From Building Site to Crime Scene

Work halted on site this weekend so that we could host the  murder mystery party.  We also got to spend some time out doors as our friends Emmie and Emma came over in the afternoon and we all went out for a bike ride which was great as it was such a sunny day although very cold.  G's improvised MDF top for the table made it really big.  We got Emmie to lie on it and we drew round her to make it look like a corpse on a crime scene.  For the rest of the decoration we got G's blue and white crime police tape that says 'Police do not cross' and draped it round the room.

The costumes were very last minute and I had to dash to the charity shops in the morning to try and find G a velvet suit and flowery shirt.  When I was in the first charity shop I bumped into our friend Sam who was on a similar mission look for bits for his costume.  The lady in the shop said that we were the third  lot of people that had come in look for costumes for the murder mystery dinner that evening.  I managed to find a velvet flowing top for G that was in the ladies such very large sized  - I didn't mention to him that it was it was a woman's top.  He also had a velvet scarf and hat.  He looked very flamboyant and a true actor. 

We had a fantastic evening  - we started in the new loft area with champagne reception and everyone introducing the characters, we then came down to the crime scene - which had been sealed off with police tape and finished with coffee in the lounge in front of the fire.

The included, character books for everyone with their roles, background information and a few tasty secrets.  Also it included scripted parts so at times it was like a mini play, we were amazed at how much our friends got into their roles and enjoyed the acting.  We also had different exhibits that we had to produce at different times and a DVD which we had to play at certain times which summarised events and gave clues.  It got bit complicated to co-ordinate especially whilst we were drinking, champagne, snowballs and wine.

The solution to the murder was on the final chapter on the DVD.  Our plan was to show solution to the crime on the TV in the lounge with coffee to conclude the evening.  However things did not go quite to plan.  Just before the third course when G went to play the 3rd chapter of the DVD with some more clues he accidentally hit the wrong button and showed the solution to the crime!  We all found out who the murdered was before anyone had had a chance to guess.  It particularly made me laugh as its normally me who does the more ditzy things at our house.  Everyone was enjoying the game so much we decided to carry on regardless.  G's solution to the dilemma was that everyone should say who they thought was the murderer before we accidentally heard the truth.  It was a great evening and lots of laughs.