Mystery Detective Games for Groups

comments icon 76 comments

Mystery Detective Games Group Date

Are you ready for an evening of investigative crime, clues, and good old-fashioned detective work? Gather your stealthiest sleuths for this unforgettable night of criminal-catching and crime-solving fun! This is one of the best mystery detective games you’ll ever play AND it has a unique spin to it, making it unlike any other murder mystery game (or “who dunnit” game) you have ever played! Basically, you and your guests will race to figure out which suspect committed the crime, where the crime happened, and what the weapon was. And, to make your game hosting easy as can be, we have a fully loaded (and newly updated!) WhoDunit Game kit that includes everything you need to host a killer party and help your guests solve the crime. In short, you’ll enjoy one of the most fast-paced and exciting detective games and ultimately, determine “WhoDunit!”

As one of the best DIY detective games out there, enjoy this family friendly Whodunit Mystery Detective Game for all ages! #TheDatingDivas #DIYMurderMystery #Whodunit

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more about ’em, click here.
Murder mystery activities (or murder solving games, like CLUE) are always a hit for a fun group date night. Not to mention, when you can create a live-action “who done it” game in your own living room, what could be better than that? Regardless of acting skills, a detective games mystery is a fun group date night idea if we ever heard one. Plus, our Red Carpet Revenge Murder Mystery has gotten RAVE reviews already. Without question, we know how to create a good “who done it” game! 😉

And now, we have created a whole NEW spin on an evening of character-accusing and crime-solving with this “who dunnit” game! That being said, unlike a traditional murder mystery game, THIS game can be played over and over with the solution constantly changing. Pretty great, right? All things considered, this will quickly become one of your favorite detective games and group dates ever!

Mystery Detective Game Envelopes

How to Play Our Mystery Detective Game

For starters, if you have ever played the board game Clue, then this will be a great reference for understanding how to play our WhoDunit game! In short, our mystery and crime detective game is based on this classic board game. However, it uses real people. So, rather than moving a game piece from room to room to make guesses about the solution, the detectives will physically move from room to room and interrogate the suspects themselves! Unquestionably, this is one of the best mystery-solving games you can play in the comfort of your own home!

Suspects for Murder Mystery Date Night Game

To illustrate how to play, imagine the following scenario: Six suspects are stationed at various designated areas of your house. Each suspect will receive clues containing what didn’t happen at the crime scene. Then, detectives will race to find a suspect and make an educated guess as to WHO did it, WHERE it occurred and WHAT the weapon was. For example, “Was it Dr. Newbody in the dining room with the poison?” Additionally, the suspects reveal clues throughout the game to help the detectives narrow down the options. Eventually, after a process of elimination, the good detectives will narrow down the solution and solve the mystery. Talk about a thrilling “who dunnit” game, right?!

Detectives in Murder Mystery Party Game

As a matter of fact, we can confidently say that you and your friends would have the BEST group date ever and have tons of fun playing this crime detective game. You like having fun, right? Who doesn’t?! Even if murder solving games aren’t something you’re familiar with, we suggest rounding up some couple friends and playing this “who dunnit” game ASAP! On that note, keep reading for even more details about one of the all-time greatest detective games! (By the way, all this was just a sneak peek! There’s even MORE details below!)

