In the weekends leading up to the premiere of Knives Out, The Murder Mystery Company will host a limited run of murder mystery dinners that will feature special giveaways and surprises.
Continue readingTake a Stab at our Knives Out Giveaways!
Five TV Shows All Murder Mystery Fans Should Watch
Greetings, Detectives!
Murder mystery fans are a pretty smart bunch. We like our television shows to be full of twists and turns and have intelligent storylines that keep us guessing. There are dozens of fantastic mystery and crime shows out there that fit the bill. Here are some of our favorites for you to binge while you wait for your next opportunity to solve a mystery with The Murder Mystery Company!
Twin Peaks (1990-1991; 2017-)
This recently-revived drama is perhaps the most mind-bending show on television. In its first iteration, the focus of the show is unraveling the mystery of who killed homecoming queen Laura Palmer. The series follows FBI agent Dale Cooper who arrives in Twin Peaks, Washington to investigate. As the show unfolds over three seasons, we learn about the extremely strange town and its residents, and that there is more to it all than meets the eye.
The Killing (2011-2014)
Detective Sarah Linden is on her way out on the last day of her job at the Seattle police department when a missing persons case lands in her lap. Rosie Larson has vanished. Linden can’t get the case out of her head and postpones her move in order to solve the mystery. This dark and gritty drama has a completely heart wrenching first episode that will keep you hooked for the entire series.
Slasher (2016)
Slasher follows a young woman who moves back to her hometown where her parents were brutally murdered while she was still in the womb. When a series of copycat murders begin, Sarah and her husband Ben find a renewed need to figure out why her parents were targeted and by whom. The murder mystery unravels with lots of gore in this (as its title suggests) slasher-style horror series.
Veronica Mars (2004-2007)
High school student Veronica Mars helps out with her dad’s private investigation business, so she sees a lot of villain-of-the-week-style mysteries. On top of these mini-mysteries, each season has its own extended mystery to investigate that slowly unfolds until the finales. The first season focuses on the murder of her best friend and fuels her desire to become an investigator. Veronica’s snarky wit enhances the charm of this brilliant show full of exciting twists.
Life (2007-2009)
Life takes a refreshing twist on the typical detective drama by putting an ex-con at the forefront. Charlie Crews spent twelve years in prison for a murder he didn’t commit and was exonerated and given enough money to never need to work again. However, as a detective in his former life, Crews decides to get back in the grind and solve crimes for the LAPD. His new zen outlook on life affects the way he investigates and makes for an interesting detective persona.
Team Building Event Ideas
Team building events are necessary for workplace growth and company success, but they are often pretty underwhelming. We here at The Murder Mystery Company HQ are really into cooperation and forming great professional relationships between co-workers, so we’ve come up with a list of awesome team building ideas to inject some fun into your next business event.
5. Office Olympics
Your employees have many skills that don’t often come into play during the workday, but that doesn’t mean those skills aren’t valuable for the company. A team building idea that brings all those dormant talents to light is office olympics. Making it through the olympics requires that your employees are able to follow directions, discuss ideas and approaches thoughtfully, and can see the big picture of an outcome. Everyone will get to utilize their physical and mental skills to compete in teams and have fun in a way that makes them forget they’re at work.
4. Scavenger Hunt
A great excuse to get out into the fresh air, a scavenger hunt team building event will test out your employees’ skillsets in a new environment. Critical thinking and cooperation are crucial aspects of any workplace, and those skills can be refreshed in a fun way by following written clues to arrive at a destination. Dividing your group into small units is a great way to see who works well together and how to improve office dynamics. Your employees will need to put their heads together to work through the clues and communicate their ideas to their teammates effectively.
3. Trivia Challenge
The best part about trivia team building is that you can mix it up in any way to fit your group specifically. The idea is that your employees will team up and go head to head in various categories. Have different categories of questions, with one member of each team serving as the “expert” in those types of questions. Members of each team can vote and nominate a captain who delegates category assignments, or each one can be responsible for recognizing their own strengths to figure out which one works best for them.
