Investigator’s brief

How to play: working a printable case file

This file has been handed to you for fresh review. You are the reviewing investigator. Read it in order, with a pencil, assuming nothing. Everything you need is in the folder; nothing is filler, and nothing is held back for a last-minute reveal.

The premise

Each case file is a complete Major Crime investigation, presented as an authentic UK police file and classified OFFICIAL–SENSITIVE. The team has taken the statements, pulled the records and assembled the paperwork. The file is now yours. You are the officer reviewing the case; the evidence is presented neutrally, and the documents (not the people) tell you the answer.

Your task

One question, two names, one answer. Every case names two persons of interest and asks which is responsible. One is guilty, one is innocent. No third option and no trick. Decide which is which, and be able to prove it.

Decide on the evidence in the file alone. You do not need outside knowledge, a host, or anyone to run the case for you.

How to play

  1. Read everything, in order. Start at the front sheet and work to the end. The file is sequenced deliberately; nothing is padding.
  2. Cross-reference accounts against the records. People tell you where they were; the records show where they actually were. Test every account against the timeline, the money, the phone and cell-site data, the ANPR and vehicle movements, and the forensics. The gaps are the point.
  3. Weigh everyone fairly. Not everyone named is a suspect, and an association is not a confession. Judge everyone who appears, including the one you mean to clear, on the evidence.
  4. Fill in the Verdict Worksheet. Name the person you believe is guilty, set out the evidence that convicts them and the evidence that clears the other. If you cannot do both, keep reading.
  5. Only then break the seal. The solution is a separate, sealed document. Record your verdict in full first, then open it to check your reasoning. The seal is on your honour.

What’s in every case file

Each file is built from the same kinds of documents a real Major Crime team would hold, laid out in reading order.

  • File front sheet & indexMG1
  • Case summaryMG5
  • Witness statementsMG11
  • Records of interviewMG15
  • Exhibit scheduleMG12
  • Forensics & post-mortemFORENSIC
  • Bank, phone & ANPR recordsRECORDS
  • Message extractsMESSAGES
  • Verdict WorksheetWORKSHEET
  • Sealed solutionSEALED

Fair play

Every clue you need is in the file. Nothing is hidden for a last-minute reveal, and the answer is reachable and provable before you break the seal.

WarningAssume nothing, corroborate everything, let the documents lead. If the seal is broken before your verdict is recorded, the case is no longer a test of your reasoning, only of your patience.

Before you start

  • Instant PDF download. Nothing arrives in the post.
  • Print at home on A4 or US Letter.
  • Play solo, or share the file with friends and family.
  • A case takes roughly 90 to 180 minutes.
  • Difficulty varies by case, and each one is clearly marked.

Frequently asked questions

How does a printable murder mystery game work?
You download a PDF case file, print it at home on A4 or US Letter, then read the documents in order, cross-reference the accounts against the evidence, decide who is guilty, and open the sealed solution to check your answer.
What do you need to play?
A printer, some paper and an eye for detail. There is no host, no acting and no app or subscription. You can play on your own or share the file with friends and family.
Can you play a printable murder mystery game solo or with 2 players?
Yes. Each case is a self-contained investigation you can solve alone, as a couple or in a group. Everyone reads the same file and works towards the same verdict.
Do you have to act or dress up?
No. Unlike a murder mystery dinner party, nobody performs a character or follows a script. You are the investigating officer reviewing a realistic police case file.
What paper size do printable murder mystery games use?
Every case file prints on both A4 and US Letter, so it works anywhere in the world from a standard home printer.
How long does a case take to solve?
Most cases take roughly 90 minutes to 3 hours depending on difficulty. The run time and difficulty are listed on each case file.
Browse the case files
Every case, person and reference in these files is fictional. They are not genuine police records and have no connection to any real police force or investigation. Any resemblance to real persons or events is coincidental.