Fifteen Days of Christmas
A Christmas Gift
Solve a Murder Mystery this Christmas
Yes, you can play the Nighty before Christmas whenever you want.
But it is MORE FUN to play it over the festive period. That is why we are offering you 15 days in which to play it, as opposed to just the 7.
That will give you PLENTY OF TIME to DOWNLOAD the clue packs and prepare your festive entertainment. You can plan to play at any time over the Christmas and New Year holiday.
Compete against friends, no matter where in the world they are. This is an ONLINE MURDER MYSTERY that anyone can play…anywhere (as long as they’re online…um…obviously)
From 20 December, 2021 to 3 January, 2022. All for just £20!
And don’t forget, you can still play the LOCKDOWN MURDER MYSTERY for just £3.99.
Merry Christmas.
Game Play Suggestions
If you’re ready to play, PURCHASE NOW.
For gameplay suggestions, request BACKUP.
The Case
Shallow Bottom at midnight; just as Christmas Eve gives in to Christmas Day, a shot rings out.
Vic Timms is murdered on his own doorstep, allegedly by ‘Father Christmas’. One witness claims to have seen Santa escape into the sky.
But with the village in floods, no-one had entered or left for days, so the gun and costume must still be there.
And yet they were never found.
The Christmas Murder Mystery Tapes
Between them, D.I. Butler and his two Detective Sergeants have produced THREE TAPES, recreating the case of The Nighty before Christmas. The witnesses and suspects from the original investigation are performed in the hope YOU solve a case that baffled Scotland Yard.
You also get a CLUE PACK, MAPS and other snippets. By playing this Christmas Murder Mystery alone, in teams, remotely or gathered around the TV (or computer) and log fire (or similar), we hope by re-living the investigation you spot what we missed. And have a bit of fun.
The Players
Sandra Lester
Detective Sergeant
SYADS member, Sandra, plays all the women in the re-enactment AND one of the men.
Don't mention...
The all female production of Troilus and Cressida in which Sandra played Ulysses.
George Butler
Detective Inspector
George doesn’t escape his share of ‘acting’, assuming the role of the vicar.
Don't mention...
The ‘famous’ Butler of the Yard has failed to solve yet another case.
Gareth Roberts
Detective Sergeant
SYADS actor, Gareth, was on the original case (his first time in a helicopter).
Don't mention...
D.I. Butler was out of sweets, nuts, crisps, cheese and biscuits on Boxing Day.
The Murder Mystery Precedent
If you played the original Lockdown Murder Mystery (still only £3.99), you’ll know D.I. Butler played ALL witnesses and suspects in Murder at the Vicarage.
The Nighty before Christmas is yet another failed case in a lockdown. But this one is different; it’s a Christmas Murder Mystery.
If you’ve not tackled either mystery game, check out the FAQ’s.
And if you fancy a crack at the earlier case, watch the trailer and head over to LockdownMurderMystery.com
MERRY CHRISTMAS from the SYADS
Detective Sergeants Gareth Roberts and Sandra Lester are dedicated amateur dramatists, keen to play out this re-enactment for YOU to SOLVE.
Here is their 15 second Christmas message.
Where is Shallow Bottom?
The village of Shallow Bottom is in the far north of England, approximately 12 miles east of The Irish Sea.
To the north, an imposing cliff face marks the edge of Dodgy Moor and twenty miles of marshland. To the south, the fast flowing River Bott had flooded. To the east and west, the only two bridges were monitored.
Nobody could get in or out unless by helicopter.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these questions REALLY asked frequently?
No. I made them up. But they may be asked frequently in future (and they’re pretty much the same as the Lockdown Murder Mystery FAQ’s)
Is this a murder mystery game?
Murder is not a game but, yes it is. You can solve it on your own or with family and friends.
I presume you’ve got to be over 18 to watch it?
Nope. It can be played by all ages. There’s no swearing. Nothing…too offensive.
I’m not convinced by THAT! What do you mean, ‘Nothing too offensive’?
Alright! Look, there’s nothing overt (aside from the fact a man was murdered) but there is a reference to an affair (you need a motive). This being the 21st century, it’s the fashion to take offence (see our ‘amusing’ blog on this very topic).
I think I will. It sounds fun. How long does it take?
Up to you. There are three films, about an hour in total. You can whip through them or take leisurely intervals. You could play over a three course meal if you like.
Oh, then there is a ‘summing up’ (if you know what I mean) with a duration of about twelve minutes.
Summing up! Are you saying you already know the answer?
Look, this is a work of fiction, OK! It’s supposed to be fun. Watch the first film, think about it (discuss it if you like), then watch the next.
You may also want to spend time on the clue pack.
Clue pack! You didn’t mention that.
The clue pack contains information on the victim and interviewees, along with photos, newspaper clippings, clues and an answer form.
Oh, and a tie-break form in case you want to play competitively.
How much is this all going to cost me then? It’s beginning to sound expensive.
The Lockdown Murder Mystery was free to watch (and still is) and the clue pack is just £3.99. But I have Detective Sergeants to pay, not to mention the royalty free photos, software and… it’s taken me ages to put all of this together…
…enough with the excuses. How much?
Twenty quid (about $25).
WHAT! I suppose I could sell tickets, couldn’t I?
Er…no. Someone did that with my Lockdown Murder Mystery, cheeky things! Twenty quid covers ‘personal, non-profit’ use. You get SEVEN DAYS in which to play it. If you want to sell tickets, you’ll need to get in touch and we’ll sort out a licence.
So is that £20 PER PERSON!
No! You can have as many people as you like. How you play is up to you. You can gather together around a large screen or you can play remotely, on Zoom or similar.
You can download the clues in advance (in PDF format) to distribute. You can share your screen if you’re the organiser but, for a better quality, each remote location should buy a licence. Look what my reviews said. It’s hardly expensive!
I suppose not. It had better be good though. Is it?
I think so. I’m not making excuses but there’s a certain ‘home-made’ feel to it (which many have described as a positive thing). In fact, I have some ‘amusing’ blog articles on this very subject.
Yeah, yeah. Enough with your ‘amusing’ blog articles. Are there going to be any more after this one?
YOU HAVEN’T PLAYED THIS ONE YET! I like to think there will be more, but it all depends on how well this one does. I hardly like to mention it but I have some ‘amusing’ blog articles on my ideas for the next two or three…
This has got to be the silliest FAQ page I’ve ever read. Do you have a link to this game?
Um…yes. Of course I do. HERE…I hope you enjoy it. Let me know how you get on, will you?
You can’t ask questions on your own FAQ’s page. Yes, I’ll let you know how I get on. And I’ll let you know if I have any problems, OK?
Of course. Just email me. Thanks.
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The next mystery depends on this one doing well, so any support is much appreciated. I’ll keep you updated on the progress of the next shows (Sherlock Holmes and The Web Tour).
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