No Mobs or Gangs

• Instead of setting guests up as mobsters or members of an illicit gang, go back in time and out West instead. Hand women old-fashioned fans and the men fake mustaches or cowboy hats to get everyone in the right frame of mind. Though a murder is the crux of the evening's mystery, keep away from motives like drugs. Instead, use something like a case of mistaken identity where a criminal escaped prison and during the manhunt, Mistress Polly thought Old Joe was really Madman Max and took action, resulting in Old Joe's death.
  
  

Non-Offensive Crimes

• A murder can happen a multitude of ways and during your murder mystery game, make it quick. Prolonged or excruciating deaths tend to put a damper on guest's moods. They will undoubtedly feel some remorse for the character who got the axe and could feel uncomfortable with copious amounts of brutality. To avoid such feelings from your guests, have your victim go down with a single bullet or from a poison-spiked cocktail.
  
  

Not too Shady

• Though you will need plenty of mystery surrounding the death, try to keep overly shady characters to a minimum. If you set up roles for two past murderers--a felon known for ripping up animal carcases and hanging them on hitching posts and a bar maid who can throw knives with deadly aim--you may have your guests trying to pass off each one for the only non-violent character, Sam, the kindly, old man who sits in a rocking chair all day at the saloon. Try to have more "Sams" than you do the felons or crazy folk. In truth, the more normal they sound, the more mystery that can surround the murder, as what beef could Sam possibly have with anyone?