Red Herring Games

The story so far

The case

It’s the launch for the latest series of the hit celebrity game show, “We’re Celebrities: Let’s Get Out of Here!”  The game is set on the idyllic tropical paradise of the tiny island of Saint-Maurice in the Caribbean and the producer has invited the press and the VIP island residents to a party at his luxury beach retreat. The celebrities who will be appearing in the new show will be revealed tonight!

It’s the launch for the latest series of the hit celebrity game show, “We’re Celebrities: Let’s Get Out of Here!” The game is set on the idyllic tropical paradise of the tiny island of Saint-Maurice in the Caribbean and the producer has invited the press and the VIP island residents to a party at his luxury beach retreat. The celebrities who will be appearing in the new show will be revealed tonight!

Feelings among the celebrities are running as high as the tropical temperatures, and not only because of the need to boost their failing ratings. Illicit relationships, compromising photographs and rampant jealousy are all adding to the tension as the producer introduces his newest stars.

Suddenly the party is interrupted by the sound of gunshots. What’s happened? Has someone been shot? The guests are quickly asked to help find out what is going on and who is responsible!

The line-up

Meet the suspects

Your cast play these parts, and every one of them has something to hide.

Telly Star

Celebrity cast member and ex-TV personality

Once a successful and debonair TV star, Telly is now beginning to show his age. However, he is still immaculately groomed and even in the enforced tropical shirt demanded by the show’s producer he manages to look distinguished, with shirt and chinos smartly pressed.

Hasbine Star

Celebrity cast member and ex-Bollywood star

Telly’s Indian wife, Hasbine, is a Bollywood star in her own right. Unfortunately she is growing old rather less gracefully than him, and has had no successful roles in recent years.

Hope Less

Celebrity cast member and pop singer

Young, blonde, curvaceous and attractive, Hope has a very clear image with the press and her dress this evening reflects this – sensual but pretty rather than vulgar. She is seen as innocent and naïve, but not very bright.

Victor Reus

Celebrity cast member and up-and-coming politician

Victor is Hope’s new partner. An ex-army officer and a successful politician, Victor is young, clean cut and ambitious. Alone among the guests, Victor has refused to wear any tropical clothing and, despite the heat, he is dressed smartly in a suit and tie.

Bea Lister

Celebrity cast member and unsuccessful actress

Another ageing actress, and only ever known for very minor roles, Bea is jealous of and vindictive towards anyone who seems more successful than herself, especially in the world of showbiz.

Snapper Picks

Celebrity cast member and photographer (male or female)

Snapper is bit of a luvvie who wears extravagant tropical print clothes and speaks and gestures in a lavish and extravagant way. He/she enjoys being the centre of attention and considers him/herself as an artist with the camera.

Rich Returns

Producer of the show and Hope’s manager/agent

Rich is a loud, brash and boastful self-made man. He is dressed in a loud tropical shirt, cargo pants and sandals. As the evening progresses he becomes increasingly drunk.

D.C.I. Nohope

Inspector sent to solve the crime (the role can be played by Snapper)

D.C.I. Nohope is an untidy and blunt but deceptively astute British officer. He/she was sent out to head up Saint-Maurice’s police force a year ago, following an incident when he/she upset a senior officer.

How it plays

How the evening runs

Our simplest large-group format, and a good one for a first event. Seven cast members perform short scenes, and everything your guests need is in the written clues on their tables. Nobody gets cross-examined, so the cast only have to learn their lines, and most of them are short.

What you'll need

  • 7 cast, one of whom plays the Inspector
  • Two rehearsals: one before the night and one on it
  • Copies of the table clues and answer sheets
  • A meal, if you want one. The scenes fit around the courses

What's in the box

Everything you need to run it

Everything you need to run the perfect event is in the game pack. You bring the cast. Costumes and props can add to the fun, but aren’t essential.

  • Full instructionsDetails of how to run the event. Everything we send to you is the same information we send to our own actors. We don’t hide the “secret sauce”. If we can run it – you can run it too.
  • Scripts for your castEverything each suspect says, and when they say it.
  • Guest handoutsTwo sets of table clues, a guest instruction sheet and answer sheets.
  • An invitation or flyerReady to print and send out, or pin up.
  • Name badges for the castSo the room knows which suspect is which.

