Creating a believable crime scene in your living room

At a murder mystery party, the crime scene does not need to be spectacular. It needs to be believable and useful: a place players come back to, look at, and compare their memories around. Here is how to create one with next to nothing.

1. Choose the spot

Pick a corner of the room visible from everywhere: an armchair, a console table, the entrance to a hallway. The scene should stay in view for the whole game without blocking the way.

2. Mark it out

Red and white tape, stretched between two chairs or stuck to the floor, is enough to create the effect. Add a small label: "Do not cross". Players immediately understand that something happened here.

3. Place the right objects

Choose three or four objects that recall the story without revealing the solution:

• a half-empty glass;
• a personal item belonging to the victim (a jacket, a phone, a notebook);
• an overturned or moved chair;
• a numbered tag in front of each object, as forensic teams do.

For The Vernier Case, the body is found in the pool house of a large house: a towel, a lamp and a laptop bag are enough to suggest it. For La Queimada du Pazo, the victim collapses right after drinking from his cup: a small clay bowl on the floor makes an immediate impression.

4. The real evidence is in the file

The objects on the scene are for atmosphere. The clues are in the kit: statements, photos, records, maps. Do not mix the two, or players will search your decorations for clues. Put the case files on the investigation table and leave the crime scene as decor.

5. Play with light

A low lamp pointed at the scene, the rest of the room in half-light: the scene draws every eye. Avoid flashing or coloured lights, which quickly become tiring.

What to avoid

• Fake blood: messy, and pointless for a case built on secrets.
• A chalk outline on the floor: funny, but it breaks the realistic mood.
• An overloaded scene: three well-chosen objects beat ten.

The big moment

At the start of the investigation, let all the players discover the scene together while the host reads the opening text. That is often when the evening tips over: you are no longer at a dinner with friends, you are at a crime scene. For the rest of the decor, read our budget decoration ideas.