2. Cooperative Cooking
One of the most difficult things to do as a group is cook. There are so many moving parts when it comes to following a recipe, and some incredibly relevant team building skills come into play in the kitchen. Divide your employees into small groups and have them each follow the same recipe for something moderately difficult. Your employees will have to work together to delegate tasks, follow directions, and communicate to complete the recipe. Finish up the day by enjoying the fruits of the teams’ labor and discussing how the exercise solidified their skills.
1. Murder Mystery Team Building
If your team needs to work on communication, critical thinking, and creative problem solving, a murder mystery is just the idea to check all the boxes. An event full of puzzling clues and suspicious suspects will keep your employees on their toes as they try to unravel the mystery. Professional actors will guide your group through the scene of the crime, but putting the evidence together and coming to the correct conclusions is all up to your employees. Plan a murder mystery for your next team building event to ensure your group is completely entertained while they build valuable skills! Give us a call today at (888) 643-2583 to get started.
The Many Faces of Sherlock Holmes
Greetings, Detectives!
One of our favorite sleuths is the legendary Sherlock Holmes. Though born in literary form, Holmes has found himself reincarnated on television and movie screens more times than Arthur Conan Doyle probably ever expected. Take a look below as we explore some of the more memorable portrayals of the famous detective.
Basil Rathbone – Various Sherlock Holmes Appearances (1939-1986)
Basil Rathbone is the real deal when it comes to Sherlock Holmes. His Holmes is the one of the most prolific of the bunch, appearing in a total of 18 productions as the iconic detective, including films, stage plays, television shows, and radio programs. Future actors, including Jeremy Brett, would look to Rathbone’s work as Holmes and emulate his character, meaning Basil Rathbone was perhaps the most influential Sherlock Holmes to date.
Jeremy Brett – Four Sherlock Holmes TV Series (1984-1994)
There is something to be said for totally immersing yourself into a role. Jeremy Brett certainly made the role of Sherlock Holmes his own in four television series. Unfortunately, due to his own physical and mental health issues, Brett’s portrayal became more and more erratic and even maniacal, both true to the character of Sherlock Holmes and greatly detrimental to his own well-being. The result, through tragic, is an extremely authentic Holmes performance that has prevailed over the span of decades.
Robert Downey Jr. – Sherlock Holmes (2009) & Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)
RDJ and Jude Law took to the big screen to step into the roles of the iconic duo, Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. The two played up the comedy in their characters, perhaps as a way to garner the attention of a new generation of fans. While still incredibly clever and quick-thinking, Downey Jr.’s Holmes added a slick charm into the mix. With witty one-liners and a yet unseen enthusiasm, this version of the detective is iconic.
Benedict Cumberbatch – Sherlock (2010-present)
Benedict Cumberbatch, along with this British miniseries, is popular—like really, really popular. Perhaps one of the most well-known versions of Holmes, this one has an addictive personality, cleverness beyond belief, and a complete lack of self-awareness when it comes to being a social human being. Cumberbatch’s Sherlock is modern, conflicted, and completely enthralling. Add in his dry, snarky sense of humor, and we’re sold!
Ian McKellan – Mr. Holmes (2015)
Sir Ian McKellan brilliantly portrayed a version of Sherlock Holmes not often seen: an older, past-his-prime, retired detective. In this British-American crime drama mystery, which is based on a 2005 novel by Mitch Cullin, Holmes struggles to recall the details of his last case due to his fading memory. This portrayal cut through the facade and truly revealed the man beneath the deerstalker cap and his at times jarring personality.
Crack This Unsolved Mystery!
Greetings, Detectives!
Here at The Murder Mystery Company HQ, we are always interested in cracking a case! One mystery that has left us scratching our heads is that of DB Cooper and the only remaining unsolved air piracy crime in American history.
The Crime
On November 24, 1971, a man identifying himself as Dan Cooper bought a ticket on Flight 305 to Seattle, Washington from Portland, Oregon. After the plane took off, Cooper calmly indicated to a flight attendant that he was carrying a bomb and requested $200,000.
