20 New Year's Eve Murder Mystery Party Ideas

Looking for a fun way to entertain your New Year's Eve guests before the ball drops? Consider a murder mystery dinner party to see in the New Year!

You might even miss the ball dropping while the game is afoot!

A New Year's Eve murder mystery party is a themed event where attendees dress to match an era, genre, or theme. The party works together or self-sleuths to solve a fictitious murder. The games usually last between 1.5 - 4 hours, depending on whether you host a virtual murder mystery game or in real life.

Now, all that is left is to choose your theme and get the champagne ready.

Read our 20 New Year's Eve Murder Mystery party themes that will make an evening to remember.

1920S Great Gatsby Themed Party

Transport back to New Year's Eve 1923, where the booze is free-flowing, the jazz is humming, and the night is long. Choose our murder mystery game kit and join your guests at Jay Glittersby's New York mansion. Suddenly, shots ring, and an unwelcome guest is found dead. Is the killer a flapper, a jazz musician, or a bartender? Was the death motivated by jealousy, revenge, or greed? Play in real life or virtually with The Great Glitersby Murder.

Need some costume help? Read 1920 Murder Mystery Game Female Costume Ideas

James Bond Themed Party

After an actual casino-style event to usher in the New Year? You can't go wrong with a James Bond and casino royal-inspired game. Transform your room into a fast-rolling casino. Your guests can play the tables in between solving the murder, like 007. Play in real life or virtually with From Monte Carlo with Murder.

Need some help? Read how to host a James Bond 007 Casino Party.

Masquerade Ball Themed Party

Imagine your guests arriving in beautiful masks for a New Year's ball event! While your guests all look dashing and beautiful, each one is a suspect; one is a murderer. It's all your guest's job to find out before midnight...

Play in real life or virtually with our murder mystery kit, Masquerade Murder.

1980S Blockbuster Party

Love 80s fashion? Turn your New Year's Eve into a party full of blockbuster characters like Keanu Reaves, aerobics queen, the terminator, Martie McFly, and more. Enjoy a night of silly antiques and great 80s music with our 1980s Murder.

Need some costume help? Read our 80's Hollywood Costume for Murder Mystery Party

Wild West Themed Party

Transport back to a scene in a Wild West saloon, 1870, in Dead Mans Saloon game kit. Expect fun characters, including gun-slinging cowboys, barmaids, crooks, cowgirls, and saloon dancers. Host an exciting cowboy-themed New Year's party this year.

Need some costume help? Read our Wild West Saloon Murder Mystery Game Costume Ideas.

Harry Potter-Themed Party

Perfect for all Potter-heads. Turn your house into Hogwarts and get lost in the world of witchcraft and wizardry. Hosting your own murder mystery party has never been easier and is perfect for all ages, families, and friends. Can your guests solve the mystery before the night ends?

Download the Mystery at Toadwart School mystery game materials and ensure your guests enjoy themselves.

Bridgerton-Themed Party

Dearest reader, this author has continued considerable success these past seasons. So far, my columns have led to three elopements, two duels, and an onstage riot that ended the Opera, Act I. But I find myself now a little bored. So my dearest reader, the real challenge this season is me!

Can you find me—or am I YOU?

Download A Scandal in Bogerton mystery game materials for an online or in-person dinner party.

British Bake-Off Themed Party

It's time for a New Year's Eve Murder Mystery Bake Off!

It's the final weeks, and Lennon Drizzle is the front-runner with the most points, closely followed by Ed Velvet. One more challenge crowns the winner, who will inherit the company.

Join the baking competition of a lifetime, meet your competitors (looking strangely like your guests), figure out the best way to win, or prevent someone from winning.

Play The Great Bake Down this New Year's Eve.

Vampire Ball-Themed Game

Count Dragula, the "Queen" of New York, is hosting the annual New Year's Eve Blood Ball, where night walkers and blood drinkers of all ages usher in another immortal year.

But when an unsanctioned drained body turns up within the ball, your guests turn into blood-sucking suspects. Is it a guest? Party crasher? A crime of passion or hatred? You better learn quickly before the sun comes up.

Download The Vampire Ball for a freaky New Year.

