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Thanksgiving & Friendsgiving Murder Mystery

A murder mystery turns the long Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving dinner into a game everyone at the table is playing. Each person gets a character with a secret, and between courses the table works out which of them killed the host.

There is nothing to print and no box to order in a busy week. Everyone opens their own character link on their phone; the host plays too and taps to move from course to course.

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Recommended mystery

Corked

1970s · 4–6 players · about 90 minutes

Corked is a harvest dinner, and it is built around the courses: one round with the starter, one with the main, one with dessert. That is the shape of a Thanksgiving meal already. It is written for 4 to 6 players; a bigger table can seat two guests per character.

Read the full mystery page

✓ 6 characters, choose 4–6 on the night
✓ Each guest gets a private link: character, secret, objectives
✓ Host runs three rounds from a phone; TV shows the clues
✓ Everyone votes on their phone; reveal on the screen
✓ Print view included as a backup

What the night looks like

Bordeaux, September 1976, the last night of the harvest. Henri Valcourt stands up between courses to announce he is selling the family château to an American buyer, and goes down to the cellar to fetch the legendary 1961. He is found dead at the foot of the stairs, and the cellar door is locked.

Serve the starter and press Start: everyone introduces their character and finds out who left the table, and when. With the main course comes the second round: money, debts, and the wine that is not what its label says. Dessert brings the locked cellar and a note in the dead man's jacket.

Before coffee, everyone names the killer and the reveal plays on the phones. About 90 minutes of game, spread across a dinner you were already having.

Tips for a thanksgiving murder mystery

Let the courses set the pace

Start each round as the next course comes out. Nobody has to watch the clock, and the food gives every round a natural end.

A bigger table

Corked has six characters. For eight to twelve, pair people up to play one character together, or run Death at the Speakeasy, which takes 6 to 16.

Family-friendly enough

There is a murder, wine and a lot of lying, but no gore. The stories are written for adults; guests 15 and over can play.

Send the links the day before

Each player reads their character in two minutes ahead of dinner, so the first round starts with the starter, not with reading.

Questions hosts ask

Is there a Thanksgiving murder mystery?

Corked is a harvest-dinner murder mystery played one round per course, which fits a Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving meal. The story is set at a French vineyard in 1976, not at Thanksgiving itself.

How many people can play?

Corked is written for 4 to 6 players. For a bigger table, two guests can share a character, or choose Death at the Speakeasy for 6 to 16.

How long does it take?

About 90 minutes of game, spread across starter, main and dessert.

Can the host cook and play?

Yes. The host plays a character too, and moving to the next round is one tap on their phone.

How much does it cost?

Setting up is free. You pay $29 once, when you press Start Round 1. There is a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Set up your thanksgiving party, free.

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