Hunt A Killer: Lakeside Slaughter – A Murder Mystery You Solve With Your Hands

Most murder mystery games ask you to read a script and guess. Hunt A Killer: Lakeside Slaughter – The Last Vacation asks you to actually investigate — sorting through photographs, cross-referencing alibis, and cracking a locked evidence box before you can move the case forward. It's less "party game" and more "true crime deep-dive you get to solve yourself," which is exactly why it's found such a devoted following since Hunt A Killer first launched.

Here's what's inside the case, how it plays, and who it's built for.

The Case

Ryan Bosley and his wife Monica book a lakeside rental to get away from it all and reconnect. The trip sours after an argument at a neighbour's cookout — and shortly after, Monica is found dead. Police like Ryan for it. He says he didn't do it, and believes the real killer is someone else who was at that same cookout.

You're the detective. Your job is to work through the evidence, build out the timeline, and figure out whether Ryan's telling the truth — and if he is, who actually did it.

How It Plays

Unlike a lot of mystery board games that hand you abstract clue cards, Lakeside Slaughter leans on physical, tactile evidence — documents, photographs, and props you handle directly as part of the investigation. The centrepiece is a locked evidence box: you have to solve a code before it opens, and what's inside only makes sense once you've pieced together enough of the surrounding case.

It's built as cooperative play, so it works well with a partner or small group all working the case together — but it's just as playable solo if you'd rather sit with the file alone and work it out at your own pace.

What's in the Box

• 🔍 Physical evidence materials — documents, photographs, and interactive props tied to the investigation
• 🔒 A locked evidence box that requires a solved code to open
• 📋 Case materials to track the investigation as it unfolds

Difficulty: 2 out of 5
Playtime: 90–120 minutes
Players: 1+ (cooperative or solo)
Recommended Age: 14+

Who's It For?

Lakeside Slaughter sits in a slightly different lane to most of what's on our board game shelves — it's built for people who already love true crime, and want something more hands-on than a podcast or documentary. It's a strong pick for:

• Date night — a shared case to work through together rather than another movie
• Small group game nights — cooperative, so there's no one "winner," just the shared satisfaction of cracking it
• Solo players — genuinely built to be tackled alone if you'd rather sit with the file yourself
• Gifts for true crime fans — a self-contained, single-play case rather than an ongoing subscription commitment

One thing worth knowing going in: this is a single-play experience. Once you've solved the case and opened the evidence box, there's no replaying it the way you might replay a strategy game — which is part of why it works so well as a gift or a one-off event rather than a permanent shelf staple.

Why Grab It In-Store

A game like this is a good example of where a physical store actually helps before you buy — being able to see the box, the evidence format, and the general production quality in person tells you a lot more than a product photo does. If you're new to the Hunt A Killer format and want to know what you're getting into, come ask us in-store at Fairfield; we're happy to talk through how these immersive mystery games compare to the more traditional board games on our shelves.

Grab It In-Store or Online

Hunt A Killer: Lakeside Slaughter – The Last Vacation is $28.99 AUD and in stock now at Hobby Collectors Australia — brand new and sealed, ready to ship Australia-wide or to pick up from our Fairfield store.

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Looking for something more traditional for your next game night? Check out our Board Game Night Starter Guide, or browse the full board games collection.