| If you are invited to a murder mystery party | | | | to commit the murder. Once you know where and |
| you have the chance to act out the role of | | | | when the dirty deed was committed, you can |
| your favourite detective - whether it's Miss | | | | eliminate from your questioning anyone with a |
| Marple, Sherlock Holmes or Inspector | | | | concrete alibi.Which brings us to |
| Morse.While many murder mystery parties have | | | | motive."Motive" answers the "why" question. |
| a role specifically for the detective, | | | | Why was the victim killed?Motive can be both |
| everyone can join in the hunt for the | | | | the easiest and hardest of the Holy Trinity |
| murderer. Sometimes the games are written so | | | | to solve. Sometimes there are lots of people |
| that even the murderer doesn't know that they | | | | with a good motive to kill, and sometimes it |
| have committed the crime - so they can join | | | | can be hard to find anyone with any kind of |
| in the fun as well.So while these tips are | | | | motive at all.So, the first thing you should |
| particularly useful for anyone taking on the | | | | ask is "Who benefits?" Who has the most to |
| role of the detective, they will also help | | | | gain from the victim's death? And if it's not |
| anyone else trying to solve the murder. (They | | | | immediately obvious, the you are going to |
| may also help the murderer cover their | | | | have to talk to everyone.(And even if it is |
| trail...)The secret to solving murder | | | | immediately obvious, you may still have to |
| mysteries is in determining three things, the | | | | talk to everyone as the murderer isn't always |
| "Holy Trinity" of detection: Means, motive | | | | the person with the most obvious motive. |
| and opportunity."Means" is probably the | | | | Things are rarely as straight-forward as |
| easiest of the three to determine. By | | | | that!)If nothing else, whenever you talk to |
| "means", I mean how the murder was carried | | | | one of the other guests at a murder mystery |
| out and usually an examination of the body | | | | party, you should ask them who they think |
| will tell you this. Typical examples include | | | | killed the victim. Someone will have a clue |
| stabbing, shooting, poisoning, drowning and | | | | as to the identity of the murderer, but |
| so on.In the case of something like poison, | | | | without asking absolutely everyone, you might |
| you might need to find out how it was | | | | never find them.You need to watch for the |
| administered. Was it something the victim ate | | | | various tricks and twists that can confuse |
| or drank? Was the poison injected?Sometimes | | | | things further. These can include the |
| it's not always easy to work out how the | | | | misdirected murder (where the victim wasn't |
| victim died - particularly if there are other | | | | the intended victim at all but just happened |
| wounds or marks. Also, the murder might be | | | | to be in the wrong place at the wrong time) |
| disguised as an accident.Once you have | | | | and murder-by-proxy (where the murderer isn't |
| determined the means, you should have more | | | | the one with most to gain, but is a misguided |
| avenues of investigation. For example, if the | | | | friend or servant).Here, then, are my tips on |
| victim was shot, who has access to a gun? | | | | solving a murder mystery:Find a piece of |
| This line of questioning brings us to the | | | | paper and write down three headings: Motive, |
| next in the Holy Trinity: | | | | Means and Opportunity. As the party |
| opportunity."Opportunity" refers to the | | | | progresses and you learn more about the |
| timing and planning of the murder, rather | | | | murder, write down what you learn on the |
| than the actual method of killing. In the | | | | paper under the appropriate heading.Keep a |
| case of a poisoning, for example, it means | | | | checklist of everyone present and work |
| having the appropriate access to deliver the | | | | through them, one by one. Most murder mystery |
| poison - such as in a bedtime drink, a | | | | parties have a list of characters who are |
| favourite chocolate or whatever.Opportunity | | | | present, so you can use that to make sure |
| also means being in the right place and time | | | | that you don't miss anyone. |