In The Murder Game, my heroine Gwen creates a murder mystery game for the party guests to play. Unfortunately, the game is interrupted by murder and never finished.

So now I thought I should finish the game and you could help me.

It is Hollywood, 1935, a time of changes, talkies were in, many of the silent stars not making the transition. Color was just making its debut, but black and white was still the norm. Film genres were becoming popular, including gangster films, screwball comedies, cartoons, western, and horror. Actors and actresses included John Wayne, Clark Gable, Joan Crawford, the Three Stooges, Shirley Temple, Johnny Weismuller. Katherine Hepburn, Boris Karloff, Basil Rathbone. Many made their screen debut. On the screen, Bride of Frankenstein, Captain Blood, Dangerous, David Copperfield, Les Miserable, The Littlest Rebel entertain thousands.

Movie mogul C.V. Moss is hosting a party in honor of his latest film A JumpFrom The Bridge, cast and crew are present, along with the press and other Hollywood luminaries.

At 9:30 in the evening a security guard discovered the body of C. V. Moss in his study. He appeared to have been bludgeoned to death with a fireplace poker. His forehead was bloody with a crushed appearance. The bloody fireplace poker lay beside the body. He was still wearing the clothes he had been wearing earlier, a red velvet smoking jacket and ascot. A fire burned in the fireplace. The office had been searched, desk drawers pulled out and dumped. The heavy ashtray he kept on the desk for visitors was wiped clean, but scattered on the hearth were cigarette butts, some with lipstick of several different hues. From a display cabinet is missing a jade statue. There were three ways into the office, from the living room, from the secretary office which opens on the back hallway, and through french doors onto the patio.

So where do we go from here? Let's take a look at the guests.

When you are creating a murder mystery game, you start by trying to figure out who might be involved with the victim. In this case, director, writers, actors, press, staff such as housekeepers, security guards. Then you try to figure out why they might want to kill him. Motive. At this point you are thinking all kinds of crime. Then you identify 6 to 8 of the most likely suspects and have each of them plot to kill the victim.

I am going to list the suspects that Gwen created, but you can create your own character.

Use the comments feature to create a character.

Name: Name your Character. Usually a silly name.
Role: What is their title, role or relationship (i.e. director, wife, etc.)
Description: Describe the character. What is their background.
Secrets: What are their hidden secret fears, motives, desires.
Costume Suggestions: How do they dress or appear? Costume suggestions.
Crime: Motive. Why would they kill C.V.? What kind of trouble are they involved in?
Opportunity. Each the suspects has to have the opportunity to kill C.V.. They may or may not do it, but it must appear that they had the opportunity to do it, thereby making them suspect. The easiest way is to first plot out that they actually did do the crime. What happened prior to the crime, what was the catalyst that forced them to kill, how did they commit the crime, and what did they do afterward to cover up.

Have fun creating your character.

For every character you create or idea you have to improve one of Gwen's characters, you get 5 entries into MURDERX5 CONTEST, Grand Prize is a gift certificate for a murder mystery game to download and play with your friends from www.Host-Party.com. Host Party has the largest selection of murder mystery games on the Internet, including my Killer International games.

To enter, send an email to contest@playmurder.com, place character on the subject line,
and in the body indicate the name and role of your character and the name you posted the comment under.

Name: Suzette

Role: Housekeeper

Description: You are a neat freak, which makes you a very good housekeeper. You carry a dusting cloth with you at all times. You continuously straighten and dust. You especially dislike dirty ashtrays. You would automatically throw out cigarette butts and wipe ashtrays.

Secrets: You are having an affair with C.V., you think you really mean something to him. But lately he has been giving a lot of attention to his new starlet, so you wonder.

Costume: Black dress, white apron, dust cloth, maybe even a feather duster.

Crime: You discovered a jade statue hidden in your room. You are terrified that you will be accused of being a thief. You try to put it back, but C.V. catches you. He makes a big scene and won't believe you when you tell him the truth. He fires you. Then you realize that it was all a ploy on his part to get rid of you. Without thinking you pick up the fireplace poker and hit him.

Afterward, you realize you must do something to protect yourself. You plant the missing jade statue on the starlet.

Name: Honey Potts

Role: Starlet

Description: You are an up and coming young starlet. Your boyfriend, Lefthanded "Lefty" Pike, a famous gangster, got you a bit part in CV Moss' latest movie, A Jump from the Bridge. You played the young jumper in just one scene. But you want even more and will do anything to become a star.

The night of the party, CV Moss drapes a fabulous pearl necklace around your neck. The necklace belonged to the Romanoff's and CV Moss has made a deal to use the necklace in his next movie.

Secrets: CV Moss became infatuated with you and wants to make you his mistress. You are very ambitious and not above using sex to get what you want. You have hinted that if he gives you the leading role in his next movie, you will succumb, but you are just playing with him. After all you don't want to make your boyfriend mad, that could be deadly.

Lefty wants you to help him steal the necklace.

Costume: Something glamorous. A feather boa. A pearl necklace.

Crime:

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© Copyright 2001-2008 by Linda S. Melin
No portion may be used without written permission of the author.