Envelope 1 · Before the first drink
The parlor clock stopped at 11:40. Lady Crane insists she wound it at ten.
Free printables
The Readers' Party Pack
Everything for a Victorian séance supper: scorecards for five parlor rounds, six sealed clue envelopes for a dinner mystery, and a drinks menu poured straight from our Halloween party recipes. Print a single sheet or the whole pack.
Séance Scorecard
Score each round 1–5 spirits. Highest total is crowned Medium of the Evening.
Sitter's name: ______________________________
| Round | The task | Score |
|---|---|---|
| I. The Table-Rap | Ask the spirit a yes-or-no question. One rap for yes, two for no. Guess who knocked. | ☐☐☐☐☐ |
| II. The Planchette | Spell a guest's middle name on the board, letter by letter, with eyes closed. | ☐☐☐☐☐ |
| III. The Cabinet | Behind the curtain, a bell rings. Name the object that made the sound. | ☐☐☐☐☐ |
| IV. The Medium's Trance | Deliver a one-minute message from a departed Victorian. Most dramatic wins. | ☐☐☐☐☐ |
| V. Ectoplasm | Cheesecloth, two minutes, one volunteer. Judges score the most convincing apparition. | ☐☐☐☐☐ |
| Total spirits | ______ | |
The Hollowmere Parlor Mystery
1898. A medium has vanished from a locked séance parlor at Hollowmere House, leaving only a cold teacup and a stopped clock. Six envelopes hold the evidence. Open one per course, and name the culprit before dessert. A fictional mystery.
Suspects: Madame Ostrova, the medium's rival · Mr. Ambrose Pell, the skeptical journalist · Lady Winifred Crane, the grieving hostess
Cut along the dashed lines, fold each card in half and seal. Envelope 6 holds the solution — keep it for the host.
Envelope 2 · With the appetizers
A cheesecloth 'spirit' was found folded in Madame Ostrova's reticule — still damp.
Envelope 3 · Between the drinks
Mr. Pell's notebook has a page torn out. The pressed impression reads: 'cellar door — midnight.'
Envelope 4 · With dinner
The cold teacup smells of laudanum. Only the hostess keeps it in the house.
Envelope 5 · Before dessert
Mud on the cellar stairs matches the boots of exactly one guest — the one who never went outside.
Envelope 6 · The reveal — read aloud
Mr. Pell staged the vanishing to expose a fraud and hid the medium in the cellar. She agreed, for a share of his story. The laudanum? Lady Crane's own nerves.
Hollowmere House · All Hallows' Eve
Victorian Spirits & Cordials
The Medium's Punch
Witch's Brew Punch — Ladled cold, smoking with dry ice
Get the recipeHollowmere Station Cider
Cauldron Mulled Cider — Warm, with a cinnamon stirrer
Get the recipeThe Night Clerk's Rum
Hot Buttered Rum — Steaming, in a pewter mug
Get the recipeSexton's Midnight Cocoa
Graveyard Hot Cocoa — Nearly black, crowned with cream
Get the recipeThe Pumpkin Lantern Steamer
Pumpkin Patch Steamer — Frothed, for the abstaining guest
Get the recipe
Spirited versions for grown-ups only. Every drink pours just as well without.