Murder by Post

What Murder by Post does

Murder by Post Ltd is a London-based, for-profit private company that designs, handmakes, and sells vintage-style murder mystery puzzle games and related gift sets. Founded during lockdown by co-founders Oliver and Natasha, the company creates at-home "escape room"-style games set in the 1920s-1930s Golden Age of Detective Fiction, packaged in three core formats — envelope games (e.g., Murder at Pettifog Hall), box games (e.g., Peril at the Edge of the World), and postcard sets (e.g., The Death of Countess Cornelia) — using tactile vintage items such as telegrams, newspapers, maps, passports, and detective notebooks, with multi-layered sealed-envelope hint systems that allow players to control difficulty. The catalog of 13 SKUs spans standalone games, multi-game bundles, seasonal Christmas gift boxes, Art Deco notebooks, and digital gift cards priced between approximately $11 and $127 USD.

The business operates as a direct-to-consumer e-commerce retailer on a Shopify storefront (murderbypost.com) that ships directly to UK, US, and Canada, with an Etsy shop (murderbypost.etsy.com) handling orders for all other international destinations. Pricing is one-time/perpetual license, fully transactional with no recurring component, and is listed in USD on the website with UK tax included and US duties calculated at checkout. Customer acquisition is driven by Shopify-native email newsletter signup (offering 10% off), organic social presence on Facebook and Instagram, organic search/SEO, and post-sale review-driven referrals, with several SKUs maintaining ratings between 4.79 and 5.0 stars. The company's customer base consists entirely of individual consumers and gift buyers across two primary use cases — at-home entertainment (solo players, couples, families, friend groups) and seasonal/holiday gifting — with no enterprise or B2B segment, no disclosed funding, no app, and no AI/ML capability layer.

Name

Murder by Post

Legal name

Murder by Post Ltd

Website

https://murderbypost.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2026

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Murder by Post is a London-based, bootstrapped DTC retailer that designs and handmakes vintage-style murder mystery puzzle games in envelope, box, and postcard formats, selling directly to consumers in the UK, US, and Canada via Shopify and to other international markets via Etsy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tabletop and Puzzle Games

NAICS

Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912), Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing (339930)

SIC

Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945), Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYCRALALAM

Escape Room Games & Mystery Puzzle Boxes Retail

Consumer Products & Retail/Specialty Retail (Hobby, Books, Office, Pet, Toys)/Board Games and Puzzles

SECONDARYCRALALAD

Wargames & Historical Board Games Retail

Consumer Products & Retail/Specialty Retail (Hobby, Books, Office, Pet, Toys)/Board Games and Puzzles

Keywords

• Murder mystery games
• Vintage puzzle games
• At-home escape rooms
• Mystery gift boxes
• Tabletop gaming

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Physical Murder Mystery Games: One-time purchase of physical murder mystery games sold in various formats (box, envelope, postcard set). Products include standalone games and themed bundles. Revenue is one-time transaction-based with no recurring component.
2. Digital Gift Cards: Digital gift cards available in GBP denominations ranging from £10 to £100, valid for 1 year after purchase. Recipients can redeem for any products on the website.
3. Curated Bundles and Gift Boxes: Bundled products offering savings versus individual purchase (e.g., 3 Game Bundle saves $10.97). Gift boxes combine multiple games with physical gifts like notebooks, tea, and decorative items.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Murder by Post designs and handmakes vintage-style murder mystery puzzle games sold as physical products in three formats: envelope games (e.g., Murder at Pettifog Hall), box games (e.g., Peril at the Edge of the World, Death in a Snowstorm Advent Calendar), and postcard sets (e.g., The Death of Countess Cornelia, The Vanishing Professor Vanderkopf). The company also sells curated game bundles, themed gift boxes (Christmas/cozy), Art Deco notebooks, and digital gift cards. Each game includes vintage items, escape-room-style puzzles, and a 3–4 layer hint system.

