Oct 15 2025
How To Run the Ultimate Murder Mystery Party
Curate the perfect murder mystery party with our guide on how to bring it to life with accessories.
There’s nothing better than a night with friends but coming up with a fun idea everyone will love can be tricky. Enter: the murder mystery party. They’re trending all over TikTok, inspired by shows like Only Murders in the Building and Sherlock Holmes, and with Halloween weekend just days away, it’s the perfect time to plan one.
So, what is a murder mystery party? Think dinner party meets crime scene with themed roles, delicious foods, suspense, riddles, and one secret “killer” everyone’s trying to catch. Some themes we recommend include 1920s Speakeasy, Masquerade, Vampire & Witch Themed. You can also create a fun moodboard to plan based on your favourite murder mystery show, podcast or movie, some examples include Only Murders In the Building, Cold Case , Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, Agatha Christie's Poirot, Murder on the Orient Express, Murder, Mystery & Makeup Podcast or the Buzzfeed Unsolved Network for some inspiration.
So how do you put one of these fabulous dinner party nights together?
There are a few ways to set yours up: as a luxe option pre-organised kits like Masters of Mystery come with everything you need including a story, theme, clues and more(except for the perfect accessories, we've got those!). As a mid-budget option, DIY kits offer greater freedom to customise the story, decor, and roles. And if you’re on a budget or are short on time, we’ve got you covered with how to host your own murder mystery party.
Read on as we walk you through a glamorous 1920s speakeasy-inspired version of the game.
Step 1- Pick Your Theme
Choosing your theme is all about thinking about what theme your guests would enjoy and picking something you can have fun with.
If you wanted to do a 1920s speakeasy style murder mystery dinner party, consider vintage glam inspired jewellery and headbands for guests, fun old style cocktails or mocktails and cute platters or foods like shrimp canapes, rice pilaf, rack of lamb with mustard sauce, vanilla rice pudding, as some dishes inspired by the 1920s.
Step 2- Pick the Date, Guest List & Invite
Put together your guest list and send out your invites around 2 weeks before your party date so people have enough time to plan. We recommend having around 6-10 friends maximum so it’s easier to cater for. Assign character types to your guests through character briefs. Character briefs should have the name of the character, job or reason why they’re there, costume and personality ideas and a brief background description, give this on a character sheet. Some characters we recommend include flappers (young, fashionable women who rejected traditional 1920s social norms), socialites, police officers, landlords, thieves, etc. Then send out your invites and your character briefs, either with the invite or via text for a more secret brief.
Step 3- Dress the Part
For a 1920s speakeasy theme, some costume additions you can recommend include a beaded or diamante detailed headband like our Silver Marquise Round Leaf Headband, a tassel necklace, a beaded necklace, long pearl necklace, statement drop earrings like our Silver Cubic Zirconia Halo Hook Earrings, big art deco style rings like our Silver Cubic Zirconia Circle Thin Ring and shimmery wrist cuffs like our Silver Cubic Zirconia T Wrist Cuff. Guests could also add leg garters, hip flasks, stick-on moustaches, or a watch with a clip-on black bow for a detective-style role.
Think about pieces that could be relevant to the murder mystery plot or can reveal clues, such as a locket with a secret message inside, a specific engraved piece, or an item of jewellery that belonged to the victim.
Step 4- Set the Scene
Consider creating an elegant yet mysterious environment with candles, old books, wine glasses, antique pieces, offering your guests a mocktail or cocktail on arrival (Hello 1920s Speakeasy vibes) and choosing moodier lighting with a lamp and sepia tones for that vintage look. Include a photo booth (you can DIY one with printable decorations or hire one) and make props from scratch. Our best tip is to use furniture or props to enhance the story, such as an antique chest or a briefcase to hide clues.
Step 5- Let the Mystery Begin
Now’s your time to guide the story, reveal clues and keep things fun. Give prizes for best dressed, best acting and more, a good example of a prize could be something from our Gifting Collection or one of our Waterproof Rings etc.
To guide the story, make sure guests have character sheets or a script, make your clues and riddles; think fake police reports, diaries in code, lockets with hidden messages inside, hidden unsigned love notes, getting the “killer” to have a bracelet, ring or necklace of the victim hidden with them or near them as a subtle nod. Or hide your clues in places behind candles or in nightstands or creative places. Most of all make sure you’re having fun and that guests are having fun.
So there you have it, our guide to the ultimate murder mystery party! Your murder mystery dinner is sure to be a night full of laughter, suspense, and unforgettable memories. Don’t forget to capture the chaos and creativity, we’d love to see how your story unfolds! Tag us on Tik Tok or Instagram and use #LovisaLoves or #MyLovisa for your chance to be featured. We can’t wait to see what you create.
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