Download it the second you pay, or have us print, assemble and post the box. Both are exactly the same game — the difference is who does the printing.

Reviews

What hosts are saying

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Reviewers can earn Loyalty Points, and a discount code for sharing a photo, whatever stars they give. We remove spam and abuse, never a review for being negative.

This was so much fun! We really went cheesy on the stage setup for this with tinsel backdrops and colored lights around a homemade sign with the game show title on it! The characters really hammed it up and added their own flare to make the whole thing so fun! Love these skit-based games!

drmeyer Verified purchase

The small print

The details

Number of players
20+ players
Written by
Lissa Gibbons
Content rating
Mature
Occasion
Summer

Content/themes within this game.

Rating: Mature

So you can ensure this is appropriate for your group. If you have specific content you are trying to avoid please do reach out directly so we can look at the game in more detail for you.

  • Murder — One murder occurs pre-game and one during the game.
  • Relationships — Marital affairs
  • Drunkenness — drinking discussed.

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 long will a murder mystery party last?

Well, like everything it all depends on meal service, serving, clearing, how many times you lose guests due to smoking breaks and toilet breaks. We usually say a standard event with a three course meal will take between two and three hours. But we know how things flex when you hit a fresh audience and a new venue. If you set arrival at 7pm for a 7.30pm start you can usually finish by 10pm. But just be aware this is reliant on guests and the venue’s serving and clearing speed. If you aren’t having a three course meal, expect things to speed up. 90 minutes is a common length of time for an event with no breaks.

What else do I need to run a murder mystery event?

In addition to printing out the game materials, you will often want props and costumes for the cast. Each game requires different props. Most are easy to source. If you would like to know the essential props for a specific script then please get in touch and we will forward you the instructions documents which contain the prop lists.

Do I need to provide a meal for the murder mystery games to work?

No. However most of our games are formatted in rounds to allow a three course meal. The only game format which works best without a three course meal is the Multi-room format.

We have adapted games in the past to work as “mix and mingle” affairs. If you’d like us to create something special for you to allow a mix and mingle event, then please email us.

What is the difference between Printed and Downloadable game formats?

Downloadable kit

If you’ve never bought a downloadable murder mystery game on-line before, or never played one (downloadable or otherwise) and want to find out more about it, then don’t worry – you aren’t the first.

We are so confident in the quality of our games – when you buy from us you are guaranteed a great night in or your money back!

All our downloadable dinner parties are supplied with:

  • Full instructions Each game contains information on how to use the downloaded files including details on printing etc, instructions for running the mystery itself, as well as hints and tips from previous customers.
  • Invitations. Designed for double sided printing, these invitations come with a colour cover design and all the information your guests need to know.
  • Easy print guest materials formatted for double sided printing in full colour.
  • Easy print scripts for the cast.

Printed kits

When you select the printed option – what you are asking us to do is print your game for you. Your game will arrive by post, printed, ready assembled and packaged in a box.

Printed kits are exactly the same as downloadable kits, in terms of content – it’s just that instead of you printing the game, we print the game for you and it will arrive ready to go.

If you aren’t sure whether you would like us to print your game for you – then we are happy for you to change your mind. Simply contact us after purchasing the downloadable game and we will arrange to print and ship your order to you after you make the additional payment.

What do the content ratings mean?

Our content ratings are based on the ESRB rating scheme.

All of our games are suitable for a reading age of 10+ though they may contain language that is difficult for some children to comprehend.

All ratings are based on content NOT suitability, which means TEEN games are CLEAN games, rather than only being suitable for teenagers.

TEEN games are often games which are most suitable for mixed audiences, corporate and church groups.

It is worth noting that all our murder mystery games are rated TEEN or above as murder counts as violence for younger children. Some children younger than teens will handle the reading level of a standard murder mystery plot but parents may find the content inappropriate. Which is why we always detail the content of our games so you can make a determination of your own. If in doubt – take a look at the free sample booklet to check this is OK for your group.

It is possible for us to adjust the reading level on some games to make it possible for younger children to play – if you think you’d like this – please just email us for help.

What sort of content will be in a TEEN game compared to a MATURE game?