The flight attendant relayed his demands, which, after a few hours, were met, and Cooper released the rest of the passengers. He asked that the plane take off again to Mexico City, using a very specific flight plan.
One of Cooper’s demands was for four parachutes. Once the plane was in motion toward Mexico City, though unseen by any of the few crew members Cooper allowed to remain on board, Cooper jumped from the plane using, strangely, a dummy parachute (one that would not work like a real parachute should, accidentally obtained by the FBI from a skydiving school).
The Mystery
Cooper should not have been able to survive jumping from the plane using the practice parachute he used. However, after searching all surrounding areas, and even areas that he logically would not have landed, no body was found. Investigators scoured rivers, lakes, mountains, fields, and even people’s farms and homes.
Authorities also began looking into people who shared the suspect’s name but quickly came to the conclusion that the man had used an alias. It also turns out that the name DB Cooper itself had been misreported in the media, as the plane ticket had been bought under the name Dan Cooper, and the misnomer stuck. The DB Cooper everyone was looking for had vanished.
Also unrecovered was his parachute or any of the belongings he would have had on his person. It would take seven years for any physical evidence to surface. Among the eventually recovered items were three packets of money that were positively identified as being part of the $200,000 Cooper demanded, and instructions for how to lower the aft stairs of a 727, something that Cooper had indeed done when he jumped from the aircraft. It has been theorized that other evidence may have been destroyed in the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.
There have been several suspects throughout the decades, though none have ever been formally charged or even substantially linked to the case. The FBI announced on July 8, 2016, that it would suspend the active investigation of the case.
So what do you think, detectives? Did the suspect survive the fall and assume another identity to quietly live out his life with the stolen money? Or did his body somehow disappear after perishing during the leap from the plane, and any of the stolen money that logically should have gone into circulation once he began using it was just destroyed in the eruption?
Want to check out other bind-boggling mysteries? Our Clue-style shows are perfect for brushing up on your sleuthing skills, and they’re guaranteed to thrill.
An Office Christmas Party Theme to Die For
The busiest time of year for The Murder Mystery Company is always around the holidays. Whether it is for a full-on Christmas party, a more holiday-neutral corporate office party, or something in between, a murder mystery party is a fantastic idea that never fails to deliver. When you book The Murder Mystery Company for your event, all the hard work is done. You get two hours of interactive entertainment that will keep your guests happy and give them something to talk about for years after. It is the perfect solution to combat the stresses of the holiday season.
This year, we have the company Christmas party idea that’ll have your co-workers dying for more. Our most popular holiday show has been completely redone. New characters, new plot, new clues, and a new murder! Even if you have been one of the fortunate few who have already attended one of our holiday or Christmas-themed events, you haven’t seen this one. The scene is set to take place at a corporate office party, but not all of the company is in good cheer. The party quickly falls apart when someone’s idea of a good time involves murder! Chaos and hijinks ensue as it becomes your job to root out the killer before they strike again. Anyone in the room could be the guilty party, even you! No one is above suspicion.
Be one of the first to see this hilarious new twist on our classic holiday party show The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year. Just give us a call at (888) 643-2583 and let one of our Crime Scene Consultants know that you need a murder committed at your holiday event. We can take it from there!
Company Holiday Party Ideas
Employees spend the whole year looking forward to their office holiday parties, and when the time finally arrives, it would be a bummer to not live up to the hype. Workplace festivities can be amazing when you have ideas for unique and exciting celebrations. We here at The Murder Mystery Company HQ have some awesome corporate holiday party ideas for your business that will put your employees in the holiday spirit.
1. Murder Mystery Company Holiday Party
If you want to truly impress at your company’s Christmas party, a murder mystery is the way to go! Professional actors immerse your group in a mind-boggling mystery that will keep everyone on the edge of their seats as they investigate and solve the crime. The best part is that you can pick from any of our varied signature cases, with themes ranging from a traditional holiday show to masquerades and 1920s noir. For the best corporate holiday party around, give our murder pros a call today at 888-643-2583.
