Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, New York, is a Victorian Hotel that was founded in 1869. The picturesque resort features huge wrap-around porches, hiking trails, hundreds of rooms, a private lake, an indoor pool, and a variety of fun activities for families. It is also the scene of a crime for one weekend a year.
For 50 years, Mohonk has staged its Murder Mystery Weekend. It is one of the resort’s signature events. What began in the early 1970s as an experiment in interactive entertainment has become one of the resort’s signature events, drawing regulars who return annually for a new, original puzzle.
The History of the Murder Mystery
Mohonk Mountain House made a name for itself at the turn of the last century with New Yorkers who wanted to spend weekends in the country. The ease of taking the train to New Paltz and getting transportation to Mohonk Mountain House made people flock to this beautiful spot.
When the Great Depression hit, Mohonk was affected like all other businesses, but the management had a great idea. They created their now-famous Signature Events to keep people coming to the mountain. These themed weekends encouraged patrons to come and have a great stay while learning something new.
The first of these events was Hiker’s Holiday, and a few years later, Garden Holiday. The themed programs were so successful that the Mononk found itself busy again.
In 1976, two guests from New York, Dilys Winn and Carol Brener, recommended to the staff that they ought to throw a Murder Mystery Signature Event. These weren’t just any two guests; they co-owned the famous Manhattan bookstore Murder Ink. They thought it would be a great way to promote both businesses and an excellent event for Mohonk guests. Mohonk liked the idea, and the Murder Mystery was born.
In the first few years, Murder Ink brought in big-name mystery writers to write the murder mystery for Mohonk. And they also brought in famous mystery writers to be part of the fun. Some of those writers include Stephen King, Harlan Coben, Susan Isaacs, and Lawrence Block.
Although the murder mystery has changed over the past 50 years, it remains a large crowd pleaser and continues to be the biggest and most beloved Signature Event at Mohonk Mountain House.
How It Plays Out
Today, the murder mystery weekend is run by Murder Cafe, a local theater group that does murder mysteries throughout the area. Their founder, Frank Marquette, writes a new mystery for Mohonk every season. Some years, it’s a roaring ’20s storyline with bootleggers and jazz. Others, a séance in the Victorian era that spirals into chaos. Guests arrive on Friday and find themselves swept into a weekend-long mystery.
The first act typically begins after dinner on Friday night. Act 1 starts, and the audience waits, notebooks in hand, to meet the characters and jot down every clue, no matter how small. All the guests are in detective mode, and people take it really seriously! Frantic scribbling and the tap, tap, tap of typing are the backdrop to the first act of the murder mystery performance.
Saturday brings the 2nd act of the performance in the morning, allowing guests to chat about red herrings and theories. The cast mingles with the guests in character during tea and cookies, and crafty guest detectives try to trip them up. When tea and cookies are over, Act 3 begins—bringing guests closer to figuring out who dunnit.
By Sunday, the group reconvenes for the final reveal. Act 4 is highly anticipated, and many guests will have their own ideas about whodunit. There is time for people to guess, and some groups even write their own script and act it out. It’s rarely correct, but it sure is a lot of fun.
When the murderer is revealed, the audience groans, some are excited, and a few “I figured it out” are audible throughout the theater.
More Than a Whodunit
Although the murder mystery is the centerpiece of the weekend, the appeal of Mohonk lies in the sheer number of things there are to do at the resort. Between performances and clue-hunting sessions, guests can find tons of fun things to do around the resort.
You might enjoy hiking along 85 miles of trails, ice skating, snow tubing, swimming in the indoor heated pool, s’mores, and lots more. Plus, meals are part of the all-inclusive package, served in a grand dining room with views of the Catskill Mountains.
You are enjoying the murder mystery and all the things that make people love Mohonk Mountain House.
The Crowd It Draws
If you aren’t sure if you will fit in, you will! The Murder Mystery Weekend attracts an exciting mix of travelers. You will find retired couples who’ve been coming for decades, groups of longtime friends who want something fun to do in March, families, bachelorette parties, and even some solo travelers. Many are from neighboring New York City, and some are locals from upstate New York. And everyone else just heard about how fantastic Mohonk Murder Mystery Weekend is, and came.
Plus, you can participate as much or as little as you like. Some are the type that keep notes, interrogate suspects, and stay up late debating theories with other guests. Some, more like me, enjoy the spectacle and keeping ideas close to the chest. There is no wrong way to enjoy the weekend at Mohonk.
How To Take Part
If the idea of a Murder Mystery Weekend in a beautiful Victorian hotel sounds like something you would like to do, you are in luck. “Murder by the Book” is happening February 27-March 1, 2026.
This special 50th anniversary of the original Murder Mystery Weekend is still taking reservations. So grab a few of your favorite friends and spend the weekend solving a murder at a historic resort along with a hundred other amateur sleuths.