Back in April, my teenaged kids asked me over breakfast what I’d like for Mother’s Day. As a cozy mystery writer of the Nantucket Candle Maker Mysteries, I see clandestine activity lurking behind the ordinary, so this question set off my radar. How had these two become so forward-thinking about a gift for May when only yesterday I’d had to remind one of them to pick up a wet towel from the floor?
At that moment, I thought of two possible ways to answer their question. One, I could accuse them of trying to soften me up in order to get a later curfew that night. For those of you not living with teens that might sound cynical, but I say it with love. Two, I could ride the wave and see where it took us. Always an optimist, I chose the latter.
I poured milk into my hazelnut blend and looked thoughtfully out the window, at a spring snow. I was reminded of a weekend when the kids were little, the snow was teeming, and we stayed inside to play board games.
“I’d like a Murder She Wrote puzzle-game I saw online,” I said, thinking that when a puzzle is out on a table, everyone comes together. “We can play it over breakfast on Mother’s Day.”
The day arrived, and, to my delight, we spent the morning around the dining table over a Jessica Fletcher puzzle. First, we read a mystery. Then, we tried to solve it by finding a clue in the puzzle. I was in heaven when my daughter asked if there were other games based on mystery books.
When the kids went out that night, I took the challenge, and investigated my daughter’s question with the motivation of a cozy sleuth solving a mystery of my own. How many mystery-books-turned-games was right?
The answer? Not as many as one would expect. Technically, I found several games which featured Sherlock Holmes, Jessica Fletcher, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, and James Bond. There were even promises of Clue editions of Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries and Midsomer Murders. Aside from Sherlock Holmes games, however, most of my finds were for vintage products (aka no longer available), and so they required a small investment to enjoy.
I was also shocked to find only one board game inspired by the works of Agatha Christie, a game called Orient Express. Unfortunately, I could only find French and German editions from the 50s and 70s, at exorbitant prices, so I’m waiting until next Mother’s Day for that one. It seems that you must be a video game fan to enjoy Christie games.
There are mystery books I hoped to find in game form, but to no avail. As someone who loves old New York, for example, I’d enjoy a Nero Wolfe game where someone plays Archie Goodwin and has to deliver clues to a Nero Wolfe character to solve the mystery. Or, humor me, an Agatha Raisin game, inspired by M.C. Beaton’s books and featuring Carsely in the Cotswolds. I’d also take a Father Brown board game any day. I’m hoping that with the return of Nancy Drew on TV this fall we might be treated to an updated game for one of America’s favorite sleuths.
Intrigued by the games I did find, I ordered a few to give them a try. As spring has turned into summer, we’ve played many of these games. Some, the kids actually played with me to the point that curfews never came up. Others, I enjoyed with my husband and friends, over wine and with a lot of laughs.
Below are the five we all liked the best. I think they’re all worth a try, but some might appeal to your gaming styles more than others.
Murder She Wrote, vintage 1985
Description: “Jessica Fletcher has been invited to spend a relaxing weekend at an old friend’s island resort. During her stay, a murder is committed and the lives of several witnesses are in mortal danger.”
Review: I like that the gamers have competing goals. One player is the murderer, out to silence the witnesses, while others are Jessica Fletcher, out to solve the mystery. Another plus is that this is one vintage game that’s readily available on the market.
One drawback is that set-up can be a bit slow, with everyone needing to leave the room and then return individually to set up their strategy.
Where to Buy: EBay (starting at $25 for used), Amazon ($129.07 for new)
Age: 10+
Play Time: 30+ minutes
Grade: B+, Once the set up is completed, game play is fun with a mystery to solve.
Clue
Fun Fact: Cluedo is the name used for Clue everywhere other than the US.
Description: Clue is the only board game on the market that is an actual cozy mystery, so in my mind it holds a special status.
Review: I was eager to buy Midsomer Murders Cluedo. Any game that would allow me to visit Badgers Drift Village Green was on the top of my list. Unfortunately, my search for Clue games inspired by mystery books was ultimately a disappointing experience. Technically speaking there have been versions based on Midsomer Murders, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, Sherlock Holmes and Alfred Hitchcock. In reality, however, most of these editions are both discontinued and nearly impossible to buy used.
Although I was searching for book-inspired games, in the end I purchased an Alfred Hitchock edition, which did not disappoint. The traditional rooms are based on Hitchcock’s films. The characters are a play on the films as well, with Mr. Green, for example, as the mother in Psycho. Even the weapons are clever. My favorite was a seagull, inspired by The Birds.
Where to Buy: Amazon (used starting at $25)
Age: 8+
Play Time: Depends on the players, but our games are usual about 20+ minutes.
Grade: B, This grade is based on an A+ for the game of Clue, and a D for the book versions given that they sound amazing but are nearly impossible to find.
Deluxe 221B Baker Street Board Game: Sherlock Holmes
Description: “Players travel through the streets and alleys of Victorian London picking up clues while attempting to solve 200 intriguing Sherlock Holmes Adventures written especially for this game.”
Appeal: I was intrigued because some Amazon reviews said this game was better than Clue. Once we began playing, I realized I’d had this game as a kid when we’d played with deerstalker hat and magnifying glass. As adults, we played with vino, so, yes, it was very fun. Plus, the Deluxe version had 200 mysteries to solve, so we’ll have it for years.
Where to Buy: Easy to find at Amazon, Target, Walmart, etc., starting at about $35.99 for new.
Age: The box says 14+, but my brother reminded me that we played it when he was eleven.
Play Time: You can play this game alone or with 2 players/teams, so game play can vary. Our longest game was forty-five minutes.
Grade: A-, It appeals to all ages, and is especially fun when played in teams.
Murder She Wrote: Desktop Murder….. and other puzzle-games inspired by books
Description: Read a short mystery, then assemble the puzzle to solve the case. There are many versions of these puzzle-games—including at least three other Murder She Wrote versions, plus a Sherlock Holmes edition.
Review: Although not a board game, per se, these games are both a puzzle and a mystery to solve, two of my favorite things. The puzzles do not match the box covers, which makes for an extra challenge.
Where to Buy: Murder She Wrote items available at Amazon for as low as $19.95. Sherlock Holmes items available at Amazon, Walmart, Bed, Bath & Beyond for as low as $14.40.
Age: 10+
Play Time: Days of fun!
Grade: A-, Puzzles bring people together. Before you know it, everyone is looking for that last, elusive corner piece. The only downside is if you solve the mystery before finishing the puzzle.
Scooby Doo! Fright at the Fun Park Game
Description: “Whoever figures out where the ghoul is hiding, wins… As you move your character around the board, use the mystery decoder to reveal the ghouls hiding spot to win the game!”
Review: An oldie, but a goodie. I spent many afternoons with my kids playing Scooby Doo! games. This one is perfect to play if you want to give the little ones a taste of cozy mystery fun at an early age.
Where to Buy: Amazon has it for $17.99
Age: 4+
Play Time: 10 minutes, tops
Grade: A, for the fact that it introduces kids to playing games and puzzling out mysteries at an early age.
