Content Rating
"Everyone enjoys a good murder... provided they're not the victim." - Alfred Hitchcock
Content Ratings of our Mysteries
At Murder and a Mystery, we want you all to enjoy your evening and that is why we have created this Content Rating Webpage. Although we want lots of surprises during the game, we don't want any surprises about the content rating of each game for the host or the guests. First of all, it is a murder mystery and that involves a certain amount of intrigue. Our murders are always tastefully done however. As in most who-done-its there are a cast of suspects, some of whom are potential villains and have something to hide.
We try to create an illusion that is exciting for our guests and gives various characters a reason to be a murderer. That being said, by it's very nature a murder mystery party has characters who are not all perfect, upright citizens. If they were.... well, there wouldn't be a murder mystery. More details below, but to summarize, we believe our Tame Versions are appropriate for church youth groups, home-schooled groups and teens in general.
Most of the characteristics mentioned below are in the character's history and are not acted out during the game.
Each Game
Pirate's Plunder
Pirate's Plunder has a tame version (which is teen friendly) and a regular version. The extra set of 10 characters are tame. Both versions of the game have murderous pirates, greedy and thieving rogues. Wenches are only ever mentioned as working waitresses in the Dark Dog Inn. Galley wenches work on-board ship. There are several pirates who have girlfriends who would like to see the back of them. There is a corrupt vicar, a captain that smokes a pipe, a rather mean hangman, a dishonest jeweler, a creepy undertaker, kidnapped damsels and intrigue happening in the governor's home. In the regular version there is an affair briefly mentioned. There is no overt violence. A murder takes place in both versions.
Murder in Deadwood
Murder in Deadwood has a tame version (teen friendly) and a regular version. The two extra sets of 10 characters are tame. Both versions of the game have a few mildly dubious characters: gunslingers, bank robbers, card sharks, frontier gals, fortune hunters. One woman is thought to be a black widow. Frontier gals are saloon waitresses in both versions. The regular version has: the selling of opium to settlers and tribes, one person had a relationship years prior that resulted in a child, now grown. One woman was a mail-order bride. One saloon gal had worked at a Bordello in San Antonio, Texas. One person has a drinking problem. There is no overt violence, but one character is murdered in both versions of the game.
The Joker's Wild
The Joker’s Wild has a regular version and optional ten extra characters. (The extra characters are always tame in our games.) This game is set at a Speakeasy in Chicago in the 1920's during prohibition, so there are a number of references to alcohol, theft and illegal activities. Notorious mobsters and crime lords are leading the bootlegging business as well as running protection rackets and casinos. Some characters are gangsters and molls. There are references to the St. Valentine's Day massacre. There are also references to the mafia, an illegitimate adult daughter, an affair and a police raid.
Spies in London
Spies in London has a regular version and an optional extra two characters. (The extra characters are always tame in our games.) Our game takes place during World War II in England at a top secret meeting of important people discussing the war effort. The characters are involved in surveillance, code breaking, counter-espionage, deception operations, the French Resistance and there is an officer from Scotland Yard. There is the realization that there has been a security leak and it is critical that those present discover the identity of the murderer and spy. There is one person in a relationship with another. Nothing untoward is really mentioned.
Cloak and Data
Cloak and Data has a regular version and optional two sets of 10 extra characters. (The extra characters are always tame in our games.) Cloak and Data takes place in Silicon Valley and involves intellectual property theft and murder. There are the usual employees... with social climbers and quirky personalities. There are several office romances, one employee filing a sexual harassment lawsuit. One particularly ambitious lady manager has been seen leaving the boss's office in the early morning. Another employee is an alcoholic. One woman charged the company for plastic surgery done while on an office business trip. There is a murder that takes place before the game begins and one that happens during the game.