About Murder by Post

Murder by Post creates vintage murder mystery games, delivered to your door. Whether your game arrives in a box, envelope, or set of postcards, you’ll be whisked back to the past to solve an intriguing murder case.

How do the mysteries work?

Every mystery tells a story, packed full of clues to solve, plus a few red herrings…

1 Enter the mystery: The game begins by posing crucial questions such as: Who was the victim? What was the motive? Who was the murderer? 2 Inspect the evidence: Spread the clues out in front of you, and notice any patterns or connections. 3 Solve the clues: Each mystery is like an at-home escape room with different types of clues 4 Receive a hint: You'll find hints and solutions to help you along the way.
1 Enter the mystery: The game begins by posing crucial questions such as: Who was the victim? What was the motive? Who was the murderer? 2 Inspect the evidence: Spread the clues out in front of you, and notice any patterns or connections. 3 Solve the clues: Each mystery is like an at-home escape room with different types of clues 4 Receive a hint: You'll find hints and solutions to help you along the way.

Frequently asked questions

What is the playing time?

The playing time varies from 20 minutes to 3 hours, depending on the mystery: 

  • The Vanishing Professor Vanderkopf: 20 - 45 minutes
  • The Death of Countess Cornelia: 20 - 45 minutes
  • Christmas Eve in Little Smithering: 40 - 60 minutes
  • Murder at Pettifog Hall: 45 - 90 minutes
  • Peril at the Edge of the World: 1 - 2 hours
  • Death in a Snowstorm: 1.5 - 3 hours (usually played throughout December as an Advent Calendar).

Some players choose to complete a game in one sitting, while others prefer to enjoy it over several days – the choice is yours!

How many people can play? 

Our games can be played by solo sleuths, detective duos, and gumshoe groups! These are the recommended number of players per game.

  • The Vanishing Professor Vanderkopf: 1 - 2
  • The Death of Countess Cornelia: 1 - 2
  • Murder at Pettifog Hall: 1 - 4
  • Christmas Eve in Little Smithering: 1 - 6
  • Peril at the Edge of the World: 1 - 6
  • Death in a Snowstorm: 1 - 4

Some customers have bought two or more copies so that teams can compete against each other.

What ages are the games suitable for?

We recommend most of our games for ages 14 and up, and Christmas Eve in Little Smithering for ages 12 and up. These are guidelines only.

We've suggested these ages due to the difficulty of the clues and the use of some adult themes (including murder!). But we observe the conventions of cosy crime, and don’t include any explicit content in our games.

How difficult are the games?

We include difficulty ratings on all of our games, scored out of 5.

  • The Vanishing Professor Vanderkopf: 2.5 / 5
  • The Death of Countess Cornelia: 2.5 / 5
  • Christmas Eve in Little Smithering: 3 / 5
  • Murder at Pettifog Hall: 3.5 / 5
  • Peril at the Edge of the World: 4 / 5
  • Death in a Snowstorm: 4.5 / 5

I’m stuck on a clue! Where can I find help?

You can find Hints & Solutions either in an envelope inside the kit, or online (the games will provide the web addresses). 

3 - 4 layers of hints are provided for each clue, so you can decide how much help you want without giving the game away.

Are the games screen-free?

You may want to look-up one or two things online, as well as the ‘Big Reveal’. Otherwise, the games provide a welcome break from screens. 

For some mysteries, hints and solutions are provided online.

When are your games set?

Our games are set in the 1920s and 1930s, the Golden Age of Detective Fiction – bringing old-fashioned glamour to life.

What are your gift options?

Our gift boxes make beautiful presents. All of our mysteries make stylish vintage gifts and can be delivered directly to your loved ones.

You can leave a gift message once you add an item to the shopping basket – this will be handwritten for the lucky recipient.

Unfortunately, we no longer offer other gift wrapping.

Please note that for mysteries sent outside the UK, the value of the item must be included on the outer packaging for customs reasons.

Can you recycle the kits?

Yes, the contents of most of our kits are recyclable. The main materials we use are paper and card. Other materials include metal, glass, wood, faux leather, recyclable glassine.

Where do you ship?

We ship all of our mysteries worldwide.

We ship to the UK, US and Canada directly from this website. For orders to any other countries, please visit our Etsy shop at murderbypost.etsy.com

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.

Why can't I choose my country at checkout?

We ship to the UK, US and Canada directly from this website. For deliveries to any other countries, please order from our Etsy shop at murderbypost.etsy.com

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.

About us

Hello! We’re Oliver & Natasha, a London-based couple who love murder mysteries, board games, and vintage design. 

During lockdown, we realised play-at-home murder mysteries are a fun and intriguing way to spend an evening, without breaking the bank. We were inspired to create our own games with entertaining storylines, challenging clues, and a unique vintage twist.  

We are amazed and grateful for the incredibly generous reviews our customers have shared so far. It’s brilliant to think that Murder by Post games have provided hours of entertainment for solo sleuths, detective duos, and gumshoe groups alike!

We hope to continue sharing unique, handmade games, with satisfying puzzles to test your sleuthing skills.  

Thank you so much for supporting a small business.