Location: Your Home!

Players:  We recommend 1-4

Price: $24.99 per box, plus $4.99 shipping

Sherlock’s got nothing on us!

Theme:

In the Deadbolt Mystery Society’s first box, you’ll become a consulting detective for the Valley Falls Police Department in order to investigate a murder at the shady Hideaway Motel. Megan Thompson, a young woman who was staying in 3B, was brutally murdered and there’s very little evidence to go on. The mayor wants this case closed as soon as possible, and you can only hold the suspects, last night’s guests and employees, for so long, so you’d better get to investigating!

First Impressions:

As you can see from the featured photo, the presentation of this box is top notch! I really liked the excellent themeing and snazzy production value on the outside, getting me excited to see what was inside, which definitely didn’t disappoint as there was quite a bit to go through!

There’s a lot to explore with this mystery!

High Points:

I appreciated the inclusion of glossy photos of each of the suspects, which gave us a tangible and immersive way to keep tabs on and eliminate suspects as we went through the mystery. There were a couple of nice props included from the motel itself, and the evidence included was a lot of fun to pore over. The writing feels true to each character and is realistically presented through letters, case notes, and emails. Side stories and Easter eggs provided were great, and deepened the story through convincing world-building. For fans of Deadbolt’s Escape Rooms, there are even some surprises that tie in from those experiences as well, though no prior knowledge is required. The puzzle threads and investigatory logic all intertwines well together and provides an enjoyable game flow for an experience that lasts around 2 hours. The self-contained nature of the mystery was a breath of fresh air when compared to many other mystery boxes that just plod forward aimlessly from month to month! There is an online component that provides specific feedback during the mystery and provides certainty that you have succeeded in your investigation when you have solved the murder.

Low Points:

We only had a couple of points for feedback with this box, first being that while the investigation reports were thorough, we would have liked to see more props and items tied into the story. The ones that were sent with this box were excellent, but were pertinent only for a short time. One of the best things about these boxes are the surprises they contain, so we’d love to see some interesting evidence in future deliveries. Also, we did not use the hint system, as everything was intuitive and solvable, but the files you unlock while progressing through the story are mixed in with the hint files. Luckily, all files require a password to unlock, but it’d be nice to have hints and solutions separated from evidence to keep up the immersion.

Verdict:

I’m very excited about the Deadbolt Mystery Society! Even though Murder in 3B is only their first box, this subscription mystery service is easily my favorite of the ones I’ve tried so far. The story, immersion, and overall experience was a lot of fun from start to finish, and I’m already looking forward to their next mystery, Asylum! This first box was a great introduction to their world, and I’ve been told that Asylum will include even more content and immersive fun! Join the Deadbolt Mystery Society here! Right now, you can get 30% off your first box with the Promo Code ESCAPE30! You can also see the rest of our Deadbolt Mystery Society reviews here!

9/10 (Excellent)

Full Disclosure: The Deadbolt Mystery Society provided a complementary box.