New Year’s Eve
Midnight at Grouse Lodge
December 31, a mountain lodge cut off by snow
- 6 adult players
- about 2 hours of play
- PDF you print at home
- the host plays too
$27.90See the game
Last Broadcast, an 80s murder mystery party for 6
Sunday, June 21, 1987, the final night of an indie radio station set up in an old movie theater
Franck Varenne, the voice of Radio Neon, made a promise for his final show: “At the last note, I’ll tell what I know. About every one of you.” He collapses in front of the microphone, still live. At dawn, the frequency changes hands and a police patrol arrives. Until then, the six of you are locked in the Rex. One of you poured the poison.
- 6 adult players
- about 2 hours of play
- PDF you print at home
- the host plays too
$27.90paid once, instant PDF download, $4.65 per player
Buy and download, $27.90- 10:00pm“At the last note, I’ll tell what I know.”
- 1:00amThe final hour: the studio mic stays live.
- 1:24amAn eight-minute extended single goes on the air.
- 1:46amThe last song starts.
- 1:48amFranck collapses, live on air.
- 2:00amSix guests remain. Your move.
The prologue
The opening of the text the host reads aloud. The rest is in the game.
Sunday, June 21, 1987, Port-Saint-Aubin, France. It is the Fête de la Musique, the night the whole country plays music in the streets, the shortest night of the year, and the last night of Radio Neon, 98.2 FM. At the Rex, the town’s old movie theater, the studio sits in the projection booth and the Neon Club fills the big hall below. At dawn, the frequency goes to Hexa FM, a big national network: the little station shuts down, and the whole crew is let go.
Since 10 pm, Franck Varenne, “the voice of the night,” had been hosting his final show, “The Last Night.” It ended without him: Franck is dead. The club was packed until the last note; at 2 am, Dany sent the last dancers home and locked the doors. Only the six of you are left in the Rex, with Franck.
Outside, the town is still partying, and the police have their hands full. A patrol will come by at dawn, not before. Until then, each of you has your own version of the night and a secret to keep. One of you already knows what happened to Franck. It is 2 am.
The cast
Six roles, one victim. This is what each guest may know about the others before the party; the rest is in the booklets.
- Franck Varennethe victim
- Dany Lacroixowner of the Rex and Radio Neon, runs the night with an iron hand
- Manu Prévostsound engineer, six years behind the glass, never speaks on air
- Terry Rochasthe station’s young voice, jingles and news flashes
- Jo CastelDJ at the Neon Club, king of the dance floor
- Lindsay Kesslerpromoter for the Glitter Records label
- Stef Joubertsings and plays guitar in The Vertigos, the harbor town’s band
In this game
For the mood
Neon lights, a string of fairy lights, a synth playlist, popcorn and a cake for act 3.
- Host guide10 pages
- Six character booklets48 pages
- Clues, solution, ballots and name tags40 pages
- To print98 pages
Plan on ten envelopes: six with the character names, four marked 1, 2, 3 and S. The cards are cut out with scissors.
Preview: the layout of the PDF pages, text hidden.
Six players, no more, no fewer
Who knows the killer?
- no : the host
- no : the other guests
- yes : the killer alone
Every role holds a piece of the story: without one of the six, the case cannot be played. You are one of the six, the host plays like everyone else.
A guest cancels?
If you find a replacement before the start, they take the open role. The host guide has you hand out the booklets on arrival, with fifteen minutes of reading. The six roles stay essential: the game does not work with five. Better to know that before you send the invitations.
No game master
Nobody runs the game from the outside. The host hands out roles without knowing which one is the killer’s, and the host guide does not say.
Clues arrive in envelopes at set times, and the solution waits in envelope S until the vote. Everyone learns the ending at the same moment.
How do you play a murder mystery at home?
Plan on a 15 to 30 minute welcome, then about two hours of play: the host guide times every step. Each act opens a clue envelope, and everyone reads, alone, the next part of their booklet.
- Rules and prologuethe host reads aloud
- Act 1introductions, first accusations
- Act 2searches, private talks, alliances
- Act 3last clues, closing pleas
- Votesecret ballots
- Revealenvelope S, confessions, points
In the host guide
- a ready-to-copy invitation
- an outfit idea for each role
- roles to hand out by each guest’s temperament
- the running order, act by act
More for the same night
More printable mysteries
1920s party
The Blue Parrot
Paris, Saturday, October 30, 1926, a speakeasy hidden behind a tea room
- 6 adult players
- about 2 hours of play
- PDF you print at home
- the host plays too
$27.90See the game
Pay and download
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Questions
A guest cancels: what now?
If you find a replacement before the start, they take the open role: the host guide has you hand out the booklets on arrival, with fifteen minutes of reading. The six roles stay essential, the game does not work with five.
Who plays which role?
The host guide describes the six roles and suggests an outfit for each. The names are unisex: every role works for any gender. Choose by your guests’ temperament: the guide does not say who the killer is.
How long does it take?
About two hours of play, plus arrival and dinner. The host guide times every step, from the opening to the reveal.
What do I print?
The host guide, the six character booklets, the clue cards, the solution, the ballots and the name tags. Letter or A4, black and white is fine. Plan on ten envelopes: six with the character names, four marked 1, 2, 3 and S.
How do I get the game?
The download links appear on screen right after payment. Nothing is shipped: you print at home.
How much is a game?
$27.90 for six players, $4.65 per player. Paid once, no subscription.
Is it for kids?
No. The games are written for adults: a murder, secrets, a few glasses of champagne.