Advent, Advent, ein Grablicht brennt – Murder mystery dinner at home (4-6 players) (DE)

«Advent, Advent, ein Grablicht brennt» — Christmas murder mystery dinner for 4 to 6 players

Please note, this game is in German. The role booklets, the clues and the rules are written in German — everyone at the table needs to understand it. If your German is not up to it, have a look at our gift ideas instead.

«Advent, Advent, ein Grablicht brennt» (German for «Advent, Advent, a grave candle burns») is a murder mystery dinner by Culinario Mortale for 4 to 6 players aged 16 and over. Over a festive meal you take on a suspect’s role and solve a murder in the villa of the Krone gingerbread dynasty.

The story

Christmas Eve at the Krone villa. With more than 50’000 tonnes of gingerbread and biscuits a year, the family firm is one of Germany’s leading Christmas bakery manufacturers. Dorothea Krone had invited the family to celebrate — then she is found dead in her bedroom. Who killed the matriarch?

The suspects

• Benjamin Krone (40) — rebellious bar owner from Hamburg who hates Christmas
• Peggy Kowalski (38) — fun-loving hairdresser, once engaged to the late Johannes Krone
• Yoshi Watanabe (33) — the victim’s live-in carer, mad about Christmas
• Anna Kowalski (17) — Peggy’s daughter, committed vegan and climate activist
• Eva Krone (35) — Walter’s ambitious wife, head of the company foundation
• Walter Krone (42) — Dorothea’s son and possible successor

Number of players

• 6 players — 3 female and 3 male roles
• 5 players — 3 female and 2 male roles
• 4 players — 2 female and 2 male roles

Male roles can of course be played by women and the other way round — the fun comes first.

Costume ideas

Dressing up is optional, but it makes the evening. The game suggests:

• Benjamin Krone — leather waistcoat, jeans, ponytail, nose ring, bar kit
• Peggy Kowalski — funky outfit, bold jewellery, a framed photo
• Yoshi Watanabe — carer’s tunic with a Christmas jumper and reindeer headband
• Anna Kowalski — «I ♥ Earth» shirt, tote bag, protest placard
• Eva Krone — elegant evening dress, diamond jewellery, diary
• Walter Krone — suit with tank top and bow tie, briefcase

Menu suggestion

The game comes with a matching menu that also works vegan or vegetarian.

• Starter — clementine and salmon salad, or its vegan version
• Main course — vegan goulash with pan-fried dumplings and red cabbage
• Dessert — baked apple with speculoos

What is in the box

• Detailed rules for the host
• 6 role descriptions, each with its secrets
• Clue cards for every round
• The solution to the case
• Recipe suggestions for the dinner
• Costume ideas for every character

Who is this murder mystery dinner for?

The game is ideal for:

• Christmas parties with friends or family
• Advent evenings with a programme of their own
• crime fans who love interactive puzzles
• groups who like to cook and puzzle together

At a glance

• Players — 4 to 6
• Age — 16 and over
• Playing time — roughly 3 to 4 hours
• Difficulty — medium, fine for beginners
• Language — German
• Publisher — Culinario Mortale