We Reviewed The Most Popular Murder Mysteries On Etsy

You found our review of the best-selling Murder Mysteries on Etsy.

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Murder mysteries are all the rage these days, and sites like Etsy are chock full of them. Some, naturally, are more popular than others, but how good are they?

We took the highest-rated games on Etsy and reviewed them in detail. No spoilers, obviously! But even so, this article will help you learn much more about these games and which kind works best for you and your party.

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1. Murder At The North Pole

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Theme:

• Christmas, North Pole, Santa

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Plot Summary:

It's nearly Christmas and the North Pole is hopping! Santa, the elves, and the reindeer are preparing for the busiest day of the year. Kids are fast asleep (or at least, they should be), dreaming of both sugarplums and all that cool new swag come Christmas morning. Sadly, things aren't as jolly as usual. Tensions and anger are rising. Rumors of infidelity, jealousy, and other scandals are rampant. Overall, the North Pole feels less Santa Claus is Coming to Town and more The Christmas Days of Our Lives.

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Santa and his crew put together one last pre-Christmas party in the hopes of soothing tensions so the North Pole can once again focus on the only important thing: creating Christmas magic. But, considering the murders of three people over the course of the night, that plan didn't go too well…

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Players & Price:

• 10-20 Players ($32.99)

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Alternate Versions:

• PG (clean)
• Zoom-friendly

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Characters:

Two of your guests can play as Santa and Mrs. Claus, though neither are quite as wholesome as our bedtime stories might've led us to believe.

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Beyond the two world-famous characters, Murder at the North Pole also features such deviant types as Krandall (the reformed Krampus), elves with names like Jingles McSprinkles and Bubbles Sugarplum, and reindeer who didn't make Santa's team like Buster and Glitter. Also, "Mindy Loo Hoo" is the Village Sweetheart (or so she says). Unlike her copyrighted namesake, she's much more than two.

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Playing Style:

Murder At The North Pole has a very loose writing style which relies almost entirely on each guest's ability to ask the right questions and interpret the evidence that the host gradually introduces over three rounds (and three murders). There is no script in this game beyond the Host’s speeches. Each character’s sheet includes a brief bio, some things to share, a couple dark secrets to hide, important relationships to other characters, some fun prop suggestions, and 1-2 optional ways to add drama. Don’t expect to receive many directions or any objectives beyond solving the murder.

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Extras:

Murder at the North Pole features an Action Card mini-game. You can draw a card at any time and present it to any suspect you like. Some are innocuous, containing instructions like "Name someone to the Nice/Naughty List," "Sing your favorite Christmas Carol," and Christmas trivia where the guest drinks if they answer wrong and you drink if they nail it. Some cards, however, truly affect the game. You might get forced into playing Two Truths and a Lie (which will likely reveal at least one of your Secrets), or have to loudly declare who you think the murderer is. Other cards allow you to steal evidence so nobody else can see it. In a game where the evidence is so important to deducing the killer, this hidden-evidence feature is a gigantic game-changer!

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Guests can also win awards at the end, such as Most In-Character, Best Death Scene, and the Closest Guess (for whomever best guesses both the murderer and the motive).

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Rating: 9 / 10

• One rarely thinks of Christmas and violent murder in the same breath (unless they consider Die Hard a Christmas movie), but this one is super fun. Whomever plays Santa will get to dig into a whole new side of the Jolly Old Elf, and all the other roles offer just as much promise for fun, craziness, and intrigue.

• Costume-wise, this game leaves a lot to the imagination. Aside from Santa and maybe Mrs. Claus, any of these characters could look like anything. What will your elf getup look like? How do you dress like a reindeer without actually being one? And what in the world does a Reformed Krampus look like, anyway? It's all up to you and how much time and effort you're willing to put into these crazy characters.

• The multiple deaths provide crazy twists and break up the evening into disposable chunks.

• The main drawback is that this style of game provides little lore/backstory and even less direction. Thus, your enjoyment hinges on your ability to improvise and imagine yourself in the holly-jolly world of the North Pole. If you're up for the challenge, however, jingle all the way to Etsy and pick up a copy today!