Mystery Detective Game Invite

Facts About Our Who Done It Game

  1. It is for ALL ages! — I have personally hosted this WhuDunnit game on three different occasions: once with a group of about a hundred kids with ages ranging from 8 to 12, once with a group of middle schoolers, and once with a group of my adult, married friends. Without question, each group had a blast and said it was one of their favorite detective games!
  2. It is clean. – While the theme is murder, the basis of the game is clean. If you have ever played murder mystery-solving games with characters before, they can often be filled with affairs, dark secrets, drug abuse, and other non-family friendly things. Alternatively, this game doesn’t have any of that. The character descriptions are classic characters (such as a professor, doctor, and chef) and there are no dirty secrets revealed – only what you create!
  3. It can be played with an unlimited number of guests. – By far, this is one of the best aspects of this “who done it” game. To clarify, this game works from groups of 8 people to, technically, hundreds! You could play this with youth groups, at a family reunion, birthday parties and, of course, for a date night! Basically, there is no limit to how many detectives can be solving the crime detective game. In fact, the more, the better!
  4. Even your shy friends will enjoy this! – In typical murder mystery-solving games, each guest has an assigned character. Games like this usually cater to dramatic extroverts, but what about couples where one is very comfortable and the other not so much? Well, no problem! This is one of those detective games that only has six suspect characters. That being said, those roles are perfect for your dramatic friends who enjoy acting in character and the rest of the guests can be detectives solving the crime. Further, no major characterization is needed and no one is placed on the spot or accused. Basically, it’s a detectives game mystery any type of personality will enjoy!
  5. This “Who Done It” game can be played over and over again! – Unlike typical murder mystery detective games (including our own Murder Mystery Group Date) where there is an established solution to the crime, the solution to this murderous plot changes EVERY time! You can play this crime detective game over and over (even on the same night if you want!) and the result will be different every. single. time! In short, you can get multiple uses from the purchase of this game. Isn’t that amazing?

Top Secret Documents for Murder Mystery Group Game

Our Mystery Detective WhoDunit Game Pack has everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, that you need to host and play your very own mystery detective game. Detectives will race to figure out: WHOdunnit? WHERE the crime occurred, and WHAT the weapon was. We have made it oh-so-easy for you with the amazing printables designed by Brielle at Breezy & Co. All you have to do is purchase the printables {waaaaay cheaper than buying a murder mystery from the store!}, print, invite your friends, and play!

Here are all of the amazing resources available in this mystery detective game kit:

  • Host’s Guide – to make party planning a breeze.
  • Invitations – includes both a paper and a digital version!
  • Name Tags – to identify each unique character.
  • Character Role Cards – give your guests a character background.
  • Suspect, Location and Weapon Cards – to determine the crime committed.
  • Room Labels – for the designated suspect areas.
  • Detective Clue Sheets – to assist the detectives in solving the crime.
  • Character Introduction Cards – for introductions at the party.
  • Host Check List – to keep track of your party preparations.
  • Guest List – to organize your guests and assign characters.
  • Top Secret Envelope Labels – where the suspect’s clues will be revealed.

Game Host Guide

The Host Guide to this mystery detective game is to ensure that you aren’t left having to solve the mystery of how this game is put together! 😉 Luckily, you will be guided every step of the way, preparing and executing a party with one of the best detective games that is to die for! Additionally, the guide includes helpful suggestions on assigning characters, detailed instructions for preparing the game materials, and thorough descriptions of how to play the game.

Mystery Detective Game Guest List

Not to mention, we even have included organization materials such as a game prep checklist and a guest/character organizer!

Game Invitations

For this mystery detective game, you will need at least 8 people to play, but the more the better! You can invite your friends with our classified file-style invitations. The invitations have “Top Secret” information to share with your guests explaining their assigned character and a request for them to come dressed for their role. When it comes to murder solving games, the more “into” your character you are, the better! Make sure to communicate that to your guests in the invitation.

Mystery Detective Game Top Secret Invitations

We even have two options for you to choose from: a traditional paper printout option in the shape of a file folder, and a digital file version that you can email or text to your guests. We are of the mindset that when hosting mystery-solving games, invitations are a MUST! 😉

Game Printables

Just like a good detective, you will want to carefully lay out all the pieces to your game and plan for every detail. Luckily, we have done all the work for you! Because we understand that murder solving games can be intense with all the moving parts, we’ve created the most organized detective game you’ve ever seen. When you print everything out, take some time to look over everything and become familiar with each part of the kit. But rest assured, putting your game together is ultimately so easy!

Mystery Detective Game Incident Cards

This detective game mystery pack includes all of the game printables necessary to play the game. The pack materials include room labels, suspect/location/weapon cards, envelope labels, name tags, character introduction cards, detective clue sheets and more! We did NOT leave anything out!

