Murder in the Red Room – Murder Mystery Game
$29.99
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A valuable modern painting is about to be sold by auction. Is that paint on it – or blood?
Setting: Guests are attending the auction of a modern masterpiece in the home of its owner, multi-millionaire Richard Onan.
Plot: Just before the auction begins, a shocking death occurs. The game is part scripted, part improvised, with plenty of twists and turns along the way.
Characters: Some of those attending will be wealthy collectors ready to bid, others key characters in the plot, and some take on the role of crime-solving observers.
Time Period: Set in the modern day, the plot still allows plenty of opportunities for people to get dressed up in different ways.
Some can dress up as the characters they are playing. Those without pre-set characters can dress up as private investigators and detectives.
Everyone can (if they want to) wear something that shows how arty and art-loving they are.
How the Game Works
After buying this game, you download a Zip folder containing all the PDF files you need to run it. You don’t have to print anything out unless you want to. Everything can be read on your device instead.
Getting the game ready needn’t take you long. You can, if you want to, play it within 1 hour of buying it, providing you and your friends are all connected in a virtual meeting.
If you prefer, you can spend more time getting everything ready and set a date in the future for playing it.
Our Notes for Organiser file talks you through what to do along with how and when to do it. You simply assign characters and send out the relevant information as email attachments to people.
You don’t need to read through everything yourself. That way, you won’t know who the murderer is in advance and can try to work it out, along with everyone else.
Online Platform For Your Game
To play the game, you will need to set up an online meeting for it first. Discord is the app we like best for this although others can work fine, too – e.g. Zoom, Google Meet, FaceTime, etc.
We include a Technical section in your downloaded game. This gives advice on how to set up and run your meeting and which settings to use for it.
Character Roles & Participation
This plot has 9 characters in it. Because a lot of it is scripted, they will all have some reading out to do.
If there are only 8 of you, one person will play 2 characters.
If there are more than 9 of you and you all want to play a character, you can do this by sharing some roles between you. You then take it in turns to read out your character’s lines.
With bigger groups, some people sit back, observe and try to solve the mystery as it unfolds then share their theory at the end.
The characters in this plot are:
Richard Flanders: The owner of the painting being auctioned today. Arrogant and rich.
Chelsea Flanders: Richard’s daughter. A tearaway and a rebel. Doesn’t get on with her father.
Bill, the Butler: Richard’s butler. Old, doddery, hard of hearing. Has very shaky hands.
Andova di Dollus: The artist responsible for the painting Richard now owns. A genius.
Mystery woman: A woman of mystery.
Luke Mullet: Chelsea’s boyfriend. A thief and a lowlife.
Alice Cruddington Warner: Richard Flanders’ P.A. Elegant and super efficient.
Nobby: A Health and Safety expert and First Aider
Inspector Bucket: One of Scotland Yard’s finest.
Game Running Order
Timings vary every time a game is played but this sample running order gives a rough idea of what you might expect.
Reasons for suspecting each character build as the story unfolds and more and more secrets come out. The challenge is to work out what’s really been going on and put all the pieces together.
All the suspects have done bad things but only one of them is the murderer. Listening to what each has to say presents you with all the information you need.
Before The Event
The organiser arranges an online “meeting” on Discord, Zoom or similar and invites those taking part to attend it. The “meeting” is when the mystery will take place.
They also send out invites as email attachments about a week in advance. These provide some background to the plot and a list and description of the 10 characters in it.
After deciding who will play each character, the organiser emails character notes as attachments to those playing characters. The notes let them know what their character will do on the day, including any lines they will need to read out.
Arrival & Introductions
The organiser welcomes everyone online, makes sure everyone’s internet connection is working OK and explains how the game will run. They then hand over to the character who has the first line in the script.
The Game Unfolds
Characters take it in turns to read out any lines they have to say. Most of this mystery is scripted but there are also times when people can ad lib or improvise. For instance, early on each character is asked to introduce themselves. When doing so, they know from their notes what they must say but which words they use to do so is left up to them.
