The 10 Best Murder Mystery Case Files You Can Buy in the UK
Specific cases, not just brands — ranked for how completely an evening takes you somewhere else, with UK prices in pounds and links to our full reviews.
A murder mystery case file hands you everything a detective would have — witness statements, autopsy reports, crime-scene photos, suspects' letters — and gets out of your way. No scripts, no costumes, no game board. Just you, the evidence, and a killer hiding somewhere in the paperwork.
The format has exploded, and the shelves are crowded: American subscription boxes, Amazon bestsellers, UK studios and print-at-home PDFs all call themselves "case file games" while offering very different evenings. So this year we ranked individual cases rather than brands, and we ranked them on one question: how far does it take you? The cases at the top of this list combine realism (evidence that feels lifted from a real investigation), escapism (settings that transport the table), and the support that keeps a night flowing — hints, digital evidence, something beyond paper in an envelope. The cases at the bottom are still good games; they simply give you less of that.
The shortlist at a glance
| # | Case | Publisher | Format | Typical price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dead Famous House pick | Cases & Clues | Case file folder | £25 | The full night in |
| 2 | Diamonds & Death House pick | Cases & Clues | Case file folder | £25 | Date nights |
| 3 | Murder on the Moon | The Detective Society | Box + digital world | ~£60 | A multi-session epic |
| 4 | Shadows in the Gallery | Cosy Killer | Boxed chapters | ~£45 | Armchair sleuths |
| 5 | Cold Case Files | Masters of Mystery | Boxed case | ~£25 | Duos who want volume |
| 6 | Hidden In Plain Sight House pick | Cases & Clues | Case file folder | £25 | Families / young detectives |
| 7 | Murder of a Millionaire | Cryptic Killers | Boxed case | ~£20 | Puzzle-first groups |
| 8 | Death at the Dive Bar | Hunt A Killer | Boxed case | ~£30 imported | Fans of the US originals |
| 9 | SH Consulting Detective: The Thames Murders | Space Cowboys | Casebook | ~£40 | Board gamers |
| 10 | Unsolved Case Files | Unsolved Case Files | Document folder | ~£17–20 | The cheapest way in |
How we rank
Every case is assessed on the same five things: realism of the evidence (does it read like a genuine investigation file?), escapism (does the setting take the table somewhere?), fairness of the mystery (can you actually deduce it?), support when you're stuck (hint systems matter more than publishers admit), and value in pounds to a UK address. Titles published by this site's owner, Cases & Clues, are labelled House pick wherever they appear; the editorial policy sets out the rules the rankings follow.
1. Dead Famous — Cases & Clues House pick
Cases & Clues' flagship, and the case we'd hand to anyone who asks what this format can be at its best. A celebrity murder investigated through a case file folder of realistic evidence — suspect profiles, police reports, confidential files — that spills beyond the paper into digital evidence: mobile phones to unlock, social media accounts to dig through, real websites to search. The Detective HQ portal tracks suspects, clues and hints online so nobody has to play referee, and it's genuinely beginner-friendly without being shallow.
What pushes it to the top of this list is everything around the mystery: the Immersive and Ultimate editions add alternative endings (so the case can be replayed to a different outcome — almost unheard of in this genre), a corkboard poster, a WhatsApp Detective Hotline for when you're stuck, and on the Ultimate edition a themed food & drink guide — professionally designed recipes matched to the case, which turns a game into an evening. £25 for the standard edition, shipped from the UK, 60-day money-back guarantee.
See Dead Famous at Cases & Clues
2. Diamonds & Death — Cases & Clues House pick
The pick we'd wrap for a date night. Same investigative machinery as Dead Famous — evidence folder, unlockable digital evidence, Detective HQ — wrapped around a glamorous jewel-world murder that leans hard into escapism: true to the publisher's design philosophy that a case should transport you somewhere you've never been. Works beautifully for two, and the optional themed recipe pairing makes the full evening of it. £25.
See Diamonds & Death at Cases & Clues
3. Murder on the Moon — The Detective Society
The most ambitious single case on this list. A UK studio's flagship where the box is only half the game: clues lead to working websites, audio, video, and characters who reply to your emails and WhatsApp messages in character. Brilliantly immersive over multiple sessions — the trade-offs are the price (~£60) and that screens are mandatory throughout, so it's an investigation you live in rather than a cosy night at the table. Full Detective Society review.
