How to Host a Murder is a long-running series of boxed murder mystery games published by Decipher, Inc. Players take on the roles of suspects after a murder has occurred,[1] all attempting to expose which one of them is the murderer. The setting is supposed to be humorous, with players dressing in costumes and overacting their parts.[1]

How to Host a Murder
PublishersDecipher, Inc.
Publication1983
GenresMurder mystery game

The first game in the series, The Watersdown Affair, was published in 1985. Sixteen other How to Host a Murder games have been published since,[2] and the line has also spun off into lines like How to Host a Teen Mystery, a single adult How to Host a Mystery, the kids games How to Host a Kids Party & How to Host a Scavenger Hunt, and the more romantically inclined How to Host a Romantic Evening. The last release was in 2003, but Decipher announced in 2012 new material relating to the series would be appearing on their website, suggesting new releases may occur soon.[3] Decipher's website was updated to announce that these new games would be coming in 2017.[4]

Games

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How To Host a Murder Editions

Episode number Name of episode Year created
1 The Watersdown Affair 1985
2 Grapes of Frath 1985
3 The Last Train From Paris 1985
4 Archaeologically Speaking, it's The Pits (AKA Matter of Faxe) 1986
5 The Chicago Caper 1985
6 Hoo Hung Woo 1986
7 The Class of '54 1987
8 Power and Greede (AKA The Hollywood Premier) 1985
9 The Duke's Descent 1990
10 The Wall Street Scandal 1991
11 Roman Ruins 1996
12 The Good, The Bad, and The Guilty 1996
13 The Tragical Mystery Tour 1998
14 Maiming of the Shrew 2000
15 Saturday Night Cleaver 2001
16 An Affair to Dismember 2003
Special All My Children 1991
Special Star Trek: The Next Generation[a] 1992

How To Host A Teen Mystery Editions

Episode number Name of episode
1 Hot Times at Hollywood High
2 Barbeque With a Vampire
3 Roswell That Ends Well

Reception

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Creede Lambard reviewed The Watersdown Affair in Space Gamer No. 76, and commented that "And the verdict? I cannot recommend this game highly enough. If your dinner parties are becoming a bit dull, or if you and seven or more of your friends want to have a great time one evening, buy The Watersdown Affair."[5]

Notes

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  1. ^ The Star Trek: The Next Generation edition was released under the title "How To Host a Mystery".

References

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  1. ^ a b Tinsman, Brian (2003). The Game Inventor's Guidebook. Krause Publications. p. 85. ISBN 9780873495523.
  2. ^ Appelcline, Shannon (2014). Designers & Dragons: The 90s. Evil Hat Productions. p. 238.
  3. ^ RobinGoodfellow (2012-01-27). "Fight Klūb - Community". Decipher.com. Archived from the original on 2012-01-07. Retrieved 2012-02-14.
  4. ^ Decipher announces howtohostamurder.com< Retrieved 10 January 2018
  5. ^ Lambard, Creede (Sep–Oct 1985). "Capsule Reviews". Space Gamer (76). Steve Jackson Games: 35.