2. Cookie Decorating Contest
If there’s one thing that always goes over well at corporate holiday parties, it’s food. Turn the food into an activity by hosting a cookie decorating contest for your employees or co-workers. You can set out frosting, icing, and sprinkles, along with dozens of plain sugar cookies. Another fun addition would be to hold smaller “challenges” within the contest, like asking everyone to decorate the cookie using only one color, or decorating a cookie that embodies the spirit of the holiday season. It’s great, delicious fun that will keep the office entertained for hours.
3. Festive Fun and Games
Your employees will want to unwind at the office after a long year of work, and there’s no better way to relax than to kick back and play some games. Whether that’s board games, arcade games, or party games, it’s up to you. Set up your space with plenty of room for playing. See if you can rent some old school arcade games, or ask everyone to bring a game from home to offer up as an activity. You can even get more festive with it and alter some popular games to have a holiday twist, like Pin the Nose on the Reindeer or Christmas Charades.
4. Celebrity Santas
A fun way to let your employees and co-workers get creative is to make your company Christmas party a theme that encourages them to dress up. Ask everyone to don a Santa costume, but here’s the catch: they should also be dressed up as someone famous. Someone might arrive dressed as Harry Potter Santa, Bob Barker Santa, Katy Perry Santa, or Tarzan Santa. Hold a costume contest to see who had the best or funniest celebrity Santa costume and offer small gifts to those with the most votes.
5. Holidays Around the World
Travel around the world while staying right in your office! Different countries and cultures have amazing holiday traditions, and incorporating them into your company’s annual party is a great idea. Food, decorations, and even music and games can be influenced by traditions from across the globe. Try out some Mexican tamales, Italian pandoro, or French bûche de Noël. Everyone will enjoy the chance to take part in something different during your office holiday party!
Halloween Party Ideas from The Murder Mystery Co.
Greetings, Detectives!
Whether you like things cute and kooky or creepy and spooky, there is definitely something for everyone when it comes to celebrating on the evening of October 31st. We’re party people here at The Murder Mystery Company HQ, and we’ve compiled a list of the top five Halloween party ideas just for you!
5. Haunted House
Adults and children alike can get in on the action at a haunted house. Whether you want to turn your entire home into something the Addams family would be comfortable in, or you just want to make a room or two cold and creepy, a haunted house promises to be a chilling Halloween activity. Station costumed friends or family around to really get into character and scare your guests, put out tactile items to challenge your guests’ senses, or make your house into a dark and winding maze full of ghouls and goblins to trick your guests into making wrong turns. Sinister lighting and haunting music goes a long way to enhance the vibe.
4. Graveyard Maze
A graveyard maze is the perfect activity to make your guests feel like they’re in a horror movie. Your backyard can transform into a graveyard with a little help from DIY, party supply props, fog machines, black lights and flashlights, and creepy music and sound effects. Much like in a haunted house, adding in some costumed friends or actors will be just the thing to up the stakes and scare your guests half to death. If kids will be taking part in your Halloween party, allow them to work through the maze first, without some of the scarier special effects. To make it even more fun for the little ones, hide candy throughout the maze to encourage them to find their way to the end!
3. Fall Festival
Halloween parties don’t always have to be creepy. For a more formal event or just something more family friendly, a fall festival is a Halloween party idea that will deliver all of the fun of the season with none of the screams. Hayrides, apple cider, pumpkin carving, bobbing for apples, and costume contests will ensure all of your guests have a memorable evening. Decor is key when it comes to themed events, and luckily, this one is easy! Decorating with pumpkins, gourds, apples, fall leaves, hay bales, scarecrows, and candles will give you an authentic and cozy atmosphere your guests will love!
2. Movie Madness
Everyone has a favorite movie they like to watch around Halloween. Whether it’s Friday the 13th, The Addams Family, Hocus Pocus, or any of the million zombie movies in existence, your favorite movie offers a ton of material for your Halloween party. You can pick one specific movie and use it as the inspiration for your food, decor, and activities, or pick a genre—like slasher movies or monster movies—to pull from. Asking your guests to use characters from your chosen movies as their costume inspiration will make for some killer photo opportunities and some amazing memories.
