Hen nights can be tricky to organise. You've got a mix of people who might not all know each other — friends from different parts of the bride's life, sisters, cousins, work colleagues — and you need something that gets everyone involved and talking from the moment they arrive.

A murder mystery does exactly that. Every guest gets a character to play, which immediately breaks the ice. You don't need to make awkward small talk — you're too busy interrogating each other, revealing secrets and trying to work out who the murderer is. By the end of the night, guests who'd never met are laughing together like old friends.

It also works brilliantly as a home event. You can host it at the bride's house, a hired venue, a hotel suite or even a garden — wherever you're gathering. Print the game off beforehand, hand out the character sheets when guests arrive, and you're away.

Most murder mystery games have a mixed cast of male and female characters. For a hen night with an all-female group some of the guests may not want to play a male role. The all-female character murder mystery games means you don't have to worry about who plays a female or male role, everyone gets a female character with their own secrets, motives and personality. Alternatively you may prefer to dish out female and male roles, so choose the format that suits you and your party the best.

All female character games work equally well for:

• Hen nights and hen weekends
• Girls' nights in
• Birthday celebrations
• Ladies' dinner parties
• Women's group events

Hosting is easier than you think. Our games come with a detailed host guide that walks you through everything — you don't need any acting experience or hosting skills. Here's a rough guide to the evening:

• Before guests arrive — print the game, prepare the character packs and set the scene with some decorations.
• Welcome drinks — hand out character sheets as guests arrive. Give everyone time to read their character and get into role.
• The Intro - Murder — the host announces that a murder has taken place. The investigation begins.
• The Game Rounds — guests use the information provided to them to question each other and reveal or hide their secrets.
• Breaks — between rounds, take a break. This is a great opportunity to top up drinks or offer snacks.
• The Accusations — everyone makes their final accusation.
• The Solution — everyone makes their final accusation and the solution is revealed.

The whole game typically takes two to three hours — perfect for an evening event, or as the centrepiece of a longer hen weekend.

When picking a hen night murder mystery, consider these things:

• Player count — how many guests are coming? Make sure the game has enough characters for everyone. Our games range from 8 to 14 players.
• Tone — our all-female games are written with plenty of humour and wit, which suits a hen night perfectly. Think sharp one-liners, brilliantly named characters and plots that keep everyone guessing.
• Female Characters — you don't have to stick to games with all-female characters if you would prefer not to.
• Scripted vs freeform — scripted games give guests lines to read, which is great if some of the group are shy. Freeform games give more freedom to improvise, which works well for a more theatrical group.
• Can the host play? — if the hen night organiser wants to join in rather than just host, then all of our games allow the host to join in too - just remember to count yourself when determining how many players there are.

Can the bride-to-be be a character in the game?
Absolutely — in fact it works brilliantly.

What if some guests don't know each other?
This is actually where murder mystery games shine. The character roles give everyone an immediate identity and purpose, which makes it much easier to strike up conversation. By the end of the game, everyone will know everyone. There's no need for small talk and mentioning the weather!

Do we need costumes?
Not at all — but they do make the evening more memorable. Even simple touches like a fascinator, a feather boa or a pair of oversized sunglasses can help guests get into character.

How long does the game take?
Most of our games take two to three hours to play through, but may last longer if you break for longer between rounds. They work brilliantly over a meal — the natural breaks between courses give guests time to discuss the clues and plot their accusations.

Do you need to play the game over a meal?
They games work brilliantly over a meal as the natural breaks between courses give guests time to discuss the clues and plot their accusations. But you can play with just some drinks and snacks or even a buffet if you prefer.

Can we add our own personal touches?
Definitely. Many hosts theme the food and drinks around the game's setting. The possibilities are endless.