Years ago, before the internet and social media existed, many of us ordered book-of-the-month subscriptions. Book series like Nancy Drew would arrive, one each month. We would sit at the kitchen table, experiencing the thrill of opening each parcel and being surprised at which book was inside.
Modern subscription boxes or game kits (they go by a lot of different names) take this a step further, with life-like “evidence”, artifacts, videos, and more.
How does a Game Kit work?
Just like the book-of-the-month idea, game kits are boxes that arrives in the mail. They contain assorted clues, artifacts and other items to challenge you to solve a crime. You can order one specific box, or sign up as a subscription and have a different box arrive each month.
Here is an example from cratejoy.com:
(Photo credit: Cratejoy.com, Cozykiller box)
Warning … these kits are highly addictive. You can play them with your (older) kids, date night, or make it a monthly girls night in tradition! If you are true crime junkie, you will seriously love these “hands on” unsolved crime kits.
Check out some of our mystery box suggestions below. Kindly note: Some of the products below contain affiliate links. We earn a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you shop through the links on this page. Thanks!
1. Finders Seekers Mysteries
Explore a new city and culture every month while solving puzzles and deciphering codes with a fun escape room challenge every month! Great for game and mystery fans, puzzle solvers, and travel enthusiasts!
Some things you might receive are: Letters, ciphers, and puzzles: To crack these fiendish challenges you will need to work together with your friends and family. One puzzle leads to another
Takes approx. 2-4 hours to complete each puzzle.
$25 / month
BUY FINDERS SEEKERS + GRAB COUPON
2. Escape the Crate
Escape the Crate
from: Cratejoy Now you can bring all of the fun of an escape room into your own home…with a different time-traveling adventure delivered every OTHER month. Work with your friends to solve riddles and conquer puzzles.
- A 1 hour long game for family game night
- Items include: ciphers, letters, sleuthing tools, puzzles, and more!
- Ships bimonthly. Cancel anytime.
- Internet is required to play. Enter codes online to check if you are right!
$26.50 / every 2 months
BUY ESCAPE THE CRATE + GRAB COUPON
3. Sleuth Kings
Now you can bring all of the fun of an escape room into your own home…with a different time-traveling adventure delivered every OTHER month. Work with your friends to solve riddles and conquer puzzles.
- A 1 hour long game for family game night
- Items include: ciphers, letters, sleuthing tools, puzzles, and more!
- Ships bimonthly. Cancel anytime.
- Internet is required to play. Enter codes online to check if you are right!
$26.50 / every 2 months
BUY SLEUTH KINGS + GRAB COUPON
4. Cozykiller
Always fancied you could crack a cold case? Now you can find out with a Cosykiller subscription box. Each storyline lasts a year. The box is delivered directly to your door and packed with vintage memorabilia, keepsakes and intrigue. There are puzzles, ciphers, suspects, back stories and false leads. It’s difficult and requires tenacity.
- Work on your own or in a small “detective team”
- Work at your own pace, or ask for hints from the private fb group
- Features vintage memorabilia, coherent storylines, replica items, keepsakes
$36.67 / every month
5. A Killing Affair – Serial Killer Box
Always fancied you could crack a cold case? Now you can find out with a Cosykiller subscription box. Each storyline lasts a year. The box is delivered directly to your door and packed with vintage memorabilia, keepsakes and intrigue. There are puzzles, ciphers, suspects, back stories and false leads. It’s difficult and requires tenacity.
- Work on your own or in a small “detective team”
- Work at your own pace, or ask for hints from the private fb group
- Features vintage memorabilia, coherent storylines, replica items, keepsakes
$33.33 / every month
BUY A KILLING AFFAIR + GRAB COUPON 
6. Hunt a Killer (Ongoing mystery)
Description from their website:
High-quality, hand-crafted clues get you lost in the fictional world and make you feel like you’re solving a real murder.
Here’s a sneak peek inside box #1. You receive the following clues. It’s then up to you to piece it all together. Every month, the plot thickens, and you get closer to revealing the murderer.
(Photo credit: Hunt a Killer Website)
