Murder Mystery Party Prizes and Awards Guests Actually Want

Awards are the easiest part of a murder mystery to get wrong, because it's tempting to buy a pile of things and work out what they're for afterward. Do it the other way round and the ending lands. This guide shows you how to name the 3 or 4 moments your guests will recognize, hand them something small that points back at the game, and close a MortalCase party in about 5 minutes without anyone feeling overlooked.

Your guests have just found out who did it, and the room is loud. Somebody is retelling the moment they nearly got away with it, and somebody else is insisting they knew all along.

That noise is what an award is for. A MortalCase Core Game Kit includes Award Certificates, so the closing celebration is already part of the game rather than something you have to invent while everyone reaches for their coats.

You don’t need a table full of trophies. Choose 3 or 4 award moments, keep the prizes small, and finish while everyone is still talking about the Reveal. The result feels like a warm final beat instead of a second event that has been bolted onto the night.

Start with the moment you want to reward

A good award names a contribution that other guests recognize. It might honor the strongest deduction, the most committed character, the best use of a clue, or the funniest in-character moment. The winner should hear the title and immediately understand why the room is applauding.

That’s why a cheap magnifying glass can land better than a generic gift card. The object points back to the game. A bag of chocolate coins can reward a clever negotiator. A tiny notebook can go to the guest whose evidence notes became a minor work of forensic art. A novelty mustache can celebrate a character choice that somehow survived all 3 murders.

Pick the award first, then choose the prize. Shopping in that order stops you from buying random things and inventing weak categories afterward.

If you want a shorter ending, use certificates alone. A MortalCase game gives you 3 named certificates plus 1 blank certificate, and handing them out is optional. The blank version lets you recognize the moment that belonged to your particular group without promising that every party needs the same joke.

I keep the awards optional on purpose. The ending belongs to your group, and I’d rather hand you a certificate you can fill in than a category that tells your party what was funny about it.

Choose categories that include different ways to play

The loudest character is easy to remember, but volume is only one kind of participation. A thoughtful guest may have connected the evidence. A quiet player may have asked the question that broke an alibi. Someone else may have kept the room moving by inviting others into conversations.

A balanced set might include one deduction award, one character award, and one host-choice award. Add a fourth only if the night produces an obvious moment worth naming. This gives analytical, theatrical, social, and quietly observant guests more than one path to recognition.

• Best overall deduction: for the vote that comes closest to the killer and motives.
• Most committed character: for a guest who used their role details throughout the party.
• Sharpest clue work: for noticing, connecting, or clearly explaining useful evidence.
• Host’s favorite moment: for the exchange, accusation, alliance, or recovery the room will quote tomorrow.

Avoid categories that embarrass someone for being confused, quiet, late, nervous, or less comfortable performing. The joke should belong to the group, not be aimed at one person’s discomfort. If you’re hosting mixed personalities, the guide to making the party enjoyable for introverts is useful when you decide which moments deserve public attention.

Use prizes guests can enjoy immediately

Small edible prizes are easy because they don’t create clutter. Chocolate, a themed cookie, a bag of popcorn, or first choice of dessert can feel generous without starting a shopping project. Check allergies and dietary needs before making food the only option.

Useful little objects also work: a pocket notebook, a pen, a card game, a reusable cup, or an inexpensive flashlight. Match the item to the theme when that feels effortless. A deck of cards suits a casino mystery. A pair of bright sunglasses suits a disco party. A small arcade token cup suits an 80s game.

The token cup has an obvious home. Your guests spend the whole of GAME OVER – 80’s Arcade Theme in an arcade where every machine wants a coin, so a cup of tokens on the prize table lands as part of the story.

Themed prizes land best when the theme is specific enough to name, so a spare mask or a pair of long gloves suits a monster masquerade murder mystery party, where your guests have already committed to the costume.

No-cost prizes can be more personal. Let the winner choose the group photo pose, take home a decoration, name the next game night, or receive first pick of dessert. A printed certificate with one handwritten sentence about the winning moment is often enough.

Set a total award budget before you browse. If party costs are already climbing, the guide to hosting on a realistic budget helps you protect the parts guests will notice. Awards are optional, so they should never take money away from food, seating, or the materials needed to run the case.

Keep voting separate from personality

The mystery result should come from the submitted Voting Cards, not from who performed most confidently. Collect every vote before the Reveal begins and apply the same standard to everyone. If nobody solves the full case, you can recognize the closest or strongest deduction without changing anyone’s card after the answer is known.

Every guest gets 1 Voting Card, and those cards are the only thing that decides the mystery result. I built it that way so the loudest guest in the room can’t win by being loud.

Character awards are different. The host can choose them from what happened in the room, or invite guests to vote before the Reveal. If you ask for group votes, make the categories clear and collect them quickly. Do not let a long popularity contest stall the solution everyone is waiting to hear.

The complete guide to voting, the Reveal, and awards shows how to protect that order. Mystery votes first, Reveal second, celebration third.

Prepare the awards without scripting the night

Print or gather only what you know you’ll use. Write the fixed categories in advance, but leave one certificate blank for the surprise that can’t be predicted. Put prizes in a bag or box near the Reveal material so you aren’t searching through a closet after the solution.

Keep a private note during the game if a possible winner emerges. One name and one reason is enough. Do not spend the party judging every guest. You’re hosting a mystery, not chairing the International Committee for Dramatic Accusations.

An Etsy customer described the larger payoff.

“Excellent game. I had so much fun hosting this party. I couldn’t recommend this more! I will be purchasing another kit in the future!”

Awards can help close that kind of night, but they aren’t what created it. The game, the guests, and the shared story did.

Can the host play and still give the awards?

Yes, the host can play without knowing the killer and still present the awards. Hosting a MortalCase game comes with a spoiler-free path, so you can take a character, submit your own honest vote, discover the solution at the Reveal, and then move into the closing celebration.

I write the host material so you can take a character and find out at the Reveal along with everybody else. That’s an option you choose rather than a restriction, and reading the solution in advance is just as valid.

Choose the most objective deduction result from the Voting Cards. For the softer categories, use notes you made during the party or a quick guest vote. If you win the deduction award yourself, enjoy the tiny detective glory or pass the physical prize to the next closest guest. Both options are legal under imaginary party law.

End with one sentence about each winner, take a photo if people want one, and release the room from character. 3 meaningful awards delivered in 5 minutes will usually feel more satisfying than 12 categories that make everyone wonder whether dessert is being held hostage.