1. Murder Mystery Party
What kind of murder mystery company would we be if we didn’t suggest what is certainly the greatest Halloween party idea ever: a murder mystery party! Our signature Clue-style themes are perfect for the scariest time of the year, and each one offers a unique world for you and your guests to inhabit for the evening. A masked masquerade, a 1920s speakeasy scene, or a mischievous magic show can become the setting for your guests to party all night as suspects and sleuths trying to figure out who killed the victim and why. It’s a murderously thrilling way to spend your Halloween, and all you have to do to make it happen is give us a call at 888-643-2583.
Famous Mystery Writers and Their Characters: The Titus Edition
We’ve discussed a few of the serious players in the world of mystery and detective fiction, so I thought we’d take a look at a fun take on our favorite detective, Sherlock, in the form of a determined little furball bent on solving crime like his human counterpart: Basil of Baker Street.
Basil is written by Eve Titus, a children’s book author with a penchant for anthropomorphizing animals and casting them out into the world for adventures that have captured the hearts and minds of children everywhere. I myself was an avid Basil fan as a child, and would often play pretend that Basil and his trusty sidekick Dawson were solving crimes behind the baseboards and between the walls of my childhood home.
Titus was skilled at meshing the human and mouse world, melding them together in a fantastical mashup that was as entertaining for children as it was for the adults who shared her stories at bedtime. Basil scampers off on adventures from the wild west all the way down to Mexico, solving crimes and outmaneuvering his arch nemesis, Ratigan, at every turn.
Basil is like Sherlock in many ways. He smokes a pipe and is prone to fits of melodrama and moodiness. Like Sherlock, he plays a musical instrument, but unlike Sherlock, it is a flute, not a violin! They keep the company of a doctor who chronicles their adventures and finds themselves invariably warring against their professor type enemies, Moriarty and Ratigan, respectively.
If you’re looking for a lighthearted read with a mystery that leaves you with the warm fuzzies, pick up Basil of Baker Street. However, if you’re looking for a criminally fun time that can’t be found in a children’s book, you might consider trying a murder mystery with The Murder Mystery Company at a crime scene near you!
Famous Mystery Writers and Their Characters: The Butcher Edition
Today we’re going to step away from some of the old classic detectives and shine some light on one of the coolest contemporary private eyes to be written on paper! The character of supernatural private investigator and professional wizard, Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden, is written by author Jim Butcher in his currently ongoing series “The Dresden Files.”
Jim Butcher has made a groundbreaking bridge in the gap between old school detective fiction and fantasy. He effortlessly melds the two worlds of the seedy criminal underbelly of Chicago with the fantastical yet dangerous world of magic and the supernatural. Butcher writes Harry Dresden’s character as a wisecracking and cynical, yet dangerously powerful, private investigator. His cases take him anywhere and everywhere, from the mansions of vampiric crime lords to encounters with his not so kindly fairy godmother – and her pack of flesh-eating hellhounds!
Harry Dresden combines his wizarding talents with classic detective skills for a myriad of tasks, helping those who need it most while also trying to save his own hide. His clientele range from your average run of the mill humans, to all manner of fairy tale creatures, many of which you would not expect to see in the same story!
Using his eclectic assortment of wizarding powers, Harry saves himself, his friends, and the world many times over, evolving his powers and gaining an odd assortment of allies in the process. His attempts to come off as a gruff and hardened cynic are constantly undermined by his biggest weakness – to protect anyone who is vulnerable and in need of assistance or protection.
Butcher has made a wonderful contribution to the hard-boiled detective novel genre and continues to leave readers waiting with bated breath for the next book in his smash hit series. If you love a good mystery, but can’t wait till his next book to solve one, join The Murder Mystery Company for an evening of mystery, intrigue, and murder to take your mind off it. We promise you’ll have a killer time!