.
Sam Sharpe: Despite having an important job in the City, Sam still takes a great interest in local matters.
Mrs. Audrey Pembleton-Smythe: Mrs. Pembleton-Smythe is wealthy and highly respected in the community. Now divorced, she lives in luxury at Boreham Manor.
Miss Sarah Pembleton-Smythe: Sarah is a bit of a “wild child”. Her mother has kicked her out of the house and she is now living with a dustman.
Reggie Knock: Dustman Reggie is the love of Sarah’s life. He likes fighting, drinking and posh birds.
Lady Sharon Chardonnay: Lady Sharon is a new but very keen member of the club. Married to Lord Kevin, she lives in the largest and ugliest house in the area.
Lord Kevin Chardonnay: Lord Kevin is a millionaire who made his fortune in the petfood business. He likes to impress and wishes people would take him more seriously.
Midge Trimble: Next to the late Lady Amanda, Midge is Cudham’s greatest do-gooder. There is no person or animal Midge won’t offer help to – whether they want it or not.
Caroline Fentham-Fletcher: Caroline only joined the club two weeks ago, but clearly has a huge passion for horses. She doesn’t seem to share the same enthusiasm for people.
Maureen Bissell: Lady Amanda’s Irish cleaner Maureen shared an interest in horses with her late employer. She claims the only thing that keeps her sane is her daily ride.
Chris Watts: A freelance investigative reporter with a very irritating style. Chris regards village hacks like Laura Broadbent as “a joke”.
Game Running Order
Timings vary every time a game is played but allow yourselves about 3 hours if it’s happening over a meal. This sample running order gives a rough idea of what you might expect.
Before The Event
The organiser prints out all the necessary paperwork and gets the plot ready following our instructions. They also send out invites about a week in advance, using pages in the downloadable free intro.
Arrival & Introductions
The organiser has their own character to play and starts by welcoming everyone to the event. Character name badges and character envelopes are given out. If you’re having a meal, this section often happens over drinks beforehand.
The Game Unfolds
The Game Unfolds
People open their envelopes, read the information inside and start playing.
New pieces of evidence – a Will, perhaps, or a Coroner’s Report – emerge and are read out to everyone. At this stage, people also busy themselves in small groups as they question and interact with each other in character. They may have secrets to conceal or reveal, items to buy or sell, people to find or avoid, information to obtain or share.
If you are having a meal, this section often happens after the first course is served and runs through till dessert.
Final Accusations & Reveal
Everyone gets the opportunity to make their accusations. Usually, they do so in teams and agree on a team solution which they think best fits all the facts. A Team Spokesperson shares this publicly with everyone else then the police inspector reads out the correct solution. Prizes may be given out to the Best Team of Detectives, Best Actor and Best Costume. The murderer is arrested.
Almost the end, but not quite… Before leaving, people often talk over what they did during the game, what scrapes their character got into, how they interacted with others. Big secrets and funny things that happened can at last be shared and discussed.
Age Rating
People aren’t quite who they seem in this plot. Respectable on the surface, they are secretly involved in all kinds of skulduggery and deceit. Some take drugs, some cheat on their partners, some gamble, some blackmail or kill.
What goes on is no worse than you might find in many primetime tv dramas and films. However, in case people may be offended by what our characters get up to, we believe our Cudham Riding Club plot is best suited to those aged 15+.
Occasions
Our games are perfect for every kind of party, social event and business function. They work brilliantly for private dinner parties, company team-building events, charity fundraisers, birthdays, reunions, anniversaries, stag dos, hen dos. They bring people together and get them talking and having fun.
Costumes
People don’t have to dress up in fancy dress for our murder mysteries. However, encouraging guests to do so will add a lot to the fun. Getting them to wear what they think their character might wear also means you’re sure to end up with some amazing photos.
Useful links for costumes
The Cutter’s Guide is a magnificent free resource full of pictures and information about
what people wore when. Be inspired!
Amazon, eBay and Etsy are all great online places to go looking for costumes you can hire, make or buy.
Sewdirect is also somewhere we recommend visiting if you fancy having a go at making your own costume.
Props
Some games have props in them which become part of the plot. In our Auction game, for instance, some “antique relics” are sold off during it.
Wherever a prop is needed in a plot, we’ll always make it available as a printable picture in the mystery pack you download when you buy the game. However, if you’d prefer to replace the print-out with a physical item, please feel free to do so.
Toy departments, fancy dress shops, prop hire stores – it’s amazing what you can find in them. And if you know anyone who has access to a 3D printer, get talking!
