Our 1920s murder mystery party at the Velvet Ace

On October 10 we threw a 1920s murder mystery party in our house. Eleven of us, a casino called the Velvet Ace, and a boss who never finished his rounds. Three people named the killer. The last guests left at 4:30 in the morning.

Here is how the night went, what worked better than I expected, and what we changed afterward.

The setup

The kit was “The Last Deal at the Velvet Ace,” written by Nightcapers the same way it writes yours. A 1920s gambling den, a boss with secrets, and a room full of people who all had a reason.

The password at the door was “Kingston sent me,” after the man who ran the place. It set the tone before anyone had a drink in hand.

Everyone chipped in ten dollars toward dinner. I played the pit boss. Jill played Zora Beaumont.

Somebody cancelled

That week, one guest had to cancel. With a boxed kit, that would have been a scramble. Here it was a text message. A friend already on the list moved into his part, another friend took the empty seat, and nothing had to be rewritten.

Everyone dressed for it

Everyone’s costume was spot on. I was the most underdressed person in my own house, and I was the host.

Nobody bought anything special. Each character came with two or three outfit ideas built from what people already owned, and they ran with it.

The tables were the best idea

We set up a poker table and a roulette wheel. I thought they would be decoration. They turned out to be the most important thing in the room.

Nobody felt like they had to be “on” all night. When someone needed a break from being a suspect, they sat down and played a hand of cards. Then they drifted back to the case. If you take one idea from this post, put a game in the room.

Ryan stole the show

Ryan played his part beautifully. He got snarky with everyone, and the whole table laughed every time he opened his mouth. That is the thing a kit cannot write for you. It gives people a reason to be someone else for a night, and some of them run with it.

Dinner

Deviled eggs to start. Braised short ribs over mashed potatoes for the main course. A bourbon chocolate torte for dessert. Each course came out with a round, and the menu is built so the cooking happens before the rounds begin.

The reveal

Three people named the killer. Everyone else was surprised. Jill was certain she had it, and when the answer came out she broke into song.

I won’t tell you who did it. The Velvet Ace is going to be our sample kit, and that would spoil it for you.

Elizabeth summed it up: “We had the best time!”

What we changed afterward

Our guests were our first testers, and they were honest. Reading everything on one long phone page was too much. So the guest screens are now short cards, with one button for what to do next.

Two guests had another idea: invite a couple of extra people who improvise their own characters and can step in if someone cancels. That one is on our list.

If you want to throw one

• Put a password on the door. It starts the night before anyone sits down.
• Put a game in the room. Cards, roulette, anything people can drop into and out of.
• Let people dress from their own closets. They will surprise you.
• Cook before the first round. You are a suspect, not a cook.

Answer nine questions about your guests and you see your whole cast before you pay.