Murder mystery gifts: what to buy for a whodunit fan
For a first murder mystery gift, start with Hunt A Killer's Death at the Dive Bar. For a larger game-night group, compare Cryptic Killers and Unsolved Case Files. A Deadbolt Mystery Society gift subscription suits someone who wants a new case to arrive regularly, while a Night of Mystery party kit is for a friend who enjoys hosting in character. Our own games suit a different interest: solving codes and clues within an adventure.
Puzzling Pursuits makes the boxed puzzle games featured later in this guide. Choose by whether the recipient wants to investigate suspects, crack codes or host a party.
For a first case: Hunt A Killer
Start with the advertised difficulty and play time. Hunt A Killer gives many of its cases a difficulty rating, which helps you choose within its range. For a first game, Death at the Dive Bar is at the easier end.
Death at the Dive Bar is listed at 45 to 60 minutes for 1 to 5 players aged 14+. You read evidence and investigate the death of a bar owner. It is an individual purchase with no subscription required; other cases have different play times and group recommendations.
If an older guide recommends a particular season or box set, check current stock before ordering. For an overseas gift, confirm that the publisher ships to the recipient's address.
If you like their format but want more codebreaking, our guide to games like Hunt A Killer sets out which three of our boxes suit that player, and if you have already settled on their catalog and only need to choose a case, compare the titles in Hunt A Killer games ranked.
More case files to compare
Compare these by their playtime and the number of people who will share the evidence.
Cold Case: The Girl in the Well is another short Hunt A Killer investigation. It lists 60 to 90 minutes for ages 14+, with a difficulty of one out of five. Consider it for someone who wants to try the case-file format in a shorter session.
Cryptic Killers combines paper and online evidence. Players examine a folder of documents, then investigate records such as a fictional police inbox. Its cases take 2 to 3.5 hours for 1 to 10 players aged 14+, with difficulty ratings to help compare titles. That player range makes it worth considering for a larger group. Our guide to games like Cryptic Killers compares similar formats.
Unsolved Case Files has players work through three objectives to solve one cold case. Most groups of two or more take 2 to 6 hours, and the games are rated 14+. Its FAQ sets no player limit, though everyone needs room to read and share the evidence. Our guide to games like Unsolved Case Files has more options in this style.
A murder mystery subscription box: the gift that keeps arriving
For a new case arriving regularly, Deadbolt Mystery Society sells gift subscriptions. Each monthly box contains a self-contained whodunit, mixing suspect elimination with escape room puzzles. It recommends 1 to 4 players aged 13+ and about 2 to 3 hours per box. Compare the current plans and delivery terms before choosing the length of the gift.
They also sell Letters from a Serial Killer, which builds one mystery through twelve envelopes sent over twelve weeks. It is worth a look for someone who likes a story arriving in installments.
Unsolved Case Files also offers monthly case subscriptions for US customers, with six- or twelve-month plans. Read the payment and delivery terms before buying one as a gift.
For the person who hosts: a murder mystery party kit
A murder mystery party kit gives each guest a character to play and the host a script to organize the evening. Choose it for someone who enjoys planning a party and has a group keen to join in.
Night of Mystery sells downloadable character kits with instructions for the host and materials to print. Choose a specific theme and cast size that suit the recipient's group. If you give the download in a card, include the preparation instructions so they can allow enough time before the party.
Before buying, check that the recipient enjoys hosting and has guests willing to take part. Read the selected kit's content and age guidance as well as its cast requirements.
Murder mystery books, for the reader
For someone who likes solving on paper, try a Murdle book. The series uses logic grids to work out a culprit from a set of clues, and Merry Murdle adds a Christmas theme. The free daily puzzle at murdle.com lets them try the format first.
If they love the solving more than the murder: our games
Our games are a good fit when the recipient enjoys decoding a clue as much as following a crime story.
In Blackbrim, the player is a private detective pursuing Reager Skinner through Victorian England. The criminal is known; the work is deciphering what he left behind. La Famiglia follows an FBI effort against a mafia organization in 1929 Chicago, with coded communications to unravel. Choose a case file above for someone who wants to name a killer from a list of suspects.