Product overview

Murder by Post creates murder mystery puzzle games with a vintage twist set in the Golden Age of Detective Fiction (1920s-1930s). The product portfolio consists of physical murder mystery games in three formats: envelope games (Murder at Pettifog Hall, Christmas Eve in Little Smithering), box games (Peril at the Edge of the World, Death in a Snowstorm), and postcard sets (The Death of Countess Cornelia, The Vanishing Professor Vanderkopf). These are complemented by curated bundles (3 Game Bundle, Christmas Games Bundle) and gift boxes (Cosiest Christmas Gift Box, Partner in Crime Gift Box, Little Christmas Gift Box). Accessories include Art Deco Notebooks and Digital Gift Cards. All games function as at-home escape rooms featuring vintage-style tactile clues, challenging puzzles, and beautiful vintage items. Recommended for ages 14+ with play times ranging from 20 minutes to 3 hours depending on the mystery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Murder at Pettifog Hall An envelope-format country house murder mystery puzzle game set in 1932 at Pettifog Hall, featuring vintage clues (telegrams, newspapers, detective's notebooks) and escape-room-style puzzles. For 1–4 players, 45–90 minutes, difficulty 3.5/5. Bestseller with 118 reviews at 4.79/5.
• Peril at the Edge of the World A box-format travel murder mystery puzzle game set in 1929, inspired by Nellie Bly; players race around the world solving puzzles as her nieces and nephews. For 1–6 players, 1.5–3 hours, difficulty 4.5/5. 26 reviews at 4.96/5.
• The Death of Countess Cornelia A postcard-format mini murder mystery made up of four vintage-style postcards, set in London 1934 at Countess Cornelia's party. For 1–2 players, 20–45 minutes, difficulty 2.5/5. 15 reviews at 4.93/5.
• The Vanishing Professor Vanderkopf A postcard murder mystery in which players must solve the vanishing of a professor before he was due to present a scientific breakthrough; set in 1938. For 1–2 players, 20–45 minutes, difficulty 2.5/5. 21 reviews at 5.0/5.
• Christmas Eve in Little Smithering A festive envelope-format murder mystery set in 1927 in the village of Little Smithering. For 1–6 players, 40–60 minutes, difficulty 3/5. 40 reviews at 4.9/5. SOLD OUT for 2025.
• Death in a Snowstorm A box-format murder mystery Advent Calendar presented as 12 mini-envelopes with twine and pegs, set in 1931 at a log cabin in rural Norway where six friends gather for Christmas. For 1–4 players, 1.5–3 hours typically spread over December, difficulty 4.5/5. 206 reviews at 4.86/5. SOLD OUT for 3rd year in a row.
• 3 Game Bundle A curated bundle of three games in different formats: Peril at the Edge of the World (box), Murder at Pettifog Hall (envelope), and The Death of Countess Cornelia (postcard set). Priced at $91 USD (vs $103 individual, saving $10.97).
• Christmas Games Bundle A festive bundle including Death in a Snowstorm, Christmas Eve in Little Smithering, and a set of three vintage-style Christmas cards with envelopes. Priced at $85 USD (was $95).
• Cosiest Christmas Gift Box A premium festive gift box including Peril at the Edge of the World and Christmas Eve in Little Smithering games, plus tealight spinner, festive socks, vintage Christmas cards, Art Deco notebook, and Earl Grey tea bags. Packaged in a sleek black box with red ribbon. Priced at $127 USD.
• Partner in Crime Gift Box A gift box including Murder at Pettifog Hall and The Death of Countess Cornelia games, a vintage matchbox puzzle, Kenyan soapstone heart decoration, Art Deco Detective's Notebook, and Earl Grey tea bags. Presented in a luxury black gift box with red ribbon. Priced at $66 USD.
• Little Christmas Gift Box A festive gift box including Christmas Eve in Little Smithering game, vintage matchbox puzzle, Detective's Notebook, Christmas card set, and a Merry Christmas postcard. Priced at $68 USD. SOLD OUT for 2025.
• Art Deco Notebooks A set of three blank Art Deco-style notebooks in 'Detective's Notes' (Vintage Claret), 'Top Secret Notes' (Peacock Teal), and 'Killer Ideas' (Midnight Purple); A6 size, 16 sheets/32 pages. From $12.00 USD per notebook, with a $5.00 per notebook price for the 3-pack.
• Digital Gift Card Digital gift cards denominated in GBP (£10, £15, £25, £50, £75, £100), valid for 1 year after purchase and redeemable against any products shipped to UK, US, or Canada. Delivered digitally for instant redemption.

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ShopifycoreTechnology or IntegrationShopify provides the e-commerce platform powering the Murder by Post online store. The platform handles payment processing, order management, shipping calculations, and customer accounts. Shopify's infrastructure enables the company's direct-to-consumer sales model.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• EXIT: The Game: EXIT: The Game by KOSMOS is a leading escape-room-in-a-box board game line. It is a direct competitor in the at-home escape-room category, sharing the puzzle-driven, narrative-rich gameplay that Murder by Post's vintage mysteries emulate.
• Unlock!: Unlock! by Space Cowboys (Asmodee) is a card-based escape-room game series. It competes with Murder by Post for hobbyists and gift-buyers seeking at-home mystery experiences, with broader retail distribution.
• Night of Mystery: Night of Mystery provides downloadable and printable murder mystery party games for groups. It is comparable in serving the same mystery-loving households, with a lower-cost downloadable format versus Murder by Post's handmade physical boxes.
• Hunt A Killer: Hunt A Killer sells immersive, narrative-driven murder mystery games shipped in monthly installments. It is a direct competitor for the same at-home mystery enthusiast consumer, with a subscription/box model versus Murder by Post's single-purchase design.
• Deadbolt Mystery Society: Deadbolt Mystery Society is a subscription mystery box service delivering serialized whodunit experiences. It targets the same consumer seeking immersive, story-driven home entertainment and competes with Murder by Post's multi-format mystery catalog.
• PostCurious: PostCurious designs immersive postal-format mystery and escape-room experiences mailed to players. It is the closest direct competitor in the mailed, vintage-flavored mystery puzzle box category and competes for the same gift-giving consumer.
• Lock & Clue: Lock & Clue creates mailed mystery and puzzle experiences that are solved through physical clues and documents. It is a strong analogue in the "mystery by mail" segment and competes for similar gift and date-night occasions.

Broad incumbents

• Asmodee: Asmodee is a global board game publisher and distributor whose portfolio includes escape-room and mystery titles (Unlock!, EXIT distribution). It is a broad incumbent whose scale and shelf placement could pressure independents like Murder by Post if they choose to expand into the lifestyle/gift tier.

Emerging players

• Times Immortal: Times Immortal is an independent mailed mystery game experience with a vintage/narrative feel. It overlaps with Murder by Post's postal mystery positioning and targets a similar enthusiast and gift market.
• Stuck at Home Mystery: Stuck at Home Mystery sells small-format, mailed murder mystery game kits. It is comparable as a smaller emerging operator in the same mailed, at-home mystery category, providing a relevant independent benchmark.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• Instagraminstagram.com/murderbypost

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Murder by Post