The story so far
The case
Wanda Ringhans, the celebrated romance author, has embarked on a unique promotional tour, in an event sponsored by Bradburies Luxury Nut free Chocolates.
The weekend cruise promises not only stunning views and indulgent experiences, but also the chance to meet the author herself, with themed talks, sneak previews of her latest novel, and book signings planned across the two-day sailing.
Fans have been vying for tickets to join their favourite author at sea, and one lucky competition winner has even gained exclusive access thanks to influencer Addison Soshells, whose “true fan” quiz promised to separate casual readers from the devoted.
Now, the first evening’s headline event — Wanda’s exclusive book signing — is due to begin any moment. Guests are gathering with freshly gifted copies of Burning Desire in hand, cameras at the ready, excitement fizzing in the air.
There’s just one problem: Wanda hasn’t arrived. And as the minutes tick by, whispers ripple through the crowd. Was it a delayed call, a wrong turn, a last-minute wobble… or something far more sinister?
Inside the case
How the investigation works
Immersive solo narrative
Become an instant detective in this online case file experience.
Interview suspects
Actors provide detailed information as you progress through the case.
Review evidence
Collect all the evidence as you visit each room. Some discoveries will unlock further questions.
Educational supplement
Designed for independent play, this game has an educational supplement which provides lesson plans and educational resources so you can make the most of the experience in a classroom or home-school setting.
All digital components
Immediately playable and designed specifically to be solved online through evidence finding and interrogation.
Two versions
For a solo sleuth, or a whole class
Solo Player
For solo sleuths
Your own link to the investigation. Play it at your own pace.
$14.00
Education Licence
The educator pack
A ready-to-run, evidence-led investigation for the classroom.
- Unique link to the investigation game, for your students
- A clear teacher checklist
- Optional "case paperwork" worksheets to structure learning and assessment
- A suggested 60-minute session plan, with pacing guidance
- Troubleshooting tips for common classroom issues
- A ready-to-use solution script or handout for the final reveal
- Extension activities for learning across subjects
$70.00
Why us
Why choose Red Herring Games?
Award-winning design
Created by our in-house crime-writing team with 18 years of experience and a passion for immersive storytelling.
Customer support
We’re here if you need help: no bots, just real people (and occasionally our office dogs).
On-line gaming
Immediately available and easily accessible. You need no apps. This game can be played through your standard web browser.
The small print
The details
- Number of players
- 1–6 players
- Occasion
- Date night
- Game type
- Solo PlayerEducation License
- Product type
- Puzzle boxes & case files
- Format
- Play online
Before you buy
Frequently Asked Questions
If you can’t find an answer to your specific question do reach out via email or phone.
How is it different from a party game?
A case-file mystery is for 1 to 3 players: solo, as a couple or with a close friend. You sift through documents, photos, codes and clues to unravel the story at your own pace. The focus is on deep investigation, logic, timelines and details, and there are no scripts or acting.
A party game is for a group: everyone plays a character, and one of you is the murderer. More on the difference.
Who will enjoy it?
Puzzle lovers, introverts, or anyone after a quiet, hands-on challenge. You need lots of time to read and think.
What do I need to play?
You need a digital device capable of accessing the internet. The game runs in a standard web browser. It is easier to see the evidence on a larger screen, so you will find it easier to play on an i-pad/tablet or laptop/pc – though it IS possible to play on your phone too. You will need speakers to hear the suspect audio recordings.
How difficult is it to play?
Our case file mysteries are designed to be difficult. If you have played others on the market – do not expect ours to be as easy to solve.
Our digital case files have been created from our live weekend experiences. It’s rare to get a 100% solve rate on our weekends, and we expect you to experience the same digitally. The big advantage with this game is you can have multiple guesses, so if you didn’t guess correctly first time you can try again until you get it right.
This game takes 1-2 hours to play though the average time is 90 minutes. It’s easy to work through the case, as it opens up gradually to you giving you a logical path through the interviews and locations and evidence. Each suspect is “locked” with a question you should be able to answer after you’ve listened to everything your “open” suspects have to say.
How fast will my order arrive?
This is a digital case file and will be available to you the moment you clear check out. If you cannot access it after completing check out – please get in touch.
Where is my order?
We have no machines in the office that handle distribution. All orders at Red Herring Games are handled and processed by real people and we always endeavour to ship orders within 48 hours.
If you received a dispatch confirmation email from us, we received your order and have shipped it.
So if it hasn’t arrived when you were expecting, it means, sadly, that your order may have fallen victim to “natural causes”.
Mail men occasionally drop packages in puddles, trains are occasionally robbed, boats sink, and conveyor belts sometimes chew up post.
If the order hasn’t arrived when you were expecting just get in touch so we can see if we can find out what has gone wrong and get a replacement to you ASAP!
International shipping can take as much as 21 days – however, if you need it quickly and fear it may have fallen victim to the postal gremlins, contact us and we will see what we can do to help!
Obviously if you ordered a downloadable product, we aren’t shipping that one to you – instead you’ll find that in your account ready and waiting for you.
Why are physical games more expensive to ship to the USA?
Physical goods (paper, ink, and boxes) are subject to international trade tariffs and customs processing fees. Because digital downloads are not "physical goods," they currently bypass these import taxes entirely.
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