Why a home mystery beats a movie night
A movie sits the two of you next to each other for two hours. A home mystery sits the two of you across from each other for as long as it takes.
Tips for a perfect evening
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Set the mood.
Warm lighting, a candle or two (just keep them away from the papers), and a film noir jazz soundtrack playing low in the background.
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Try a tongue-in-cheek dress code.
A trench coat and a detective's hat all evening will get warm, but it's a lovely way to start.
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Pour, but pace yourselves.
A glass of wine sets the scene beautifully. A second is fair game. By the third, the ciphers start solving themselves in ways the case file doesn't quite agree with, so keep your wits about you — there's a missing person depending on it.
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Leave your competitiveness at the door.
This is a shared experience, not a contest. The point isn't to look smart. The point is to enjoy a slow-building mystery together.
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Talk about it afterwards.
Once the case is solved, take a moment to point out where the other person had their eureka moments. The good investigators usually surprise themselves.
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Pass the box on.
The dossier is fully resettable, so you can loan it to friends you think would love it. Of course, we'd be delighted if they ordered their own copy, but the idea of a single box travelling around the world sparking date nights is, honestly, our favourite version of how this ends.
| Great for | Maybe save this for another time if |
|---|---|
| Couples who finish each other's crosswords | You want a quick game before bed |
| Anyone who's done one escape room and wished it kept going | You're after strict win-or-lose mechanics |
| Slow, character-driven mystery and a generous evening | You're playing with children under 14 (mature themes) |
| A date night that isn't another restaurant or another film | You want something on a screen |
Choose your evening
The Vandermist Dossier
The cold case. 1979. The investigation that started the trilogy.
- 1 to 5 players
- 60 to 120 minutes
- €69.70
The Medusa Report
The Cold War file. 1974. A complete story you can also start here.
- 1 to 5 players
- 60 to 120 minutes
- €69.70
The Ultimate Bundle
Both case files. Free shipping. 10% off.
- Vandermist + Medusa, in one box
- €125.46 (saves €13.94)
How the cases connect
Different decade, different tone, the same Abigail at the centre of both. You can play them in any order. Each game tells a complete story on its own.
The Vandermist Dossier is the cold case. 1979, a small Dutch town, the disappearance of an eighteen-year-old that nobody could solve at the time.
The Medusa Report is the file that turns up five years earlier, in 1974, on a Cold War rescue mission whose official record turned out to be incomplete.
Curious but not ready for a full case file?
The Dream Journal is a €15 puzzle journal, made for a single evening of solving. A small introduction to our games.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can two people really finish this in one evening?
Some couples do. Most stretch it across two evenings, which we'd quietly recommend. The dossier is built for slow investigation, not a race.
There's no timer, the table can stay set up between sessions, and a glass of something always helps.
Do we need any prior puzzle experience?
Not at all. If you've ever read a mystery novel, watched a detective show and tried to guess the ending, or finished a Sunday crossword between coffees, you have everything you need. The dossier teaches you how to investigate as you go.
Is there an app or anything digital?
No. Everything is in the box.
No app to download, no second screen, no QR codes to scan. If you genuinely get stuck, there's a hint page online with progressive hints that won't give the game away.
Will it be too easy if one of us has done escape rooms?
We've yet to meet the escape room veteran who finds Vandermist easy. The puzzles reward careful reading more than mechanical speed, which is a different skill from most rooms.
Working as a pair, you'll likely move faster than a solo player. You won't run out of case.
What's the difference between Vandermist and Medusa?
Vandermist is a 1979 missing persons cold case in a small Dutch town.
Medusa is a 1974 Cold War rescue mission file from a secret intelligence agency.
Different decades, different tones, the same Abigail at the centre of both. Either one is a complete first game.
Are the games colourblind-friendly?
Mostly, yes. The Vandermist Dossier and the Dream Journal don't have any puzzles that depend on distinguishing colors.
The Medusa Report has one color-dependent puzzle. If you're colorblind and considering Medusa, get in touch before you order and we'll talk you through it so you can decide.
Can we pause and come back another night?
Yes. The case isn't going anywhere. Most couples solve it across two evenings, sometimes three. Just clear the table the way you found it, and pick up where you left off.