Use something subtle, like wood smoke, reminding your guests of tales told around a campfire, or more obscure still, the scent of old books, that one book in particular with the gruesome illustrations their parents warned would give them nightmare, but which they could never resist. Consider a scent - nothing crass like lilac or vanilla. Ideally, your house is already haunted and only minimal preparation will be required. That one room you never go in, no matter what, even though the door has never been locked. Narrow staircases requiring guests to ascend and descend one at a time. The kitchen should be incongruously bright, a break in the tension, a place where your guests will feel they may be safe for a while.Ī dining room table to seat at least thirteen. Showers should have their curtains pulled tightly closed before the evening begins. Of these bathrooms, one should contain a claw-foot tub deep enough that you cannot see the bottom of it while standing in the door. There should be plenty of bedrooms, but few bathrooms. From that point on, they will continue to glance in the direction of the glass, wondering whether the reflection in the corner of their eye could really be them. Eventually, they will realize it’s only a mirror, but that moment of pure terror is enough to set the mood. Let your guests catch their reflections as they’re groping for the light in a darkened room and feel for a moment that they are not alone.
![murder mystery house party murder mystery house party](https://www.grimprov.com/img/articles/murder-mystery-party-maid_mobile.jpg)
There should be mirrors in odd and unexpected places.
![murder mystery house party murder mystery house party](https://i.etsystatic.com/36732869/r/il/f0f67b/4075718127/il_794xN.4075718127_geph.jpg)
(Keep an eye on the weather report and schedule accordingly.) A basement and an attic are essential, the former with a woodpile and a cast iron stove, the latter with dress forms, an old hobby horse, dolls no one has thought about in years, and at least one antique steamer trunk large enough to hold a body. If possible, find a house where the electricity is fragile. One where the light switches are far enough away from each door that your guests will have to step into the room to turn them on.