Hemlock Parlor

Free printable · 6 players

A murder mystery party you can host this weekend.

Print one free file and host a 6-player mystery in 90 minutes.

Download the free mystery PDF · 13 pages · no sign-up
The mystery's clue cards page: the stockroom door, the photo booth strip and silver glitter. A character sheet from the mystery: Holly Winterbourne, with Round 1 facts, a secret and a goal.

The mystery

Murder at Winterbourne's Toys

It is a Saturday night on Main Street, and Winterbourne's Toys turns forty. Rudy Winterbourne throws a party for staff, neighbors and old friends: punch, a toy-train cake, a photo booth by the front window. Just after nine, Rudy slips into the stockroom to fetch "the big surprise" and never comes back. The door is locked. One of your six guests did it.

  • Holly WinterbourneRudy's niece, who keeps the shop's booksWear: a cozy cardigan and a charm bracelet
  • Nick CarrollThe shop's toy demonstrator for twenty yearsWear: a bow tie and a yo-yo
  • Noel AshbyThe baker who made the anniversary cakeWear: a floury apron
  • Ivy PembrookOwner of the rival toy store across the streetWear: a sharp coat and a scarf
  • Robin CallowayRudy's oldest friend and the local columnistWear: tweed and a notebook
  • Jules MarloweThe shop's window dresser for twelve yearsWear: paint-flecked overalls

Every name works for anyone: give any role to any guest. Nothing in it is tied to a holiday, so it suits a birthday, a dinner party or a game night.

How the night runs

  1. A week beforeGive each guest a character and send their invitation. Print the rest.
  2. Round 1Guests mingle in character and share what they saw at the party.
  3. The bodyYou read the discovery aloud and put out the first clue.
  4. Round 2Secrets come out. Two more clues narrow it to one guest.
  5. AccuseEveryone names a suspect, then you unfold the solution.

Read the full host guide: planning, casting, food and a minute-by-minute evening.

What's in the free file

  • A one-page host plan and the lines to read aloud
  • Six invitations with costume ideas, to print or text
  • Six character sheets: what each guest knows, a secret and a goal
  • Three clue cards, and a fold-over solution page for the host
  • A fair puzzle: the three clues point to exactly one guest, and none contradicts another

Free download

$0 no sign-up, for your own party

Download the PDF

US Letter, prints in color or black and white. Opens in any PDF reader.

Holiday editions

Hosting for a holiday?

Each holiday edition is a complete mystery of its own, set on that night, for a bigger party. You don't need the free game to play one.

The cover of Death at Evergreen Manor, the Christmas edition, with a holly mark. Christmas edition: Death at Evergreen ManorA snowed-in Christmas Eve dinner, a poisoned cup and a will that was never read. For 8 to 12 players, about 2 hours.$19 · printable PDF

Questions hosts ask

What if more than six people come?

Pair guests up: two people share one character and decide together what to say. That works well for couples, up to twelve guests.

Can the host play too?

Yes. The host can take any role. The solution sits on its own page, folded closed until every accusation is in.

Is it all right for teens?

It is written for adults and teens. There is a murder, but nothing gory: the story is about who had a key and who was where at 9:10.

Who wrote it?

Every mystery is checked before we publish it: a test confirms the three clues leave only one possible culprit and that no clue contradicts another. The story was written with AI.

Download the free mystery