Murder at the Speakeasy: 1926 Chicago Jazz-Age Murder Mystery Party Kit

Chicago, 1926. A basement gin joint, a chorus line, six blank shots a night, and tonight one of them wasn’t. Who killed Leo Kessler?

A Roaring Twenties murder mystery for 8. Every night at the Blue Canary the show ends with Six Shots at Midnight: five chorus girls fire blanks at the ceiling, the headliner turns and fires at the owner’s box, and Leo Kessler clutches his chest and falls into his chair for a laugh. Tonight, hours after he told the room he was taking his ledger to the federal prosecutor, he doesn’t get up. Your guests arrive as eight suspects in feathers, pinstripes and spats. Over three rounds the evidence comes out, secrets spill and alibis crack. Then everyone makes an accusation, and the murderer confesses.

What's inside (34 A4 pages)

• Step-by-step host guide with a checklist, running order and 1920s food, drink and decor ideas (with mocktails for younger players)
• 8 character booklets, each with a secret, an alibi and instructions for every round
• A photographed cast list and 8 fill-in invitations, with a costume for every suspect (flapper dresses, fedoras, pinstripes and pearls)
• A victim file with a portrait of the dearly departed, a one-line send-off and their famous last words
• 15 evidence cards in three rounds, with envelope labels
• The opening scene to read aloud
• Name tags plus 4 badges for extra guests playing Prohibition agents
• Accusation cards and 6 awards, including The Bee’s Knees and Top Billing
• A sealed solution and the murderer's confession

Meet the suspects

Ruby Lamar, the headliner who fired the shot. Dixie Dupree, the new girl taking her spot. Harry Whitlock, the lawyer who bills by the hour and wins by the juror. Rosa Kessler, the wife who runs the kitchen and the books. Maxie Feldman, the bandleader with one bad habit. Sergeant O’Rourke, who drinks free and sees nothing. Mabel Brennan, the crime reporter on deadline. And Dutch, the prop man who left the pistols alone for eight minutes.

Prefer it printed?

Choose Printed & delivered and we'll print the whole kit for you in full colour, with the evidence cards, name tags and awards on thick card, and courier it anywhere in South Africa.

• R349 for the printed kit. Delivery is R100, or free on orders over R1000.
• We print and send within 2 working days, and delivery takes 2 to 5 working days, so order at least a week before your party.
• Cards come printed on sheets, ready for you to cut out along the dashed lines.
• Printed kits are posted only, with no PDF. Want to print extra copies yourself too? Add the digital download to your cart as well.

Good to know

• Players: 6 to 12, made for 8. Have 6 or 7? Use the stand-in statements. More guests? Up to 4 can play Prohibition agents.
• Difficulty: ●●●●○ Hard (4 out of 5). Timings, coats and cartridges all matter. Keen detectives will love lining up the clues. Best for groups who have played before.
• Time: about 3 hours, including dinner and dessert.
• Ages: 14+. Gin, gangsters and a shooting on stage, nothing gory. Perfect for Gatsby parties, 1920s birthdays and office year-ends.
• The host can play too. No need to read the solution in advance.
• Instant download: the digital version arrives as a PDF straight after checkout.
• For personal use. Print as many copies as you need for your own party.