But now, it is time to get this detective game afoot! Start sleuthing now and purchase this detective games mystery pack for your next fun event! For the record, you don’t have to be Sherlock Holmes to know that this is a great deal! Normal murder mystery games can cost at least $40+ dollars… You can get this specialty mystery detective game for only…

$14.97!!!

Add To Cart

Additionally, if you loved this, you HAVE to try our NEW Murder Mystery Kit! Not only is it just as fun, but it has ALL the best elements of a murder mystery but themed on the red carpet!

Murder Mystery Party Kit

This 80 Page Murder Mystery Party Kit includes:

  • Hosting Ideas & Suggestions to make party planning a breeze.
  • Invitations personalized for each character with costume ideas!
  • Character Biographies to set the stage and story.
  • Name Tags to identify each unique character.
  • Table Cards & Food Tents to use if playing over dinner.
  • Task Cards for the characters to complete during each round.
  • Evidence Pieces to add intrigue and suspense!
  • Voting Ballots and Awards to vote for your favorite characters & suspects.
  • and so much MORE!

Click here for ALL the deets!

Regardless of which of the many detective games mystery kits you explore, we hope you have FUN! Best of luck solving “who dunnit!”

SaveSaveSaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

Sarina

I met my husband, in a beginning ballroom dance class at the age of 15. He was my first crush, my first date, and twelve years (to the day) later we married. Together we enjoy traveling the world, and, of course, going on creative dates! I am a former theatre teacher who now stays at home with a spunky little boy. I love dancing, hosting parties, photography, organizing & chocolate!

Learn more about Sarina
Free 7-day Program

One week to a better marriage.

Sign up now and get our 7 Days of Love Program absolutely free!

Husbands or Wives
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

You Might Also Like

diamond iconWe love your comments

We LOVE hearing from our readers! Thanks for leaving us some love!

Recent Comments

  1. Hello! I am considering hosting this 80’s style event– what type of venue do you need? Does this all take place in one room or several?

    1. Great questions! The game takes place in one location. You want it large enough to fit all of your guests, allow room for them to mingle have private conversations. I hope that helps!

  2. Hi, do you have to know the exact number of people that will be coming? I am planning on doing this for a youth night at our church, but we never know exactly how many will show up. Thanks!

    1. You do not need to know the exact number of people that will be coming. As long as you have your 6 suspects and at least 2 detectives the game will work! I have personally done this with church groups big and small and it was a super fun night!

  3. Hello There:
    I have also purchased this package and still have received the instant download?? Nothing in my junk folder and emailed the address in the receipt and nothing.

    1. I would say that technically you COULD but it isn’t ideal. If you played with 4 people you would want to have at least 2 detectives so that there is competition. The other 2 players would be the suspects.

  4. I am confused a little. So if I were to get this game? you say that I should have at least 8 players. It seems to me that there would only be 2 people actually playing the game to try to solve the mystery. The other 6 would l have to be the actors. Is this right or the people that are playing the parts, do they get to play also? I want to make sure I understand before I purchase

    1. Great question! That is correct that you would want a minimum of 8 players. You need at least 2 players to make it a competition but the more players – the more fun! As for the 6 suspect actors – they are not guessing the final outcome but it is definitely a lot of fun for them too! Taking on the characters and giving backstories to the clues they provided made the night so much fun for everyone.
      One thing that I LOVE about this game is that you can shuffle the cards and play again. In that case, sometimes when I have played we did the second round and rotated roles. Then, the original suspects became detectives and took a shot at solving the crime!
      I hope that answers your questions!

  5. Hello.
    I would like to buy this to do virtually for my son’s friends. Is it possible to do this through an online portal? I know some things can be emailed but the rooms….as the host would I be able to create rooms on another screen? It is hard to tell from reading the description what I can do…but I am very interested!