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Check out Murder At The North Pole on Etsy.

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2. 1920's Murder Mystery

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Theme:

• Roaring 20's, Speakeasies, Flappers, Bootleggers, Gangsters

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Plot Summary:

The 1920's Murder Mystery story starts right in 1920, one year after Prohibition banned alcohol in the United States. Thus we see the rapid rise of bootleggers, organized crime, gangsters, moonshiners, and the jazzy flapper party-people who love them.

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The story takes place in, quite naturally, a Speakeasy. The alcohol flows like water, which might explain why everybody's so darn mad at each other. Tensions are flying, dirty secrets are bubbling to the surface, and the wealthy and well-off are just as much in danger as the destitute and despairing. Tonight's party was meant to bring everyone together with some good times, great memories (depending on how much you've had to drink, anyway), and hopefully smooth over any wrinkles in anybody's relationships. Instead, one person dies. Then another. Then another. Who's behind the murders? Time to take another shot of whiskey and find out!

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Players & Price:

The game has three play options:

• 4-9 Players ($27.99)
• 10-20 Players ($32.99)
• 21-30 Players ($12.99 + 10-20 Player Edition)
  • This is an expansion kit that allows extra guests to play general characters. These characters don't have names or secrets, but are instead general roles like "Mafia Member," "Police Officer," or "Jazz Musician." They're great for large parties where not everyone can play a named role, or may not want to.

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Alternate Versions:

• All-Female
• PG (clean)
• Zoom-friendly

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Characters:

1920's Murder Mystery characters are certainly a unique bunch! From Chef Robbie Montague, billionaire Maxwell Langley, and bootlegger Dante McGreogor to mad scientist Lenny Wilcox and photographer Sheldon Schultz, this game offers everything for everyone!

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Playing Style:

Like Murder at the North Pole, 1920's Murder Mystery gives you a basic setup and expects you to handle the rest. Scriptwriters and directors are all sleeping with the fishes.

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The game provides you with a basic bio, some facts you can share, secrets you SHOULDN'T share (unless a player guesses them), a handful of relationships, some prop suggestions, and an optional idea or two for causing a dramatic scene. And that's it! Yes, the host reveals helpful evidence over three rounds and three deaths but, aside from that, it's just you and your detective skills versus the room.

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Extras:

Murder at the North Pole's Action Cards return for 1920's Murder Mystery. Anyone can draw an Action Card at any time. If they hand it to you, you must perform the action. You may dance the Charleston, take a mugshot photo, or answer a Roaring '20s trivia question. Other times, your action might truly affect the game. Some cards force you to stay silent until the next murder occurs. Some force you to reveal your Secret, whether or not anyone has guessed it yet. Other cards allow you to hide one piece of evidence so nobody else can review it, an action that could single-handedly alter the entire game!

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End-of-game awards include Most In-Character, Best Death Scene, and the Overall Winner (the one who best guesses both the murderer and the motive).

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Rating: 8 / 10

• It's not easy to create a unique Speakeasy-themed murder mystery, because just about every Murder Mystery company has one. That said, 1920's Murder Mystery is a terrific take on the genre! The characters are intriguing, the costume possibilities are super-fun, the extras take the game to another level, and the story that unfolds as more people die will keep you hooked. Plus, with up to 30 characters, the types go far beyond Speakeasy classics like gangsters, detectives, bootleggers, and alluring flappers. We also get out-of-left-field gimmicks like mad scientists, vagabonds, and plastic surgeons, railway tycoons, butchers, and boxers. So no worries if your more "wacky" friends are coming to your party — there's definitely a role for them!

• If you like punny names, 1920's Murder Mystery does not offer those. Everybody sounds like a real person. That said, there are only so many puns to go around (a bootlegger named Al. K. Hall, for example). The meat of the experience — the game itself — is still super-strong, puns or no puns.