Early on in the script, a tragedy occurs and a police inspector takes charge. They interview each character in turn and get them to admit to or reveal important clues. Again, most of this is scripted but some of it will be improvised.
Sometimes characters may have a letter or note to read out to everyone. This is another way in which important information is shared.
While those playing characters do what their notes ask them to, those who aren’t playing characters look, listen, deduce and assess. Even as observers, they have plenty to be entertained, amused and intrigued by – not least watching their friends tackle the different fun roles they’ve been given.
Final Accusations & Reveal
When all the suspects have been questioned publicly by the police inspector, people consider the evidence and come up with a solution they think fits all the facts.
Everyone is invited in turn to explain who they think is guilty of the crime and why. The inspector then reads out the one and only true explanation of events. The culprit is (virtually) arrested.
Almost the end, but not quite… Before going offline, people often talk over what went on in the game, how well everyone played their character and anything funny that happened along the way.
Age Rating
The characters in this plot are no saints. They lie, steal, threaten, cheat on their partners and (sometimes) kill. Their behaviour is appalling but we don’t think it’s worse than anything you might see in a primetime television crime drama. Still, because our mystery is primarily aimed at and written for adults, we believe it is best suited to those aged 15+.
Occasions
This game is perfect for livening up an online gathering and letting those attending have fun together.
If you have work colleagues, friends or family scattered in different parts of the world, playing one of our online murder mysteries together is a great way to spend time together. It adds something extra you don’t get from an ordinary group chat or work meeting.
Costumes
It’s always fun if people wear costumes that fit their character and the occasion. But it’s not essential.
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
At different times, characters are supposed to hold various items up for everyone to see. These are relevant to what’s happening in the story. It says in the Character Notes what each character needs. Most will be easy for them to source. But if any props are missing, it really doesn’t really matter. People can (when the time comes) just explain what they should be holding up instead.
Paperwork
A virtual, online game like this is much quicker to get ready than our immersive, face-to-face, in-person games. You don’t have to print anything out but can if you want to. Your main task before the event is to email people whatever documents they need as attachments. They can then view these onscreen while the game is happening or print them out themselves beforehand, depending on which they prefer.
Have Questions?
Whether you’re running an online, virtual 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 Zip folder with all the files and 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! It’s a downloadable Zip folder with all the documents in it for you to run the game.
How many people can play, and what if my group size changes?
Ideally, it’s for 8-20 people and has 9 speaking roles in it. If there are more than 9 of you, some of you can share roles or simply observe and deduce rather than play a character with anything to say.
In the downloaded instructions, we set out what to do if numbers increase or drop after you’ve bought the game.
Can the organiser play the game, too?
Yes. They can either play a character or observe and deduce. And they won’t find out who the murderer is till the end.
Can I run it over a meal?
Because the game is played virtually with people in different places, you won’t all be dining together. If people want to eat their own food while it’s happening, they can of course do so. But we recommend nibbles, snacks and drinks rather than a full meal.
Do players need to do or read anything in advance?
An invite is emailed to everyone and some people are sent character notes. It’s best if these are read in advance but they don’t have to be.
What does the organiser need to do in advance?
Instructions to read through, a virtual meeting to arrange, plus invites and character notes to email as attachments.
How difficult is it?
It is suitable for players of all experience levels. It’s difficult enough for people to need to pay some attention and do some deducing but not impossible to work out. The solution is logical and satisfying.
Can I customise it and make changes to it?
No, no, no! Doing so may affect something vital in the game which won’t become clear until you play it.
Can I play the game offline with a group all gathered in one space?
You can but it does work better online.
Should I make the background on my device fit the plot?
It’s nice if you can do that but not essential. Making sure your picture and sound are working properly is more important than appearing in front of some dramatic backdrop you’ve added.
Can I play the game again with a different group of people?
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.