    1. How sweet of you to be planning someone unique for your son’s friends. I am not sure how this would work virtually on an online portal. I am not familiar with that. Are you familiar with the game of Clue? It is essentially the same idea, only instead of moving a token around a game board to go into a “room” to make a guess, you physically go to a room and ask a suspect in person your Who, What, Where and they give you a clue.

      My only idea for a socially distant version would be that you could have 6 friends be the suspects and you could text them their specific clues. Then, you could print out the detective clue sheets and drop them off at the remaining friend’s homes so they could be the detectives. When it is time to play the detectives could call, facetime or text the suspects and ask their scenarios. Repeat until they figure out the correct Who, What and Where.

      Good luck!

  6. Hi, I ordered the Who Dunnit online about 3 hours ago and still have not received the email. Do you know when I might receive it? I checked my spam/junk folder and it’s not there either. thanks for your help!

    1. Hello Ruby! I chatted with our customer service team and they ensured me that they have been in contact with you! We absolutely want you to enjoy your printables!! You are going to LOVE playing this over and over!! If you have any additional questions, we’d love to help! Feel free to email us at divas@thedatingdivas.com for the quickest response! 🙂 Thanks!!

  7. Hi! I just purchased this for my daughter’s 10th birthday party, she’s so excited! Just curious if you could give me an estimate of approximately how long it might take a dozen 10/11 year olds to figure this out, so I can plan the party accordingly. Thanks in advance!

    1. What a fun birthday party idea! I think you are going to love it. I did this with my middle school 7th graders and they loved it! The game could take anywhere from 20 – 45 minutes each round. When I did it we took about 30 minutes and then we repeated it and did it one more time. That is my favorite feature of this game is that you can play again and again with different results each time. Another member of our team recently did it with a church group of 11 year old girls and she said the first time took about 45 minutes and then the second round the kids understood the game better and felt a little more competitive and did it in 20 minutes. A lot is dependent on chance and asking the right questions. I hope you have a great time. We would love to see pictures and hear how it went!

  8. First thanks so much for creating all of these amazing resources. I love your site and use it all the time. I have a few questions about this set. First, I’m hoping to do this as the main activity for a couples date night at church, if you had to make a guess about how long would you say this game takes? Also is there a way for for people to play and figure out the clues as couples instead as individuals? We want it to be a working together thing. Thanks so much

    1. Thank you Ashlei for your kind words! This game would be so fun as a couples date night at church. My husband and I have done that at our church and it was so much fun! This is a great game for large groups.
      How long the game takes vastly depends on how many people you have but I would estimate that it would be under 30 minutes. We did two rounds (remember you can mix up the cards and play again) for our activity and it was perfect. It was more fun the second round because everyone had the idea of how it worked.
      The couples can absolutely work together. Simply pair the detectives together and have them share one paper for marking off the clues they receive. The suspects would be trickier to have as couples but there are only 6 of those. Everyone else could easily be a pair!
      Have so much fun. We would love to see pictures and hear how it goes!

  9. I want to purchase a paper hard copy of a murder mystery game. Do you sell any like that? When I try to search your site to purchase, I keep getting the “digital version”.

    1. We only have this in a digital version to print at this time. We are just starting to provide physical products and this is not one of them, yet!
      One thing that I love about this particular game is that you can play it over and over and each time it will be different. That definitely helps make the prep work worth it!

  10. How long does it take to receive the link in your email after the purachse? I purchased an hour ago and still no link. I am putting together a last minute party and thought this would be the perfect game!

    1. You should receive your email within minutes. Make sure to check your spam folders and if you have an issue at all – you can email ferren@thedatingdivas and she will help you get everything you need! I hope you have a blast with your party!

  11. So i am wanting to do something like this, I just want to know if I host it will I be able to play too or would I already know who did it?

    1. You absolutely can play as well! This will come with a complete host guide and can explain it in more detail. Basically, when you place the cards in the envelopes – you just make sure that you don’t peek at them OR if you assign yourself to be a suspect it really doesn’t matter if you know the solution. It won’t ruin anything for you at all! Enjoy!

  12. Hi, once purchased are these a 1 time print/use? Or would it be a pdf we could come back to at a later date and print again?

