Want a birthday with a difference, without booking an escape room? Hold an investigation at home. Your guests get a 1930s police case file, study the evidence and work out the killer together. No host is needed: the solution is sealed, so everyone plays, the birthday person included.
Why it beats a regular escape room
- At home, on any day: nothing to book, no time slot.
- Everyone plays: nobody knows the answer, not even the organiser.
- One purchase for the whole group: up to 6 detectives, print as many copies as you need.
- 2–3 hours: just right for a birthday evening.
How to set up the party
- Print the case in advance, ideally in colour on A4.
- Lay the documents out on the table or pin them to a wall like an evidence board.
- Add some 1930s atmosphere: low light, candles, jazz, cocktails.
- Ask guests to come dressed for the era: hats, pearls, bow ties.
- Keep the solution aside and open it together at the end.
More than six guests?
Split into two teams of detectives, each with its own printed set, and see who names the killer first. One purchase lets you print as many copies as you need.
Which case to choose
- Final Curtain: if some guests are new to this. The easiest, 2 of 5.
- Death at Ashford Hall: a classic country-house mystery, 3 of 5.
- The 9:14 from Paddington: for a group that loves a hard puzzle, 4 of 5.
New · play onlineDeath at Ashford Hall
Bibury, Gloucestershire · Nov 1934
A baronet dead in his study. The doctor wrote “heart failure” — then the coroner received an unsigned letter. Five guests spent that night under his roof.
- Players
- 1 – 6
- Hours
- 2 – 3
- Difficulty
- 3/5
€12.99+ VAT for your countryView Case →
The 9:14 from Paddington
Bristol, England · Mar 1932
A first-class compartment. A passenger who boarded but never arrived. A conductor who swears the door was never opened.
- Players
- 1 – 6
- Hours
- 2 – 3
- Difficulty
- 4/5
€12.99+ VAT for your countryView Case →
Final Curtain
London, England · May 1937
Opening night at the Sceptre Theatre, May 1937. The stage revolver fired a live round, and the leading lady never rose for her bow. Who loaded the gun?
- Players
- 1 – 6
- Hours
- 2 – 3
- Difficulty
- 2/5
€12.99+ VAT for your countryView Case →
Price
€12.99 + VAT per case, PDF straight to your inbox. Every case page has a free sample showing what the documents look like.
FAQ
- Do we need a host?
- No. The rules fit on one page and the solution is sealed, so everyone plays.
- How long does it take?
- Usually 2–3 hours.