TEEN games will contain “tame” plot lines. This can include plot lines like

  • A game with a character who has had a string of monogamous relationships, where all relationships are kept “non-sexual” for the purposes of the game e.g. someone who is two timing a girl.
  • There may be mild innuendo in the booklet, but when played this could be hammed up, or toned down depending on the person acting the role.
  • Alcohol may be mentioned in the game, but it will not include references to drinking to excess.
  • Illegal drugs will not be mentioned within the game, but legal drugs e.g. paracetamol, anti-anxiety tablets could be.
  • There will be no explicit language, however where the odd mild swear word appears in song lyrics e.g. in Murder at the Music Awards, this will still be present in the game. The word “Sex” may crop up, but not in a sordid context. e.g. a character might say “don’t mentioned the “sex” word.”

MATURE rated games don’t necessarily mean the games contain explicit language, or sexual references. However the themes will be more gritty. To give you some examples:

  • A character may have taken /dealt in illegal drugs.
  • A character may reference overindulging in alcohol
  • A character may gamble.
  • A character may be the result of an illegitimate relationship, or is pregnant
  • A character’s sexual orientation may form part of the plot or character description.
  • A character may have been polygamous, or discusses relationships of a sexual nature. (e.g. having affairs)
  • Other illegal behaviour, and content that you’d normally only see on TV after 9pm.

If you are unsure which game is appropriate for your group – there are two things you can try. The first is to open up the “trial booklet” which will give you a sample character from a 6 player game. The second is to call us on +44 (0)2030 112 215 and we’ll chat to you about the content of the games and help you find the one most appropriate for your party.

Can I change the gender of a character?

Sometimes it is possible to customise and amend genders of suspects in games, but not always. This is due to plot tangles and how involved certain characters are within a game. It is best to contact us to check what is and isn’t possible if you need a different skew of genders. If it IS possible, we can explain the costs it will be to amend it ourselves. But if budget proves to be a constraint – we can send you the game in MSword so you can modify it yourself once you know it’s possible.

Can you customise a murder mystery kit for me?

We can take the stress out of party planning, and put the fun back into what can be a total headache by customising a murder mystery specifically to your party!

If you have an uneven mix of male and female participants, an unusual number of guests, or even just unusual guests, or a specific celebration in mind – then we are here to provide you with a personal service that will tailor a murder mystery game to your needs.

If you are looking for something fully bespoke then allow us to talk through with you what you are looking for and provide you with a free quote.

What is the difference between the domestic and the commercial license?

We are one of very few companies to supply both retail and commercial products as well as event management services.

We’ve always operated an honesty policy as we know our domestic and fundraising customers appreciate the ability to access murder mystery scripts at an affordable rate. HOWEVER we can only continue to do this if commercial customers order using the correct license.

We appreciate your honesty in this matter, and have put our key points below to help you decide if you are shopping on the correct license.
If after reading this you are still unsure which format you should be purchasing – just email us or call us on +44 (0)2030 112 215.

Finally, as you’re shopping with us, we are aware that not every option is available to you depending on your planned use. If you see something you would like to run commercially which isn’t available to you (e.g. you run a guest house and want to host a dinner party game for your guests) – please don’t try to cheat the system – just call us on +44 (0)2030 112 215 so we can chat to you – we will be able to work something out.

How do I access my downloadable game?

Your order confirmation email arrives straight after you pay, with a Download your game button. It signs you in to your account on our website, where each game is listed under Downloads: click a file to save it. Your games stay in your account, so you can sign in and download them again whenever you like.

If you were signed in when you paid, they’re in your account already.

When you click a file, your computer saves it, usually to its Downloads folder. If you can’t find it, search for the file name.

How fast will my order arrive?

If you order a downloadable kit – the kit should be available instantly on a download link – and will also arrive via email with a link for you to download it.

If you order a printed kit or accessories and elect for standard service – this is shipped 48 tracked within the UK and Airmail outside the UK.

Approx arrival times for 48 hour tracked and airmail are:

  • UK – 3-4 working days (the Royal Mail don’t guarantee 48 hours and it often enters the system at the end of the working day).
  • Europe 7-10 working days
  • Rest of World – 14-28 working days

If you elect for expedited shipping – we use a Courier or Royal Mail Next Day Delivery within the UK; and a courier outside the UK.

Approx arrival times on Expedited shipping are:

  • UK – 1-2 working days
  • Europe – 3-7 working days
  • Rest of World – 3-9 working days

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