Have appetisers ready to go with drinks before dinner....have your salad mixed but not dressed and have a main dish that can be in the oven for a while and just served.
What is the theme of the mystry? Where is it set? It would be nice to have the manu suitible to the venue of the mystry.
Linda C

You live in Ohio so that means its cold outside. A main dish in a crockpot can be helpful-- stew, chicken paprikash, or even rollads (round steak wrapped around bacon,)in individual servings. Made a day ahead and then warmed in the crock pot. That crock pot could also contain small potatoes & carrots cooked and sitting in the gravy.
How do you do the murder mystery party? I have never been to one.

Another "no fuss" dish might be lasagne. Baked fish is also an easy to get on the table quickly with no effort...could serve along side of quick cooking couscous. I've never done a murder mystery dinner, but sounds like great fun. Did you order a game kit, or something you've put together?

a pasta buffet ... several sauces you have made ahead of time (alfredo, marinara, etc.) ... then all you have to do is make the pasta.

the lasagna idea is also easy -- can make one traditional, one spinach & one with a cream sauce.

Thank you all for your great ideas. I had thought of doing lasagna or some sort of pasta buffet. The dinner is for 8 people and the Murder Mystery is based on a Las Vegas wedding. So I was going to try to have traditional wedding reception food. I thought I could do appitzers of a small veggie tray, cheese and crackers and maybe some mini quiche.
Dinner is still my problem and then dessert would be of course Wedding cake. I ordered a mold for chocolate shot glasses and I thought we could do a toast to the murderer when we finally figure out who did it.

I buy most of my murder mystery games on ebay but I try to stay away from the one that are sent via email. I did one of those back in Feb. and it was very confusing. It was for 10 women but we had a Great time. I usually go for the box versions that include party planner, clues, cassett and a booklet for each person of what they need to reveal, hide or questions that they need to ask.

Las vegas wedding...hmmmm...
How about a rolled rib roast and oven roasted potatoes and over cooked veggies?
Perhaps a chicken dish served in a pastry shell? Or you could do oven roasted chicken where you dip the chicken in evap milk and roll in seasoned crumbs and bake.....
I've never been to a Vegas wedding but been to lots of hotel buffet weddings.
Linda C

Linda C,
How long would the rolled rib roast cook? do the potatoes cook with it? I am looking for something that can cook in aprx 1 hr and go from oven to table. I have a recipe for chicken contenental that bakes in 1 hr but what else to go with it? It is baked over rice so I guess I could make carrots or green beans also. Please let me know on the roast. Thanks and keep the ideas coming. If you ever get a chance to go to a m.m. go ...they are alot of fun.

Donna

What is a murder mystery party?? It sounds like such fun...how do you do it? My daughter and her fiancee will be here and I want to plan something special...
Thanks,
Maggie

Maggie,
There are several companies that make the murder mystery parties. I like Murders by Vincent, BePuzzeled, or a la carte. They seem to be the easiest to use. They come with complete instructions on what and when to do things. The last one I did was called Chinese Takeout(I got it on ebay)
and I did just like it said. I got chinese takeout. I sent a menu from the local chinese restaraunt and everyone told me what they wanted. I got lunch portions because they are large enough for dinner. I prepared the appetizers except for the egg rolls they were included in lunch. For desert I served bananas and strawberries with strawberry gel on top and brownies just like at our local chinese buffet.

Once I decided what game I wanted to play I looked over the suspects and assigned charactures from there. When you send out the invitations you let each person know who they are and the invitations have a brief descritption of each character and what they would dress like, along with a story line giving city, year that kind of stuff. Your guests do not HAVE to dress in character but it does make it more fun. My husband was the chef, so we borrowed a chefs jacket and I was the long lost daughter of the woman who was murdered. My character was very excentric and didnt like things that matched...how easy was that.

