A comprehensive guide to all the different ways murder mysteries are produced and experienced
| Format | Duration | Group Size | Price Range | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dinner Theater | 3-4 hours | 8-800+ | $60-$100/person | General audiences, corporate |
| Immersive/Interactive | 2-4 hours | 6-40 | $700-$2,500 private | Theater enthusiasts |
| Boxed Kits | 2-4 hours | 4-30 | $20-$75 | DIY hosts, budget-conscious |
| Subscription Box | 90 min/month | 1-6 | $26-$35/month | Solo players, couples |
| Walking Tours | 1.5-3 hours | 10-50 | $25-$75/person | Tourists, active groups |
| Train/Boat | 2-4 hours | 50-1,000 | $75-$500+/person | Special occasions |
| Weekend Getaways | 2-3 days | 30-100 | $500+/person | Enthusiasts |
| Virtual/Online | 2 hours | 4-50 | $20-$1,500 | Remote teams |
| Jubensha | 3-6 hours | 5-12 | $20-$50/person | LARP enthusiasts |
Guests are seated for a multi-course meal while actors perform a murder mystery around them. The mystery unfolds in acts between courses (cocktails, salad, entree, dessert). Typically runs 3-4 hours.
Every guest plays a character with backstory, secrets, and motives. Guests receive character packets in advance. The evening involves mingling, interrogation, and alliance-forming. One guest (unknown to others) is secretly the murderer.
Host purchases a kit (physical or digital), assigns characters to guests, and runs the game over 2-4 hours with structured rounds.
Pricing: Free scripts available online, Digital downloads $20-$50, Physical boxed sets $18-$75
Subscribers receive monthly "episodes" building a single mystery over 6 installments. Each box contains evidence: police files, autopsies, photos, audio files.
Guided walking tours through urban neighborhoods, combining sightseeing with mystery-solving. Duration: 1.5-3 hours, typically 1 mile of walking.
Murder mystery performed aboard trains or boats. Guests cannot leave (adding tension!). Often themed to 1920s/1930s Orient Express era.
2-3 day experience at hotel or resort. Mystery unfolds across multiple meals and sessions. Actors remain in character throughout.
Originated in China, described as "mix of Cluedo, Werewolf, and LARP." Each player receives detailed character script. Games run 3-6+ hours.
Participants join via Zoom. Professional actors host and guide the experience. Emerged during COVID, now established format for remote teams.
Notable Providers: The Murder Mystery Company, Wildgoose USA