The suspense is building as A Little Prairie Charm tea room gets closer to its inaugural murder mystery party, featuring a tale that could only go well with scones and a proper tea.
On Sept. 14, all those named in the will of the richest man in town will gather for the reading of his last will and testament — that is, if you’ve purchased your ticket to Murder She Steeped, a murder mystery party hosted by Mari’s Escapes.
For those who show up, in character and in costume, they will be treated to the rumour that this man’s death wasn’t exactly the suicide it looked like, and the suspicion that the murderer is in the room.
From there, it’s each guest on their own in the quest to prove their innocence of the crime while seeking the truth about who the killer at this party really is.
The party is so unlike what is usually hosted at A Little Prairie Charm, and owner Shirley Clark is looking forward to seeing the tea room branch out, just over a year after initially opening.
“I think it’s going to be super fun. It’s a first for us, something new for us so that’s exciting,” said Clark. “[These events are special] because people enjoy our vintage china, and the space is decorated quite nicely.”
Until now, the tea room has seen all kinds of other parties — birthdays, anniversaries, showers, and friendly gatherings — but never a murder mystery.
For Mari Grobler, owner of Mari’s Escapes and the mastermind behind the mystery, she thought A Little Prairie Charm was the perfect place for a murder mystery party.
“The murder mysteries are a lot of fun because it's one big evening,” said Grobler. “It's so lively and everyone gets to interact and people really get to know each other well, and their characters.”
The party will operate just like any other murder mystery, where each guest is given their character beforehand to keep a secret, and to show up in costume and prepared to be someone else.
Grobler will direct the story, and toss some twists and turns at the group throughout the night — none of which, of course, that she could disclose.
Grobler hosts travelling escape rooms and murder mysteries all over the province, and always looks forward to doing something new in a community. With a love for Moose Jaw, Grobler decided to work with a local business to host an event, and happened upon A Little Prairie Charm.
“It was like clouds parted. I was like, ‘wow, this is really interesting. I just have to go in here,’” said Grobler. “I just knew it would be great for a murder mystery, especially with Shirley's energy and enthusiasm and how friendly her staff is.”
This may be the first of many events hosted by Mari’s Escapes in Moose Jaw, as Grobler admits she would love to work with other businesses to bring more special event parties to the city. She’s already looking ahead to Halloween and New Year’s themed possibilities.
“That'll remain a mystery for now, because we love the mystery,” said Grobler.
Currently, there are 32 spots to fill on the guest list for Murder She Steeped, and Grobler has room for more interested murder suspects. Tickets are $50, and can be reserved by calling Grobler at 1 (306) 620-9727 or by stopping in at A Little Prairie Charm at 35 High St. E.