• Remember, this is a very loose style of mystery. You receive little backstory or direction beyond "you're a 1920's governor, here are your secrets, GO." Thus, your enjoyment hinges on your improv skills and how well you can immerse yourself in the world of the Roaring 1920s. If that sounds like you, then get to solving the 1920's Murder Mystery today!

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Check out 1920's Murder Mystery on Etsy.

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3. Totally Rad '80s Prom Gone Bad

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Theme:

• 1980s High School Prom

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Plot Summary:

Welcome to Mayhem High, where unbiased hair and good, upstanding, moral citizens are equally as rare! Four years of backstabbing, rumor mongering, betrayals, ruthless ambition, and narcissism are about to come to a head on Prom Night. Tonight, little matters aside from one thing: who will be crowned King and Queen?

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Meanwhile, in the background there are concerns regarding the school funding of baseball over the math team, or vice versa. Additional concerns surround couples with major commitment issues, not to mention closets full of skeletons just waiting to be revealed. Amongst all this acrimony arises a major problem. One of the prom attendees has just been murdered! What happened, how did it happen, who did it, and why? All these questions need to be answered and you're just the, like, totally intelligent detective to do it!

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Players & Price:

• 6-8 Players ($55.00)
• 8-12 Players ($60.00)
• 10-15 Players ($65.00)
• 15-20 Players ($75.00)

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Alternate Versions:

• PG (clean)
• Zoom-friendly
• LGBTQ Male
• LGBTQ Female

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Characters:

Just about every '80s high school archetype gets represented in Totally Rad '80s Prom Gone Bad. There's Sally Spirit the cheerleader, valedictorian JJ Smart, the nerdy Math Team captain Alan Algebra, and of course the stern Principal and Vice Principal. Don't mess with the bull or you'll get the horns. But are they murder horns? We're not telling!

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Playing Style:

And now for something, like, totally different. Totally Rad '80s Prom Gone Bad doesn't script any dialogue, but it's heavy enough on the direction that it feels at least semi-scripted.

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Each guest receives a long, detailed character bio with deep backstories and suggestions on how to dress and act the part. The play lasts two rounds (one pre-murder, one post-murder), with each round containing different Objectives (things to do or say to certain characters). The game also introduces several Things You Know for the post-murder round. Unlike previous games on this list, there are no specific secrets to hide. That said, some Objectives may direct you to hide things from certain players until you can't anymore.

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The game also features deep lore revealed by the "Mayhem Mix", a newsletter centered around the graduates/Prom guests. So make sure you read it before making any snap decisions about the murderer.

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For even more fun: general characters in the Expansion Pack actually DO have major secrets or information that, in many cases, only they know. So if you're playing a version where they're not involved, good luck!

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Extras:

Guests receive play money at the start and can spend the night selling, bribing, blackmailing, extorting, or scheming their way to collecting other player's cash. Whoever has the most money at the end gets a special award. And yes, even the victim can play the money game post-death (they don't know who killed them, so they can't sell THAT secret!)

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Awards at the end include Best Dressed, Best Performer, Most Money, and Super Sleuth (to whomever correctly guessed the murderer, method of murder, and motive).

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Rating: 8 / 10

• Among Etsy's highest-rated murder mystery games, this one offers the most unique approach. You get tons of direction regarding who to talk to and what to tell them, though there's no word-for-word script to follow. If you prefer your murder mysteries more free-flowing and loosey-goosey, this format may not be for you. If, however, you enjoy acting out a fully-fleshed mystery that unfolds itself as you play, this is for you! The story of the Mayhem High kids is extensive and filled with enough detailed lore to flesh out a Netflix show.

• Costume-wise, they're all high schoolers at a prom with a few teachers/principals as chaperones. Luckily, '80s fashion was wildly varied, and prom gear came in as many colors as one could muster. You'll have a blast putting your costume together, no matter who your character is!

• The money-based mini-game, while 100 percent optional, is, like, totally recommended! It adds an extra layer of fun and intrigue (what high school encourages extortion and blackmail, anyway?), and offers your party an extra fun activity to immerse yourself in the tubular — and shady — world of Mayhem High.

