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