Coming soon
Murder mystery game for two
Two sets of clues, one murder on a paddle steamer. Neither of you can solve it alone.
Not open yet. Leave your email below and we will send one email when it is.
How it is meant to play
You each hold half the clues
It is the night of the Marigold's hundredth birthday cruise. Monty Larkin, the owner, promised an announcement at midnight. At eleven, his cocoa went up in the little lift, and he never woke. The boat is moored mid-river until dawn, so the culprit is still aboard.
- 1
You each get half the night
One of you is Upstairs with the Captain, in the library, the lounge and the saloon. The other is Downstairs with the crew, in the galley, the purser's office and the engine room. Your phones show different rooms and different clues.
- 2
Search, then compare notes
Tap around a painted room to find evidence. Some of it makes no sense until your partner describes what is on their phone. Say it out loud. That is the game.
- 3
Crack the joint puzzles
Every chapter ends with a puzzle that needs both halves: a timeline, a lock with the code on the other phone, a lift shaft you have to count together. The Captain gives two hints if you stall.
- 4
Name the culprit together
Lay out who was where and when, then make one accusation. A wrong one costs time, not the game. A right one gets you the reveal.
Painted rooms
A look at the case
Who is it for
- Couples. A date night in with a plot, and an excuse to argue about whose theory is right.
- Two friends. No host, no group to organize, and nobody left out because there are only two of you.
- Parent and teenager. The death is off stage and the tone is cozy, so it works from age 12.
The suspects
Five people, one cup of cocoa
Everyone heard Monty's midnight promise as a threat. Each of them has something to hide, and only one of them did it.
Odette VaneMonty's fiancee, a retired magician's assistant and crossword fiend.
Felix LarkinMonty's nephew, an inventor of what he calls expensive noises.
Margo BellThe ship's chef, brisk and floury, who made the cocoa.
Dr Hester QuillMonty's oldest friend, a botanist and doctor who sketches the moon.
Linus CrabtreeThe ship's purser for thirty years, neat and prim, with "nothing to fear".
What it costs
Coming soon.
More to play and read
- All our mystery games, for one phone or two
- Murder in the Dark, a free lights-out murder game for a whole room
- Party games for a group, on everyone's phones
- How to host a murder mystery party, with a free six-suspect case
- Games like Jackbox you can play on your phone
Questions about this murder mystery game for two
Can we play it yet?
Not yet. It is not open and no date has been set. Leave your email on this page and we will send one email when it is.
How will a murder mystery game for two work?
You each play on your own phone, and each phone shows different evidence. One of you searches the upstairs rooms and the other searches downstairs. Neither of you can crack a clue alone, so you describe what you see, compare notes and agree on an answer together. At the end you make one joint accusation.
Can two people play a murder mystery without a host?
Yes. There is no host to hire and no script to read out. The Captain narrates the whole night aloud, gives hints if you get stuck, and checks your answers.
How long does the game take?
About 40 minutes across six short chapters, so it fits a weeknight or the gap between dinner and a film.
Can we play it as a long distance or video call murder mystery?
We would like it to, but we have not switched that on yet and will not promise it until it has been tested on two phones in two places. When it is, this page will say so.
Is it a good online murder mystery for couples?
It is written for date night: dry, warm and a little theatrical, with a puzzle in every chapter that needs you both. It also suits two friends, or a parent and a teenager.
Do we have to play on two phones?
Two phones is the plan. We are also designing a way to pass one phone back and forth, and we will say here which ways are ready when the game opens.
Is it scary or gory?
No. The death happens off stage, there is no blood and no body on screen, and nothing is frightening. It is a poisoning, so we suggest ages 12 and up.
Do we need to download an app, print anything or buy a box?
No. It runs in the web browser on any phone. There is nothing to print and no envelopes to open.
Can we play it twice?
You only solve a mystery for the first time once. A second night, called the Captain's Rules, takes away the hints, so it is a harder run for anyone who wants one.
How much does it cost?
Coming soon. The price will be on this page when the game opens.