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Check out Totally Rad '80s Prom Gone Bad on Etsy.

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4. The Workplace

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Theme:

• A parody of the famous TV Show, The Office.

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Plot Summary:

The Workplace takes place at The Workplace company party. The company heads have organized this party not just as a fun way for workers to get to know one another, but also to help work out some issues. There has been quite a lot of strife as of late. The "World's Best Boss" has been anything but that as of late, saying and doing childish things that have made both his subordinates and superiors quite angry. Office pranks have become both abundant and mean, scandals increase seemingly by the day, and generally everybody's irked by everybody else.

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Such drama does not create an environment conducive to selling paper, so the hope was to throw a party and get everybody on the same page. Unfortunately, the ultimate HR nightmare is about to occur, in the form of three murders. It's up to you to find the killer and make people afraid of how much they love your detective skills.

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Players:

• 10-20 Players ($32.99)

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Alternate Versions:

• None

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Characters:

Most suspects in The Workplace (if not all) are straight-up parodies of characters from The Office. That means you could play as General Manager Scott Mikelo, the Assistant to the General Manager Dirk Shrutter, Head of HR Tony Blanderson, or Steven Mudson the workplace grump, among many others.

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Playing Style:

The Workplace plays the same as Murder at the North Pole and 1920's Murder Mystery. There is no script, no set objectives, and not a ton of direction beyond the basic character sheet. You get a brief bio, a few things you share, a couple deep secrets to hide (unless deduced by another guest), some important relationships, a couple prop ideas, and an optional idea to add fun and drama to your character.

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Aside from that and the evidence introduced, you're on your own. Three people will die over three rounds and it's up to you to review the evidence (and the people) to determine who deserves the ultimate Written Warning.

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Extras:

The Action Cards from North Pole and 1920's are back with The Workplace. You can draw and play an Action Card at any time. With some you present it to a guest and they must perform the action.

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Some Actions are fun and innocent. Some instruct you to pull a prank on someone, others ask you to shoehorn "That's What She Said" into as many conversations as possible, and others ask Office Trivia where you drink if you're wrong and the card presenter drinks if you're right. There's even a card directing you to do your best impression of Stanley from The Office (an epic eye-roll should do the trick). That said, some action cards truly affect the game — some force you to stay completely silent until the next murder occurs. Some force you to play Two Truths and a Lie (which will likely reveal at least one Secret of yours). But the best one of all is the Action Card that lets you steal a piece of evidence so nobody else can review it. If that doesn't make the entire party ask, "Why are you the way that you are?" we don't know what would.

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Endgame awards include Most In-Character, Best Death Scene, and the Closest Guess (for whomever best guesses both the murderer and the motive).

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Rating: 7 / 10

• This is a unique theme that, admittedly, leans incredibly heavily on one sitcom. Luckily, that one sitcom is among the most beloved, most bingeable sitcoms in history, meaning most people are aware of it.

• Even if some guests aren't, though, The Workplace is still a relatable concept. Just about everyone knows what it's like to work at an office and deal with overbearing bosses, annoying co-workers, grumps, suck-ups, HR cronies, and the like.

• Costumes are a little more straightforward than with some other themes — it takes place at a modern-day office party, so everyone dresses business-casual, business, or business-formal. Don't get put off though — most characters have at least one fun prop suggestion to help them stand out, and you can always add some extra flair to make the character your own.

• But remember, this game is quite loose (that's what she said!). There's no script and not much more direction. Therefore, your enjoyment hinges largely on your improv skills and your ability to transport yourself to the wild and crazy world of corporate paper salesfolks. If that's you, grab your famous chili and jello-molded stapler and solve the mystery of The Workplace today!

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Check out The Workplace on Etsy.

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Ready for more murderous fun? Runaway Games has a slew of murder mysteries that we’ve created by taking the best elements from games like the ones featured in this article and creating our own unique, engaging storylines and plot twists! Check them out here, and Happy Sleuthing!

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