Holiday murder mystery party · 8–40 players
A Killer Cup of Cocoa
Vesper Lake, Minnesota · December 16, 1978
A cozy 1978 murder mystery for your holiday party. Run the whole game from one screen, with no prep binder and no reading ahead.
From $29 One download, every file.
The Dahl Files are fiction. Written with AI and tested for a single fair solution.
The story
Twenty minutes before her big announcement, Lolly collapsed.
Vesper Lake, Minnesota, December 16, 1978. At the Winter Festival Committee’s holiday party, chair Lolly Gustafson raises her red mitten mug for her annual toast. An hour later she collapses, twenty minutes before her big announcement. The sheriff calls it heart failure.
Your guests were in the room. One of them is a killer.
Everyone has something to hide.
How it works
The Host Console runs the night.
The console runs in your browser at thedahlfiles.com/host. It works on a laptop, tablet or phone, so use the same device for setup and party night. It casts your guests, makes their character cards, runs a timer for each round, puts the evidence on screen, counts the votes, and reveals the solution one proof at a time. It uploads nothing, and an offline version is included in the download.
1 Cast it in a minute
Type your guests’ names and star anyone who’d make a great, confident killer. The console secretly deals the roles. Tick “I’m playing too,” and it hides every role from you, including the killer.
2 Run every round from one screen
Each step has a script to read aloud, a timer with a loud alarm, and the evidence on screen. Each guest gets their own card file, and Rounds 2 and 3 stay locked until you unlock them, so nobody reads ahead.
3 Count the votes, then reveal
Everyone writes down who did it, how, and why. Tap in the votes, then reveal the solution one proof at a time and hand out the awards.
- It scales. 8 core characters, plus witness roles for guests 9–20. Uncast witness statements appear on screen automatically, so a small group still gets every clue.
- Late arrivals and cancellations are easy. Add a guest or hand a role to someone else, and nobody else’s role changes.
- About 75 minutes in party mode, or a full evening with supper and dessert breaks.
What’s included
Everything for the party, in one download.
- Host Console: runs in your browser at thedahlfiles.com/host on a laptop, tablet or phone (use the same device for setup and party night), and an offline version is included in the download
- Host Guide (PDF), including remote play and a content note for HR
- Evidence Pack: a printable backup of every clue, plus accusation ballots and a sealed solution (PDF)
- Name tags, award certificates and Detective’s Cards (PDF). Every guest goes home with a free 10-minute mystery.
A digital download. Nothing ships, and you can print at home.
Who it’s for
Hosts who’d rather play than babysit a binder.
Family and friends
8 to 20 guests around the cocoa pot. Characters work for any gender, and costumes are optional.
Offices and teams
Up to 40 players, in person, on Zoom, Teams or Meet, or hybrid. The office edition
Quiet guests, too
Witness roles and Junior Deputies have one clear line to say and a small mission. Nobody gets put on the spot.
Home or office?
It’s the same game.
The Office license covers workplace use and groups of up to 40. Both editions include every file.
| Feature | Home | Office / Team |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $29 | $59 |
| Players | 8–20 | Up to 40 (pairs and Junior Deputies past 20) |
| Licensed for | Your own parties with family and friends | Workplaces and teams |
| Play time | About 75 minutes, or a full evening with supper | About 75 minutes, including setup |
| In person, remote or hybrid | Yes | Yes |
| Every file in the kit | Yes | Yes |
| Emailed receipt | Yes | Yes, with a PDF invoice option for expenses |
The Dahl Files are fiction. Written with AI and tested for a single fair solution.
Content note
Cozy, not gory.
No alcohol (it’s cocoa), no romance, no religion, and nothing graphic. The death happens offstage. Costumes are optional, and characters can be played by any gender.
Themes to know about: a poisoning that happens offstage, money taken from a charity fund, and workplace-style rivalries (a passed-over successor, a dropped supplier, budget cuts). The Host Guide lists every theme in full, so you can decide before you choose this game.
Questions
Do I need to print anything?
No. The Host Console runs the game on screen, and guests open their cards on their phones. If you like paper, print the name tags, the ballots and the Evidence Pack, which backs up every clue.
What do my guests need?
Their character card: a small file you email or text them before the party. It opens in any web browser. Or print everyone’s cards and hand them out at the door.
Can the host play too?
Yes. Tick “I’m playing too,” and the console hides every role from you, including the killer. The solution stays hidden until you press “Reveal the killer.”
What if someone cancels or turns up late?
Give a cancelled role to a witness player, or add the late guest. They get the next free witness role, and nobody else’s role changes.
Can we play over Zoom?
Yes. Share the console on your screen in Zoom, Teams or Meet, email cards beforehand, and use breakout rooms. The Host Guide explains how.
What do I need to run it?
Any device with a modern web browser. The console runs in your browser at thedahlfiles.com/host on a laptop, tablet or phone, so use the same device for setup and party night. Put it on a TV so everyone can see. An offline version is included in the download.
How do I get it?
Right after checkout, Payhip emails you a download link. Nothing ships.
Pour the cocoa. Someone’s lying.
Instant download. Run it from one screen. Every guest goes home with a free mystery.
The Dahl Files are fiction. Written with AI and tested for a single fair solution.