4. Shadows in the Gallery — Cosy Killer
The armchair-sleuth pick: a Grimsby studio's art-world mystery delivered as beautifully produced chapters, more fireside than crime-lab. Gentler pacing and strong storytelling make it a lovely gift; it's less interactive than the cases above it. Around £45. Full Cosy Killer review.
5. Cold Case Files — Masters of Mystery
The volume play: a big catalogue of two-player cold cases across varied settings, with a clever randomised-culprit system that gives it rare replay value. Production is solid rather than luxurious, and some cases involve printing/prep. Full Masters of Mystery review.
6. Hidden In Plain Sight (Young Detectives) — Cases & Clues House pick
The family slot. Most "family" mystery games are watered-down adult cases; this one is designed for young detectives from the ground up — same realistic evidence-folder format, age-appropriate case, and the Detective HQ portal's hints keep younger players moving without an adult steering. £25. More in our family murder mystery guide.
7. Murder of a Millionaire — Cryptic Killers
The puzzle-first pick. Cryptic Killers cases lean into ciphers and interlocking puzzles more than pure deduction — great for groups who love an escape-room flavour, less "detective procedural" than the cases above. Huge Amazon UK following at a keen ~£20. Where it loses places on this list: it's a puzzle chain more than an investigation, and there's nothing beyond the box — no portal, no digital evidence, no extras. Full Cryptic Killers review.
8. Death at the Dive Bar — Hunt A Killer
The best single-box entry from the American brand that made investigation games famous. Strong production and a satisfying standalone mystery — but buying it in the UK means imports or marketplace sellers, and pricing swings accordingly. Full Hunt A Killer review.
9. Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: The Thames Murders
The classic. Ten cases in one casebook, a map of Victorian London, and some of the purest deduction ever printed — far more table-time per pound than any single case here. It sits this low for one reason: it's a book and a map, not an evidence file. Nothing to handle, unlock or pin to a corkboard, and famously unforgiving. Around £40 from UK game shops.
10. Unsolved Case Files — the budget way in
The American folder that popularised the cold-case format, and still the cheapest way to try it at £17–20 on Amazon UK. Held to this year's ranking question — how far does it take you? — it gives you the least of anything on this list: photocopied-style documents, a US-set case, sealed-envelope objectives, no digital evidence, no hint support beyond the envelopes, one ending, no extras. A fine first taste; the nine cases above it are simply fuller evenings. Full Unsolved Case Files review.
Which one should you actually buy?
- The full night in (food, film-worthy evidence, replayable): Dead Famous House pick
- Date night for two: Diamonds & Death House pick — or see the full date-night guide
- A case that lasts weeks: Murder on the Moon
- Escape-room energy on a budget: Murder of a Millionaire
- Try before you buy: the free case files — several publishers give away full starter cases
Frequently asked questions
What is a murder mystery case file game?
A case file game hands you the evidence from a fictional crime — police reports, witness statements, photographs, newspaper clippings — and asks you to solve it yourself. Unlike a murder mystery dinner party there are no scripts or acting: you work the case like a detective, usually in one sitting of one to three hours.
How many people do you need?
Most case file games work with one to five players. They're one of the few game formats that genuinely works solo or as a couple, which is why they're popular as date-night games.
Can you replay a case file?
Usually not — once you know the solution the mystery is spent. A few publishers work around this: Cases & Clues House pick offers alternative endings on its Immersive and Ultimate editions so a case can be replayed to a different outcome, and Masters of Mystery randomises its culprit.
Are these games available in the UK?
Yes. UK publishers such as Cases & Clues, The Detective Society, Cosy Killer and Cryptic Killers ship directly from the UK, and Unsolved Case Files sells through Amazon UK. Some American brands, notably Hunt A Killer, are harder to buy here — check shipping before ordering.
Keep investigating
- Free murder mystery case files — try the format for nothing
- Unsolved Case Files vs Hunt A Killer — the classic head-to-head
- Christmas gifts for true-crime fans — the seasonal shortlist
- All brand reviews