  13. Are any of the pro tables editable? I’d like to Customize things like room names and such but I don’t want the trouble of creating all these on my own.

    1. So glad that you like our printables! Unfortunately, the designs are not customizable but we hope you can find a way to make this one work for ya! It is SUCH a fun game – I hope you love it!

  14. Hey! I am curious if you have any ideas on play variation to make it so the suspects can also try to figure out “whodunit” … like in the game Clue? I only have a group of 6-8 and know that the suspects would also want to take part in solving the case – trying to beat the detectives to the punch, possibly making a confession at the end as a plea deal. Any thoughts?

    1. We always love when our readers add their own special spin to our games. I am sure you could adapt it in some way – it is totally up to you. One more simple idea is to just have the suspects and the detectives switch roles after each round. The rounds are fairly quick (it is a race!) and after a detective solves the crime you can switch them out with a suspect and let them have a different role. For costumes you could provide generic pieces that can easily be transferred (like an apron and chef hat for the chef). I hope that gets the wheels turning! Have so much fun!

  15. This seems to be exactly what I am looking for. My only question is there game play instructions? I am a little confused on how this would work with multiple plays and what exactly the suspects need to do and how they reveal clues. do the suspects know who did it?

    1. I am so happy you found this! I hope you love it! When you purchase the kit, the pdf comes with a 10+ page host guide that includes detailed instructions and organizers to help you host your own game! It will explain all the details!

  16. This seems to be exactly what I am looking for. My only question is there game play instructions? I am a little confused on how this would work with multiple plays and what exactly the suspects need to do and how they reveal clues. do the suspects know who did it?

    1. I am so happy you found this! I hope you love it! When you purchase the kit, the pdf comes with a 10+ page host guide that includes detailed instructions and organizers to help you host your own game! It will explain all the details!

    1. That is a great question! It really depends on the group you are playing with and the distance between your locations. I would say it lasts under an hour – probably around 40 minutes. I hope that helps!

  17. I would like to purchase this printable kit for my daughters 14th birthday party. It the content age appropriate for teenage girls, i.e. No sexual content? Also will the kit include enough for 14 girls?.

    1. Paula – I can understand your concern. I personally have planned many games of this type and have run into a lot of content issues. This game, however, is super clean and has no issues of the sort. A few summers ago I hosted this game at a youth summer camp for kids ages 9-14 and they loved it. It is should be noted that this game is just like the game of Clue but moving around. There are no scripts to read or surprises about the character that are revealed. It is a game of deduction to discover the Murderer, the Weapon and the Location. I hope that helps!

  18. hello, maybe I am slow but I just bought this and I am having trouble understanding it.
    Once I put my incident card in the envelope what do I do. Do my suspect get the cards and then read them and does he say what he has and then if they guess the items what next?
    If anyone can help that would be great!!!

    1. I am so excited for you to experience this game! I hope you love it as much as I have! Have you ever played clue? This game is exactly like that – just with real people! The detectives will approach the suspect and make a guess of a location, weapon and murderer. The suspect will then use their incident cards in their envelope to let the detective know if their guess is right or wrong. For example: if the detective asks: “Was it Chef Souffle in the kitchen with the poison?” and the suspect has the card for poison in their envelope – that cannot be the correct answer. So, the Suspect would tell the detective something like “I know that it wasn’t the poison because it was locked in the cupboard and only I have the key” The detective marks poison off of their detective notepad and moves on to another suspect to make another guess. The detective will carefully and strategically narrow it down as then go along. The next suspect the detective goes to – they would not guess poison because they know that is not the answer.
      I hope that helps! Enjoy!

  19. Hi I have downloaded your product so I can use it with my your group however I am not able to open it , I get an error message stating that there is an error with the file, I have had this issue before with other files and the easiest way to solve the problem is if you email me a copy of the pdf, somehow the download process corrupts my files my receipt details; Order# 20782
    thanks

  20. Hey! Stumbled upon this! Curious if the printables were still available for purchase and the average turnaround time.