When the guests arrived as appitizers are being served with coctails everyone is given a script ( almost like a little brouchure). It tells you more about your character and tells you how to play the game. Normally in part 1 that is done over appetizers and it will tell you what to disclose and what not to tell, it will also guide you to ask questions of other people there. If everyone is new and has never played this before it does not hurt to ask if everyone has told everything they need to before you go to the next part ( or Act) and course throughout dinner. I normally try to do appitizer, dinner, dessert & coffee.
Just remember that if you do one of these, that if everyone you invited does not show up ...you cant play unless they are a non suspect. The game we are doing on newyears eve I have one guest that is very very shy and wants to come but is not real sure how much they will participate so I am making him a non suspect that way he will participate as much as he wants. The best part of these parties is the party favors......I love that part. I found some small wedding photo albums at the $ store and bubbles, and with elvis being there I also had to get the new reese cups that have peanut butter and banana and a picture of Elvis on the front...I hope I didnt go on to long and I hope this was not too confusing...its been a long day and if I didnt answer all you questions let me know. Oh one thing I forgot you can buy these games at target they are about 25.00 but if you "WIN" (that makes me crazy) one ebay they are usually pretty reasonable.

Donna

Thanks so much Donna, you're very generous to share all that information...I'm going to try it!
Many thanks again!
Maggie

Maggie,
Boy I was long winded last night...sorry. I forgot to mention about the parties that you can buy online and download right then. I bought one back in Feb for 10 women, alothough we had a great time it was very, very confusing. With this particular game it came with 10 players and you could "buy more people" if your party was bigger. Thats where the problems started, see they gave several sets of instructions and it was very hard to figure out which one you were suppose to follow.It did add a long time to the game just trying to figure that part out.
I also forgot to tell you that even the hostess does not know who the murder was...that way its fun for everyone.
Anyway I hope you try a murder mystery and I hope you have a great time. Let us know how it goes. Good Luck

Donna

Hi all,

Sorry it has taken so long to update you on the party. It was a great success!!!!! EZ Ryder the groom drove his Harley in 30 deg weather. He had been at the tattoo shop earlier and they used colored sharpies to make flames on his shaved head, and he even had all of the womens names put on his arm. The bride had on a wedding dress and yes Elvis was in the House. If I can ever figure out how to post pictures I will. It was a great time and I ended up fixing chicken continental, glazed carrots, rolls and had a salad bar. We had wedding cake for desert and then found out who the murderer was.........A good time was had by all.

Sounds like a ball!
Go to photo bucket and follow directions!
can't wait to see!
Linda C

Hi guys,
we did a lot of these mystery games (a la carte etc - the pasta n pistols one etc) and then we found a brilliant little company on the web -
http://www.acemurdermystery.com
and I have to say their games are great in terms of laughs and intrigue - and the plots and clues hang together very well - plus you get to be a 'famous character' for the night - great fun.
we had a complete blast with the Halloween one a few years back and Halloween's on a Friday this year - so definitely one to think about if you like these parties :)
cheers
Joe

sorry should have put is a a link to make it easy:

Here is a link that might be useful: Ace Murder Mystery

joe 1965

I have checked it out and added it to my favorites. I like the looks of the western theme....I am totally addicted to these games. Luckily my husband enjoys it as well. He has been the murderer 3 times. I have also bought a few of the murder mystery puzzles but have not done one yet. One of my best friends has lost 97 pounds and when she hits the 100 mark we are going to have a party. We havesaved "death by diet" for that night. I will let everyone know how it goes.

Hi there, we are planning a year end party with the las vegas theme for a small company site of about 100. I expect to have 160 attendess. This is a first time for me.
We are not hiring a company. We are doing it ourselves. If you have a site that can help me, that would be terrific. Your advice is most welcome. -kezia

Kezia,
Are you wanting to do a murder mystery or maybe a monte carlo night? It kinda sounds like a monte carlo/las vegas night. I have done those as well and they are alot of fun. Do you have a large area to do this party? The large conference tables are great for these type of parties. For black jack/21 The dealer would sit on one side the players on the other. If you are going to have about 160 people attend you will need several tables of each game. Here are some other game suggestions. Hi/Low, roulete, LCR, craps,
horse racing, five card stud. We would do several rounds so that you have a chance to win more than once. We would sell $10,000.00 of fake money/chips for $1.00 and who ever had the most fake money after 30 minutes wins the real money collected. This also allows for people that come in late or go home early to have a chance to win. When we use to do these parties we would do a chili cookoff, pie and cake contest to cut down on our cost. I would provide cheese and crackers, little plates, styrofoam cups for chili, forks and spoons and drinks. If you have access to a catholic church they may rent their poker chips from there summer festivals for a small fee. You might want to check orientaltrading.com for some of the decorations. If you need some more details email me at j24toes@yahoo.com

Good luck and have fun

Donna