Rocky Horror Themed Party

Masters of Mystery are die-hard Halloweeners and see fit to celebrate it even on New Year's Eve. Taking inspiration from the Rocky Horror Picture Show & The Little Shop of Horrors, this murder mystery game kit is perfect for spillover from Halloween night to New Year's Eve. Assume a character from the Little Shop of Horrors attends a huge raucous party of odd characters led by the twin scientists Curry and Cox N. Furter.

Download The Little Shop of Rocky Horrors for a freaky New Year.

Carnivale-Themed Party

The year is 1755, and it's Carnival season in Venice. It's the perfect chance for rich and poor, old and young, to come together as equals for the night. But when everyone is masking their identity, it can be hard to know who is talking.

The question on everyone's lips is, who is the figure in red? It's your job to find out...

Play in real life or virtually with our murder mystery kit, Masquerade Murder.

Exorcism & Asylum-Themed Party

Just because Halloween is over-doesn't mean you can't welcome the new year with a good scare. When the Vatican has launched an official investigation into the death of Nurse Sara Hinder, you know something is wrong. Father Kelly is too young and inexperienced to carry this out (especially if an exorcism is required). Even though Father Kelly leads the investigation, be prepared to defend yourself and blame others.

Download the Exorcism at the Asylum 

Polar Express-Themed Party

Yes! Christmas is over, but keep the magic alive with a Polar Express-themed murder mystery party on New Year. PolaRail proudly presents our festive spectacular 'Next Stop, Christmas!' our fun-filled family day aboard our most famous steam locomotive - The Northern Express! And you have the final ticket for the year.

Play in real life or virtually with our murder mystery kit, Poison on the Polar Express.

Pirate-Themed Party

Taking inspiration from pirates of the Caribbean, join a raucous crew of The Bouncing Barnacle, just docked in Santa Tortuga. Meet in the village tavern, along with the colorful locals. Discover the murderer behind Pop DeKegg, the tavern keeper, drowning in a vat of rum. Is there some treasure to be had by midnight? It's yours to discover in the Dead Men Drink No Rum.

Sherlock Holmes-Themed Party

The game is truly afoot.

Inspired by the ultimate detective, join your guests at Moorbourne Manor on New Year's Eve in 1899. His lordship has developed a conscience and wishes to right the wrongs of his past, but before he can do so, Lord Moorbourne is discovered murdered body slumped across his desk! Detective Leslie Hughes arrives at the scene, and the games are afoot!

Download the Murder at Moorebourne Manor.

1940S-Themed Party

As you head toward the future, why not go back to the past: Head to the 1940s. It's post-WWII, classic, sports and luxury cars chugging down the roads, Rosie the Riveter, Bomber Jackets, and Babes on Broadway play in the cinema.

Play in real life or virtually with our murder mystery kit, 1940s Murder.

The Greatest Showman Themed Party

Take inspiration from P.T Barnum and the Greatest Showman, or host your own murder circus-themed murder mystery for a fun evening played with friends or family over video chat or in real life.

When one of the circus owners turns up dead, suspended from his own knife-throwing board, but no-one from the circus is surprised. Who killed him? Were they aiming for him or his ringmaster brother?

Host your own game with The Greatest Murder kit, and find out this New Year.

Game of Thrones Themed Party

The king invites you to attend Hydrock Castle along with others who have bent the knee. However, upon your arrival at Hydrock Castle all is not well – Lefqwen of Abinark, the centauress turns up dead. But don't worry, just as everyone in the hall is suspect, you are also medieval detectives.

Play the game and unearth the killer in the Lord of the Throne by midnight.

School Graduation-Themed Party

 

 

Are you celebrating educational feats or reliving your college years? Return to the International College of Freethinkers (ICOF), a school for nonconformist students holding its graduation ceremony. Your guests are dressed in caps and gowns from their graduations, but suddenly, the Dean is found with a bloodstained handle protruding from his chest during the ceremony.

Who stabbed him? Well, it's all up to your guests now, but can they do it before the ball drops in Graduation to Die For?

Star Trek-Themed Party

Any true Treky's New Year's Eve party dream... a Star Trek-inspired murder mystery game night. Think antiquated spaceship captains, lost hitchhikers, princesses with wacky haircuts, time-traveling physicians, absent-minded bounty hunters—humans, androids, furry creatures, amphibious types, or any combination. Sound found?

Play A Space Murder Mystery.

 

 

Our Murder Mystery Game Kits are an instant download with access to materials immediately after purchase, invite your friends and enjoy a night of laughs and mystery.