Blackbrim: 1876, our Victorian detective game, is for 1 to 6 players aged 14+, with 2 to 4+ hours of play across two parts. Those parts give the recipient a place to pause if they would like to split the game across evenings.
La Famiglia, our 1929 codebreaking game, is for 1 to 6 players aged 14+, with 2 to 4+ hours across two parts and a 4.8-star rating from 99 reviews. The player works through intercepted mafia communications, and breaking the codes is the game.
Our games have no time limit, and the online companion guide checks answers and offers optional hints. Nothing requires cutting or writing on the materials, so the recipient can pass the completed box to someone else.
If you want to see whether the style fits your person, see what is inside Blackbrim: 1876. Blackbrim holds 4.8 stars from 524 reviews.
We played Blackbrim 1876 over two days with a family of 5, ages 10 to (well let's just say above middle aged). We had a great time, challenging it is, but everyone got involved and help solve the puzzles.
Kevin H., verified review
We rate Blackbrim 14+ mostly for difficulty, and as that review shows, families do play it with younger kids and adults at the same table.
For a bigger gift, The Blackbrim Trilogy collects the full Victorian manhunt across three boxes. It has 10+ hours of play across six parts for 1 to 6 players aged 14+, with 4.9 stars from 533 reviews. And if you have read this far still unsure whether murder is even the right genre for them, our gift guide for puzzle lovers sorts gifts by how the person likes to solve instead, and a Puzzling Pursuits gift card lets them choose their own adventure.
Which murder mystery gift should I buy?
Match the gift to the recipient.
| Who you are buying for | The gift |
|---|---|
| True-crime fan who has never played one | Death at the Dive Bar, a shorter Hunt A Killer case |
| Wants a shorter case | Cold Case: The Girl in the Well |
| Crowded game nights, six or more people | Cryptic Killers (1 to 10 players) or Unsolved Case Files (no stated limit) |
| Has already played everything once | Deadbolt gift subscription, 1, 3 or 6 months |
| Loves getting mail | Letters from a Serial Killer, a story told through 12 weekly envelopes |
| The host with a costume rack | A downloadable Night of Mystery party kit |
| Reads in bed, solves alone | A Murdle puzzle book |
| Loves the solving more than the murder | Blackbrim: 1876 or La Famiglia, ours |
| Recipient lives outside the US | Check shipping to their address before choosing |
| You are unsure of their tastes | A Deadbolt gift card, or ours |
Common questions
What age are murder mystery games appropriate for?
Many murder mystery games are rated 13+ or 14+, and the content varies by case. Read the age recommendation and description before buying for a child. Our games are rated 14+, except Down the Rabbit Hole at 12+; the ratings reflect puzzle difficulty.
Can a murder mystery game be replayed or passed on?
Once you know the solution, a case will not offer the same surprise a second time. Passing it to someone else depends on the materials. Unsolved Case Files says a carefully reassembled file can be passed on, and our games require no cutting or writing on the contents.
Are Puzzling Pursuits games murder mysteries?
Our games focus on codes and puzzles within a story. Blackbrim is a detective's pursuit of a known criminal, and La Famiglia follows FBI codebreaking against the mob. For someone who mainly wants to compare alibis and name a killer, consider Hunt A Killer, Unsolved Case Files, Deadbolt or Cryptic Killers.
Which murder mystery gift can arrive at the last minute?
A downloadable Night of Mystery kit avoids shipping time, though the host still needs time to print and prepare it. Deadbolt also sells gift cards. Our Mission: Elfpossible arrives by email within minutes of purchase and is a digital North Pole rescue game for ages 14+, played on a laptop or desktop. For a physical case today, ask a local game shop what is in stock. Our last-minute gifts for puzzle lovers guide has more emailed options.
How do I pick a difficulty for someone else?
Check the rating on the specific game and use it to compare titles from the same publisher. Hunt A Killer and Deadbolt use five-point scales on many pages; Cryptic Killers also rates its cases. If you are unsure of the recipient's experience, start toward the easier end and check that hints are available.
