A Christmas Eve mystery
The Vanishing Star
One heirloom. Six suspects. And one of your guests is hiding the truth.
- 4–8 players
- 3 different cases
- 60–90 minutes
- Ages 10+
- Phones or print
Instant download · Printable edition from $7.99
- Instant download
- Nothing to install
- Works on any phone
- Printable kit included
- The host can play too
How it works
Your living room becomes Wintermere Lodge
Christmas Eve. The family's treasured North Star ornament has vanished minutes before the tree-lighting, and nobody has left the house.
Enter your guests' names
Open the game on one phone, type in everyone's real names and pick a case. The app deals the characters at random, so even the host doesn't know who did it.
Everyone gets a secret
Each player receives a private link by WhatsApp, AirDrop or QR code, with their character, alibi and secret. One of them is the culprit… and only they know it.
Question, accuse, reveal
Reveal 12 clues across three rounds, interrogate each other and vote in secret. Catch the culprit, or watch them get away with it.
Two ways to play
A party game and a puzzle in one
🎭 Party Mode
Everyone becomes a suspect. Only the culprit may lie, so bluff, accuse and defend yourself.
- Characters dealt at random
- Private card links on every phone
- Secret vote and final reveal
🔎 Detective Mode
Nobody plays a role. Read the statements, study the evidence and solve it together.
- Perfect with kids or just the two of you
- Everyone makes their own accusation
- Scores and a full solution walkthrough
The suspects
Everyone had a reason to be near the study
Evelyn HartHost
Jack HartPhotographer
Maya ReedBakerOliver FinchMusicianSophie LaneCousin
Theo ParkNeighbor
Different secrets, clues and endings. Play again, and knowing the last case won't help.
Photos, alibis, phone records and physical evidence, revealed round by round.
Every case can be solved from the evidence alone. No guessing, no gotchas.
No murder, no blood: just secrets, surprises and a very happy ending.
Editions
Choose your edition
Instant digital download. Print at home on US Letter or A4.
Printable Edition
- Host Kit: guide, invitations, floor plan, name tags, notebook
- 3 Case Packs with character booklets and clue cards
- Sealed solutions and epilogues
- US Letter and A4 PDFs
Complete Edition
- Everything in the Printable Edition
- Interactive game that runs on one phone
- Private character links for every player
- Automatic clues, timer, secret voting and scores
- Party Mode and Detective Mode
The parlor collection
More mysteries are on the way
Coming soon
Parlor Logic Mysteries
Pen-and-paper deduction puzzles: place the suspects on the floor plan and find the culprit.
Valentine's 2027
A Mystery for Two
A cozy whodunit made for date night: two players, one secret, a glass of wine.
2027
Murder at the Masquerade
A glamorous party mystery for 6–12 guests. Masks on, secrets out.
Questions
Good to know
What do I need to play?
For the interactive game: one phone, tablet or computer for the host, plus each player's own phone to read their private character card (or pass the host's phone around). For the printable edition: a printer, scissors and some envelopes.
Does the host need to know the answer?
No. The app (or the sealed envelopes in the printable kit) runs the game, so the host plays along and discovers the culprit with everyone else.
How many people can play?
Party Mode is designed for 4–8 players. Detective Mode works with anyone from 1 to 12, so it's great for families or a couple's night in.
Can we play more than once?
Yes. There are three complete cases with different culprits, secrets, clues and endings. Many groups play two or three back to back in one evening.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes, for ages 10 and up. There's no murder and no violence: it's a cozy Christmas mystery with a happy ending. Younger kids can team up with an adult.
How do I receive the game?
Right after purchase you'll get your PDFs and, with the Complete Edition, a link to the interactive game plus your personal access code. Enter it once on each device (up to 3). Your guests never need a code: they just open the private links you send them.