You're enjoying a meal. Then a nearby table erupts.

Some men argue. Someone pushes. One man falls to the floor. He rises, grabs a knife, and stabs the other man in the chest.

Hold on, there may be more to this than meets the eye says a policeman who rushes in. The dead man was shot dead, the stabbing came after. Did you hear a gun shot?

Such is a dining experience during a murder mystery dinner.

Murder mystery shows are an old tradition. More cozy locations often host these shows, along with a meal. People love to eat and to try to solve a mystery. They can eat their steak and like Sherlock Holmes engage their minds once the game is afoot.

There are many styles of mysteries. One is a simple interactive play where the actors talk to the patrons but stick to a general story in which one of the actors' roles is to solve the mystery. A second form is one in which guests try to solve the case. There can be a lot of twists and turns along the way including some participants given information others do not have.

These are popular as parties, and there are even entire cruises dedicated to them. They've even been explored in popular media. One example has been done a few times in television and movies. A group of people is invited to a dinner, then one by one they're killed in mysterious ways. One comedic version is Murder by Death. In some shows a pretend mystery dinner turns into a real crime. Adrian Monk, a TV detective, on his show was banned from a mystery weekend for solving the case in under five minutes.

Sometimes these mysteries happen at spooky locations . Many mystery dinner theaters claim spooky happenings in their theater. It adds to the general fun even when not true. People may not believe it, but they play along for the duration.

A murder mystery dinner is enjoyable. Kids and adults can enjoy the show

Evan