Useful links for props
Etsy for all kinds of new and second-hand items including props and costumes.
Leafnin Cosplay has some excellent advice on how to make props out of paper mache.
Paperwork
The game consists of various files and documents for you to print out. They include invitations, character information sheets, evidence reports (a Last Will and Testament, perhaps, and a Coroner’s Report) and paper representations of any physical props in the game.
Printer, etc.
A lot of what’s in this game can be screenshot online and sent to people as attachments.
However, things work better if you use a printer. Print out various documents from the PDF file you get when you buy the game. You then hand these documents out to guests while the game is taking place.
When getting the paperwork for the mystery ready using a printer, you will also need paper, envelopes, paper clips and scissors. The amount of printing varies and depends on how many of you there are. Expect to print out anything from 30 – 60 pages.
Names Badges
These can be printed out or made up. Advice on how to do so is included in the game. Also, Canva has some useful free online resources to help you create your own, personalised name badges.
Have Questions?
Whether you’re hosting a murder mystery for the first time or just want to make sure it’s the right fit for your group, our FAQ should cover what you need to know. From what’s included in the download to costume tips and group size flexibility, these answers will help you plan the perfect murder mystery night with confidence.
What’s included in the game download?
When you purchase our game, you’ll receive an email with a link and a password. This should be with you in hours but can take longer if the Internet is misbehaving. The download is a PDF with all the information you need on how to set up and run the mystery. A step-by-step guide on what to do before and during the game, notes for each character, clues and evidence to reveal throughout the evening, and a solution for the final reveal. It’s designed to be easy to follow, even for first-time hosts.
Is this a boxed game? Is it posted to me?
No, no, no, no and no! A downloadable, printable PDF document for you to print out and put together.
How many people can play, and what if my group size changes?
This game is designed for 14 to 40 players. Everyone has their own character to play. Some are essential, some aren’t. This allows you to adjust which characters you use if people drop out or are added later.
Can the organiser play the game, too?
Yes. There is a character for the organiser to play which allows them to be as involved as everyone else in the game. And they won’t find out who the murderer is till the end.
Can I run it over a meal?
Yes, but it’s not essential. It will run quicker without food. The key thing is to make sure people can circulate easily while the game is happening as well as enjoy their food.
What meal works best?
People sometimes hold our mysteries in grand settings with all kinds of exotic food being served. We reckon they work best, though, where the emphasis is on being relaxed and informal. A buffet or food that’s easy to share – these usually work better than a formal, sit-down meal.
Do players need to do or read anything in advance?
We recommend that they do. Everyone should receive an invitation before the event. This gives some background on the plot and tells them which character they will play. Reading it in advance helps create a buzz, allows people time to sort out costumes (if they want to) and means they’ll have less to read at the start of the game.
What does the organiser need to do in advance?
There are invites to put together and send out, character sheets to print out, plus items of evidence to get ready. It’s all clearly set out in a Step-by-Step guide which comes with the game.
How difficult is it?
The game is suitable for players of all experience levels. The information you need to solve the crime is freely available but can only be found by talking to others. The solution is logical and satisfying.
Can I customise it and make changes to it?
No, not really. Doing so may affect something vital in the game which won’t become clear until you play it. Also, the format you receive the game in prevents it from being edited.
Can I play the game virtually, online?
No. It’s designed to be played by everyone gathered together in the same space. Trying to include some players via video link won’t work, either. However, we do have two two games – Murder in the Red Room and The Chocolate Bar Mystery – which are meant to be played virtually online.
What should we wear?
Although this game is set in the present day, many hosts choose to set it in a specific era such as the 1920s, 1930s, or 1950s for a more immersive experience. Dressing up is optional but highly encouraged, and costumes add a lot of charm to the event. For ideas, you can check out the Cutter’s Guide or search online for themed fancy dress options.
How much space do I need to play this game?
Allow plenty of space for it. During it, even if it’s happening over a meal, people will want to be able to get out of their places easily so they can circulate and speak to lots of other people. Don’t cram everyone in round one table and make it hard for them to move around.
Will I need to make the room look different?
No. It’ll work in any kind of room as long as it’s big enough. Dressing yours up to suit the theme is a nice extra touch but – as with costumes and fancy dress – by no means essential.
Can I play the game again with a different group of people?
No. Buying it from us allows you to play it just once and within one year of purchase. If you do want to play it again, you’ll need to buy it again.
Troubleshooting
If you have trouble buying our mystery or don’t receive confirmation that you have bought it or aren’t able to download it, please go here to find help on what to do next.