    Thank you!

  21. I love this idea! I am confused however with the remaining 15 cards as if each of the 6 suspect envelopes is to have 3, then won’t that leave one envelope empty? Or will 3 envelopes have only 2 cards each? Forgive me if my maths is a bit out, it’s 1am, but I just couldn’t get it to make sense!

    1. Hey Aspen! Can you please email Ferren & forward her your invoice {ferret@thedatingdivas.com} and we will make sure you get your download! Thanks! XOXO

  22. I am trying to come up with my daughter’s 18th birthday party theme. Both the who dun it and Amazing race look like great group themes. My daughter has a group of about 24 friends that have been getting together to have a game night (plan it and they will come) do you have a favorite or one that would be better for teens. And can we divide our groups into 4-6 rather than 2?
    thanks for your help,
    Lisa

  23. Hey Sarina! We are hosting a group date night this Friday and super excited to play Whodunit!! Thanks for the great idea! I purchased the download and printed off everything. I don’t seem to have the Top Secret For “character’s” Eyes only page. Also, am I to understand that I just disperse the remaining 15 incident cards into the envelopes for the suspects randomly? I understand that 3 will go into the Investigation Results Envelope. Thank you so much for your help, we are SO looking forward to this!

    1. Jennifer –

      I am so excited about your date night on Friday. It is going to be a blast – I am sure. To answer your question – YES. You disperse the remaining 15 incident cards into the envelopes randomly. You got it! To answer your concern – you are absolutely right. That file doesn’t have the “top secret” envelope labels. I have contacted our amazing designer and she is on it! No worries! We will get it to you. Can you send me your email so I can send it directly to you quickly? sarina@thedatingdivas.com I am so sorry! I hope you have a fabulous date night!

      1. Thanks Sarina! We are super excited for this party!! Thanks for all your hard work! It makes it so much easier to have the printables all ready created!! Can’t wait!!

  24. Hi! This looks like TONS of fun and I just threw the idea out there on facebook and tons of my friends are interested in doing it!. I do however have a few more questions. So, you’re saying that there is a way for me to participate in this, even as the hostess? I do not understand how that would work if I am printing them. Can you please assist me in understanding this. I’m a little slow figuring it out tonight, sorry! (sick kiddo) haha Also, on average, how long would you say it takes for a group to figure this out? Is there a way to incorporate a meal or some adult beverages into this evening, or will that take away from the experience too much? Thanks in advance for all you have done to get this put together and give me some additional information. I have always wanted to do a murder mystery but have never known where to start with any of it! I am looking forward to doing this! 🙂

    1. Amanda –

      I hope you have so much fun with this! You ABSOLUTELY can play. In the post is says “*Note – if you want to play along with your guests you totally can – you just need to make sure you don’t peak at the cards you put in any of the envelopes!” and that is it! Nice huh? The game is a lot like the game of Clue – but LIVE! Just don’t peak at the cards as you put them in the envelope and you are good! PLUS every time you play it can be different.
      You definitely could include food. I would have the guests come in and over dinner, or appetizers do the introductions, go play and return for dessert!

  25. This looks like tons of fun. My question has to do with purity. Every murder mystery game I have seen has someone sleeping with someone – and that kind of thing. From what I can see, this one isn’t like that. Is there anything at all that would make this inappropriate for Christians to do? Thanks so much for all the amazing things you guys do and make available to us!

    1. I completely understand! I have felt the same way. This one is EXTREMELY tame. I am going to play it with my middle school students next week! It is very similar to the game of clue, but you get to play the parts yourself.

    2. Does not have anything sexual that would make it uncomfortable for a good Christian. Just good old fasion, wholesome murder.

      1. You are right! This date night has nothing that would be uncomfortable. This is the game of clue. The couples don’t have scripts in any way – they just reveal the clues to the location, murderer and weapon!

  26. I can’t wait to play this!!!!! I love dressing up and having a murder mystery party, this one looks like sooo much fun!!!! Love it! xox