New Year, No Stress: How to Host a Murder Mystery Party When You Don’t Know Who’s Coming
6 min read Updated 1 December 2025
New Year’s Eve is supposed to be fun. But if you want to host a murder mystery party, it can feel more like juggling flaming torches while trying to guess who will actually turn up on the night!
- Some friends say “definitely”… then get flu.
- Others are “maybe”… until the day before.
- And plus-ones appear out of nowhere!
(You can tell we host regularly can’t you!?)
When you prepare to host a murder mystery party, that uncertainty can be a real problem. Most games are written for a fixed number of players. Too many guests and someone is left out. Too few and the plot falls apart. At Red Herring Games, we think you deserve better than that.
The Real Problem: Traditional “Flexible” Games Aren’t Fun
If you’ve ever tried a so‑called “flexible” murder mystery game before, you probably know the issue.
Optional characters often:
- Feel like an afterthought,
- Have weak roles with very little to do, and
- Know they can’t possibly be the murderer.
Or they are plotted so the murderer is selected on the night which means no clues point to them being the killer, because you can’t write a game properly that works like that! Finding out you’re the killer at the start comes with it’s own issues. You can see what we think about that on this blog: The pros and cons to knowing you’re the murderer.
Traditional flexi kits certainly solve the flexing numbers problem, but it creates a new one: your guests can end up with a second‑rate experience! Our customers tell us again and again that what they really want when they host a murder mystery party is:
- A game that works even if numbers change at the last minute
- A tightly plotted murder mystery that’s solvable
- Every player feeling fully involved, with a proper role and a real chance to be a suspect.
So we built something specifically to answer that.
Introducing Flexi Kits: Properly Plotted, Still Flexible
Our new Flexi Kit murder mystery games are designed for anyone looking to host a murder mystery party who doesn’t know exactly how many people are coming – but still want a polished, well‑plotted story. Instead of one loose script with tacked‑on characters, each Flexi Kit includes fully written versions of the game for different group sizes.
You choose the range that fits your party:
- 6–12 players – includes complete games for 6, 8, 10, and 12 players
- 10–16 players – includes complete games for 10, 12, 14, and 16 players
- 14–20 players – includes complete games for 14, 16, 18, and 20 players
That means:
- Every version is properly plotted.
- Every character matters.
- No one is “just an extra”.
If you end up with an odd number, you can simply allocate someone the Inspector role – they still join the fun, but don’t affect the balance of suspects. And if you prefer one of our standard kits, we can still help you handle odd numbers the usual way by dropping a character on request.
How Flexi Kits Make It Easier to Host a Murder Mystery Party
If you are looking for unique a New Year’s party with a Flexi Kit is simple.
- Pick your theme and player range
Choose the story that fits your group and select the range that best matches your expected numbers – 6–12, 10–16, or 14–20. You don’t need a final guest list yet. You just need a rough idea.
- Send invites without stress
You can invite people freely, knowing you’ve got options built in. Whether a couple drops out or an extra friend joins, there’s a version of the game ready to go.
- Lock in the final version close to the day
Once you know how many are actually coming, you simply print or prepare the version that matches your final numbers. No rewriting. No awkward “sorry, we don’t have a part for you”. Just a smooth, ready‑to‑run game.
Does this make inviting difficult? Not at all – each of our games has a digital invite you can use to save the date. Once numbers are confirmed you can send out their final invitation with character. OR just get them to “dress to theme” and sort that out when they arrive.
- Enjoy the night instead of firefighting
Because each version is fully written and tested, you can focus on:
- Hosting,
- Pouring the fizz, and
- Joining in the mystery yourself.
Your guests get rich, engaging characters, believable motives, and a satisfying solution – the things Red Herring Games are known for.
Why Choose Red Herring Games for New Year?
When you host a murder mystery party for New Year’s, you’re not just filling an evening. You’re setting the tone for the year ahead. With Red Herring Games, you get:
- Games written in‑house by experienced writers – tightly plotted, easy to host, and fun to play.
- Clear hosting instructions – so even first‑time hosts feel confident.
- Support for awkward numbers – from Flexi Kits to custom character drops.
- Decades of experience – we’ve been helping people host a murder mystery party for years, for everything from small living‑room gatherings to large events.
Our goal is simple: to make you look like an effortlessly brilliant host. If you are confused on where to start in your preparations, here is some golden rules for hosts.
Is a Flexi Kit Right for Your New Year’s Party?
A Flexi Kit is ideal to host a murder mystery party if:
- Your guest list is still shifting,
- You’re inviting friends who are famously last‑minute,
- You want everyone to feel fully involved in the story, and
- You’d rather not buy multiple games “just in case”.
If your numbers are fixed and you already know exactly who’s coming, one of our standard murder mystery kits will be perfect, we can even print it so it’s ready to go. But don’t worry – we can still help you adjust for odd numbers by dropping a character before we ship. Either way, you don’t have to choose between flexibility and quality to host a murder mystery party.
Your Next Step
If you’d like to host a murder mystery party for New Year’s Eve party that people talk about well into January, start by choosing your Flexi Kit range. Decide roughly how many people you’re expecting, pick a theme you love, and we’ll give you everything you need to host a murder mystery party that is brilliant and stress‑free. You bring the guests. We’ll bring the mystery.