The Kiss of Death

The Kiss of Death is a murder mystery game for 6 to 8 guests and a host. It is set in Bat Hall, a Gothic mansion in Victorian London, and characters include an entrancing singer, the manager of a mental asylum, an innocent young bride, and the mysterious Count Constantinesco. Download the free introductory pdf file.

The Kiss of Death is an exciting evening of whispered scandal, dark enchantment, and murder! Your guests will be in the middle of the action, and it will be up to them to wheel and deal to get what they want. Will they achieve their goals, keep their secrets hidden - and find out who killed Lord Quintus Mistmere?

"The Kiss of Death was so much fun! The system made it really easy for everyone to get into character and really participate, and the story itself was very unexpected (in a good way)."
Sasha

See stories and pictures from The Kiss of Death

Read the Hampstead Herald

It is 1889, and Queen Victoria rules Britain’s mighty Empire. Yet while the country thrives, Londoners shudders with unease. Young men are being found dead—drained of blood, their throats marked with unnatural wounds. Rumours of vampires spread like wildfire across the capital.

You are invited to Bat Hall, a Gothic mansion overlooking Hampstead Heath. Tonight, its candlelit chambers host the long-anticipated engagement party of Lord Quintus Mistmere—aristocrat, artist, and self-styled vampire hunter—and his fiancée, Bianca Wildflower. Lilies perfume the air, stained glass glimmers in the firelight, and the guests gather to celebrate.

But the evening crumbles when Lord Quintus is discovered in the ornamental pond, his skull struck, and his neck scarred with those same terrible marks. Suddenly, everyone is a suspect.

Will you brave the conservatory, brimming with rare and lethal botanicals? Dare you walk the chilly halls of Greystones Asylum, where patients vanish behind locked doors, never to return to society? And will you face the possibility that the supernatural walks among you?

Join us at Bat Hall for an evening of Gothic intrigue, where betrayal twists like ivy and every shadow hides a secret

The Kiss of Death lasts for about four hours and is suited to an evening. It is often played over a meal – a finger buffet if possible, to allow guests to circulate and talk in private.

"There were lots of twists and turns in The Kiss of Death, and enough to keep us all digging. The characters were creative and interesting."
Stefanie

 

Includes rules for the use of poison.

The free introductory pdf file contains an introduction to the game and a cast list of all the characters.

Cast of characters

• Albert Mistmere: Quintus’s younger brother, a respectable gentleman with a stiff upper lip, Albert is a financial advisor in the City.
• Viola Mistmere: Albert’s wife is a glamorous American socialite currently kicking up a storm in London’s high society.
• Count Constantinesco: Bianca’s legal guardian. A distinguished scholar, the Count specializes in Romanian folklore.
• Bianca Wildflower: Bianca, the Count’s ward, is young, gentle, and innocent. She is affianced to Quintus Mistmere.
• Dr. Sacha Adler: A German national and psychiatric doctor, Sacha is the head of Greystones Asylum, housed in a large property on the Bat Hall estate.
• Seraphine Deveraux: With a haunting singing voice and mesmerizing eyes, Seraphine is also the Count’s oldest childhood friend and is residing as a guest at Bat Hall.
• Laurie Laurimar: Elderly, opinionated, and stubborn, Laurie is a distant relative of the Mistmere brothers. Laurie’s best friend is their equally ancient Labrador, Tarquin.
• Francis “Frankie” Tyne: A young, charismatic pharmacist and Dr. Sacha’s assistant of nearly a year. Frankie has taken over a disused glasshouse on the Bat Hall estate and cultivates herbal medicines there.

The Kiss of Death is for 6 to 8 guests:

• 6 guests (2 male characters, 3 female, 1 any)
• 7 guests (3 male, 3 female, 1 any)
• 8 guests (3 male, 3 female, 2 any)

You also need a host – someone to organize the party and ensure everything runs smoothly.

How Freeform Games murder mystery games work

The Kiss of Death is unlike other murder mystery games. Although the game starts with a murder, each character has several goals they must try to accomplish. While they may want to solve the murder, The Kiss of Death contains plenty of other plots and secrets to keep everyone busy. The Kiss of Death isn't scripted, and lets the players decide how to achieve their goals and thwart their enemies..

"The characters were really fun and everyone loved playing their character. People got really into dressing up and I thought that was one of the best parts of the game."
Imara

On the evening of the game the guests are met by the organizer, the Secretary, and welcomed to Bat Hall.

They then receive their detailed backgrounds – including dark secrets, objectives and items. The fun then begins as they form alliances, blackmail each other, steal items and try to solve the murder! Along the way they may uncover some of the mysteries of The Kiss of Death, such as the enigma of Greystones Asylum? And of course, who killed Lord Quintus Mistmere?

Finally everyone finds out how they did, and what secrets everyone else was concealing.

Recommended for ages 15+

We recommend The Kiss of Death for those aged 15+, as it contains references to drugging, mental instability, and vampirism.

Extra characters

Sometimes you have too many guests and need more characters. So most games have free extra characters (written by us or previous hosts) included in the download when you purchase the game.

• Emery Blakes– occult illusionist, a guest of the Count. (Any)
  (by Freeform Games)

Please note that we haven't always tested these – and they may not tie in exactly with our games.

"Thank you for a great site, fantastic games, good service and very quick reply. Keep up the good work." Ole Martin Brodwall, Norway

Cast Iron Guarantee

We offer a Cast Iron Guarantee on all our murder mystery games. If you're not completely satisfied with The Kiss of Death then please let us know within 30 days and we will refund you. See our full terms and conditions, and our refund policy.

Trouble downloading? If you have trouble downloading the game files, please first check your spam folder. If you still can't find the download email, contact us with the name of the game and the email address you used to purchase it, and we'll resend it.